2004 Dodge Dakota

I CAN HARDLY STEER MY TRUCK ANYMORE EVEN AFTER REPLACING A POWER STEERING PUMP WHICH I WAS TOLD WAS THE PROBLEM. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE PUMP WAS FINE AND AFTER RESEARCHING THIS VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THE WEB I AM FINDING OUT THAT THE STEERING ISSUES ARE ACTUALLY DUE TO A FAULTY INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. WHAT DOES A GIRL HAVE TO DO TO GET DODGE TO CORRECT THIS NATIONWIDE PROBLEM? IT'S SEEMS ONLY FAIR THAT A RECALL BE INITIATED ASAP. I GUESS MY ONLY RESORT IS TO LUBE THE SHAFT FOR NOW UNTIL DODGE FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGES HOW MANY THEY HAVE '!@#$%. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, HEARD CLUNKING NOISE THAT SEEMED TO COME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE APPEARED NORMAL, INCLUDING THE WHEELS. I CHECKED UNDER HOOD AND UNDER FRONT END AND FOUND NOTHING BROKEN, MISSING OR LEAKING AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL LATER FELL OFF WITH ALL STUDS SHEARED OFF. ALSO, ONE LUG NUT ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS MISSING AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE FOUND TO BE LOOSE, WITH SEVERAL STUDS CRACKED. BOTH WHEELS HAD BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED AND TIGHTEN SOME MONTHS EARLIER. TO CORRECT, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS REPLACED. ALL STUDS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS AND ALL LUG NUTS WERE REPLACED. ALSO, THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE FELL ONTO THE LEFT FRONT ROTOR.*TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING LOCKS WHILE DRIVING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THREE DIFFERENT TIMES AND THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. HE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE UNIVERSAL JOINT THAT GOES INTO THE YOKE WAS BENT WHEN IT SHOULD BE STRAIGHT. THE DEALER FINALLY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE CONTACT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,017. UPDATED 8/27/09 *CN UPDATED 09/09/09 *JB

THE STEERING IN MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA IS VERY TIGHT. IT TAKES ALL MY STRENGTH TO TURN A CORNER. THEN JUST WHEN I GET THE WHEEL TURNED IT GETS VERY LOOSE AND I AM OVER STEERING. BUT TO TURN THE WHEEL BACK IT IS TIGHT AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AS WELL AS DANGEROUS. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DODGE DAKOTA'S. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO LIE WITH AN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT IN THE STEERING. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED! IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE MY TRUCK! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME VERY STIFF WHEN MAKING VARIOUS TURNS. IT FELT AS IF THE POWER STEERING WAS FAILING. THE FAILURE LASTED FOR A WEEK BEFORE THE CONTACT FINALLY WENT TO A MECHANIC. HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT FAILED. THE DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE THE NECESSARY PART IS ON BACKORDER. THE REPAIR WILL BE MADE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,550.

1. NORMAL DRIVING (4 YEARS 95,000 MILES) 2. THE STEERING IS UNPREDICTABLE AND VERY STIFF. I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME TURNING THE VEHICLE WITH TWO HANDS ON THE WHEEL. THE STIFFNESS IS SPORADIC AND CHOPPY. IT MAKES THE TRUCK MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. 3. GREASING THE TWO U-JOINTS ON THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. A GREASE TIP ON BOTH JOINTS WOULD PERMANENTLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR