2004 Dodge Dakota

MY DAKOTAS STEERING HAS RECENTLY BECOME VERY JERKY. WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL, IT GETS STIFF, LOOSE, STIFF, LOOSE, STIFF, LOOSE IN ONE FULL TURN OF THE WHEEL. THROUGH SEARCHING FORUMS ON THE INTERNET, I DECIDED TO TEST A THEORY THAT IT WAS THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT/ROD AND THE U JOINT ATTACHED TO IT WAS NOT LUBRICATED ENOUGH. AFTER GREASING UP THE JOINT, THE PROBLEM MOMENTARILY STOPPED, BUT THEN RETURNED. THIS JOINT DOES NOT HAVE ANY GREASE FITTINGS AND SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ONES WITH FITTINGS. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AFTER WINTER COMING INTO THE WARMER WEATHER WHERE THERE WERE A LOT OF PUDDLES WHICH MOST LIKELY GOT ON THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND JOINTS CAUSING IT TO DRY OUT AND CREATE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

STEERING ON MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA BECAME HARD TO STEER WON'T RETRACT HAVE TO DO IT BY HAND. ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEFORE THIS STARTED HAPPENING I HAD WENT TO GET A ALIGNMENT AND WAS TOLD MY UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACED. WE BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW AND IT HAS WORN OUT EVERY FRONT TIRE THAT HAS EVER BEEN ON IT. 4 SETS BY 100,000 MILES THIS BEGAN TO HAPPEN AT 25,000 MILES THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE FRONT END, NO VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BAD BALL JOINTS AT 85,000 MILES OR SOONER BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS WEARING TIRES OUT BECAUSE IT NEEDED A ALIGNMENT!!!! I HAVE NOT REPAIRED IT , WE ONLY DRIVE IT AROUND TOWN, I AM WAITING FOR CHRYSLER TO RECALL THIS. I SEE ON THIS SITE THAT SEVERAL OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WOULD HOPE CHRYSLER DON'T WAIT UNTIL PEOPLE ARE KILLED OR INJURED LIKE TOYOTA DID!!!! *TR

THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WITHTHE UNIVERSAL JOINTS STARTED TIGHTENING UP TO THE POINT WHERE I ALMOST COULDN'T STEER IT THEN WHEN IT LET LOOSE THE STEERING WAS VERY ABRUPT IT STARTED AROUND 100 K MILES AND I UNDERSTAND THINGS WEAR OUT .BUT AREN'T THOSE SUPPOSED TO BE LIFE OF VEHICLE LUBRICATED?????? I LOVE MY TRUCK ITS BEEN WONDERFUL BUT IF SOMEONE THAT WAS NOT AS STRONG AS ME ....AND THIS HAPPENED I HAD THE REPAIR DONE AND IT WAS AONLY AROUND 300-400 BUCKS SO ITS NOT HORRIBLE BUT IT WAS SCARY NOT BEING ABLE TO STEER MY TRUCK.....THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS IS COMMON???? HE SEES IT ALOT ON THIS MODEL TRUCK..... I JUST THOUGH THAT I ALSO HAVE A 89 HOINDA CIVIC AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING..... *TR

HEATER/AC BLOWER MOTOR WIRING MELTS CAUSING FAILURE OF DEFROSTER, HEATER, A/C, PREMATURE FAILURE OF BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR, ETC. THIS MAY EVEN CAUSE A FIRE IF THE WIRES HAPPEN TO BE TOUCHING COMBUSTIBLES IN THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL WHEN THEY MELT. DODGE HAS RELEASED A KIT TO REPAIR THIS EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM. SEE MOPAR # 5017124AC. THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY RECALL, NOT A FIX OFFERED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE: 1. WINDSHIELD MAY FOG UP REDUCING VISIBILITY AND LEADING TO ACCIDENT. 2. WIRING GETS HOT ENOUGH TO MELT INSULATION AND CONNECTOR AND COULD EASILY CAUSE A FIRE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY FOR AN ALIGNMENT WHEN THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE SEVERELY WORN TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO PERFORM AN ALIGNMENT. THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR UNEVENLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 97,700.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE CONTACT HAD TO UTILIZE EXTREME BODILY FORCE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TEMPORARILY REPAIR THE VEHICLE BY LUBRICATING THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. HE STATED HE WOULD HAVE TO SPRAY THE UNIVERSAL JOINT EVERY 1,500 TO 2,000 MILES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

I HAVE A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB AND I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDOW REGULATOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I HOWEVER HAVE CHANGED IT MYSELF TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR AND IT WAS ABOUT 95-100$ EACH TIME AND FINALLY DECIDED THAT THE LAST TIME THAT IT WENT OUT THAT I WASN'T GOING TO FIX IT UNTIL DODGE CAME UP WITH A BETTER DESIGN ON IT SO I NOW HAVE A PAIR OF C-CLAMP VICE GRIPS HOLDING MY WINDOW UP. IT IS BAD THAT I CANT ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN BUT ATLEAST I KNOW THAT I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT FALLING DOWN AND THE INSIDE GETTING WET OR VANDALIZED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AREA. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THE RESISTOR THAT CONTROLS THE HEATER AND BLOWER HAD OVERHEATED, BURNED AND FAILED. THE CONTACT INSTALLED A NEW RESISTOR HOWEVER, IT ALSO BURNED AND FAILED. HE PURCHASED A NEW RESISTOR AND CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RESISTOR AND THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE TO FAIL AT A RAPID PACE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HAVING THE DEALER PERFORM DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AT HIS EXPENSE. THE CONTACT DECLINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED AND THE NEW RESISTOR WAS NOT INSTALLED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

I OWN 2 DODGE/CHRYSLER PRODUCTS, IN THE 6 YEARS I HAVE HAD THESE CARS I HAVE HAD TO REPAIR THE ELECTRIC WINDOW CABLES 9 TIMES AT A COST OF $250.00 EACH TIME. I HAVE ASKED THE LOCAL DEALERS WHY THEY KEEP BREAKING AND I AM TOLD THAT THEY USE PLASTIC PIECES THAT DON'T HOLD UP. THESE PRODUCTS ARE SUPPOSED TO CARRY A LIFETIME WARRANTY WHICH NONE OF THE DEALERS WILL HONOR. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO THE MECHANIC IN MY HOME TOWN AND HE SAID THEY REPLACE AT LEAST 5 TO 6 OF THESE CABLES A DAY. WHY IS CHRYSLER ALLOWED TO USE THESE PRODUCTS WITH NO CONSEQUENCES? THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THE CABLES SNAP WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING AND THE WINDOWS FALL DOWN INTO THE TRACKS. IF YOU ARE IN BAD WEATHER YOU HAVE NO CHANCE OF FIXING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. HOW CAN I GO ABOUT GETTING CHRYSLER TO RECALL THESE PRODUCTS AND MAKE THERE SUPPLIER ACCOUNTABLE? THINK ABOUT DRIVING ALONG AND YOUR WINDOW JUST FALLING DOWN TO THE TRACK AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. NO LOCKING YOUR CAR FOR SAFETY, NO PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM THE ELEMENTS, NO WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT SHELL OUT MORE MONEY FOR A PRODUCT THAT WILL ALWAYS FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR