2001 Dodge Dakota equipment problems

TRAILER HITCHES

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. WHEN NEW, I INSTALLED A CURT MANUFACTURING TOW HITCH. I TAKE GREAT CARE OF MY VEHICLES. I TOW ONLY ON RARE OCCASIONS, PROBABLY 6-10 DAYS A YEAR. RECENTLY, I NOTICED EXTREME CORROSION ON THE SIDE SUPPORTS AND MAIN TUBE OF THE TOW HITCH. I HAVE NO OTHER CORROSION OF THIS SORT ON MY VEHICLE. THE SIDES SEEM TO BE CORRODING IN SHEETS (STEEL) AS IF IT WAS A PLYWOOD. IT IS TOTALLY UNSAFE TO TOW ANYTHING WHILE IT IS IN THIS CONDITION. IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CURT HAS A LIFETIME WARRANTEE. I CONTACTED THEM AND SENT PICTURES. I BELIEVE IT MAY BE INFERIOR STEEL OR COATING FROM FACTORY. ANYWAYS, THEY DENIED MY CLAIM. I WANTED A REPLACEMENT. I HAVE ORIGINAL RECEIPT AND INSTRUCTIONS. I AM CONCERNED THAT OTHERS MY HAVE THIS, AND IF NOT ADDRESSED COULD LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC TOWING ACCIDENT AS EVERYTHING TOWED CONNECTS ONLY TO THIS ACCESSORY.

NHTSA complaint #10364040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. ONE HEADLIGHT BULB FAILED. THE VEHICLE MANUAL INSTRUCTS ONE TO REMOVE TWO BOLTS TO ACCESS THE BULB. THIS BULB IS SUBJECT TO THE WEATHER AND HAS RUSTED. I NEED TO REPLACE THE BOLTS. DODGE INDICATES THAT THE BOLT IS NOT SOLD SEPARATELY AND IS PART OF THE HEADLIGHT UNIT. THIS UNIT IS $250.00. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ABSURD AMOUNT TO PAY FOR A BOLT WHICH IS REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITH FUNCTIONAL HEADLIGHTS.

NHTSA complaint #10206866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

I BOUGHT A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA 4WD A MONTH AGO. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, TIMING CHAIN, WATER PUMP AND NOW THE TRANSFER CASE HAS GONE BAD. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 55000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE ONLY MADE ONE PAYMENT ON THE TRUCK AND HAVE PAID THE REPAIR SHOP OVER $1500 IN REPAIR COSTS. THEY ONLY TIME THAT I HAVE GOT TO DRIVE THE TRUCK IS TO THE REPAIR SHOP EXCEPT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. THIS IS RIDICULOUS, A TRUCK WITH LOW MILES LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS MANY PROBLEMS. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT THIS TIME PUT THEY COULDN'T MAKE ANY PROMISES. WE PAID FOR EVERYTHING ELSE TO GET FIXED AND I REFUSE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING ELSE. I PAID $10,000 FOR A TRUCK THAT I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE, I'M ACTUALLY SCARED TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT. APPARENTLY DODGES ARE PIECES OF CRAP TO PUT IT POLITELY.

NHTSA complaint #10184715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

FOR THE 2ND TIME THE FAN MOTOR FOR THE A/C,HEATER HAS STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. THE DEALER HAD THE TRUCK FOR OVER A WEEK THE FIRST AND IT REALLY NEVER SEEM TO WORK RIGHT. THE FRONT HEAD LIGHTS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO.

NHTSA complaint #10157499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES ON MY VEHICLE WITH MOPAR PARTS. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 2 YEARS AND HAVE PUT 40,000 MILES ON IT. THE ROTORS ARE ONLY LASTING IN THE AREA OF 10 - 15000 MILES. I SPOKE WITH MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE HAS TOLD ME THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE DODGE DAKOTA AND I BETTER GET USE TO REPLACING THEM OR GET USE TO DRIVING WITH WARPED ROTORS.

