2002 DODGE Dakota

Major break problems. Everything has been replaced by a ASE Master Mechanic. ( Rotors, calipers, shoes, wheel cylinders,) Brakes were bleed several times. peddle sinks slowly but doesn’t apply brakes, thenalll of a sudden they grab half way to the floor. They are steady at a stop and do not sink as if they have air in the lines.

We noticed paint fading several years ago on top of the cabs hen the vehicle was only five years old. Over the years, the problem expanded to the entire cab and to the hood. We did not live in an area with adverse weather that could damage the paint and the vehicle was garaged and well washed and waxed with protectant at all times.
We moved to a larger urban area in 2009 and saw that every Dakota pickup of comparable age had the same issue or worse than ours. The vehicle is now 11 years old and looks awful. We contacted Dodge a couple of years ago (2011) and they basically told us to go fly a kite.
I could understand if it was just us or maybe a few others, but every Dakota we see? We love out truck, it has been wonderful mechanically and served us well. Problem, if we don’t spend thousands for a new paint job, it is essentially worthless. This is not some few hundred dollar issue, it’s big bucks!
Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

front brakes lock up for no reason when they cool down they release, we haven’t gotten it fixed, we have replace front hubs brakes line, brakes, calibers. Right now it’s the ecu/control module in it. I have been calling filing complaints doing everything I can to get this fixed. It’s unsafe to drive, though there are times we have to drive, like right now our car is down so we have to drive the truck. The dealership won’t fix it. We bought it with this problem. It started in 2005 with the first owner under warranty who had the control module replaced. In 2008 the second owner has control module checked, So we believe this problem of the brakes has been with this truck for a while We bought it in 2009 with 30 day warranty. It locked up and caught on fire; the dealership gave us another 30 days but said the truck was fine (no visible damages). There was a problem then and there still is. The second lock up Aug 2010 had to get towed 200 miles. File with Dodge, file with FTC, file with attorney general. Now Blaze Alexander wants to put us in another vehicle and most likely at our expense with a 4 or 5 year loan. We don’t want this as we bought this truck in good faith. Consumer Advocates says a dealership should know what they are purchasing if they are going to sell to a consumer. Well I don’t know what happen with us because this truck has been a nighmare and is UNSAFE So I will continue to go where ever I can to get this truck fixed by someone. We asked for a car fax at time of purchase. We got a auto check which tells you nothing but we didn’t know this. We just got a car fax from Blaze in Nov 2010 a year later which doesn’t have anything on the first owner having the control module replaced. So you tell me what is going on. I think there are some agencies out there still would be interested in all of what happen to us, and is still happening. We still have the problem and WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY. Please help us. We have had the truck to 2 Dodge dealers already. If it doesn’t happen when they have it, they say it’s not happening. It’s code lock the abs unit we think because of the brake lock up. Kelsey Hayes manufactured the abs unit and they say when it locks up; it codes lock so nobody can get any reading that it locks up when it happens

While being towed behind my motor coach, the anti-thief device would lock up the steering wheel my 2002 Dodge Dakota 4X4 during either a 90 degree left ot right hand turn. DamilerChrysler replaced the entire steering column once in the hopes that they could stop it, however the problem continued as before. It is my understanding that DamilerChrysler is aware of this onging national problem and did at one time have a special engineering group working on the problem. However as they seemingly are faced with a total re-call involving all 2001 thru 2003 Dodge Durango and Dakota models, they chose to instead state offically via two different Dodge dealers “that the Durango / Dakota models are NOT to be “Flat Towed” anylonger even as it clearly states within the owners manual that these vehicles are optioned to do so.

Water leaks into cab causing soaking to interior. The truck has been seen 9 times and nobody can figure out where the water is coming from. I\’ve been denied the lemon law because after the initial 3 times it seemed to be ok but that was because it got close to winter and no rain. In May 2003 it started again and sits soaking wet. I\’ve tried the BBB, NHTSA, the attorney general, the news stations and of course the dealer as well as Chrysler. They will buy back the truck at a cost of $3,500 to me. Why should I pay for their poor workmanship and their inability to be able to make the repairs.

Warped rotors. A known issue among many, many Dodge Truck owners. Front rotors seem to warp every 20,000 miles or so. I’ve read many complaints on websites for Dodge Truck owners experiencing the same problems. It seems the only fix is to purchase high performance "drilled or vented" rotors at a very high cost. This is a manufacturer issue as the problem has carried over the years anywhere from 1995 through 2002. I’ve read where people have had the Dodge dealerships replace with Dodge rotors only to experience the same problem. This is a BIG issue!! I am now going through this for the second time around and am looking at having to spend anywhere from $500 to $1,000 to resolve this issue. Dodge needs to address this and be held accountable for this problem.

Truck had problems of switicng into 2nd while driving at 70mph plus. Had it looked at three times. In april the transnission went. the reverse gear blew up and blew into the case and aslo runined the radiator. Thanks DODGE !!

there is a hesitation (dead spot) while depressing the accelorator pedal,when trying to start rolling from a stop.the RPMs actually fall before they rise.this ,while letting out the clutch is unsafe ,causing the vehicle to stall when the power is needed the most.have taken the vehicle 9 times and each time they say ;1)it will get better with time2)this is an inherant PROBLEM with the 6 cylinder & manual3)cant duplicate (it happens every time i try to move)you actually have to play with the gas pedal in order to get past the hesitation area

The truck has had sever problems with acceleration and stalling. It also makes a clunking noise when turning the vehicle. There have been numerous amounts of problems with at leat 15 days total in the shop.

STEERING FAILED WHILE TRAVELING (25 MPH) FORWARD. NO INJURY OR DAMAGE ONLY BECAUSE THERE WAS TIME AND ROOM TO STOP; NO OTHER TRAFFIC ON STREET AT TIME. STEERING COLUMN SHAFT PIECES SEPARATED WHERE THE LINKAGE GOES THROUGH THE FIREWALL; EITHER IT BROKE BECAUSE A SHEER PIN OR RIVET BROKE OR A BOLT WAS NEVER INSTALLED; HOWEVER, I FOUND NO PIECES OF PIN, RIVET, OR BOLT ON THE FLOORBOARD. INCIDENT TOOK PLACE 17 APR 04; VEHICLE AT DEALER NOW, SUNDAY NIGHT 18 APR 04.

solenoid(2), torque converter, transmission pump

See failures

right front brake locked up. dealer said brake fluid is comtamanated.i am doing my own repair with master mechanc.iam going to have the brake fluid checkeddakotas have been having front brake problems for a few years.there is nothing wrong with brake fluid.they said the lines are swelled upthey said all rubber lines and seals would have to be replacedat my cost, they will not warranty work

Rear end started making whinning noise. Called dealer to report problem, first statement out of service managers mouth was \"if it has water in differential the warranty will not cover\". Well, next morning service manager calls and ask if I have boat and I said no and then said there is water in differential and it is not covered under warranty but they could fix it for $1500.00 I am the only driver of this vehicle and believe me I would have remember if I had been water high enough to get into the differential. I called Dodge direct and told them that I had never been in water that deep and I was the only driver of the truck, they said they would contact the dealer, which they did and the dealer says it was consumer abuse therefore the warranty is voided and the engine will have to be replaced at 60,000 miles. At this point I asked to the District Zone Manager and they said they would give him my number and that was Friday, August 1, 2003, and he has not contacted me. I paid way too much money for this truck to only get 60,000 miles out of it. Besides if I had driven this truck in that high of water why isn\’t other things wrong.

I just bought a 2002 Dodge Dakota sport r/t.within a thousand miles into it (not even the first payment) the 4 wheel drive is screwed up. When I take a sharp left turn at slow speeds it shifts into 4 low from 2 wheel all on its own. When I straighten it up it goes to 4 high and won’t go out of 4 high unless I shut the vehicle off.???? Any answers to this.

I have had 2 (TWO) rear end accidents with this truck within the last 9 months.Both were Slow speed traffic where the brakes were insuficient to properly slow the vehicle, resulting in a crash. I have had other people drive the truck and refuse to drive again for poor braking ability.I have never had an accident in my life and have been driving since age 14. Im in Mid 50\’s now and am Not to the \"Old Driver\" stage yet. Anyone have similar complaints about this model Dodge? I have the Dakota SLT ClubCab WITHOUT the rear Disk Brakes, (I will never make that error again!!!)6 Cyl , automatic.. Other than the brakes, my only complaint is lack of power for highway driving. The truck is very comfortable and easy to drive.

2002 dodge dakota recall.***no answer required***. *mr consumer receive warranty extension for upper ball joints. however, consumer wants to know why the 2wds were not included in the recall for the upper ball joints. *tt *nm

Re 2002 dodge dakota truck that makes a noise in the front because of defective ball joints. consumer inquiring why she have not rec'd a recall letter. *bf *nm

2002 dodge dakota front end failure.*mr when the consumer was maneuvering a curve the power steering failed and the vehicle hit a guard rail. the truck sustained some front bumper damage. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they replaced the steering shaft. the consumer still hears a popping noise when making sharp turns. the consumer plans to take the vehicle to another dealer for a second opinion. the consumer believes that since dodge is have problems with their suspension that the dealer needs to look at the ball joint, tie rods, rack and pinion. *nm

2002 dodge dakota has front end noise problems.*mr the vehicle was taken to the dealer but they couldn't find anything wrong with it. the dealer indicated that the noise was a characteristic of the vehicle. the dealer eventually replaced the front end but the noise was still present. *nm

I was in a rear end colission on 2-18-05 that totaled my 02 dakota quadcab.the impact drove me into the vehicle in front of me and pushed everything into the motor.the airbags did not deploy.this is the second dodge that i've seen that had severe frontal damage and the airbags did not deploy(it was an 02 full size).i contacted daimler-chrysler and the rep. told me that any manufacterer vehicle must be accellerating with an impact force to trigger the airbags.talk about a false sense of security.

The air bag sensor stayed on. clock spring malfunctioned. consumer was concerned that the air bag will not deploy upon impact. *ak

Ii have replace front rotors, front calipers, rear wheel cylinders and shoes, the brakes have been bleed several times, and brake system was looked at several times by ase master mechanic. going down the road on the initial push on the peddle the peddle goes more than half way down to the floor, you then release pedal and re apply and it stops as it should with the correct peddle height. all work was done within 10k miles. the truck has 116k miles.this started about 5 months ago.

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

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving various speeds, the brake pedal was applied and began to grind and squeak. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front driver side brake caliper and brake pads needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

Recall was driving and all of my breaks and calibers seized up..had to stop and spray them down

Water leaking in floor board. water will be standing about an inch deep. check tsb #2301004. it leaks everytime it rains. dodge knows about the problem but they haven't done a recall.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving 45 mph, the back part of the seat frame failed to stay upward without warning. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the approximate failure mileage was 186,000.

Light on air bag

, i was in a car accident on december 15 because my brakes failed and was hurt across my chest. the impact was strong because for a moment i lost time, but the hospital didn’t give any brain scans. my chest hurt severely for a month and i still feel pain when i lift or move a certain way. anyway i and many other people wondered why my airbag did not go off. i was not able to get my car out of the pound for lack of money but the front was much damaged. would this fall under the recall that going on with the takata corp.

The body control module has failed, which controls all the interior lights and the headlights. as of a month ago there were over 150 people waiting on this part in chrysler's system. chrysler has now informed me this part is no longer available and will not be made again, which renders my truck only safe to drive in the daytime. they say to go to the aftermarket, but there are no aftermarket companies making this computer module. my fca case number was 30705404

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the entire rear step bumper was corroded. while driving approximately 60 mph, the driver's side portion bar fractured. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 50,279.

My truck will not go into park all other gear selections are available but no park. additionally i'm able to turn the key back to the off position & take the key out. i pulled into work & was unable once i pulled into a parking place to put my truck into park. i ended up having to stay with my vehicle foot on the brake until someone blocked my wheels with a piece of firewood because the parking brake has also failed. chrysler has a recall for 2001 & 2002 models for this very issue. after calling the dealer & chrysler my truck is *big surprise* not covered under recall g28. i no longer feel safe as this truck is my only method of transportation. chrysler needs to honor their recalls! *tr

This 2001 dodge dakota comes up with code p0601 it says it is a memory check sum error. it comes on intermittent in cold weather. if you clear the code it might come right back or it might stay off it is annoying sometimes it messes with the abs making the front right brake hang up

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. when attempting to drive the vehicle, the gear shifter failed to shift out of gear. when the shifter finally shifted out of gear and into drive, it would shift back into park. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was taken to keffer chrysler jeep dodge ram (located at 8214 e independence blvd, charlotte, nc 28227, (704) 532-1050) where the contact was informed that they would need to take the steering column apart, grease it up, and put it back together because the vehicle was not under a warranty nor included in a recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 211,000.

The car goes into park, but park does not engage. i'm able to remove the key. the column shows park but the car continues to roll. i see that 2002 dakotas have a recall for this problem but my vin # doesn't show a recall for this problem.

Central time module causing my lights to cut off while driving could cause accident

Front driver side tire and hub assembly completely broke free from the vehicle this is a follow up from my first intial report to chrysler and also nhtsa phone conversation in which i did a report to both and paid 2500.00 which i still have receipt of paying to have fixed...father had a 2000 dodge durango which had the same recall that my didn’t have as chrysler stated...

Recall g38 / the trans shifter started to not go into park at times and then slip out now it will not go into park at all..shifter stops at reverse and i have looked at shifter ajustment and no problem there, the recall said it did not apply to my vin .but i am having same problems listed as the recall state's other's have , did i miss something and iam in recall added later?

"takata recall" high beams come on on both sides low beam does not come on passenger side but on the driver side

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving 50 mph on the highway, the steering wheel seized and the vehicle stalled without warning. there were no warning indicators illuminated prior to the failure. the vehicle was taken to galeana's van dyke dodge (28400 van dyke ave, warren, mi 48093, (586) 573-4000) where the contact was informed that the vehicle was under recall for the gear shifter, and that the gear shifter and the ignition needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted. the approximate failure mileage was 96,000.

The lights stooped working wiper relay not functional. very irritating

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the vehicle was able to move with out the ignition being started. the contact also stated that the key could be removed from the ignition and the vehicle could still be moved or pushed without the engine being started or without the gear being in drive. also, the key sometimes would not stay in the ignition and hanged loosely. there were no waning indicators illuminated. the contact called samuel's dodge, chrysler, jeep, ram, mazda (1421 e 30th ave, hutchinson, ks 67502, (620) 665-5567), but no assistance was provided. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failures and did not assist. the failure mileage was 115,000. the vin was invalid.

This is the second time one of the break lines has rusted thru. this time i hit the brakes hard to miss two dear and the pedal went to the floor. i only could stop the truck with the emergency break. the truck has not been used off road and has been driven in virginia is hole life. the first time my mechanic caught a leak in the line before any problem.

Takata recall - my father owned a 2005 dodge dakota truck. on january 1, 2016 he ran his car off the side of the road and hit a lamp post off a highway in florida and died on impact. the car was totalled out. i am trying to see if we qualify for this recall. i do not have the police record and death certificate on my computer currently but i could get those items if needed.

I bought the subject pickup in 2014, i found after driving it that the engine would lose power, wouldn't idle smoothly, and it would backfire thru the throttle body electronic fuel injection. the problem was and is intermittent, it sometimes happens when pulling into traffic, making me trying to pull over to the curb. i took it the local dodge dealership [rocky top dodge, sevierville tn] to have it fixed, they tuned it up, cleaned the throttle body and a few other things and said it was ok. i paid them $650+, pulled out of the dealership, and there it was doing the same thing. i immediately turned around went back to the dealership, they kept it for 4 more days, then told me they didn't know what the what was and couldn't fix it. i been driving just about everyday since with this problem. i tried contacting dodge, they were suppose to have a regional rep contact me, that never happened. it just amazes me that i am the only person in the country having this problem. i did take it upon myself to change all of the engine sensors, that costs me $300 to do it myself. i am just highly frustrated with dodge that they can't tell me what's wrong with this truck and fix it. i need help since it's a safety issue.

Bought a 2002 dodge dakota brakes aren't strong enough to drive on interstate or in city , went to dodge darcars dealership in maryland they looked at the truck , said this is fine this is the way dodge brakes are terribly wrong . went to repair the emergency brake cables dodge don't make the parts any more this dodge don't make the parts anymore is terribly wrong . dodge , darars are putting consumers life a risk . 2002 4x4 dodge dakota should recalled brakes ,brake parts upgraded to strong , safe brakes , dodge needs to keep making the parts for 2002 dodge dakota 4x4 or hire somebody who can . , dodge darcars visual brake check is the worst idea yet . brakes need to be felt look at , bleeded .

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. on several occasions, the vehicle failed to disengage from the park position. the contact also stated that, when placed in park position, the vehicle would roll forwards or backwards on several occasions. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 07v555000 (power train). the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failures. the approximate failure mileage was 99,999.

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving 50 mph, the contact was involved in a crash that caused the driver side door to fly open. the contact suffered a broken leg, several broken ribs, and bruises to the body. the passenger suffered a broken arm. medical attention was required. a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed and towed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while attempting to shift the gear from park to drive, the shifter jammed. the failure recurred intermittenly. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or diagnosed. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into park. the contact had to engage the emergency brake in order to prevent the vehicle from rolling away. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 148,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle was unable to be shifted out of park. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the contact mentioned that the vehicle was repaired in 2008 under nhtsa campaign number: 07v555000 (power train), but the failure reoccurred. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 49,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving various speeds, the front passenger side brakes seized without the brake pedal being depressed. in addition, the contact noticed smoke coming from the front passenger side where the brake was located. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the calipers or the brake lines needed to be replaced. the contact independently replaced the brake lines, brake calipers, and brake pads; however, the failure recurred and the contact noticed smoke and fire coming from the front passenger side where the brake was located. the contact was able to extinguish the fire. a police report was not filed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 165,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the entire subframe underneath the vehicle was corroded and there were fractures in front of the subframe. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 90,000.

I was driving and the lights started flashing and then they went all the way out and the dome light and keyless entry isn't working. it finally wouldn't start and so we bought a new battery, and the lights came on and then the next day the lights were off again. the battery that was in the truck was too small and we told the dealer and they said that the lights weren't working because we put a bigger battery in it, we put the right size battery. the other day we came home and the cargo lights were on by themselves. i am afraid to drive it for it catching on fire. we only had the truck 2 and half months. we paid $6300 for it. *tr

Rack and pinion seal busted while driving at some point resulting in loss of power steering fluid. *tr

I had just purchased the car 2 weeks earlier. i was accelerating to merge onto the freeway and the accelerator stuck at 60 mph. no matter what i did to the pedal, it was stuck at 60 mph. the brakes would not work either. i was in a runaway car on a busy freeway. i tried to negotiate the traffic for 2 miles then decided i needed to get off the freeway. i started to smash into the freeway off-ramp retaining wall in the effort to slow the truck down which it did to some degree. then had to barrel through a red light with flashers and horn going and to stop the truck i deliberately rammed it into a wrought iron fence, 2 landscaping boulders and a light post. the airbag also failed. i was rushed by ambulance to the hospital with head trauma and concussion, broken glasses that cut my eyebrow. i have pictures. the worst part has been the ptsd that i have suffered as a result of the accident -- multiple failure - accelerator, brakes and airbag. *tr

The shifter will not move from park position. i contacted chrysler due to the recall for that specific problem with that year model. they informed me that it is vin # related problem (it is a specific vin numbers that it is related to). i informed them that i'm experiencing the same exact same problem that all sites, reports and blogs are talking about. the final answer is to take my car to be diagnose, depending on the report they may or may not pay for the repairs. how it is different this problem from the problem that i'm having?! *tr

Stepped on brake on wet road,abs kicked in on rear axle and truck would not slow down. almost had a rear end collision. very dangerous, have seen a lot of other complaints about same thing. also lose all electrical power with headlights on momentarily leaving you without lights. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the rear end differential fractured causing the vehicle to spin 90 degrees into the right lane and crash. the specifics of the crash were not available. a police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear assembly needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

2002 dodge dakota consumer is concerned about brake line *cn the consumer stated the vehicle was manufactured with inferior materials. the gas tank straps broke and the transmission and brake lines had rusted and were leaking. the repair shop replaced the brake line and brake hose. *jb

Spare tire fell off vehicle while vehicle was in motion. no redundancy in the mechanism that holds the spare tire in place. metal clip that fits in the center bore of the wheel is the only thing holding the spare tire in place. in the case of my vehicle the clip had rusted and failed allowing the spare tire to fall off the vehicle. if this had occurred on a busy road at speed it could have been very dangerous. *tr

Right front brake stuck, brake got hot, smoke came out of wheel well. *tr

Right front brake caliper stuck, brake got hot, smoke came out of the wheel well. had to have truck tower to dealer. *tr

Right front brake caliper stuck, brake got hot, smoke came out of wheel well. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving approximately 20 mph, the calipers seized on the passenger side rotors. the failure occurred several times and the contact replaced the calipers himself. the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 44,000. updated 9/4/14*cn

My truck only has 60k miles, don't drive a whole bunch, bought it brand new in 2002. 2 times i have had the front passenger wheel and breaks catch on fire due to the brakes/caliper locking up. one incident was only going about 25 mph, the other incident on highway around 55 mph. between towing and replacing brakes, rotors, caliper, brake lines, around $500-$750 each time. i am on here because my brake line from front to back has eroded away near gas tank, same as everyone's i have read and because my passenger wheel has began to give signs that it will be locking up again. have also had to replace the front drivers side brake line due to the line being cracked where the banjo bolt is. these seem to all be huge issues and very dangerous that need to be addressed. thank you *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving approximately 30 mph, the contact noticed smoke rising near the front passenger side wheel and the vehicle began to veer to the right. the contact discovered that the front passenger side brake caliper failed. the failure occurred numerous times. the contact replaced the front passenger side caliper and rotor and remedied the failure. the manufacturer was not notified. the vin was invalid. the failure mileage was 50,000.

While i was traveling uphill the engine shut off as i was going over the freeway overpass to enter the south bound freeway entrance. i lost all power steering and brakes and had just enough power to roll downhill past the freeway entrance to turn on a street to roll to a stop just as i turned the corner. thank goodness i wasn't on the freeway when this happened or have any cars in front of me as i was rolling downhill because i didn't have brakes. i tried to start the engine and got no power, but noticed the mileage reader said "no bus". i had the truck towed home. for the next 2-3 months the truck would start sometimes and run for about 15 minutes and shut off and other times it would just turn over as if it had a bad alternator.the strange thing is when it was 70-74 degrees outside and below the truck would start and run for about 15 minutes before shutting off and when you tried to start the engine right after it would just turn over and not start. if it was close to 80 degrees or hotter outside, the truck would never start, it would just turn over like a bad alternator. after doing some research on the "no bus" code, i found out that this was an indication that the power control module (pcm/ecm computer) was bad. after further research i found that heat affected the pcm and that's why it started on some days and not others. i bought a rebuilt pcm and the truck did the same thing after a month and a half. this part should not be sold by as a rebuild because the computer board melts and leaks a greasy like substance. my brother in-law has experience with computers and said it resembled melted heat coating from the computer board. we had success with a remanufactured pcm. this part should be recalled and corrected. there is a list of people on the dodge forum who have suffered with the same issues and i'm sure someone out here has wrecked or died over this. *tr

I was parked in a space. i started the vehicle and pushed the brake pedal to take the vehicle out if park. i felt the pedal go to the floor and heard a noise under the vehicle. i put the vehicle back in park an got out to see what the noise was and saw fluid dripping from my gas tank. after further inspection i realized the brake line next to the fuel tank had burst due to rust and corrosion. the entire brake line from the front of the vehicle to the rear needed to be replaced. the worst damage was the section tucked behind the fuel tank where it was more difficult to get cleaned during normal washing. *tr

16 year old son was driving my truck to a school function, stepped on the brakes to make the turn off the highway into the school and brake pedal went to the floor. i went to get the vehicle and the brake line that runs along the frame rail to the rear axle had corroded through in several places causing him to lose brake fluid. i've had a lot of cars much older than this truck (my family had a car dealership) and this is the first time i've ever seen a hard brake line go bad. looking online for a replacement part it quickly became apparent that this is a very common problem with the dodge dakotas and they all corrode in the same place. behind the fuel tank. definitely a safety issue that chrysler should correct. *tr

Brake line to the left rear tire rusted out and leaked. lost all brake functions. location of the leak was next to the gas tank. repetitive problem with other dodge trucks. lucky i was going down the highway or needed a sudden stop. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while making a left turn, the throttle became stuck and caused him to lose control of the vehicle and roll over. the air bags failed to deploy. a police report was filed and no injuries were reported. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 96,000.

