2001 Dodge Dakota

MY 2001 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK HAS EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE OF ITS POWER CONTROL MODULE (PCM) NOT ONCE BUT TWICE IN 2004. THE ORIGINAL UNIT FAILED 57,500 MILES AND THE SECOND UNIT FAILED AT JUST 7,000 MILES. PCM FAILURE MEANS THAT ELECTRIC POWER IS CUT UNEXPECTEDLY TO THE ENGINE LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE. IN MY CASE THIS HAPPENED ONCE ON A NARROW HILLY ROADWAY AND THE SECOND TIME IN THE FAST LANE OF A FREEWAY. SUCH FAILURE DO NOT PROVIDE WARNINGS AND HAPPEN SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. IN BOTH CASES LOOSING POWER ALSO MEANT LOOSING BRAKING AND POWER STEERING. WHILE NEITHER INCIDENT RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS FOR ME, THEY COULD EASILY HAVE (PART LUCK & PART SKILL). YET I HAVE SEEN LITTLE REGARDING THIS MATTER. WHAT IS SO SINISTER ABOUT THIS IS THAT THE "BUG" IS DIFFICULT TO TRACE BECAUSE IT RE-APPEARS ONLY RANDOMLY (INITIALLY I THOUGHT THAT I NEEDED A TUNE-UP OR HAD RECEIVED BAD BATCH OF FUEL). THERE IS NO MAINTENANCE REQUIRED OF THIS UNIT AND IT HAS A WARRANTY OF 8/80,000. I HAVE WRITTEN TO DODGE REGARDING THIS MATTER REQUESTING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AN EXPLANATION OF WHY THESE UNITS FAILED AND THE HAZARDS SUCH FAILURES PLACE THE DRIVER AND FELLOW MOTORISTS INTO. THE MANUFACTURER HAS RESPONDED BUT ONLY IN REGARD TO THE MATTER OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR CAR RENTAL RELATED TO THE SECOND INCIDENT ABOVE WHERE I WAS ON A TRIP. NOTHING HAS BEEN RESPONDED TO WITH REGARD TO THE "RELIABILTY" OF THE UNITS. THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS THE INITIAL SITUATION.*AK

IN AUGUST 2004. A 2001 DODGE DAKAOTA PICKUP RAN A STOP SIGN AND I HIT HIM. THE TRUCK ROLLED AND CONTINUED TO RUN AND CAUGHT THE VEHICAL ON FIRE AND BURNED THE DRIVER CRITICALLY, AND HE ULTIMATELY DIED. WHY DIDN'T THE VEHICLE INERTIA SWITCH CUT THE VEHICAL OFF. I HAVE A FILE CLAIMED AGAINST THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND AN INVESTIGATION MAY BE LAUNCH ON THE TRUCK. *AK

I OWN A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4X4 SLE THAT WE PURCHASED NEW. IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS, AND WITH ONLY 49000 MILES ON THE TRUCK CURRENTLY, THE FOLLOWING FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED: (1) (FROM FEBRUARY 2004 TO PRESENT) THE FACTORY-INSTALLED EXTERNAL WIRING HARNESS (FOR TOWING A TRAILER) MELTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT, SHORTING OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. (2) BRAKES WOULD PULSATE ANYTIME BRAKES WERE APPLIED. DEALER ATTRIBUTED THIS TO WARPING OF ROTORS AND REPLACED PADS AND TURNED THE ROTORS. DEALER NOTED A SPRING ON DRIVER-SIDE CALIPER WAS MISSING AND REPLACED IT AS WELL. (3) THE HEATER/AC CONTROLS FAILED. (4) WENT FOR STATE INSPECTION AND INSPECTOR FAILED TRUCK DUE TO FAILURE OF UPPER BALL JOINTS AND BRAKES. THE SAME BRAKES I JUST HAD FIXED IN FEBRUARY. PREMATURE FAILURE OF BALL JOINTS ATTRIBUTED TO "TYPICAL PROBLEM FOR DAKOTAS/DURANGOS". WELL IF IT'S TYPICAL, WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL?? THE DEALER HAD NO ANSWERS. FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF CALIPERS NOT RELEASING PROPERLY CAUSING THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS TO "GLAZE". DEALER OPTED TO PICK UP THE TAB FOR THE NEW ROTORS AND THE NEW PADS, ONLY AT MY REQUEST. THE NEW CALIPERS AND BRAKE LINES STILL COST ME $800. AGAIN I'M WONDERING WHY I'M PAYING FOR SO MUCH ON A TRUCK THAT IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD WITH ONLY 49000 MILES. (5) UNKNOWN PROBLEM AT STARTUP WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR CAUSES THE ENGINE TO SPUTTER. PROBLEM EXISTS UNTIL ENGINE IS WARM THEN GOES AWAY. TWO DODGE DEALERSHIPS AND NEITHER CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM AS THERE IS NO COMPUTER ERROR CODE COMING UP. ALL ITEMS MENTIONED WERE PAID FOR BY ME UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. HAD ANY OF THESE ISSUES BEEN A RESULT OF NEGLIGENCE, OR LOTS OF MILEAGE, OR HAD THE DODGE DEALERSHIP(S) OPTED TO PAY FOR ITEMS THAT WERE THE OBVIOUS RESULT OF POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP, I WOULDN'T COMPLAIN. BUT, THE FAILURES RELATING TO THE BRAKES COULD QUITE POSSIBLY HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH RISKS MY LIFE AND THAT OF MY WIFE, AND DODGE DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. *MR EACH TIME THE ENGINE WAS ON, THE WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON BUT NOT GO OFF. THE CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT CHRYSLER CORPORATION SHOULD PROVIDE A FIX FOR THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *SC THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, HOWEVER THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT HIS PROBLEM WAS NOT APART OF THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER TOLD THE DEALER HE PURCHASED A WARRANTY, BUT THE DEALER TOLD HIM THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ONLY POWER TRAIN ISSUES.*JB

