2004 Dodge Dakota

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I KEPT HEARING NOISES FROM THE BRAKES AND FRONT END. THIS WAS GOING INTO THE 2ND YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. MY DODGE DAKOTA HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP AT LEAST 15 TIMES FOR THE SAME THING. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE STEERING PARTS, SWAY BAR, BRAKES ROTORS, CALIBER AND STILL MAKE A A MOANING GROANING NOISE WHEN EVER I TURN OR GO OVER BUMPS. *TR

WHILE HAVING MY TIRES ROTATED AT SEARS, THE TECH INFORMED ME THAT THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA WERE VERY BADLY WORN, BOTH UPPER AND LOWER. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 54,000 MILES AND IS DRIVEN ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON PAVEMENT. I CONTACTED THE DEALER, LITHIA DODGE OF ROSEBURG OREGON, I SPOKE WITH SERVICE MANAGER PHIL TYLER AND LOT MANAGER WAYNE KNOWLES, AND DODGE CORPORATE, BUT BOTH REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE FURTHER. *TR

CAN HEAR A POPPING NOISE FROM RIGHT FRONT END WHEN GOING INTO DRIVEWAYS OR MAKING RIGHT TURNS. ON 6/4/08 TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER AND THEY STATED THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS WERE WORN OUT AS WELL AS THE SHOCKS. 1500$ LATER THEY REPLACED THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS, SHOCKS, AND A FULL ALIGNMENT. ALL OF THIS AT ONLY 37K MILES! AS SOON AS I GOT THE VEHICLE HOME THE NOISE IS STILL THERE ALBEIT LESS NOTICEABLE. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO SAME DEALER ON 6/6/08 AND NOISE COULD NOT BE HEARD AND DEALERS MECHANIC STATED IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND TO BRING IT BACK IF THE NOISE IS REPRODUCIBLE. BE READING OTHER COMPLAINTS AND SUSPECT THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ARE BAD OR GOING BUT DEALER SAID THEY WERE OK. SOMETHING IS WRONG WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THEIR FRONT ENDS GO OUT AT SUCH LOW MILES. PLEASE CONTACT ME SO WE CAN GET THIS FIXED THROUGH A RECALL. DEALER SAID HE KEPT THE BROKEN PARTS. *TR

OUR TRUCK IS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA WITH 40,000 MILES ON IT. MY HUSBAND WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, GETTING READY TO GET ONTO I-95 AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF. THESE SAME VEHICLES WERE RECALLED FOR 2000-2003 BUT NOT 2004. IF THE WHEEL HAD FALLEN OFF ONCE ON I-95 AT 75 MPH MY HUSBAND OR SOMEONE ELSE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE. THIS WAS A BALL JOINT PROBLEM. $1300 LATER BOTH SIDES ARE REPLACED. CHRYSLER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL AND IF THERE IS A FUTURE RECALL THEN WE MAY BE REIMBURSED. WE WILL NEVER BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN. *TR

WHEN BRAKING FOR A STOP, WITH THE GAS TANK BETWEEN HALF AND FULL, THERE IS A LOUD "THUMPING" NOISE A FEW SECONDS AFTER BEGIN STOPPED. THE ORIGINAL GAS TANK HAS BEEN REPLACED BUT THE NOISE STILL EXISTS. PER THE DEALER, 2005 AND LATER MODELS THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. WHY CAN THIS NOT BE CORRECTED ON THE 2004 MODELS? *TR THE CONSUMER STATED IT IS TO HIS UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE GAS TANK ON 2004 DODGE DAKOTA'S. THE CONSUMER IS QUESTIONING WHY THE LATER MODELS WERE CORRECTED AND NOT THE MODEL HE POSSESS WHICH HAS THE SAME DEFECT? THE DEALER STATED KNOCKING NOISE ON FLOOR THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON A LIFT AND THE AXLE NUTS WERE RE-TORQUED. WATER LEAKED OVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND THE HOLE WAS SEALED. THE DEALER STATED CLICKING NOISE CAME FROM THE REAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP. UPDATED 09/05/07 *TR UPDATED 09/06/07. *JB

VIBRATING AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 50 MPH. SPOKE TO DODGE REFERENCE #15238936 THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO VIBRATE AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR TRUCK AT DEALERS. TIRES BALANCED AND ROTATED, THEN TIRES REPLACED, BRAKES REPLACED, SHOCKS REPLACED. SWAPPED RIMS. SERVICED TRANSMISSION, REPLACED DRIVESHAFT AND U JOINTS. PRESSURE BALANCE THE TIRES. REPLACED AXEL BEARINGS AND POSSIBLY THE AXEL. REPLACED RING GEAR AND PINION AND ALL BEARINGS. MULTIPLE ALIGNMENTS.*JB

EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT IN FRONT SUSPENSION OF 2004 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4X4, SIDE TO SIDE LATERAL MOVEMENT AND STEERING DIFFICULTY. DODGE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOUND EXCESSIVE PLAY IN LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT WHEELS AND STEERING RACK COMING APART AT TIE ROD. FAILURE OF BALL JOINTS CAN CAUSE WHEEL TO DETACH FROM VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR UPPER BALL JOINTS WITH SAME ISSUE. PARTS MUST BE REPLACED. *NM

MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA CLUB CAB HAS POPPING NOISES EMITTING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN MANEUVERING AT LOW SPEEDS. I'VE HAD THIS CHECKED AT 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS. THE FIRST VISIT RESULTED IN A "COULD NOT DUPLICATE" ANSWER. THE SECOND VISIT I WAS TOLD THE NOISES WERE PERFECTLY NORMAL NOISES COMING FROM THE STEERING RACK AS THE FLUID MOVES THROUGH THE SYSTEM. THE NOISES HAPPEN WHEN I STEER AT LOW SPEEDS AND THE WEIGHT OF THE TRUCK SHIFTS FORM SIDE TO SIDE. THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT HAS ALTERED AND THE TIRES ARE WEARING UNEVENLY. *NM