I was turning left on to wax rd at a red light going up hill when it was raining the truck right rear tire broke traction put me in a fishtail lost control of the vehicle and flipped the truck on its top damaged the driver side bent the frame caved in the roof busted my windshield i was pulled out by an pedestrian but the airbag did not deploy none of the safety features did not work but the seat belt only. where the throttle was sticking that gave the impression that i was playing carelessly. *tr

Both caliper bolts on the passenger side front spidle of my 2002 dodge dakota 2wd stripped out causing the caliper to move out of place causing stopping difficulty to stop and damage to the caliper, rim and brake pads. *tr

No headlights, parking lights, dashboard/instrument lights, fob does not work and service 4x4 light is on, recall on ctm i was told. *tr

Have had steering knuckles replaced twice on my truck because the caliper bolts strip out and cause my truck do dive left or right upon braking. also caused by brake pad rails wearing too muck and not letting the calipers move the brake pads to apply the brakes. almost caused accidents multiple times but dealer says its not an issue. *tr

The left rear original goodyear wrangler rt/s p265/70r16 tire on my 2002 dodge dakota 4wd pick-up truck has belt separation. the truck has only 17,685 miles on it. the truck is used throughout the year primarily as a spare vehicle when the car is being used. i was unable to locate the dot number. *tr

The "security light" on dash was flashing and when it is on the headlights go off and dash lights goes dark and turn signals/brake lights comes on. when security light is off the headlights goes on the dash lights are on and turn/brakes lights goes off. this security light ( on dash) will flash on and off every second or will go on solid - if on solid headlights, dash lights will be off - dome light on and turn/brake lights on. this will happen until vehicle is warmed up to 20 degrees ambient temp. the problem is with the "tcm module" on this vehicle. it does not effect the engine or drive train only the lights ! you can be driving when this happens ! people will thing you are an emergency vehicle or crazy ! this vehicle does not have a "chip" in the keys only a remote keyless entry that is separate from the ignition key...updated 02-28-14 *bf. the consumer stated the security came on and the headlights went off. the vehicle did not die, or misfire. updated 04/01/14

This vehicle, 2002 dodge dakota, was driven during the day for some months. in october, 2013 i stayed out late and as i turn the head lights on, a few seconds after all the lights started to blink non stop, even all the dashboard lights. fortunately i was not far from home, i had to turn all the lights off to get home. an additional alarm system, evs 11 mopar electronic vehicle security systems, was installed when the vehicle was purchased. at first i thought it was the alarm system malfunctioned, i had the alarm system removed but the problem was not solved. i eventually took the vehicle to the dodge dealer and was told that the bcm needed to be replaced, after a diagnostic test was done. to replace this part is very expensive. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the front brake overheated and seized while driving. the contact replaced the front rotors and the brake pads however, the failure was not corrected. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 88,000. updated 10/17/13*lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while driving various speeds, the contact attempted to decelerate but the brakes seized. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the rotors, pads, hoses and the calipers were replaced. the contact also mentioned that the failure recurred multiple times. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 12,000.

Traveling through town at 20:30pm at approximately 35 mph when all of a sudden the headlights shut off completely. i was able to pull over to the side of the road, but then the headlights began flashing for 1 to 3 seconds but then would shut off for a few seconds and do it again. then the interior dome light starts flashing and flickering. the turn signals, and brake lights work. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph both front tires locked up and the steering became difficult to maneuver. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician replaced the brakes and upper ball joints. the failure continued to occur after the vehicle was repaired. the technician stated that the front calipers had to be replaced. the contact stated the vehicle was repaired four times. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 20,000. *tr

Vehicle starts to misfire at any rpm will not start,i am a certified tech,coil new,crank sensor new,voltage reading at coil 10.49v on pcm side good bright pulse and consistent. in 1977 dodge was informed not to install asd relay inside computer housing and to make it accessible to replacement. i have an issue with their defiance to do so. it is causing a concern issue of multiple no start conditions where other techs wind up replacing the computers unnecessarily,and in most cases over heat on hot days.after replacing a variety of parts due to lack of testing procedure information and access to malfunctioning relay. the computer is all that is left. all other equipment is in normal operation.fuel pressure is 45psi and good flow.all gauges read normal and no computer codes present.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while traveling 45 mph, the front brakes seized and smoke was seen from the front of the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. the failure and the current mileages were 105,000. *tr

While driving on interstate 24, near clarksville, tn, at 2015 hours, my headlights completely shut off while driving. after a span of 15-20 seconds with no lights, i had to unsafely pull over on the shoulder of the road. after which my headlights began to flicker on and off, for spans of 1-3 seconds. from the time of the first incident to now, my headlights, internal lights, windshield wipers, and tail lights are all inoperable and unsafe to drive during bad weather conditions, or limited viability due to light. from my research this is an extremely frequent problem with dodge dakota and dodge durango owners, with vehicles made between the years of 01' - 03'. i contacted dodge about the problem and requested assistance, and they were unwilling to help or fix the problem, even though i told them it was unsafe, and that my situation was not an isolated incident. i honestly believe, if this were to happen to a less experienced driver, or to a driver in a situation of bad weather or late at night. it could result in serious injuries or tragic loss of life. *tr

Ignition/park interlocksystem. automatic transmission. shifting lever sticks in park. cannot shift gear out of park. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that after parking and exiting the vehicle, the vehicle rolled away into a busy street. the contact was able to recover the vehicle without incident. the vehicle was not diagnosed by an independent mechanic or a dealer. the contact was informed of the recall for the failure under nhtsa campaign id number: 07v555000 (power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift). the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 100,233. updated 02/20/13*lj updated 02/20/2013*js

While stopped parking and taking vehicle out of gear, brakes failed and pedal went to the floor. this is a special order vehicle that included 4 wheel abs. after brakes failed and fluid leaked out of rear brake lines neither the abs or "brake" warning lights were indicated on the dash control panel. i am concerned that a brake line failed and no indication of failure showed on the control panel. with the failure not under any stopping function (vehicle was already stopped) and there was no report of failure with the control panel this is a very important safety issue if brakes fail while driving and first notice is complete loss of pedal will cause accident or at least loss of confidence and or control of vehicle. i am the original owner of this vehicle and have all records of repair over the history of the truck. i am very concerned that a brake line failure took place at all. i have owned dozens of vehicles over my driving life and have had vehicles with well over 200,000 miles with no brake line failures. if this is not a defect in design or workmanship, then the defect has to be in inferior material quality that should not be allowed in this important function required for operating a vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while parked, the contact was unable to move the gear shifter out of park while the ignition key was removed. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the technicians advise the contact that the gear shift blocker and bracket assembly needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 07v555000 (power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift). the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 89,000 and the current mileage was 90,000.

Steel brake line to rear wheel rusted and leaked brake fluid out of master cyl. *tr

Pulling out of driveway and the bottom of the control arm broke free letting the wheel come free from the vehicle..... *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the front driver's side brake seized unintendedly and the vehicle began to pull toward the same direction. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road, where the engine was turned off. the vehicle resumed normally after waiting thirty minutes. the failure occurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer five three times for the identical failure. the repairs performed on the vehicle consisted of replacing the entire front braking system, such as; both rotors, calipers, and brake lines. also included in the repair was the replacement of both front brake pads and master cylinder. the failure recurred two weeks after the repair was performed. the vehicle had not been repaired for the most recent failure. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 95,000.

Its poor quality of dodge. this is 1 of countless brake problems. if i could afford to get rid of pickup i would. applied brakes after coming home from hospice where my mother is with stage 3/4 breast cancer. applied brakes at traffic light, lucky no cars infront of me,rolled though light, pulled into shopping center to stop. at 60000 front right caliper burst replaced both front. have replaced ranger that had 105000 miles with no problems, replaced brake shoes once, turned rotors at 92,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact started the ignition and was unable to shift out of park and into drive until after several attempts. the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the steering column shift interlock would need to be replaced. there was a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 07v555000 9power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift); however the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving approximately 30 mph, the contact applied pressure to the brake pedal while approaching a stop sign. the brakes seized and the vehicle skidded and swerved. the contact was able to control the vehicle as the brakes returned to normal and the accelerator pedal was depressed. the failure recurred intermittently when driving at different speeds. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostics but the mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 76,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated while driving 35 mph he heard a clicking sound near the front suspension on the drivers side. the contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic who was unable to identify the problem. the contact noticed nhtsa campaign id number 04v596000 (suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint) and called the manufacturer. the manufacturer stated due to the vin the vehicle was not a part of the recall. the contact stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the failure mileage was 66,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the front rotors and brakes overheated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer numerous times for the failure. where the dealer replaced the front brake pads, rotors, hoses and the brake lines, but the failure was not corrected. the vehicle continued to overheat and the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure mileage was 10,000 and the current mileage was 45,000. updated 11/16/11 *bf updated 03/08/12

Traveling sb on us 13, i fell asleep at the wheel. struck 2 vehicles at approx. 50 mph, point of impact driver's side front of truck. insurance adjuster totaled the truck, so the impact was surely enough to warrant deployment of both front airbags. they failed to deploy, resulting in a head injury to my companion. she was taken to the hospital by ambulance, so her injuries were documented. i had a large abdominal bruise, but refused treatment so i have no documentation of my injury. she has a permanent scar above her eyebrow as a result of the accident, which i believe would've been prevented had airbag properly deployed. *tr

Truck has been driving like something was grinding against my front right wheel for a week or so, i didn't think anything of it, it had just become an annoyance. id look under the wheel and everything looked okay and in shape, no damage was being done. the other day i drove a short distance and heard a pop, like something had popped near the wheel, i pulled over and could see no damage. i continued to drive and noticed that the grinding had stopped and my wheel seemed to be functioning correctly. i arrived to my destination with no problem. when i left the destination to return home, i started feeling heavy pull to the right on my steering wheel, if i let go of the steering wheel i would have gone into a ditch or the woods or another car. i then started noticed smoke coming from my right wheel, i was a few blocks away from home and figured i could make it, i started noticing my brakes were not working too well, and anytime id push on the brakes more smoke would arise, i went the 3 stop signs to my house and pulled in, ran around and saw that behind my wheel had caught on fire, took about 5 minutes to put the fire out with water and some cat litter we had lying around. it was so hot that it wouldn't cool down for about 45 mins to an hour. we would throw water on it and it would sizzle. i quickly removed the tire to prevent any damage to it. i noticed it had started to melt the plastic boot cover on the suspension. when you looked at the wheel you could see it had snapped off on the bottom half, causing the whole wheel to tilt inward which then caused a full on grind of the wheel and the brakepads and whatever else is down there causing such friction that it caught on fire. i then did research online and found that their had been a recall for this exact issue... :( *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact was driving 35 mph when the contact applied the brakes, but the brakes seized. later, the contact discovered that the hub of the brake had burned and was an abnormal color. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was contacted in regards to the failure. the failure mileage was 45,000. updated 09/21/11*lj the consumer stated he replaced the caliper, brakes, hoses, brake pads and turned the rotors. updated 10/05/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, he noticed that the brakes were getting hot and seizing. the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic, but the mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. the brake pads, shoes, and calipers were repaired. the failure continued. the manufacturer had not been notified. the failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that a knocking sound could be heard coming from the brakes whenever they were applied. the vehicle would also jerk during the failures and smoke would be seen coming from the brakes. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer. the manufacturer was notified, but offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 117,000. updated 08/31/11 *bf the caliper guide was rubbing causing the brakes to sound like metal on metal. the brakes smoked and became hot three to four times in a period of a year. updated 09/01/11

Brought 2002 dodge dakota into dealership a total of 6 times since may 2010 because of problems with the front brakes. the first time the brakes were shuddering so bad when braking on a hill, it was difficult to hold the steering wheel straight. the dealership recommended replacement of the rotors and pads to resolve the problem in light of the fact that they supposedly visually passed inspection, and had plenty of pad surface remaining. the day following replacement, i took the vehicle out and noticed a distinct clicking below the brake pedal when braking. i took it back to the dealer, where they kept it for a day, told me they thought they fixed it, and returned it to me. as soon as i drove into my driveway, the passenger front was seizing and smoking. i called the dealership and they came to pick it up. it remained at the dealership for a few days until they disassembled the slide on the caliper, cleaned and regreased it, and resurfaced the new rotor. the problem reoccurred again within two weeks, when i had to return it again. this time i brought it in while the brake was pouring out smoke. they kept it for a week, and then decided the brake line required a replacement. less than 3500 miles later, i was out of state visiting family. as soon as i arrived in that town, i could smell the brake burning again. took it to the dodge dealership there where they said it was apparent that both front calipers had been sticking for some time and required replacement and well as the rotors resurfacing due to the heat. there is obviously some problem with the brake system or materials dodge uses now for their vehicles... too many failures amongst too many people. while brakes seizing is preferable to them not working at all, this is just not acceptable. these are brakes, not brain surgery... *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the front passenger side brake caliper needed to be replaced. the caliper was replaced once in the past because it would fail to release completely after the brakes were engaged, allowing the brakes to overheat. the caliper would not release until the vehicle was allowed to cool off. the vehicle was taken back to an authorized dealer after the second occurence where it was not repaired because the failure was no longer covered under warranty. the failure mileage was 17,000 and the current mileage was 32,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the front brakes intermittently locked while driving various speeds. the brakes would lock unexpectedly, until the vehicle was stopped and remained off for an undetermined amount of time. occasionally when the failure occurred the brakes would smoke during the failure. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 22,000 and the current mileage was 27,000. updated 07/28/11*lj updated 08/01/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the vehicle exhibited a loud dragging noise. he then discovered that one of the straps that held the fuel tank was completely corroded. the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who replaced the one fuel strap. the manufacturer was then contacted and they advised him that they were unaware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 40,000. updated 06/07/11*lj

Rear brake line failed (leaked) due to rust and corrosion. the rusted part of line runs between fuel tank and inside frame. luckily the line failed in my driveway. my wife and daughter were in the vehicle earlier and it could have been disastrous! i have been reading online of case after case of similar experiences by other dodge owners. the line should be stainless steel or change the routing so that it can't have a chance to corrode as quickly. there should also be switch/stop valve in-line to avoid total loss of braking (control). should definitely be a recall item.

