22 of the
650 complaints about the 1997 Dodge Dakota are about the
seats — 3% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
75,000 miles.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER FRONT SEAT WAS UNSTABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10586050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 36,500 milesPearland, TX
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
I CANNOT REST PROPERLY AGAINST THE SEAT BACK IT WILL RECLINE ON ITS OWN. REACHING INTO POCKET AT DRIVE-THRU RESTAURANTS APPLYING MODERATE PRESSURE AGAINST SEAT BACK IT FALLS ALL THE WAY BACK. IF I ACCELERATE SWIFTLY THE SEAT BACK WILL DROP FROM BEHIND ME. IN EVENT OF ACCIDENT I'M SURE I WILL HAVE NO SUPPORT TO PREVENT WHIPLASH.
NHTSA complaint #10154473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 102,000 milesFontana, CA
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
FOR A PERIOD OF A YEAR FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SET BACK COLLAPSED. THIS HAPPENED OVER FIFTY TIMES AND WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER TRIED CLEANING THE RECLINER HANDLE AND SURROUNDING AREA, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.
NHTSA complaint #10060914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesMeade, KS
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
REPLACE BOTH SIDES OF UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AT 60K AND 120K DESPITE USING THE BEST GREASE IN THEM SYNTHETIC. I'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SEAT BACK BEFORE SINCE NEW IT FALLS BACK. FRONT BUCKET.
NHTSA complaint #10050754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Halifax, MA
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
I HAVE A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA EXTRA CAB. IT CONSTANLY LEAKS WATER ONTO THE FLOORBOARDS, SOAKING THE CARPET.MANY OTHER OWNERS REPORT THIS PROBLEM TOO. ALSO THE DRIVERS SEATBACK WILL NOT LOCK. WHEN I PUT ON THE BRAKE,THE BACK OF THE SEAT RECLINES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #10030881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 75,000 milesMoncks Corner, SC3 injured
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP BOTH FRONT SEATS RANDOMLY FALL ALMOST FLAT, CAUSING SEVERAL NEAR REAR END COLLISIONS FROM LOSING CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL. ON OCCASIONS THE DRIVER SEAT HAS FALLEN AND STRIKING OUR 2 YEAR OLD IN THE FACE. NOT ONLY DOES IT COLLAPSE FROM STOPS, AS DOES IT HAPPEN WHEN HITTING A SMALL BUMP, SPEED BUMPS, OR OTHER SMALL ROUGH PATCHES IN THE ROAD. I HAVE FOUND NO WAY TO KEEP THEM UPRIGHT AND I FULLY BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FOOT THE $700+ BILL TO REPLACE/REPAIR THESE SEATS. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10016438 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sturgis, MI
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
CONSUMER STATES WHEN VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK RECLINE BACKWARDS INTO THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT AND THE SEAT FRAME TWISTED. WHICH COULD OF CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES IT REAR SEAT WAS OCCUPIED AT TIME OF ACCIDENT.DEALER CONTACTED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #8019927 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Idaho City, ID
SEATS
SPEEDOMETOR AND CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING REPLACED SPEED SENSOR PER DEALER AND STILL NOT WORKING. ALSO SEAT DOESN'T LOCK IN UPRIGHT POSITION ON DRIVERS SIDE. TRANSFER CASE SEAL WENT OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE TRANSFER CASE. I HATE THIS TRUCK AND I COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY.
NHTSA complaint #764224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cape Coral, FL
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVERS SEAT BACK ADJUSTER IS STRIPPED. UPON ACCELERATION, SEATBACK WILL COLLAPSE INTO AN ALMOST FLAT POSITION. I HAVE LOST CONTROL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DEALER,MANUFACTURER,AND VEHICLE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY ALL REFUSE TO REPAIR. WHAT PROMPTED ME WAS A REPORT ON TV ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM WHERE A GUY DIED FROM A MINOR REAREND COLLISION,HE WAS ALSO DRIVING AN EXTENDED CAB PICKUP AND HIS SEATBACK FAILED, HE HIT HIS HEAD ON THE BACK WINDOW FRAME AND DIED! REPAIR PART COST IS $700 NOT INCLUDING LABOR.
