2002 Dodge Dakota

MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN WHEN A SUDDEN GRINDING NOISE OCCURRED. UPON STRAIGHTENING THE WHEELS, IT STOPPED. WAS APPROX 3 MILES FROM MY MECHANIC SO I WENT THERE AND HAD HIM LOOK AT IT. HE FOUND THE LEFT SIDE HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY HAD COMPLETELY FAILED (BEARING EXPOSED AND BADLY DAMAGED). HE WAS UNABLE TO SEPARATE THE BRAKE ROTOR DISK FROM THE HUB AS IT WAS SO BADLY CORRODED THAT IT HAD BECOME ONE. UPON CHECKING THE RIGHT SIDE HUB ASSY, IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED AS WELL WITH THE BRAKE ROTOR DISK IN THE SAME CONDITION. BOTH SIDES WERE REPLACED AND A COMPLETE BRAKE JOB DONE TO MAKE THE VEHICLE SAFE TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 92000 MILES AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS LUCKY THAT I DID NOT LOOSE THE LEFT WHEEL BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE AS I HAD JUST RETURNED FROM WORK (50 MILES ONE WAY) WHICH IS ALL HIGHWAY DRIVING. *JB

I HAVE HAD A WARPED ROTOR ON THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE 3 TIMES NOW. IT WAS TURNED TWICE, REPLACED ONCE, AND NOW IT'S WARPED AGAIN. I'M FACING REPLACING THE CALIPERS AND ROTORS UPFRONT. I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL OTHER DODGE DAKOTA OWNERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS, SO OBVIOUSLY, THEY HAVE A SUPPLIER THAT IS NOT UP TO PAR. THIS SHAKING IS DANGEROUS - WITH ABS, A WET ROAD, AND SOME CLOWN PULLING IN FRONT OF YOU, THE WARPAGE DOES VERY STRANGE THINGS WITH THE ABS - AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO STOMP ON THE BRAKES TO OVERRIDE THE ABS FEATURE. I'VE OWNED MOPAR PRODUCTS EXCLUSIVELY SINCE 1981; I DOUBT SERIOUSLY THAT I'LL EVER BUY ANOTHER ONE. *NM

THE BRAKE ROTOR ON MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA CONTINUOUSLY WARP. I HAD THEM TURNED AT 30,000 BY THE DEALER AND NOW I GOING TO REPLACE THEM AT 42,000. I DO NOT TOW ANYTHING WITH MY TRUCK OR USE HARD BRAKING. I'VE READ MULTIPLE MESSAGE BOARD WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. DODGE SAYS IT'S NOT AN EQUIPMENT PROBLEM, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT IS. I WOULD HOPE THE NHTSA WOULD INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE DODGE CORRECT IT. DODGE HAS PUT THE WRONG MATERIAL ON THESE TRUCK AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED, BUT DODGE DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY.*JB

DT: WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED THERE WAS ABNORMAL OPERATION OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HORN, AND LIGHTING SYSTEM. ALL OF THEM CAME ON AND OFF ALL BY THEMSELVES. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO A DEALER BUT PLANNED TO DO SO. THE CONSUMER WAS REFERRED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, AND HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. NO CORRECTIONS OR REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS OCCURRED. THIS ONLY HAPPENED WHEN BRAKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. NHTSA RECALL 03V389000 WAS ISSUED BUT IT WAS FOR THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES ONLY-THE CONSUMER HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.*AK

2002 DODGE DAKOTA BRAKE CALIPERS LOCK UP, THE DATE BELOW IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON APRIL 20TH 2005, THE LEFT CALIPER LOCKED UP. I HAD THAT CALIPER REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME THE RIGHT CALIPER LOCKED UP ON THE RIGHT SIDE ON JUNE 3RD 2005. NOW THE THIRD TIME AROUND AND I HAVE INFORMATION THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. ON AUGUST 12TH I PAID FOR A TOW CHARGE AND CAME CLOSE TO A FIRE. ONE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT INFORMED ME OF THE SAME PROBLEM HAD THERE CALIPER CATCH FIRE. I HOPE THIS INFORMATION HELPS. I HAD NO LUCK WITH THE MANUFACTURER. I WILL TRY AND HAVE THEM HOLD THIS CALIPER FOR YOU TO LOOK AT. THANKS. *NM

2002 DODGE DAKOTA RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER. HOT SPOT ON THE FRONT ROTORS CAUSED PULSATION WHEN BRAKING. THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION MADE NOISE AND INTERMITTENT DELAYED SHIFTING. THE RIGHT FRONT HUB AND BEARING WERE REPLACED. THE RIGHT FRONT OUTER TIE ROD END WAS REPLACED. THE LEFT FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED. *NM

THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE CALIPER ON MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA SIEZED UP CAUSING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO OVERHEAT TO THE POINT OF SMOKING.THE BRAKE FLUID WAS RUINED, THE PADS DESTROYED,THE ROTOR DAMAGED, AND THE WHEEL BEARING GREASE BROKEN DOWN. FAIR OAKS DODGE OF FAIRFAX VA HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS INCIDENT. THEY REPAIRED THE DAMAGE AT MY EXPENSE WITH ONLY THE CALIPERS COVERED UNDER WARRENTY. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY INSTANCE OF DAIMLER CHRYSLER BRAKES FAILING IN THIS MANNER. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THOUGHT I WOULD "BUY AMERICAN" AND GET THE DODGE DAKOTA 4 DR CREW. LOVE ITS STYLE, COMFORTS, MORE POWER THAN I NEED (4.7L V8) 2WD HAS NO TRACTION IN SNOW OR ICE. VERY EASY TO DRIVE AND COMFORTABLE 6FT.2 220LBS.(2 TRIPS NJ TO CALIF.) GAS MILEAGE STINKS...13-18MPG, NO LOADS. BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED 28K, LEFT TOP BALL JOINT WORN (NO RECALL YET)A/C NEEDED CHARGING, RIGHT FRONT HUB AND BEARINGS REPLACED 49K, REAR LEAF SPRING NOISY, TRANSMISSION HESITATION OCCASIONALLY. GREAT TRUCK TO DRIVE AND HAUL BUT RELIABILITY REALLY IN QUESTION WITH ONLY 49K. PROBABLY BACK TO NISSAN OR TOYOTA.

DT: WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SAW SMOKE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO PULL TO THE LEFT AND WAS SHAKING. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE CONSUMER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC BUT HE COULDN'T GET THE VEHICLE'S WHEELS TO MOVE. THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE CALIPERS FROZE AND THE BRAKE PADS WERE SO HOT THEY APPEARED TO BE READY TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE CONSUMR HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. THE DEALER CLAIMED TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE FAILURE AND TOLD THE CONSUMER TO CALL NHTSA. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET.*AK *NM