Front brakes seized up causing the pads to smolder and smoke. this is the latest instance. the first time, the brake pads and rotors were replaced. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving approximately between 40-50 mph, the brakes began to lock without warning when pressure was applied. the contact drove onto the emergency lane for a few minutes and was able to continue driving in spite of the brake malfunction. the failure occurred on three occasions. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic twice. the front brakes, brake pads and brake hose were replaced at different times. the failure persisted after the vehicle was repaired. the recent vehicle failure was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 84,200.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the driver side front brake locked up and began smoking. the vehicle pulled over until it cooled off and then it released itself. he was able to continue driving. he changed the front brake pads and rotors himself. the failure continued intermittently. at 50,000 miles, he changed the front brake pads, rotors and calipers. the failure occurred again so he changed the front brake pads, rotors and calipers again. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified. the current mileage was approximately 60,000. the failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

Front brakes lock up. truck currently has 23000 miles because i do not want to drive a truck that the brakes lock up to the point that i am pulled into the opposing lanes or onto the median. has been happening since 2002 and happens about once every 5 or 6 times i use the truck. there doesn't seem to be any time or reason for this and it is very unpredictable. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the front driver side brake abnormally locked while driving 50 mph. the vehicle began to smoke and was left parked for several hours. the vehicle was neither inspected nor repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the current and failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the paint on the entire vehicle had begun to peel abnormally. the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic and they advised her that there was not enough clear coat on the paint. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 20,000. the vin was not available.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds in hot weather, he noticed that the brakes would smoke when they were not applied. the contact had to coast to the side of the road and wait for the brakes to cool down in order for the smoke to go disappear. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor had it been repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and advised them that they had not heard of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was approximately 72,000. updated 07/21/11 *bf updated 08/05/11

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota quad cab. the contact stated that the front brakes continued to lock, grab when trying to stop and the brake lights failed to illuminate. the vehicle was taken to the dealer three times for diagnostic testing but the dealer informed him that there were no failures. the vehicle was also taken to a midas mechanic center where the brake rotors, calipers, and brake pads were replaced a couple of times and still the problems exist. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 122,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that when the temperature reached the freezing mark, the vehicle would not shift out of park. the contact had to start leaving the vehicle in neutral because it allowed the vehicle to be driven when it was cold overnight. the dealer stated that the transmission fluid and filter needed to be replaced because they were contaminated. the repair did not correct the problem. an independent mechanic referenced recall 07v5550000 (power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift). the contact was informed by the manufacturer that the vehicle was not included in the recall. the failure mileage was approximately 100,000 and the current mileage was 110,700.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact was driving approximately 50 mph when he noticed a burning odor. the contact then noticed smoke coming from under the dashboard area. the contact disconnected the blower from the resister. the dealer was notified of the failure who informed the contact to call the manufacturer. the manufacture was contacted who advised the contact that they would reimburse him for the parts needed to repair the failure but not for the labor costs. the vehicle was not repaired. the current and failure mileage was approximately 141,000.

I am a owner of a 2002 dodge dakota sport. on certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel drive (4x4), if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint may cause the joint to wear over an extended period of time. this could cause a clunking noise in the front suspension, which may not always be heard by the vehicle occupants. excessive wear in the upper ball joint may allow it to separate, which could result in loss of control of the vehicle. whole front end is messed up. *tr

I have a 2002 dodge dakota v6 3.9l truck. i just replaced the water pump and with that, water has been coming down into my floor of passenger side of truck from heater core. this cause my main windshield window to clog up causing my inability to see out of windshield. i've now learned that many dodge dakota truck owners have been replacing their heater core and dodge has not made recall to this epidemic. the design of this device is troubling. plastic will never suffice real common sense to make and input parts on a vehicle that will render appropriate activity. can something be done about this. consumers are losing big money because of one's stupid design with dodge very much well aware of this issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph in reverse, the frame that held the front left tire fractured. the vehicle was towed to the contacts private mechanic and then to a local repair facility shop. the technician then diagnosed the vehicle and advised the contact that the frame was beyond repair and stated that the failure was a manufacturing defect. the dealer was contacted and they have not returned any of the messages that the contact has left for them. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 137,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the front calipers locked up when the brakes were applied; as a result, the calipers began to smoke and the brake pad cracked. there were no warning lights prior to the failure. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop several times where brake pads, calipers and rotors were replaced three times. on october 11, 2010, while in reverse driving less than 50 mph, the brake pedal extended to the floorboard when depressed and the contact had to engage the brakes several times in order to stop the vehicle. the contact called the manufacturer (details of what was discussed was unavailable). the failure mileage was 300 and the current mileage was approximately 111,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact was braking from 60 mph when the vehicle abnormally accelerated. the contact was able to stop the unintended acceleration by shifting into neutral and turning of the ignition. the vehicle was towed to a local repair facility. the manufacturer advised the contact to have the vehicle towed to an authorized dealer. the dealer diagnosed the failure as a defective oxygen sensor. the dealer replaced the sensor and advised that the repair possibly would not correct the failure. the current and failure mileage was 95,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota quadcab. while driving at approximately 10 mph, the front brakes locked and the vehicle would only accelerate at a very low speed. the contact stated there was an extremely strong burning rubber smell. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnosis and was not repaired. the failure occurred once before and was taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failure. the failure and current mileages were 73,000. updated 11/19/10 *cn the consumer stated the front brakes locked up. updated 11/23/10. *jb updated evoq 12/22/10*jb the consumer stated the brakes locked up again on july 18,2011. the consumer also stated while under the 30 day warranty, the vehicle caught on fire under the hood. updated 08/31/11 updated 10/20/11,. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota sport. while driving 25 mph there was a loud noise in the rear of the vehicle. the rear end shackles had deteriorated failed. the leaf springs were caught in the bed of the truck. the vehicle was driven home and parked. the manufacturer was called and claim file#19831058 was filed. the contact stated he had to repair the vehicle. the failure mileage was 90,000. updated 11/15/10 updated 11/24/10

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota rt. while parking the vehicle, the contact stated the shifter would not move into park. he moved the gear shift as far as it would go and engaged the emergency brakes. he parked on a incline and used some blocks to secure the vehicle from moving. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and he was advised that his vehicle was not a part of the recall. the contact stated that his transmission has also started to malfunction. he referenced recall nhtsa campaign id number 07v555000, power train:automatic transmission lever and linkage column shift. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 69,000. the approximate current mileage is 73,000. updated 10/21/10. *lj updated 10/26/10*jb

One front brake failed to release resulting in excessive heat and smoke, difficult steering and stopping. will replace calipers, pads and rotors. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated the entire frame had began to show signs of rust and the entire rear bumper was rusted through. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 70,000 and the current mileage was 110,000.

My 2002 dodge dakota has low power and doesn't shift properly doesn't always down shift when i come to a full stop & down shift out of fourth gear to third on its own. seems to be more often with age of vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while having the tires changed at an independent mechanic, the front suspension collapsed at the upper ball bearing joints as the vehicle was lowered with the new tires installed. the vehicle was not taken to an authorized dealer to be examined for the cause of failure. the vehicle was having the front suspension replaced by the independent mechanic. the vin was unavailable. the failure and current mileages were 39,500.

I had just filled the gas tank in my 2002 dodge dakota pickup truck and was driving north at 70 mph on interstate 93 in new hampshire this past friday when the straps holding the fuel tank in place under the truck broke and the gas tank literally fell off the truck. i pulled over and saw that the tank was being suspended only by the hoses connecting the tank to the fuel filler opening. i called a tow truck which loaded the truck onto its tilt body. by the time we had gone 10 miles to a garage, the gas tank had completely separated from the hoses and had fallen to the floor of the tow truck bed, sloshing gas everywhere. thankfully, we were able to unload the dakota without setting off the fuel, but this could have been a huge accident. the two straps holding the fuel tank in place were made out of metal and had rusted through. it seems to me that this is an unacceptable design flaw. my vehicle could have lost its gas tank at full speed. the gas could have ignited, blown up me and my truck and caused collateral damage to other vehicles on the road. *tr

We have a 2002 dodge dakota and a 2007 dodge caliber that both have severe front end problems. the vehicles both shake uncontrollably, especially when hitting a bump or applying the brakes. we've tried to get this fixed but chrysler says there is nothing wrong. a mechanic told us its our rotors but we've had them turned and have had the rotors on the truck replaced twice. it affects the braking speed and it is difficult to keep control of the steering wheel while braking and while driving in the rain. i know others have had this problem, is it going to take someone getting injured or killed to fix it? *tr

The park shift interlock system has become inoperative. *tr

Driving at interstate speed, vehicle started abruptly pulling hard to the left. i stopped the vehicle, the brakes were hot, and i needed to accelerate greater than normal to get the car to move. let the truck sit until brakes cooled off, and the problem didn't re-occur even after taking it to the dodge dealer. they could not replicate the problem. said they could start replacing brake parts in hopes of fixing it. the first incident was at 37,000miles, and just out of warranty. (sept. of 2005 was first time) the problem has happened about 8 times in the 54,000 miles i have on it now. no mechanic can tell me what's wrong, and it occurs intermittently out of the blue. i'm finding out that many, many other owners of the same make/model of vehicle have had similar incidents. *tr

While driving my 2002 dodge dakota 55 miles per hour i was thrown to the left pushed on brake pedal and the truck shot right when i got out the front rotors were red hot and smoking truck would not move had it towed home where it still sits i thank god i was not killed or hurt or killed some one else come to find out this is a common problem with this truck and to try and repair it that it will only return. *tr

My windshield is being scratched because of dry wiper blades contacting the initial dry glass before the washer pump engages, then the blades will oscillate about 6 times before even a dribble of water will show up. the lines were pressurized and jetted both with air and water. the dealer told me that i would have to replace the pump. the visibility is good when it rains. new arms and blade assemblies were installed. vision is not safe at 25mph. at 55mph when the pump is engaged it seems that water is being siphened and a better coverage of the glass occurs. *tr

Hit a tree head on and the airbags failed to deploy and i hit the tree very hard the truck is undriveable. *tr

Front brake calipers,brake lines,brake pads,and rotors had to be replaced. brakes were binding up and would not let the brake pads to release. *tr

Have a 2002 dodge dakota with a 4.7 litre engine ,engine has severe oil sludge which cause my vehicle to break down. this has happened twice ,the first time i notice engine running hot,took it to my mechanic and he removed the valve covers and noticed severe oil sludge ,proceeded to take the engine apart and cleaned it and put it back together,this was less than 20,000 miles ago.we wenton a trip that was a bout 260 miles away ,it was a cold morning ,engine got hot and started running rough then we heard a loud noise then the truck start clanking under the hood. i took the valve covers off and it was clogged again. now i have found out that this engine is famous for this problem and chrysler knows it can you help. *tr

At low speeds or when panic stopping at higher speeds rear wheels abs will lock up. at 40mph approaching an intersection light turned yellow and i hit the brakes and rear locked up, i let off and applied/lockup/skid, let off applied/lockup/skid, let off applied/lockup/skid then stop, lucky i had sufficient room to stop. simply trying to park has become an adventure. took it to a dealer before above incident and was told that the brakes are fine but that rear were out of adjustment, and they swapped drums left to right and adjusted the brakes and it made it better for maybe a week or two. *tr

Fan quit working. replaced blower motor and fan speed resister due to melting of components. possible fire risk. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota sport. he received a recall notification letter for nhtsa campaign id number, 03v389000, electrical system and notified an authorized dealer. the technician stated that there no recalls that were applicable to his vehicle identification number. he speculated that there was an error in the manufacturers vin database. there are no failures at this time.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving 40 mph he crashed into a light pole. upon impact the frontal air bags failed to deploy. as a result he sustained injuries to his back, shoulder and hip on the left side. a police report was filed. the vehicle is currently being inspected by an insurance adjuster. he notified the manufacturer and was advised by a representative that unless the engine comes into the cab, the air bags will not deploy. the failure and current mileages were 93,120. updated 10/19/09 *cn the consumer stated he suddenly steered towards the pole to avoid being hit by vehicle #2. the manufacturer sent the consumer a letter stating the vehicle failed to reach the correct deceleration speed and found no problems with the system and no codes were present. the consumer stated the battery had been disconnected at the scene due to the utility pole and the possibility of electrocution. updated 10/19/09. the consumer stated chrysler has not done nothing about the problem. updated 04/12/10.

