2004 Dodge Dakota Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE ACCELERATING AT A LOW SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, WHILE A STOP, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT MECHANICS, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT, UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, STRUTS, CONTROL ARMS, IDLE ARMS, CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

I BOUGHT MY DODGE DAKOTA BRAND NEW FROM A DEALER. I STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE. I'LL BRIEFLY LIST THESE FAILURES. WHILE DRIVING IN VERY COLD WEATHER (WINTER). I WAS DRIVING WITH THE HEATER ON, A LARGE VOLUME OF ENGINE COOLANT CAME POURING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD HEATER VENTS. THIS WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. WITHIN THAT SAME YEAR THE FUEL GAUGE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHENEVER THE GAS TANK BECAME HALF EMPTY. AT THIS POINT THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD DROP TO ZERO FUEL, CORRECTS WHEN GAS CAP IS TIGHTENED OR FUEL IS ADDED. PLASTIC PIECE BROKE OFF IN TRANSMISSION AT ~ 52,000 MILES, I HAD IT REPLACED AND NOW HAVE A CRACK IN EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH CAUSED THERMOSTAT FAILURE, WATER PUMP FAILURE AND LEAKING OF ALL OF THE ENGINE COOLANT. UNABLE TO WELD THE MANIFOLD AND MECHANIC HAD TO INSTALL HEAT SHIELD TO PREVENT ALL OF THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. NOW WHEN I START THE VEHICLE IS SOUNDS LIKE IT MIGHT EXPLODE! THIS HORRENDOUS NOISE SOFTENS AFTER A FEW MI...

INTERMITTENT STEERING. SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, STEERING WILL NOT RETURN TO CENTER . NOW THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. SOMETIMES IT WILL HAPPEN THEN AFTER DRIVING AWHILE IT WILL CLEAR UP. BUT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. CHECKED POWER STEERING FLUID,AIR PRESSURE. LOOKED AT OTHER FORUMS FOR THIS COMMON PROBLEM. CONSENSUS IS THE STEERING RACK AND/OR THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. WENT AND HAD STEERING RACK AND LOWER SHAFT REPLACED AND IT CURED THE PROBLEM ABOUT 97 PERCENT. DODGE SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FOR SAFETY REASONS AS THIS COULD INVOLVE FATALITIES . *TR

GOT IN VEHICLE AND STARTED TO DRIVE WHEN I NOTICED MAKING A TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN TO CENTER. THE STEERING WAS REAL HEAVY LIKE THE POWER STEERING WAS FAILING. CHECKED POWER STEERING FLUID-IT WAS OKAY,TIRE PRESSURE WAS OK. AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE STEERING GOT BETTER. SINCE THAT INCIDENT THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COMES AND GOES. I WENT ON THE WEB AND FOUND OUT HOW MANY MORE 2004 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE STEERING PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND/OR THE STEERING RACK. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM OR A CLASS ACTION. ALSO THE 2004 DAKOTA BALL JOINTS WENT OUT AT 60000 MILES AT MY EXPENSE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR 2003 DAKOTA BALL JOINTS BEING BAD BUT NOT 2004. I HAD BOUGHT A 1993 DAKOTA BRAND NEW AND BOUGHT THE 2004 DAKOTA BRAND NEW BUT I MIGHT HAVE TO RECONSIDER GOING TO ANOTHER MAKE IF THE STEERING DOES NOT GET REMEDIED BY DODGE. *TR

DRIVER SEAT RECLINE WHEN DRIVING. *TR