NHTSA complaint #747546 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riverside, CACrash
SEATS
A PART INSIDE THE FRONT SEAT BROKE EASILY IN REAR END CRASH, FRONT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. DRIVER WAS GOING 12 MPH WHEN HIT IN THE REAR OF THE TRUCK BY A VEHICLE HIT BY A VEHICLE GOING 40 MPH. THE DIFFERENCE IS ONLY 28 MPH AND THE SEAT BROKE, THE DRIVER FELL STRAIGHT BACK AND WAS UNCONSCIOUS, SLIDING UNDER THE SEATBELT TOWARDS THE FLOOR. THE PART OF THE SEAT THAT BROKE WAS DEFECTIVE.
NHTSA complaint #746741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glassboro, NJ
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
SEAT BACKS RANDOMLY COLLAPSES, NEVER SURE IF IT'S LOCKED.
NHTSA complaint #742615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
S. Dartmouth, MA
SEATS
DRIVER SEAT RECLINES BACKWARDS, BUT FAILED TO RETURN TO ORIGINAL POSITION. WOULD SOMETIMES BECOME STUCK AND THEN SLAMS DRIVER FORWARDS.
NHTSA complaint #879515 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Miami, FL
SEATS
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA complaint #734863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Herndon, VA
SEATS
RECLINE SEAT LATCH DOES NOT POSITIVELY LATCH AFTER USE. CONCERNED THAT CHILDREN IN REAR SEAT WILL BE INJURED IN MINOR REAR END COLLISION WHEN FRONT SEAT COLLAPSING ON THEM. AFTER SEAT IS RECLINED FORWARD TO ACCESS REAR SEAT, RECLINE LATCH DOES NOT POSITIVELY LATCH. SEAT CAN BE RECLINED BY DRIVER/PASSENGER PUSHING BACK WITHOUT RELEASING LATCH.
NHTSA complaint #734425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dearborn, MI
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
THE SEAT BACK OF THE DRIVERS SEAT WILL NOT REMAIN IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. IF THE DRIVER LEANS BACK TO HARD OR WHEN A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD IS ENCOUNTERED THE SEAT RECLINING MECHINISM WILL NOT HOLD AND THE BACK WILL BE RELEASED TO A 45 DEGREE ANGLE.
NHTSA complaint #734017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Raleigh, NC
SEATS
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE AFTER IT HAS BEEN RECLINED.
NHTSA complaint #728564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Francisco, CA
SEATS
THE DRIVER SEAT FELL BACKWARDS WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL, CAUSING MOMENTARILY LOSS OF CONTROL.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)YH
NHTSA complaint #551031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Waterford, MICrash1 injured
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
IN A REAR END COLLISION DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO FALL BACK, AND STRIKE THE REAR WINDOW WITH HIS HEAD, BREAKING THE WINDOW. *AK
NHTSA complaint #857602 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dededo, Guam, 00
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
BOTH PASSENGER & DRIVER BACK REST COLLAPSED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #853504 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Golden, COCrash
SEATS
WHILE DRIVING AN D WHILE STOPPING IN TRAFFIC VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED ,AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED.
NHTSA complaint #848781 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bowie, TXCrash3 injured
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED IT WAS REARENDED. HAD CHILD IN EXTENDED CAB BENCH SEAT. THE SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS & CHILD'S HEAD HIT SIDE OF CAB. THE FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS ONTO CHILD SEATED IN REAR. CHILD SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES FROM THE SEAT. BOTH SEATS FELL BACKWARDS UPON IMPACT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #833590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Austin, TX
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
THE LATCH MECHANISM ON BOTH OF THE FRONT BUCKET SEATS, THAT ALLOW EITHER THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SEAT TO RECLINE FORWARD, DOES NOT LOCK WHEN RETURNED TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION, RESULTING IN THE SEATS MOVING FORWARD WHEN STOPPING IN A EMERGENCY SITUATION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #832113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.