40,000 MILES TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WOULD NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY FROM FIRST TO SECOND. 45,000 MILES IGINITION PROBLEMS. SHORT IN THE IGNITION, CAR WOULD DO NOTHING. NOT START, NO LIGHTS, NOTHING. 50,000 MILES AND THE BALL JOINTS WENT OUT. I WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH DAKOTA'S AND DURANGOS AND THAT THE BALL JOINTS USED ON THOSE TWO CARS WERE VERY WEAK AND NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE VEHICLE.*AK

THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB EQUIPPED WITH A FACTORY TOWING PACKAGE. ON MARCH 12, I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON I-215 PULLING A TRAILER. I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, THEN THE CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE. THE TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHT, AND EMERGENCY FLASHER CEASED OPERATING. A COMBINATION FLASHER UNIT HAD FAILED AND BURNED, WITH THE PLASTIC CASE PARTIALLY MELTED. THE HEAT HAD DAMAGED THE COMBINATION SWITCH, WHICH ALSO FAILED, AND THE PLUG INTO THE WIRING HARNESS WAS ALSO PARTIALLY MELTED. THE DODGE DEALER CHANGED THE FAILED COMPONENTS, AND THEY FAILED AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH NO TRAILER ATTACHED. THE DEALER FINALLY ATTRIBUTED THE FAILURES TO A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE WIRING INSTALLED BY THE FACTORY WHICH CONNECTED THE FACTORY INSTALLED TRAILER SOCKET TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I HAVE ADVISED DODGE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY MAINTAIN THAT THEIR WIRING WAS NOT DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT THE SHORT ORIGINATED IN THE TRAILER WIRING. THEY MADE THIS DETERMINATION WITHOUT EXAMINING THE TRAILER. EVEN IF THE SHORT DID IN FACT START IN THE TRAILER, THE FACTORY DESIGNED AND INSTALLED WIRING HARNESS SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE SHORT FROM DESTROYING THESE VITAL SAFETY COMPONENTS. THE FREEWAY I WAS ON WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED WAS PACKED WITH RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT MAKING MY WAY TO SAFETY PULLING A TRAILER WITHOUT THE USE OF THE SIGNAL LIGHTS. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB 4.7L V8 4X4 WITH AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. AFTER THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, ALL LIGHTS BEGIN TO FLASH. IT STARTS OUT A FEW TIMES A MINUTE, THEN THEY PROCEED TO FLASH CONTINUOUSLY. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING AT NIGHT, THEY ARE FLASHING TO A POINT THAT MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THIS INCLUDES THE HEADLIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND DASH LIGHTS. ONCE THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, THE LIGHTS CONTINUE TO FLASH. IF THE VEHICLE IS OFF FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY, THEN RETURN AFTER DRIVING FOR ANOTHER 20 MINUTES. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THIS TYPE OF ISSUE.*AK

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL 03V389000 REPAIRS CONCERNING DASHBOARD WIRING HARNESS. THE REPAIRS WERE DONE, BUT VEHICLE WAS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS/ HORN/ INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEMS. THE DEALER WAS ASKING CONSUMER TO PAY $500 TO DIAGNOSES AND RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS REQUESTING A CALL BACK.*AK