2004 Dodge Dakota

NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL. THE STEERING IS STIFF AND HARD TO TURN. IT REQUIRES ASSISTANCE TO BRING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO CENTER. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE GOING. IT SEEMS TO GET BETTER AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING BUT AFTER SITTING FOR A WHILE THE PROBLEM IS BACK. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK LAST YEAR AS A SECOND VEHICLE AND NOW REGRET DOING SO. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE. 4/14/14 THEY REPLACED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS, FRONT ROTORS AND POWER STEERING PUMP. THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. 4/24/14 THEY REPLACED THE STEERING RACK. $2,300.00 LATER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. IT IS GOING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 5/14/14 BUT I HAVE MY DOUBTS THE PROBLEM WILL BE FIXED AFTER READING OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS AND HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED A CASE MANAGER. I AM WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. I DO NOT WISH TO SPEND ANYMORE MONEY TRYING TO FIX A DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR STEERING COMPONENTS. THE STEERING POSES A SAFETY ISSUE AND I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING IT VERY FAR. *TR

THE HORN STOPPED WORKING, I TOOK IT TO A NON-DEALER MECHANIC WHO FOUND THE HORNS THEMSELVES OPERATIONAL WHEN APPLYING AN EXTERNAL RELAYED VOLTAGE TO THEM AND NO FUSES BLOWN, HE THOUGHT IT MAY BE A SHORT IN SYSTEM. HORN WOULD NOT WORK ON MANY OCCASIONS, THEN ONE DAY IT WORKED, THE NEXT DAY IT DID NOT. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER IT WOULDN'T WORK, I HAVE A TILT STEERING WHEEL SO I MOVED IT TO AN UPRIGHT POSITION, THE HORN STARTED WORKING, I PUT THE TILT WHEEL BACK DOWN AND IT STILL WORKED. THE NEXT DAY THE HORN WOULDN'T WORK EVEN IF MOVING THE TILT STEERING UP OR DOWN. IT SEEMS AS IF THERE MAY BE AN INTERMITTENT SHORT OF SOME KIND IN THE WIRING FOR THE HORN IN THE STEERING COLUMN. IT HAS AN AIR BAG SO IT ISN'T AN EASY INVESTIGATION. I HAVEN'T TAKEN IT TO A DEALER AS CHRYSLER WAS CLOSING OUTLETS AND I HAVEN'T FOUND ONE TO USE YET. *TR

AT VARIOUS TIMES THE BRAKES SEEM TO LOCK UP WHEN COMING TO A STOP QUICKLY. THIS NEVER HAPPENS WHEN BRAKING NORMALLY, ONLY WHEN NEEDING TO BRAKE QUICKLY AND HARD. ALSO HAPPENS AT TIMES DURING NORMAL BRAKING, BUT THEN NEEDING TO ACCELERATE, THEN BRAKING AGAIN QUICKLY. THIS IS DANGEROUS IN WET WEATHER AS THE BRAKES LOCK MOMENTARILY AND THE TIRES HYDROPLANE, IT APPEARS TO BE THE REAR BRAKES DOING THIS, THEY RELEASE QUICKLY BUT THE MOMENTARY LOCK-UP IS DANGEROUS. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO DIDN'T FIND A CAUSE FOR THIS, BUT SAID MAYBE THE ABS WAS PERIODICAL FAILING, AS IT ONLY HAPPENS SPORADICALLY; BUT USUALLY WHEN NEEDING TO BRAKE HARD AS IN AN EMERGENCY. I'VE NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL ORDERS ON MY VEHICLE AND HAVE LIVED AT SAME ADDRESS SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. *TR

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. RK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WOULD FAIL AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SEIZE. IN WARMER TEMPERATURES, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD EASILY MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE BUT WOULD EXHIBIT DIFFICULTIES IN RETURNING TO A STRAIGHT POSITION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH OVER A RAILROAD TRACK, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DROPPED ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,480.

THE STEERING IN MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK WOULD GET STIFF WHILE TURNING AND THEN WOULD TURN EASY THEN BACK TO STIFF. IT IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE TRUCK WHILE MAKING TURNS. THE STEERING IS LIKE VERY UNSTABLE AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ARE THERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE I SEE THAT THERE IS ALOT OF THIS HAPPENING TO THESE TRUCKS? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK FAILED AND BEGAN TO LEAK GASOLINE FUEL. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

WHILE PARKED MY BLOWER MOTOR WIRING TO THE RESISTOR JUST WENT. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME IT HAS DONE THIS. NOW I AM WITH OUT A TRUCK AND ITS SNOWING AND COLD SO IT US INOPERABLE! I HAVE SEEN PLENTY OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING! THANK GOD I WAS NOT DRIVING WITH MY KIDS IN THE TRUCK WHEN IT WENT. THE WIRING MELTED SO THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO TO REPLACE THE RESISTOR SO I HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE WIRE HARNESS. THIS IN NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THESE TRUCKS! SOMETHING NEEDS DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OVER THIS. *TR