14 of the 650 complaints about the 1997 Dodge Dakota are about the body and structure — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 85,000 miles.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STRUCTURE:BODY
LOCKED VEHICLE IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HIGH, STARTED GOING THROUGH FLAT PASTURE, EITHER BRAKES LOCKED UP OR FRONT PUMKIN TURNED UP AND LOCKED FRONT WHEELS UP, LOST CONTROL AND ROLLED ONTO DRIVER SIDE.
NHTSA complaint #10552659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
I NOTICED ANOTHER COMPLAINT DATED 3/1/2004 AS THE FAIL DATE AND AN INTERNAL USE DATE OF 7/6/2005 OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE PAINT ON THE ROOF OF THE CAB STARED PEELING OFF AND PAINT ON VARIOUS OTHER AREAS OF THE TRUCK. THE BUMPER WAS THE FIRST TO GO. I WOULD SAY THIS STARTED ABOUT AFTER THE TRUCK WAS 4-5 YEARS OLD. I ONCE HAD THIS HAPPEN ON A TWO YEAR OLD NISSAN TRUCK AND NISSAN REPAINTED THE ENTIRE TRUCK AN SAID IT WAS DEFECTIVELY PAINTED.
NHTSA complaint #10136368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
PAINT BEGAN BUBBLING ABOUT A YEAR AGO ON THE ROOF OF THE CAB. SINCE THEN EVERY SINGLE PANEL ON THE VEHICLE(HOOD, ROOF, FRONT 1/4 PANELS, DOORS, CAB BODY, AND REAR FENDERS) ALL HAVE AT LEAST ONE SPOT WHERE PAINT HAS BUBBLED AND PEELED. SOME SPOTS AS BIG AS A FOOT IN DIAMETER AND GROWING. THIS IS NOT RANDOM. I MEAN EVERY BODY PART HAS PAINT JUST "LETTING GO". THIS IS AN OBVIOUS CASE OF POOR PAINTING PROCEDURES AND IS SEEN IN MANY OTHER MAKES AND MODELS FROM DODGE IN THIS SAME TIME FRAME.
NHTSA complaint #10127699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
ALLDATA HAS PROVIDED ME WITH INFORMAYION ON MY 1997 DODGE DAKOTA C/ CAB, IT SHOWS A GENERAL RECALL WITH A TBA # 727 FOR PAINT CHIPPING. I ALSO HAVE INFORMATION THAT THE SAME YEAR AND FACTORY VIN # HAS A RECALL ON THE SAME CONDITION OF THE PAINT BUT ONLY FOR RED TRUCKS, MINE HAPPENS TO BE GREEN. BUT THE PAINT ON MY TRUCK IS PEELING LIKE A 30 YEAR OLD HOUSE. THE PRIMER IS FINE, WHICH FROM TALKING TO OTHER PROFESSIONALS IN THE AUTO PAINTING BUSINESS HAVE INFORMED ME THAT IF THE PRIMER IS NOT CLEANED OR DRIED PROPERLY BEFORE THE PAINT IS LAID DOWN, IT WOULD CAUSE THE PAINT TO LATER CHIP AND PEEL, LIKE MINE DOES. I HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN HAVING DODGE LOOK AT THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10113949 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ON A DIRT ROAD CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. CONSUMER STOPPED THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND THAT THE FRAME HAD A LARGE CRACK ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT FRAME MUST BE REPLACED. ON THAT SAME DAY CONSUMER HEARD A RADIO REPORT ABOUT DODGE DAKOTAS 1995-1996 HAVING A PROBLEM WITH CRACKED FRAMES. DURING THAT REPORT IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A REPAIR KIT THAT COULD BE OBTAINED AT DODGE DEALERSHIPS TO FIX THE FRAME. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, THE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS REPAIR KIT.
NHTSA complaint #10057892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE, OF WHICH THE DEALER CLAIMED TO HAVE REPAIRED BY PLACING A SMALL AMOUNT OF TAR AROUND A WIRE ENTERING THE FIREWALL, HOWEVER AFTER SEVERAL RAINFALLS, CONSUMER DOSCOVERED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN FIXED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON 2 OCCASIONS, WATER HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY SEEPING INTO THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE, AND NOW WATER FLOWS INTO THE CAB WHEN RAINING THE DEALER PULLED THE DAHSBOARD TO REPAIR THE LEAK, BUT DID NOT STOP THE LEAK, AND FOUND THAT THE REAR WINDOW WAS ALSO LEAKING AND WOULD MAKE NO FURTHER REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #566508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A RED LIGHT, VEHICLE WENT BACKARDS, CONSUMER RESTARTED AND VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT BROKE, CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #8011408 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
PAINT ON FRONT BUMPER CHIPPED. DEALER REPAINTED INSTEAD OF REPLACED. CHIPPING AGAIN AND RUSTING. DEALER AND CHRYSLER REFUSED TO REPLACE.
NHTSA complaint #737456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
AUTHORIZED DODGE DEALER INSPECTED WITH EMPLOYEE OF CHRYSLER/ STATED THERE WAS NO DEFECT WITH MANUFACTURER ALTHOUGH I DON'T FEEL THAT IT CANNOT BE BECAUSE THIS PEELING/FLAKING HAS NOT OCCURRED ELSEWHERE ON THE BODY OF THE TRUCK.
NHTSA complaint #734979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
ON NOVEMBER 17,1997 GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED,NEW BRAKE MAKES NOISE AND THE CONSOLE LID STRAP BROKE.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)YH
NHTSA complaint #551031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
DOOR PANEL SCREWS ARE TOO SHORT CAUSING THEM TO COME OUT. MJS
NHTSA complaint #545524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
THE FRONT BUMPER'S PAINT IS CHIPPING. WHEN DEALER WAS CONTACTED THEY BLAMED THE INCIDENT ON "ROAD SALT" THOUGH THERE WAS NO SALT ON THE ROADS AT THE TIME THE INCIDENT OCCURED. THE PAINT IS CURRENTLY BUBBLEING UP AND PEELING AS THIS COMPLAINT IS SUBMITTED.
NHTSA complaint #538728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
LOOSE BEDLINER.
NHTSA complaint #523783 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT IN FRAME WELD CAUSED THE FRAME TO BREAK. DEALER INDICATED THAT CHRYSLER WAS AWARE, AND THAT SEVERAL OTHERS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN FOUND WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #822690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.