Paint on the hood, roof and fenders is peeling. *tr

Lower u joint in the steering shaft breaks. mine luckly broke in my driveway but it could have been bad. the part is unavailble aftermarket. dealer is back orderd for weeks. i had to drive over 2 hours away to get the shaft at the closest dealer. *tr

2002 dodge dakota front brake calipers sticking. left, right or both calipers will not fully release after multiple brake applications resulting in heat build up in rotors, pads & calipers. this can be reduced by using the brakes less or expedited by using them more. the failure occurs consistently with multiple brake applications. the result is hot brakes and wheels with speeds <40mph or very hot, once igniited brakes at highway speeds. pad rotors, and brake fluid have been changed & sliders greased, zero change. first incident occured at approximate incident date, then exponentially more frequently after. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact was experiencing issues with the steering component on her vehicle. he stated that the tires were wearing quickly. the dealer stated that they could not repair the vehicle because the cv joints needed to be replaced. the contact refused to service the cv joints. the manufacturer stated that they could not cover the repairs because the previous owner already had it repaired according to the recall. the vehicle has not been repaired. the nhtsa campaign id number was unknown. the failure and current mileages were less than 127,000.

Front brakes locked up while driving. occurred once, was able to pull to side of road without causing an accident. had to replace front l&r, rotors, calipers, pads, hoses and fluid. *tr

While driving the vehicle, the front brakes lock on. this has happened at least 3 times. the most recent time, i was driving 60 mph on the highway then i noticed a burning smell. the only solution is to park the vehicle and allow the brakes to cool down. at 60 degrees outdoor temperature, this took about an hour. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the shift interlock would not allow him to shift into gear. the failure was due to the power train transmission linkage, which has failed on more than one occasion. when this occurs, it sometimes takes more than thirty minutes to shift out of park. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the vehicle would not be repaired according to nhtsa campaign id number 07v555000 (power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift). the contact took his vehicle to a repair shop for repairs. the failure mileage was 58,300.

Bought a 2002 dodge dakota new. took it back 3 times for column mounted shifter problems within days of it jamming, could not get it out of park,then it wouldn't stay in park, making a crunching sound when you try to shift threw the gears. each time i took it back, another problem came up caused buy the dealers neglect damaging the truck, i complained to chrysler corp and they blew me off and told me i was a troubled customer and they never would return my calls. i parked the truck in the garage and never trusted it for any long trips and such. got stuck 250 miles from home when the shifter would not go into park, and then not stay in park. now i was sent a recall notice of this issue ( recall g28 ignition/park shift interlock system) i took this truck to glenn e thomas dodge in long beach california for the recall and they attempted to repair this, i did not even get out of the driveway when i noticed the shifter still did not work correct and still was having an problem. i asked for the service personnel to look at this and he told me it was normal, it clearly was not ! they attempted to take it in again, and still it did the same thing, this 3 time repeat repair before i even got off the lot. i got disgusted again and left but when i got down the street i noticed that the steering wheel was off center and not even straight anymore. this truck has only 11,250 miles on it and is like mint new condition ( except for this problem) not a scratch, mark or dirt anywhere on it. i am not trusting this vehicle it could go into reverse and kill someone. there is more i have to say about this and would like to inform nhtsa of this issue before something bad happens. also want this fixed or for chrysler to take it back. *tr

Left front brake overheated, vehicle pulls hard to the left and very poor braking. nearly had a bad accident at an intersection. looked on the internet and found several other people had same problem. will do my own maintenance when i found out the true fix. *tr

Lights blink on and off control module bad and was recalled for 03 model dakotas but not 02 models. dodge dealer says 02 and 03 are the same. when the when the central timing module fails you have no lights of any kind. *tr

This has been a recurring problem since approximately 8,000 miles on the new vehicle. single owner/reporting complaint. heater blower fan has stopped working numerous times. the first time the dealer replaced the blower fan itself. the next time the blower motor resistor failed and consumer replaced paying out of pocket. a third time the blower motor resistor failed and again the consumer replaced it paying out of pocket. the fan now operate intermittently and if you wiggle the wiring harness connecting to the blower motor resistor the fan will come on and operate on 3 of the 4 speeds. close examination of the harness connector reveals that the harness connector is melted as is the wiring at the connector. contact with two different dealers reveals that this is a known concern and the manufacturer has a repair kit available part# 5017124ab. this is a manufacturer defect and should be a safety concern given that the harness failure can prevent the heater fan from functioning properly and cause immediate visibility concerns as well as potential overheating of the electrical circuit resulting in a fire. dealers advise this is a frequently seen concern yet no assistance from manufacturer is available. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving 10 mph in rainy weather conditions, the contact's vehicle was struck head-on by another vehicle traveling approximately 55 mph. the contact's air bags failed to deploy and there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the police and ambulance were called to the scene and a report was filed. two occupants sustained severe injuries. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to a collision center. the failure and current mileages were 100,000. updated 03/04/09. *lj updated 03/06/09. *jb

2002 dodge dakota, less than 60,000 miles, corroded power steering fluid tubing, causing fluid loss and lack of normal steering control. repair part not available for more than 5 weeks. has there been a lot of power steering system failures for these and similar vehicles? i have parked the vehicle until repairs are completed. i've owned 13 vehicles since 1971 and this is the first time this has occurred. is there an unannounced voluntary recall by chrysler for this? it seems odd that the replacement part is not readily available, leading me to believe this problem is more widespread than acknowledged. *tr

Bought truck new in 2002. since then, the driver's side front caliper has seized up and locked that brake 4 times. the caliper squeezes the pad against the rotor causing the steering wheel to pull hard left, then the rotor overheats and smokes. i pull over before a fire starts. have replaced calipers, pads, hoses, but symptoms still persist. i have to stop and wait until the brakes cool down (about an hour) before they function normally. once i get to a repair shop, the brakes function normally and they tell me everything is fine. i looked online and found that i am not the only one this is happening to. on one site alone (http://www.carcomplaints.com/dodge/dakota/2002/brakes/brake_cylinder_lock-up.shtml) there are 15 others who are dealing with brake failure. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the horn was inoperative. the dealer and the manufacturer stated that they were not liable for the damages because the vehicle was no longer under warranty. there were no recalls pertaining to the failure. in addition, the air bag on the driver's side was not working due to the horn failure. the failure mileage was 50,000 and current mileage was 74,000.

Driver side power seat has about half an inch free travel forward and backward. this gives you the feeling when you press the brake pedal the seat may go all the way back and prevent the ability to apply the brakes and possibly cause serious damage to another automobile and possibly severe bodily injury to all people involved. this has the potential of causing a serious accident and should be repaired by manufacturer at no charge. i purchased the truck new and it now has a total of 54,412 miles on it. *tr

On my 2002 dodge dakota the headlights stopped working at night by flickering a lot then just shutting off all the way. the following days random things would start going off like windshield wipers going off, horn honking, and sometimes the lights would not shut off at all. further investigation lead me to the central timer module (ctm) failing possibly due to the same defect that lead to a 2003 recall. why not 2002? i now cannot drive at night because i had to disconnect it resulting to certain things not being able to work right due to the erratic behavior. i would like to see other model years being included in the recall cause this part is well over $200 to replace. it is suffering from the exact same problems that the recall for 2003 states. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while the vehicle was parked on the street with the engine turned off, the gear shifter automatically moved out of the park position into reverse. the vehicle rolled without warning. the contact was stationed behind the moving vehicle, but was able to move out of the way. he attempted to open the driver's side door to change the gear shifter and was struck by the door. the vehicle rolled over his right leg, struck a curb, and crashed into the trees. the police and ambulance were not called to the scene. the contact sustained severe injuries. there were no damages to the vehicle. the vehicle was driven to the contact's residence and has not been repaired. the failure mileage was unknown.

Since i've purchased this vehicle, about six months into driving it, i began experiencing front end problems with the control arms & ball joints. i've had it back to the dealer(big valley dodge) at least 10 times(@75.00 a visit) for them to repair/replace the ball joints/control arm. now it's no longer under warranty and will cost $1500.00-$2500.00 from different quotes i received. i can no longer enjoyably drive the vehicle. and i can't even drive it on the freeway as the whole front-end shakes the entire truck above 50mph. please help me. i love everything about the truck otherwise. i just want dodge to be responsible and fix their problem. they made a recall for the 4x4, why not the 2x4 with a very similar issue. please help! this is not fair. out of all the new trucks i could have bought, i had to buy the one with a problem the manufacture refuses to acknowledge, everyone i've talked to with the same truck from similar years (2000-2003) says they have the same problem. please help! also, front tires become excessively worn on the outside to where i have to replace at least once a year when i drive 10000-12000 miles a year(ridiculous). please help! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the vehicle has centerline wheels, model tomahawk series-escape. while driving approximately 15 mph and proceeding to turn left, the front passenger side wheel exploded. there was massive air loss from the wheel. the contact pulled to the side of the road and changed the wheel. the failure occurred on two separate occasions and the wheels were replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the defective wheels and provided reimbursement. the contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 86,000 and current mileage was 88,000.

Went to the store and put the vehicle in park it did not hold had to apply parking brake. got home and truck locked in park. three days later the truck would not lock in park and has not locked in park since. checked the shifting mechanisms and there was no problem with any parts. tried to adjust shift cable and there was no room to adjust. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving at an unknown speed, the contact would sporadically hear a loud squeaking noise. he took the vehicle to the dealer for a routine alignment and tire rotation. upon inspection, a technician stated that the lower ball joints had severe wear and movement, and needed to be replaced. he also stated that the rubber grommets supporting the tie rods failed and created a metal to metal condition, which created a squeaking noise. the components have not been replaced. the failure mileage was 125,000 and current mileage was 128,000. updated 09/10/08 *bf the upper ball joints were replaced as well. updated 09/16/08. *jb

Http://www.carcomplaints.com/dodge/dakota/2002/brakes/brake_cylinder_lock-up.shtml just view the web site above. the brakes on the passenger side of my 2002 dodge dakota lock-up and a significant amount of smoke came out of the wheel well. i was surprised to find out that this is occurring on many other dakotas. do a search online for dodge dakota smoking brakes and you will be amazed at the number of complaints out there. i truly think this is a safety issue that should be addressed. *tr

June of 2006, my fifteen year old son was sitting in my 2002 dodge dakota listening to the radio. my wife heard a crash and when we ran out to investigate, the truck was down an embankment. what kept the truck from flipping over was that it slammed into a tree from the rear and was pinned. police, ems and an ambluance was called to the scene to rescue him the truck. my son was unconscious and only slightly responsive to voice commands. he was taken to william beaumont hospital in royal oak, michigan where he was admitted for tests and x-rays. he has a closed head injury and suffers from headaches and has to examined and treated periodically. i did not think anything more about the accident until a television news report confirmed that there was a recall for chrysler (trucks) jumping out of gear. i was not getting any cooperationfrom the local dealership or from chrysler. i have the chrysler recall number of g28 that i retrieved from your website. i called chrylser today and they still deny that there is a recall on the "lever and linkage-column shift for automatic transmissions".

