2000 Dodge Dakota

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SPUTTER OR HESITATE PRIOR TO STALLING AND WHEN THE SECURITY WARNING LIGHT IS FLASHING, HE IS NOT ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS TO PLAY WITH THE REMOTE TO GET THE LIGHT TO TURN OFF, AND STATED THAT ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STOPPED WORKING WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,900.

HEATER CORE IN DODGE DAKOTAS. THE HEATER CORE IN DODGE DAKOTAS SEEMS TO BE A REALLY BIG ISSUE WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE PART. WITH A BAD HEATER CORE, ANTI-FREEZE IS EXPELLED THROUGH THE AC VENTS AS A STEAM WHICH IS INHALED BY THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. INHALING ANTIFREEZE CAN HAVE MANY RESULTS: ANTIFREEZE FUMES CAN CAUSE EYE IRRITATION AND UPPER-RESPIRATORY IRRITATION. ADDITIONALLY, INHALED FUMES, PARTICULARLY IF FROM A MIST, CAN CAUSE BREATHING DIFFICULTIES, HEADACHES, DROWSINESS, BLURRED VISION, IRREGULAR EYE MOVEMENTS, NAUSEA AND VOMITING. MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS SHOW THAT REPEATED INHALATION OF ANTIFREEZE FUMES MAY AFFECT THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. COMA MAY OCCUR IF THE INHALED ANTIFREEZE FUMES WERE IN MIST FORM. DODGE REALLY NEEDS TO MAKE A RECALL ON THESE FAULTY HEATER CORES. I HAVE READ MANY FORUMS WHERE AT LEAST 5 HEATER CORES HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITHIN 50,000 MILES. THAT IS WAY TO FREQUENT FOR JUST COMMON WEAR AND TEAR. IT IS EXPENSIVE FOR THE CONSUMERS TO FIX AND HAS SOME BAD HEALTH RELATED ISSUES FROM INHALING THE ANTIFREEZE CAUSED BY THIS FAULTY PART. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE CONTACT PLACED OIL IN THE VEHICLE. HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN SHAKING EVEN WORSE. HE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND CALLED THE DEALER. THE DEALER RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE AND GAVE THE CONTACT HIS ORIGINAL VEHICLE BACK, BUT DID NOT RETURN HIS MONEY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,100.

TIMING COVER HOUSING THAT ALSO HOUSES WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT, HAS POOR CASTING QUALITY WHERE COOLANT ENTERS HOUSING FROM LOWER RADIATOR HOSE RESULTING IN EROSION OF MATERIAL AND ULTIMATELY LEAKS OUT RADIATOR FLUID. AFTER SPEAKING WITH CHRYSLER CORPORATE, THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO FURNISH PARS FOR REPAIR OR LABOR TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. EVEN WITH HAVING INFORMATION THAT AN AVERAGE OF 24 PARTS PER WEEK ACROSS U.S. ARE BEING ORDERED AND REPLACED THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO ACT UPON THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE MADE DUE TO POOR PRODUCT QUALITY FOR ENGINE COMPONENTS THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY NON-CONSUMABLE. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE QUADCAB 4.7 PIECE OF CRAP TRUCK THAT I BOUGHT NEW. IT HAS 59,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED SINCE NEW WITH THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. IN ADDITION, I HAVE REPLACED TWO OF THE COMPUTERS WHICH COST ME ABOUT $1800 COMBINED. FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO IT HAS BEEN RUNNING LIKE CRAP. IT STALLS, THE IDLE SPEED FLUCTUATES DRASTICALLY. AT TIMES THE IDLE SPEED WILL GO FROM 500 TO 2500 RPMS FLUCTUATING UP AND DOWN WHEN SITTING AT A RED LIGHT. THE PEOPLE NEXT TO ME MUST WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY VEHICLE LUNGING THE WAY IT DOES. THE SECOND COMPUTER THAT WAS REPLACED WAS DONE IN AN EFFORT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AND IT FAILED. IM AM TIRED OF SPENDING MONEY ON A VEHICLE WITH SO FEW MILES FOR A PROBLEM THAT MANY MANY OTHER DODGE OWNER HAVE EXPERIENCED. I FEEL LIKE I WAS DUPED. MY WIFE'S TOYOTA CAMRY JUST HIT 130,000 MILES AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK. SHE HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE AND THE ENGINE LOCKED UP. FORTUNATELY SHE WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP (SHE OF COURSE LOST ALL POWER ASSIST TO THE STEERING AND BRAKES). THE DEALERSHIP DENIED MY EXTENDED WARRANTY CLAIM SO I PURCHASED A REBUILT ENGINE BLOCK AND I AM IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING IT INSTALLED. THERE WAS EXCESSIVE SLUDGE BUILDUP IN THE MANIFOLD AND A PISTON ROD HAD BROKEN. *NM

THE 2000 4 WD DODGE DAKOTA WITH THE 4.7 ENGINE THAT WE OWN AND BOUGHT NEW (LAST TIME...) HAD AN OIL PUMP FAILURE AT 60K MILES. THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM CITING SLUDGE BUILD UP AND LACK OF MAINTENANCE AS THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE AND THE REASON FOR THE LONGER THAN QUOTED REPAIR TIME. ORIGINALLY THE QUOTE WAS FOR 6-8 HOURS PLUS THE COST OF THE PUMP WHICH ALSO CAME IN HIGHER THAN QUOTED, WE ENDED UP PAYING MORE THAN TWICE THE QUOTED HOURS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PUMP. THE "SLUDGE" BUILD UP PROBLEM BOTHERS ME BECAUSE IT IS REPORTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET WITH OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM IN THE 4.7 MAGNUM ENGINE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE PICK UP TUBE OF THE PUMP WAS BLOCKED WITH SLUDGE, HENCE THE OIL PUMP FAILURE. WELL THAT IN IT SELF IS ALL UNDERSTANDABLE HOWEVER, WHY DOES IT MAKE SLUDGE...? THREE YEARS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE WHILE CHANGING THE OIL I HAPPENED TO HAVE DISCOVERED A SLIMY SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE OIL FILL SPOUT ON THE ENGINE, ASKED THE SERVICE FOLKS AT THE DEALER ABOUT THIS CONDITION AND THE REPLY WAS YES, THIS IS A KNOWN CONDITION, COME IN FOR THE RETROFIT TO CURE THIS "MOISTURE" PROBLEM IN THE 4.7 ENGINE. THE SERVICE DEPT DID INDEED INSTALL THIS BAFFLE AND CAP AND I ASKED THEN IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CONDITION. NO WAS THE REPLY. SO, MY CONTENTION IS THAT THE AFOREMENTIONED OIL SPOUT SLUDGE PROBLEM WENT HAND IN HAND WITH THE SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. I FEEL THAT THE OIL PUMP FAILURE ON THIS VEHICLE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE GIVEN TO MILES ON THIS, A WELL MAINTAINED ENGINE AND I WOULD LIKE FOR CHRYSLER TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR FULLY AND TO INVESTIGATE THE RELIABILITY AND FAILURE TREND IN THIS ENGINE AND SLUDGE MAKING TENDENCIES LEADING TO THESE FAILURE. RAD. *NM