NHTSA complaint #10144667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

FLOODED FLOOR BOARDS, FOUND OUT AFTER INQUIRE ABOUT NEW CARPET(APPROXIMATELY $600.00) THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING (A/C) UNIT ON MY 2001 DAKOTA, THAT "ON MANY OF THESE VEHICLES THE A/C DRAIN HOSES WE EITHER INSTALLED WRONG OR JUST NOT PUT ON AT THE FACTORY". AT LEAST THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS FACT, EVEN THOUGH I HAD TO DRIVE MY "BRAND NEW TRUCK" AROUND FOR 2 1/2 WEEKS WITH NO CARPET IN IT. IT WAS REPLACED FOR FREE.

NHTSA complaint #10049346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

CONSUMER NOTICE WHILE TRAVELING AC/HEATER WOULD NOT BLOW HEAT OUT VENT OR LOWER DUCK HEAT WOULD REDIRECT NOT RESPONDING TO CONTROLS. DEALER AND MANUFACTURE HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDER FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA complaint #8023697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH (POSSIBLY)THE BALL JOINTS. WHILE HE IS DRIVING THERE IS A CLUNKING SOUND THAT GETS WORSE WHEN TURNING ON CURVES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND IS UNABLE TO HELP. TS OTHER PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: THE VEHICLE WILL SLIDE/SKATE OVER ANY BUMP/UNEVEN SURFACE AND CORNER, NOISE IN FRONT END/PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL/PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON-FOUND EVAP LEAK, BAD GAS CAP, REAR BRAKE DRUMS ARE HOPPING, ABS LIGHT ON, INTERNAL MAIL RELAY AND VALVE PLUG SHORTED, AND FRONT INNER BRAKE PAD SPRING CLIPS BENT OUT OF SHAPE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTS THE FOLLOWING: REFUND OF THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, LESSEN THE BANK PAYMENTS FOR THE TIME OF USE, AND APPLY A REFUND TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW DODGE RAM. SCC

NHTSA complaint #8021895 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

THE AIR CONDITIONER IS AT TIMES INOPERATIVE, THERE IS ALSO A FOUL SMELL IN THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, THE DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #566563 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER TURNS ON AIR CONDITIONER AND IT WAS BLOWING HOT AIR. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #8014476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

1-11-2002 OIL PRESSURE PROBLEMS. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER..DONALSON MOTOR COMPANY IN SILSBEE, TEXAS. AFTER 2 DAYS THEY PHONED ME TO TELL ME THE ENGINE HAD SUFFERED A "CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE". THE CAUSE WAS "DIRTY OIL". I RUN ROYAL PURPLE-A HIGH DOLLAR SYNTHETIC OIL. THE PRICE TAG FOR ALL OF THIS WAS 5600.00. I TOOK A OIL SAMPLE TO THE MAUFACTURER TO HAVE TESTED. BOTH CHEMISTS THAT TESTED THE OIL REPORTED THE VISCOSITY OF THE OIL WAS INTACT. THE OIL WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. I TOOK THIS BACK TO DONALSON AND WAS TOLD THE OIL WAS THE CAUSE. I FOUND AN MECHANIC WHO GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF 3300.00 FOR THE SAME ENGINE. WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP MY TRUCK DONALSON INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD DO THE WORK FOR 3000.00. THEY HAVE HAD MY TRUCK FOR 1 MONTH AND 19 DAYS, I WENT TO PICK IT UP AND THE AIRCONDITIONER WAS NO LONGER BLOWING COLD AIR(I DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE). I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO THEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE AC HAD BEEN CONTAMINATED WHILE REBUILDING THE MOTOR AND IT WOULD COST SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX!!!.

NHTSA complaint #758483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

LABLE LOCATED ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS IMPROPERLY LABLED FOR A 16' TIRE, INFORMATION ON LABLE GIVES PSI FOR 15" RIM, NOT FOR 16' TIRE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #888866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.