Going down a slight grade and front left brake locked up slightly pulling me to the left, with nowhere to pull off i had to go a mile or more to get stopped, the rotor was very hot and had to wait close to an hour before they broke off, changed brakes sanded rotors at angle and almost did it again. apparently on auto beef, there are 15 other complaints on this same thing. i know it sucks but dodge needs to suck this one up and not lose their loyalty to their customers. thank you. *tr

Truck operating normal until braking at intersection. truck then pulled violently to the right upon braking. smelled and noticed smoke coming from front of truck. upon stopping had smoke coming from passenger-side front wheel/rotor. got to the point where i was concerned that a fire was imminent due to the excessive heat. the tire/wheel on the front passenger-side was extremely hot. next morning, the truck drove normal, no sign that the brake/rotor was damaged. plan on taking in for thorough inspection. noticed fifteen (15) similar complaints for 2002 dodge dakota with unexplained master cylinder lock-up. http://www.carcomplaints.com/dodge/dakota/2002/brakes/brake_cylinder_lock-up.shtml. *tr

Headlights were flickering on and off rapidly, along with interior lights and taillights. today they do not work. if lights were to have gone out while i was driving at night could have caused serious incident. no solution to problem yet. *tr

.. front passenger brake seized. occurred during high traffic time with along with pull to right/could cause accident..came clear the next morning/ occurred again 1 mo. later.. i replaced brake hose ,caliper ,rotor and brake pad, only been about 3 days since replacing. *tr

Front wheels (brakes) locked up on my 2002 dodge dakota for no apparent reason. *tr

It happened a few times. i would hit my brakes, and they would be solid, i would not slow down,if i release them and hit them again,then thy would stop. by that time i would be half through the intersection. i called chrysler, but they seem to care. *tr

2002 dodge dakota with a recall. consumer states that the headlights and door locks worked fine before it was put into the shop to have the recall performed. she states that now they only work sporadically. *kb recall # 07v555000. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the vehicle was parked in the driveway with the key removed from the ignition. moments later, the contact found the vehicle parked in the middle of the road. the rear bumper was damaged. the insurance company is investigating the failure. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 07v555000 (g28) (power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift) in march of 2008. the manufacturer stated that they will only repair the recalled component. they will need dates and insurance information from the contact to consider repairing the rear bumper. the current and failure mileages were 64,094.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the non-slip pad for the clutch pedal has worn down to the metal clutch. the contact attempted to replace the clutch pad, but the dealer is having difficulty finding the correct pad to fit his clutch pedal. the contact has been to two different dealers, but they were unable to assist. the current mileage was 73,000 and failure mileage was 70,880.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving between 55-60 mph, the contact blacked out. the vehicle veered to the left, clipped a telephone pole, and dropped down 15 feet into a creek. the driver side air bag failed to deploy. the contact climbed out of the window and collapsed. he was transported to the hospital in an ambulance. the contact suffered severe whiplash, and herniated and ruptured one disc in his neck. he now has a titanium plate in his neck and is experiencing back pain, along with difficulty keeping his balance. the insurance company stated that the vehicle was destroyed. the contact has pictures available. police report number 79061-08 was filed. the current and failure mileages were 61,600.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that her vehicle rolled out of the driveway and crashed while parked. the crash damaged the rear bumper and tailgate. the dealer stated that they would not repair the vehicle until she notified her insurance company. nhtsa campaign id number 07v555000 (powertrain: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift) was referenced. the current and failure mileages were 64,924.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact attempted to move the vehicle, but remained stuck when in low gear. he placed the vehicle into park and exited the vehicle. the vehicle began to drive in reverse and the contact was struck by the door and knocked to the ground. the vehicle began to drag the contact. the vehicle's owner was able to enter the vehicle and shut it off. the vehicle slipped into reverse. the same day a recall letter was received for nhtsa campaign id number 07v555000 (power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift). the contact sustained bruises on her right leg. the mileage information, purchase date, powertrain, and dealer information were unavailable.

Consumer requesting reimbursement to repair a 2002 dodge dakota. consumer stated that he had this repair done in 2004 and would like reimbursement for the repair. *kb the consumer stated back in 2004 he experienced the same problem as described in the recall. he parked the vehicle, removed the key from the ignition, and exited the vehicle. the vehicle then rolled out of the driveway hitting a tree. the consumer was denied reimbursement, because according to dodge, he didn't notify them when the incident happened. *jb

In the spring 2006 my dodge dakota popped out of gear and rolled backwards towards oncoming traffic and fuel pumps. i tried to stop the truck but ended up getting knocked off my feet and in doing so i grabbed the steering wheel and fell causing the truck to run over both of my legs. i was treated at the hospital and released and my truck suffered rear end damage to this day still not repaired. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the vehicle would jump out of park and roll backwards. the contact did not take the vehicle to the dealer and waited for a recall notice; however, they stated that no recall was issued. the contact was given the number to the manufacturer to verify if a recall was available. the failure mileage was 29,000 and current mileage was 30,474. updated 03-04-08 *bf the consumer also stated the vehicle would not go into park at times. the consumer was informed there was a recall, however his vehicle identification number was not included in the recall. updated.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving 30 mph, the brakes failed. the contact stated that the brake pedal extends to the floor when it is depressed, but does not stop the vehicle. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 81,000 and failure mileage was 79,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while driving approximately 30 mph, the heater stopped working in the vehicle. the dealer stated that the heater fan resistors melted and the wiring harness connected to the heater needed to be replaced. the dealer further stated that this was a common failure for this year, make, and model. a year prior to the failure, the heat resistors were replaced. the failure mileage was 100,000 and current mileage was 120,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. when starting the vehicle or after the vehicle becomes cold, the gear will not shift out of park for 30-40 minutes. while driving between 35-40 mph, the engine light remained illuminated. the contact drove to the dealer and they replaced the battery, the gas emission canister, and the hose package for emissions, the timing chain, the manifold exhaust on the left side, and the insulator steering gear. the vehicle was still under warranty. when the contact retrieved the vehicle, it was rattling and revving up to 2,500 rpm's. the vehicle was towed back to the dealer and remained there for over a month. when the vehicle was retrieved the second time, the alarm system was not working. the contact does not want to take the vehicle back to the dealer because everytime he gets the vehicle back something else fails. the current mileage was 80,552 and failure mileage was 79,700.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while applying pressure to the brakes, the vehicle attempted to stop and then drastically jerked forward. the contact placed the vehicle into neutral. in addition, while approaching a traffic sign, the vehicle jerked forward and crashed into another vehicle. a police report was filed. the vehicle must be shifted into neutral in order for it to completely stop. the dealer stated that he needed to rebuild the transmission, even though the vin was included in nhtsa campaign id number 07v555000 (power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift). however, repairing that component alone would not correct the failure. the failure mileage was 51,000 and current mileage was 90,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. while cleaning out the vehicle, the contact was able to move the drive gear shift without the key in the ignition. the contact owns three other dodge dakota's and none of them have experienced this type of failure. the failure and current mileages were 40,000. updated 01-11-08. *kb the consumer was told there parts broken in the steering column. updated 12//12/07

Brake problems which i believe are related to abs system on 2002 dodge dakota quad cab with factory installed towing package. i am running the third set of disc brake rotors on the front and second set of drums on the rear with just over 97,000 original miles on this truck. i bought the vehicle new and there have been no accidents or damage to this vehicle. *tr

Fuel mileage 02 dakota 4x4 3.9 lv-6 gets 15 mpg. i had a 96 and 99 dakota 4x4's ordered new as well with same engine, tires, and drive train ratio as the 02 that got 21 mpg. i know of a 99 jeep grand cherokee with 4.0 l with same tires and drive train ratio gets 21 mpg. why doesn't the 02 get better? *jb

After only 5 years and less than 22,000 miles, the front hydraulic brake lines from the frame to the caliper failed from intense rusting while the vehicle was on the road. avoidance of a serious accident was only a matter of luck. the intense rust rate in the forward wheel well also caused brake pad release failures which caused increasing continuous drag and overheating of the brake and wheel assembly. no observation of the problem by dealer during ball joint recall work just 9 months prior to failure. owner replaced hydraulic lines on both sides. owner is now concerned with possible failure of front suspension components due to unusual rust rates. *tr

Rear diff in my 2002 dodge dakota failed and almost caused me to get in a head on collision. *jb

2002 dodge dakota upper ball joint failure. it seems that the recall under nhtsa campaign id #04v596000 only covered four-wheel drive (4x4) vehicles but the same problem exist on two-wheel drive vehicles also. my vehicle has 84,000 miles and both ball joints need replacing. the replacement part is the same on both two or four wheel drives. *tr

The 9.25? limited-slip differential in our 2002 dodge dakota crew cab failed after components of the differential disintegrated at 75,000 miles. pictures available. this failure could have resulted in a catastrophic failure if a very slight noise had not developed during parking lot turns. a quick google of this problem resulted in numerous reports of this problem including catastrophic failures at highway speeds. *jb

Continued problems with front brakes. had to replace the rotors at 35,552 miles (see odi #10200119), had to turn those rotors at 46,295 miles (see odi #10200122), had to replace front brakes at 50, 230 miles (see odi #10200127), had to replace front left calipers at 51,116 miles (see odi #10200129). two weeks after replacing the calipers, drove short distance (all highway miles). when i stopped the truck, strong brake smell coming from underneath the front end. i let the car sit for a while and continued on. now it's intermittent. calipers appear to be sticking again - intermittently. vehicle pulls and brakes feel inconsistent like they are coming on way too hard but then pulsing. *tr

Continued problems with front brakes. in july 06, rotors had to be replaced with only 35,552 miles on the truck (see odi #10200119). in march 07, the new rotors had to be turned at 44,6295 miles (see od #10200122). in may 07, vibrations in the front end returned and there was a strange rattling noise coming from the front end. dealer replaced the brakes at 50,230 miles (see odi #10200127). i drove the vehicle about 17 miles (all highway miles). when i stopped, smoke was rolling out of the front left side and there was a strong brake odor. i took it to the dealer the next day. technician indicated it was sticking calipers. technician replaced front left caliper. total cost $121. (note - dealer did not charge me for labor on caliper replacement.) *tr

Rattling noise heard in the front end and pulsing brakes when stopping. took vehicle to dealer. technician indicated the front brakes were making the noise. replaced the front brakes. i've had problems with the front brakes on this vehicle over and over again. in july 06, the rotors had to be replaced (see odi #10200119) with only 35,552 k on the truck. the new rotors had to be turned in march 07 (see odi #10200122) wiith ony 46,295 on the truck. at that time the person writing up the ticket asked me when i had the front brakes replaced because, in her words "they look brand new". strangely, only 2 months later at 50,230 miles, the technician indicated the brakes had to be replaced. these were the original brakes. total cost was $146. *tr

Front rotors replaced at 35k (see odi #10200119). only 8 months later, at 46,295 miles brakes started pulsing again. took the vehicle back to the same dealer. they indicated the rotors had to be turned. technician also suggested clean and adjust the rear brakes. total cost was $137. *tr

Driver side brakes froze while driving. this is the second time this has happened on a vehicle that only has 24,460 miles on it

"pulsing" vibration in front end while braking. dealer indicated the front rotors were "warped and pitted" and needed to be replaced. vehicle only had 35,552 miles on it, but it was out of warranty because of time limit. dealer did not cover under warranty. cost of replacement $165.00. *tr

Purchase 02 dodge dakota report brakes 3 time dodge found now problems . brakes,crash no injuries,also @40k miles intake leak,water pump @36 dodge will not help with any repair cost they say its out side of warranty. *jb

Earlier in the week the power door locks were working on and off. two days later headlights started flashing on and off and making a clicking sound before they went out completely. interior lights are also not working. luckily, i was close enough to home and there was still enough twilight to make it home safely. i am going to bring the truck to dealer this week, but i read about a similar problem in the 2003 dodge dakotas. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota. the contact noticed water on the floorboard of the vehicle when the air condition was activated. the failure was noticed while driving 65 mph. the dealer stated that the condensation line was cracked and needed to be replaced. as of august 9, 2007, the dealer has not repaired the vehicle. the failure mileage was 17,160 and current mileage was 17,963.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge dakota quad cab. while driving 25 mph, the check engine light illuminated. the contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer the following day. the dealer stated that the transmission and valves failed and that the clutch and valves needed to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 36,561. updated 09/05/07 *tr

While traveling at highway speeds, vehicle lost all power and would not restart, leaving me stranded in 50 mph traffic. upon researching various dodge dakota sites on the internet, this seems to be a very common problem that is expensive and time consuming to fix. *tr

