1999 Dodge Dakota

I OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA V-8 MAGNUM 5.2L, IT ONLY HAS 138,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I BOUGHT IT IT ONLY HAD 76,600 MILES. IN THAT LITTLE TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS TWICE, AND THE RACK AND PINION, AND THE WATER PUMP, THE THERMOSTAT, THE POWER STEERING PUMP, THE TIE RODS, AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE WRONG. WHY AM HAVING TO REPLACE THESE THINGS TWICE IN SUCH LITTLE MILEAGE? AFTER READING UP ON IT THROUGH THE INTERNET I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE PROBLEMS, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINTS, WHY IS THERE A RECALL ON THE 2000, & 1998 BUT NOT 1999? I AM OUT SO MUCH MONEY AND HAVE ALMOST WRECKED MY TRUCK TWICE BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS, ONCE WITH 6 KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME AND AGAIN WITH MY 3 KIDS. THIS NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION BEFORE SEVERAL PEOPLE GET HURT OR WORSE, DIE!!! *TR

I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW, WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR AND SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A CLUNKING NOISE WHICH GOT LOUDER AND FASTER AS I ACCELERATED THE DEALER COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. AFTER PICKING IT UP THE UMTEENTH TIME, THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE, I DROVE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP DEMANDING THEY FIGURE IT OUT. THEY PUT THERE QA TECH ON IT AND DISCOVERED IT WAS THE DRIVE SHAFT. THAT WAS REPLACED AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, THE TIRES PREMATURELY WEARING, BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THEY WERE REPLACED IN DECEMBER 07 THE LAST TIME, LESS THAN A YEAR BEFORE THE LAST TIME, ALONG WITH NEW TIRES. IT IS NOW APRIL 11, 2008 AND I WAS JUST TOLD AFTER SERVICING THE VEHICLE THEY NEED REPLACED AGAIN AND THE TIRES ARE WEARING. THE AIR CONDITIONING FAILED SEVERAL TIMES, THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WEAR BI-ANNUALLY AND DON'T STOP PROPERLY, AFTER ABOUT 60,000 MILES, THE COMPUTER WENT ON THIS VEHICLE, LEAVING ME STRANDED MANY, MANY TIMES. IT WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS AND THEY COULDN'T DETECT THE PROBLEM, EVEN AFTER MY PERSONAL MECHANIC TOLD THEM WHAT IT WAS. I HAD TO HAVE THIS FIXED ON MY OWN BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT STICKS AND IS DIFFICULT TO UNFASTENED, THE PAINT ON THIS VEHICLE IS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE FROM EVERYWHERE BUT THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE RIDICULOUS AND REALLY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. HOW MANY DEATHS ARE YOU WAITING FOR TO OCCUR BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MANUFACTURER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DEFECTS??? IS IT GOING TO TAKE A DEATH TO OCCUR AND CHRYSLER TO BE SUED FOR THEIR NEGLECT AND FAULTY EQUIPMENT????? *TR

MY SON ESCAPED DANGER WHEN THE TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER OF HIS 1999 DODGE DAKOTA WENT OUT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. AFTER REPLACING THAT AND HEADING BACK HOME, HIS U JOINTS AND WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT ALMOST CAUSING ANOTHER WRECK. THESE WERE ALL REPAIRED. SO FAR $3000 IN REPAIRS IN A MONTH. THEN THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AS HE WAS DRIVING. NOW THE OIL PUMP NEEDS REPLACED. ALONG WITH THE TIE END RODS, THE TIMING CHAIN, AND THE SERPENTINE. HE'D ALREADY HAD THE TOTAL BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACED THIS SUMMER. HAVING ALL THE RECEIPTS SHOWING REGULAR OIL CHANGES, THE WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE OIL PUMP BECAUSE OF SOME SLUDGE IN THE PUMP. NOW I FIND FROM RESEARCHING ON THE COMPUTER THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN DURANGOS AND DAKOTAS. WE'VE PUT $5000 IN THIS TRUCK IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO ADMIT THE FLAWS IN THIS VEHICLE. THEY HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY HERE. WE ARE JUST GLAD HE WAS NOT INJURED OR KILLED. BUT WE'VE PUT OVER $5000 IN A '99 VEHICLE - WHICH IS UNFAIR WHEN THE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED TO THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

I HAVE A 99 DODGE DAKOTA WITH 59,000 MILES. I AM CURRENTLY HAVING MY SECOND 4WD TRANSFER CASE REPLACED. FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS AT 41,000 MILES. I USE MY 4WD APPROX 20 TIMES A YEAR AND FOR SHORT DISTANCES. I HAVE REPLACED THE U JOINTS TWICE, THE A/C COMPRESSOR ONCE DUE TO IT BEING LOCATED IN A TERRIBLE PLACE. OH, LETS DISCUSS THE BALL JOINTS AS WELL. *JB

1999 DODGE DAKOTA.I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE NEW IN LATE 1998. IN THE FIVE YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO BALL JOINTS IN THE RIGHT FRONT. CURRENTLY, A METAL-ON-METAL SQUEAK EXISTS IN THE RIGHT FRONT, AND I BELIEVE IT IS A BALL JOINT. I HAVE LUBRICATED ALL PIVOT POINTS AND JOINTS, BUT CANNOT LUBRICATE THE BALL JOINTS. THE SQUEAK STILL EXISTS. HERE HAS BEEN NO INCIDENT AS OF THIS DATE. I ONLY FILLED IN THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW WITH TODAY'S BECAUSE IT IS A REQUIRED FIELD.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25MPH ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. SHE WAS BENDING DOWN TO PICK UP SOMETHING FROM THE FLOOR WHILE VEHICLE WAS STILL TRAVELING AND HIT A BRICK FENCE. UPON IMPACT, FRONT AIRBAGS DIDN'T GO OFF.*AK WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25-30 MPH ON RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF CONSUMER LOST OBJECT FROM BACK OF HIS TRUCK. CONSUMER SWERVED TO MISS AND HIT A PARKED CAR. UPON IMPACT AIRBAGS DIDN'T GO OFF. CONSUMER STATED THAT A/C WAS INOPERATIVE, TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY, ENGINE LEAKS OIL FROM OIL PAN AREA, THERMOSTAT LEAKS, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING. *YH

DODGE HAS DENIED ME COMPENSATION FOR A 69% REDUCTION IN TOWING CAPACITY THAT WAS OFFERED TO OTHER OWNERS SOLELY BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED. IT WAS PURCHASED 3 MOS. OLD WITH 3K MILES BEFORE THE REDUCTION WAS ANNOUNCED. I HAVE NEVER BEEN OFFICALLY NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE TO TOW 2000+ LBS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT CAN THE NHTSA DO TO HELP DOGDE UNDERSTAND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES?*AK