Bought 2002 slt quad cab dakota new from dealership. first experienced truck stalling while driving on roadways (very dangerous!), without warning and without check engine light coming on. sometimes, it would also stall if put into drive/reverse from a parked position. had truck towed at least twice, because i was afraid to drive it home because it was stalling too many times. took in to dealership three times. since engine light wasn't on, diagnostic test couldn't determine problem readily; problem was intermittent. over the course of the first two visits to dealership, i had tune-up, throttle body cleaned, new distributor plate, new oil pan gasket. by the third time, i had the entire powertrain control module replaced: the "brain" of the truck, as the mechanic put it to me. this should not happen when a brand-new truck is only four years old; the "brain" should not die that soon. that is unacceptable, especially if the pcm/stalling problem is considered "characteristic." all of this cost me about $2,500. the quality of this truck has not, and still does not, meet my expectations. the truck is too young to be having these sorts of problems. i expect to put thousands of dollars into a 10 year-old truck, not a four year-old truck. i am also experiencing transmission issues with the truck not shifting properly. i will outline that in separate complaint. *jb

Upon the return of my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab from dealer service, i noticed what looked like a spot of gray spray paint on the front passenger fender. thinking that someone had accidentally oversprayed something while the vehicle was nearby, i 'let it go'. about two weeks later, i noticed that the spot had grown from the original size (about the size of a quarter) to about three inches across. thinking that perhaps i was 'seeing things', again, i let it go. however, two more weeks passed when i started noticing the same gray color appearing the entire length of the passenger side front fender and beginning to show on the driver side front fender as well. i telephoned the dealer and was told that paint / finishes were not warranty items, and even if it had been a warranty item, my warranty had expired (note: mileage was approximately 38,000 miles at the time). i contacted daimler-chrysler online customer support regarding the issue, and was told that they could not help me because they couldn't physically inspect the vehicle. some time later, i took the vehicle in to the dealership for a different repair, but did mention the fading paint. i was told then that i would have to take the vehicle to a dealership that had body/paint facilities and have them look at it. (note: i was not told that when i called about the paint the first time.) i took the vehicle to a dealership with a body/paint facility. i was told that the 'brutal texas sun' was the culprit - causing my paint to fade. (note: my 1996 geo prizm and 2000 kia optima are subjected to the same brutal texas sun, but show no signs of fading paint.) i was told that my case could be submitted for consideration, but not to expect a positive result. as expected, those with authority to approve a repair denied it. again, i contacted daimler-chrysler online customer support expressing my dissatisfaction with the quality of the paint, and the lack of support during the ordeal.

Front brake caliber locked up. stop and go traffic and brakes locked up. *jb

A part inside the heating system failed; this is the second time in three years that this part has been replaced. the heating system to defrost the windshield will not work. part was replaced again; service company says that this part fails often. the part number is 5174618-aa described as a resistor.*jb

Brake failure. brakes would not apply and consequently ran through a busy intersection at 50 mph barely avoiding crossing traffic and stopped traffic. found missing caliper pad. replaced all pads on front and turned the rotors. also replaced the rear cylinder seals. 1 week later right front brake severely overheated and was red hot after a seven mile commute home with only seven stops at low speed (normal braking). mechanic found evidence of burned outer edge of rotor. pads actuated normally. re-turned right rotor to verify no warping had occurred. no parts required. brakes have lost some stopping power since before the first incident and my confidence has been effected. cost of repairs $400+. *jb

I experienced the same failure as many other 2002 dodge dakota owners in which the lights stop working or begin to flash without warning. in this instance, the parking lamps, instrument panel, and courtesy lamps flicker on and off. the headlights only seem to participate in the flashing part of the time. it appears likely the problem will be the central timer module, however due to cost i have not yet replaced it. i have determined the problem is neither the switch, relay, or lights. the symptoms are identical to those posting the central timer module defect. *nm

The front right brake calipers locked up on the vehicle causing the brakes to be applied without pressing on the brakes. after replacing the right calipers, rotor (warped from heat), and brake hose, 12 miles away, the left caliper locked up. this is a huge safety issues because the brakes are applied without the intention of the driver.*jb

The ball joints on the dakota series p/u are a chronic problem. i bought an '02 dakota 4x4 with 70k and immediately noticed noise and a loose feeling from the front end. i verified the ball joint recall had been completed. when i went to have it aligned, i learned that all four of my ball joints are bad, including the top two that had been replaced already. while researching the problem i came across this site, http://www.dodgedakotas.com/boards/dea/140-1.html, which is a dakota forum, with numerous complaints exactly the same as mine. dodge needs to be held accountable for its failure to use quality components. consumers should not be spending $600 every year to keep their vehicles aligned on the road. *nm

Tl* - the contact owns a 2002 dodge durango. when the contact engaged the brakes and the abs took over. the brakes squeaked and did not immediately stop the vehicle unless the contact took foot off the pedal and applied the brake again. the contact removed the abs fuse and the brakes worked normally. however, the speedometer was also connected to that fuse so the speed was not registering correctly without the fuse. the contact was driving 45mp at the time of the failure. *ak

When i drove off with my parking break set it sheared off the grade 8 bolts that hold the brakes to the axle. resulting in the rear brake assembly spinning and tearing off the brake lines and breaking the brake cable. i had no rear brakes or emergency brake. cost $1200.00 to repair. *nm

Tl* - the contact stated that while driving his 2002 dodge dakota on approximately december 15, 2006; while traveling at 40 mph, the brakes failed and to avoid hitting another vehicle he struck a curb. the contact stated that the abs does not engage properly. the contact stated that the brakes do not stop the vehicle during sudden stops. the dealer test drove the vehicle and stated it is operating as expected. the contact stated there have been no warning indicator lights. the vehicle has approximately 91,000 miles. *nm

I have had several alarming failures with my dodge dakota quad cab. it is a 2002 v6 auto transmission pw pl. i have had the ball joints replaced because of the recall, my transmission has failed (twice), my front hubs & spindles completely disintegrated and could have killed my family, my water pump has failed and had to be replaced, the driver side taillight seems to fail often, the vacuum hoses have all had to be replaced because of the cheap rubber used by the manufacturer fail by cracking and causing all sorts of leaks causing engine lights, loud noises under the hood, and horrible gas mileage. i have done everything possible to be proactive in my maintenance of the vehicle. i have had the major repairs done professionally. i do not understand how a 2002 vehicle can have so many potentially fatal problems and be ignored. i have searched high and low for quality bulletins but cannot find anything. my gas mileage is now down to 14 mpg and the truck is falling apart. *jb

Upper ball joints worn out at 52,00 miles. went for tire change and front end alignment and found problem. had extended warranty but did not cover. am waiting for part at the cost of about $600.00 to replace. *nm

No single incident. many abs braking problems every day. replaced rotors, calipers, drums, brake shoes and rear sensor. problem persists. *nm

I set my parking brake. forgot it was set and moved my truck the brake held to the point it broke all 8 bolts holding the backing plates causing the entire brake backing plate wheel cylinder, shoes and drum to spin breaking the brake lines and brake cable. resulting in on rear brakes. the cost to repair $1219.83. thank god it did not brake when i was driving on the highway. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds on the highway in rainy weather, the windshield wiper/washers failed to operate without warning. the vehicle was inspected by an independent repair shop, who determined the windshield wiper/washer motor needed to be replaced. there was a nhtsa recall, # 04v216000, regarding the windshield wiper/washers. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin. the manufacturer was alerted.

First noticed the problem when i would forget to turn off my headlights after taking keys out. my inside light would start to blink also my warning for seat belts wasn't working. the last thing that happened was what alarmed me. i was traveling to work in the early morning with the headlights on. when i heard my low gas warning go off . all of a sudden my headlights started to blink on and off in sequence with the low gas warning. after work i check and the problem still existed then i filled up with gas and the lights worked fine. took the vehicle to the dealer and they found that the central timer module was bad. old part is not available it was just alarming for me and the driver in front of me when my lights started to blink i pulled and had to wait about 15 minutes for it to be light enough to get moving again. *jb

Under normal driving conditions in the northeast i have experienced two separate instances where the front brakes would not disengage or remained partially engaged while driving. first failure at approximately 30,000 miles, mechanic found calipers to operate normally but replaced all pads and rotors due to heat damage evident on "passenger side" front. second failure at approximately 35,000 again found calipers operating normally but replaced front brake line, brake fluid, pads and machined rotors. mechanic unable to determine why the brakes freeze when everything appears to operate as designed. *jb

No known event or indication of failure occurred prior to incident. headlights, dash lights, interior lights, fog lights, door locks, keyless entry, intermittent wipers all ceased to function. this occurred at dawn on a rainy day. had this occurred during the evening hours an accident may likely have occurred. repair pending. *nm

I have a 2002 dodge dakota quad cab. problem: the key, once inserted into the ignition it will not rotate and thus not start the truck. it is as if the ignition is locked up. after removing, reinserting, and trying to start the truck numerous times, it finally will start. it does not do this everytime, but in the past month it has happened close to a dozen times. has this been reported before, and what needs to be done to fix this frustrating problem? *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 1 mph and attempting to park in a garage, a noise was heard from the rear of the vehicle. upon inspection, the contact noticed that the right rear brake shoe lining was destroyed. also, on the rear left side the bonded lining was separated. the contact stated the parking brake had never been used. the vehicle was not seen by a dealer. the manufacturer was notified.

Timing control module, tcm is pulsing interior/exterior lights, windshield wipers, etc. to an off state at once per second continuously. when truck is parked, headlamp relay can be heard pulsing. the vehicle cannot be driven at night due to visual confusion and safety problems with other traffic. no apparent cause of failure. truck has 18k miles and is only 4 years old. other complaints indicate that tcm was replaced to fix problem. my concern is that the cause of failure may not be internal to tcm and replacing it will be an ongoing event. has dodge determined the cause of this module failure? is this not a design flaw since there have been several reports of the same problem? *nm

The lights on my 2002 dodge dakota started flashing and a few days later my lights, dash lights and power door locks stopped working. i have had 3 different auto mechanics look at it and no one can figure out what the problem is. my truck has 40,900 miles on it and no wrecks of any kind. my truck is an automatic. *jb

2002 dodge dakota quad cab both upper and lower control arm bushings failed on both sides. *kb the consumer stated she heard a noise every time she went over bump. when the vehicle was taken to a local garage, they could not find a problem. finally, after not being able to take the noise any longer, the consumer took the vehicle to another establishment where they discovered the problem. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while the left turn signal was activated, the hazard lights illuminated. the vehicle has not been inspected by the dealership.

Dt*: the contact stated the drive shaft fell off the vehicle while driving 25 mph on a paved secondary road in clear dry conditions, damaging the transfer case. the vehicle was towed to an independent service shop. the service dealer and manufacturer were contacted. updated 10/25/06. *jb

Within 29,500. total miles covered in 4.5 years, there have been 5 episodes when either the front left or front right brake partially seized, which caused the vehicle to veer to one side upon application of the brakes, and emitted smoke. two dealers have offered no plausible cause or remedy. original brake pads, both front and rear, and the front discs and read drums were found to be badly worn at a mere 20,000. miles of light service resulting in all pads being replaced and the rotors and drums being turned. now at 29, 500. miles the front rotors are showing signs of warpage. ok, i'm not an expert, but i've driven about 15 vehicles over a total of a million miles and my feeling is that these brakes are undersized and constantly run too hot. the short brake life is nothing short of astounding. as the dealers seems stumped, my next move is to install racing brakes on the front complete with multiple piston calipers and drilled and slotted rotors. i'm betting that the smoking episodes will stop. one look at this vehicles complaints is all the nhtsa should have to see that there is a design problem, here. *jb

Dodge dakota and durango years 2000 to 2003 that i know of from me and my friends. i have a 2002 dakota and when the anti lock brakes engage the vehicle surges forward do to engine idle speed most likely from booster vacuum dump off. i am a ase certified mech and i understand how the abs brakes are suppose to react when applied. my friend has an earlier model durango and has the same problem. *nm

While driving at 40 mph with 46,500 kilometers a strong fuel odor had been noticed gas gauge drop from just under three quarters to below half .complaint about fuel system and really bad gas mileage. and carbon residue on exhaust seem to have been ignored by dealer. *nm

2002 dodge dakota pu truck headed east on interstate highway went out of control, left the road, flipped once & landed upside down in the median. the right front tire appeared chewed up. the right rear wheel came completely off from its mounting & the hubcap was still on the rim. the wheel was placed in the back of the truck when it was towed away. the vehicle was totaled. *nm updated 06/27/06 *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 mph the front brakes locked up without warning. the road was dry and the braking condition was normal. the contact further stated the brakes felt sluggish, as if riding on a flat tire. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the master cylinder, rotors and pads were replaced which corrected the problem.

2002 dodge dakota purchased new 10/2001. march 2004 noticed grinding noise when applying brakes. brakes were metal against metal. dealer replaced rotors and pads (and charged for service) at 20940 miles. march 2006, noticed pulsing when applying brakes. different service center said rotors were rusted and replaced; also cleaned and adjusted rear brakes and performed front caliper "slider service." mileage 40239. i believe brakes should last more than two years and/or 20000 miles. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle is a four wheel drive and the oil pan on the vehicle sits below the truck frame. the oil pan is to close to the ground and does not have a skid plate therefore, debris punctures the pan. the manufacture has been alerted but stated there are know recalls for the failure therefore, no repairs have been made.

As a 2002 dodge dakota owner, i have had the upper ball joints replace once out of my own pocket and once at the dealership. i have received my refund. my chief complaint is the fact that when the dealership replaced my upper ball joints they failed to inform me that my lower ball joints also had excessive/unacceptable movement and needed to be replaced. i have also had to replace my rotors and brakes for the third time and i only have 72,000 miles. i don't do any off-roading either. i believe that the upper ball joints caused my lower ball joints to go bad as well in addition to causing the replacement of my rotors and brakes. *nm

I have a 2002 dodge dakota (with less than 30,000 miles, which i bought brand new) and i was having water pool on my passenger side floor after it rains, so i took it to the dealer and they told me that the seal on my rear window was faulty. i replaced my back window and now the water is gone. i have asked several other people who own dakota's and they have all said that they have had water either on the passenger side or drivers side at some point. i have even been to online forums to see if people throughout the us have this problem and it seem to be very common. check out www.dodgedakotas.com. *nm

2002 dodge dakota, 4 wheel drive,81,180 miles, front brakes seized. had all brakes replaced on aug 31, 2005. on november 10, 2005 left front rotor and pads seized, alert driving prevented possible vehicle. march 10, 2006, right front rotor seized and once again my alertness prevented another possible vehicle fire. this will be the fourth time the rotors and/or pads have been replaced on this vehicle. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while backing up at 10 mph the driver side front wheel detached. the dealership and manufacturer was alerted. they determined it was a lower ball joint failure, however no repairs were made.

Abs system causing steering wheel oscillation; brake rotors and pads replaced, no change. rear abs pulsating causing rear axle to vibrate enough to momentarily lift rear tires off pavement. neither problem extant during rain conditions. problem intermittent: approx 30% of the time for front only; approx 60% for rear only; both conditions simultaneously, mixed. *nm

While driving at various speeds up to 55 mph the truck began pulling to the left and deceleration was much greater than normal. at this time i decided to pull off the road to investigate. noticed lots of heat coming from drivers side disk break. when restarting and moving forward the truck stopped very quickly. the failure was, the caliper did not retract, causing the disc brake to overheat and it seized up. this failure could cause the truck to pull left into on coming traffic. a tragedy could come of this if this failure is not corrected. the truck dealer had no explanation but noticed other worn parts that should be replaced unrelated to the brake failure.*ak

2002 dodge dakota starting making clunking sound when turning. had received recall letter for upper ball joints. upon bringing to dealer, was told both lower and upper ball joints needed replacement. seems like this is common based on what i have read online. we have also had transmission replaced and goodyear tires split. all of these complaints are posted on this website. 99.9% will never buy another dodge. we now have 2. previous service department interactions stopped me from buying a dodge in june of 2005 so i purchased a nissan. *jb

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 owe a 2002 dodge dakota and had a recall for upper ball joint that was repaired by merrick dodge in merrick ny. the dealer advised me that the way they do the recall an alignmentwas not necessary. i was informed by chrysler that a toe alignment was required. this recal was done in january 2005. the new tires that were installed in november of 2004 have excessive wear on the inner edges of both front tires evenly. the alignment was never done or done improperly and the dealership refuses to correct or even address said issue. all i ask is a front end alignment so that the tires will wear in a safe and correct manner.*ak

2002 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4 - headlamps and console lights flicker on and off. this causes other vehicles to think you are flashing your lights at them and also you end up driving in complete darkness when this happens. *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

Dt: the contact stated the heater fan mechanism stopped working, resulting in no heat or defrost. he took the vehicle to have repairs made, but there were no parts available. repairs will be made at the contact's expense.*ak

I recently had my exterior lighting go out on my 2002 dodge dakota and the dodge dealership repaired the problem stating that it was the ctm ( central timing module). i am aware that there is a recall on the 03 dakota for this same problem and i would like to know if there was an investigation for the 02 dakota. *jb

Dt: the contact has a pickup truck that has original factory goodyear wrangler st tires, p215/75r15. when the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop for maintenance the technician noticed slits up to three inches long on the sidewall above the bead running with the circumference of the tire down to the inner fabric on all four tires. there have been no previous problems with the tires. because the tires were no longer covered by warranty he replaced all four tires with a different brands. he experienced no further problems after the tire replacement. *ak there were cracks on 3 of the 4 tires. updated 11/29/05. *jb

Dt: the contact heard a rod knocking in the engine. the knocking j started where it could be heard. there was a diagnostic test performed by the dealer ,and it confirmed it was a rod. the truck is in the shop for repairs at this time.*ak

I was driving to pa from fl in my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab with a v-8 4.7l engine (msrp $27,000)when i heard a ticking noise while in sc. all fluid levels were fine, so i continued on my journey on tues. oct. 11, 2005 i found out the diagnosis which was that 3 rods inside the engine had seized and a new engine was required to fix it. i was shocked and assumed that chrysler would take responsibility since i had an extended warranty through chrysler. the chrysler adjustor finally arrived to check out my truck on fri. oct. 14 and that is when i heard the horrendous news that chrysler was not taking responsibility for their end of the contract and stated that there was a lack of maintenance on my truck. after i found that out i immediately had all of my maintenance records faxed to me from fl which proved that i faithfully changed my oil every 3,000 miles or less. i assumed that this would be sufficient for them to fix my engine. i decided to leave sc due to costly hotel expenses and had my sister come from va to pick my daughter and i up where we at least had a free place to stay temporarily till my truck was fixed. i found out the terrible news on mon. oct. 24th that my maintenance records meant nothing to the chrysler corporation. i received the response "lack of maintenance" as being the reason why they would not take responsibility. i was shocked that my extended warranty that i paid almost 1800.00 for to cover this type of situation would not cover this repair. my truck had 41,369 miles on it when the engine seized. the estimate i received for repairing the engine was $7,301.00. i called chrysler customer service and asked why my maintenance records were not honored and was told "this is the final decision mam". i asked for faxes to be sent to me regarding the adjustors report & a letter from chrysler saying that responsibility was not being taken by them for the repair and was told that they could not send that to me. *jb

Dt: the contact had a problem with the oil pressure staying on high most of the time since august 12, 2002. in september 2002 the obd light came on. she kept taking vehicle to the dealer to be repaired. every time she took it in to a dealership they would say that there was no problem. while driving in august 2005 the oil pressure dropped, causing the vehicle to die. the contact heard a sound, the check engine light came on ,and then three seconds later it died. afterwards, she took it to a dealership, and they said that it was due to lack of maintenance. the contact has copies of most of the oil changes. the contact has the oil changed every 3,000 miles. she found that there are many other people having the same problem online. the dealership told the contact that there was sludge in the engine. and that the whole engine needed replacement. . the contact called the customer service of dodge ,and they said that it was covered under warranty. the area representative told dodge that there was sludge in the engine and that there was lack of maintenance, and that the warranty expired. *ak

Dt: the contact noticed the blinkers and tail lights where operating poorly. he researched the internet and found that other vehicles had the same problems. the problem was the module or the flasher module. if the short in the tail light was not fixed it will blow out the multi function switch .he has an appointment to have this fixed at a dealership.*ak

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

Driving <30min at 20-50mph,towing a light trailer, while turning into driveway, depressed clutch, pedal went to floor and stayed down, drove 100 yards further, parked, opened hood. flames were visible from under firewall below brake and clutch hydraulics and visible behind left front tire. flame heights were ~6 - 10 inches. moved other vehicles from area and extinguished fire with dry chemical extinguisher. chrysler found clutch asy hose melted, evap hose melted, and fuel line damaged from fire. chrysler replaced the hyd clutch acy, replaced evap hoses and flex fuel line. chrysler did an independent special investigation and concluded they had "no manufacturing responsibility". chysler submitted bill for $526.54 to allstate. allstate payed claim. owner's opinion is that plastic clutch hydraulic line failed, spraying hydraulic fluid on nearby exhaust, igniting fluid and plastic parts and other flammable materials. investigator photographed all critical areas but chrysler did not return old parts. *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

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

Dt: 2002 dodge dakota. the headlights went out. the consumer found a recall for the headlights. dodge told consumer that this vehicle is not part of the recall. there were no dim lights on the vehicle. he replaced the headlight switch and the dimmer switch; there wereno fuses for the headlights. the recall was for a central timer module. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealership to be looked at. this occurred on july 29, 2005.*ak

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, geoffrey a hamby

Dt: the consumer was upset that after the recall work was done the dealer recommended a full alignment, but chrysler will only pay for one third. specially, chrysler will only pay for the tow in adjustment, after ball joint replacement. the recall was 04v596000. the tow in adjustment was not affected as much as the other camber and caster. the recall work was done on the truck. the owner was looking at a charge of about $60.00 that should be covered by the recall. the vehicle would have control issues without the alignment, which would be the owner's expense. *ak

I love this vehicle, however will join the masses reporting a failed upper ball joint at 55,000 miles, 3 sets of warped front brake discs and lack of proper braking for the abs system.

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.

2002 dodge dakota recall.***no answer required***. *mr consumer receive warranty extension for upper ball joints. however, consumer wants to know why the 2wds were not included in the recall for the upper ball joints. *tt *nm

Multiple suspension component failures please reopen investigations into dodge dakota/durango products. stabilizer bushings have been replaced three times, upper ball joints failed and were replaced, steering input shaft failed and replaced once.

1. year old truck no wrecks 2. something leaking, wet carpet on passenger side from day one. 3. they replace back window seal but leak still occurs.

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

This is my second posting. my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab is still dangerous to drive because the four wheel abs system will not stop the vehicle in a panic situation. when the brakes are applied hard, the abs kicks in and releases the wheels but if i let off when that happens and reapply the brakes, there is almost no braking. the pedal seems to hit a block and the truck continues to roll almost freely. the problem is really exacerbated over rough surfaces or on wet pavement. i've learned to give myself about five times the normal safe following distance but that just results in people pulling in front of me to take advantage of the gap and thereby taking away the safety margin i need with this vehicle. there are many posts and complaints about this exact problem. is anyone there listening? the dealers can duplicate the problem but are told by chrysler that the system is functioning normally. please do something. does someone have to die in a accident before you investigate and provide some answers?

Daimlerchrysler motor corporation p.o. box 21-8004 auburn hills, mi 48321-8004 attention: quality assurance my dodge presently has 49,200 miles. it has been serviced at recommended and required intervals at manahawkin dodge approximately every 3,000 miles. early into my ownership i had intermittent trouble with the air conditioner and they tried to assess the problem. they did a recharge of the system and corrected the problem. i was told at 28998 miles that the "pulsing" when my brakes were applied was due to "hot spots" on my front rotors. when i inquired as to how this could happen to a relatively new truck that is used as a personal transportation vehicle i was told they really "did not know but have had to replace others." it is noted that i never had to replace rotors on my previous nissans. that ended up costing me $393. i began hearing a noise in the transmission and intermittent delayed shifting into gear resulting in the transmission being serviced which included changing filters, lubricant, etc. i was also told that my upper ball joint was worn and replaced one side only. this i subsequently learned has been a problem for some dodge vehicles and i have since received a letter from daimlerchrysler regarding an extended warranty on the part. today i was told that i had play in the right front ball bearing and the hub needed a total replacement. along with that a strut had to be replaced and an alignment once it was completed. when i asked how axle bearing could go bad with this low a mileage i was told that the hub is sealed and no way to lubricate and that it should not have gone bad. in addition, i have a noisy left leaf spring that needs a part. the cost for the front hub is over $600. i rarely get over 16 miles per gallon even i the best driving conditions. sincerely, charles w. stauffer cc: nhtsa nj division consumer affairs file

2002 dodge dakota warped routers. this seems to have been a problem with many of the dakota's this website alone had numerous complaints. i have owned this vehicle only one year and just took for inspection, power steering rack had to be replaced in excess of $900 and experiencing problem with vibration when stopping.

2002 dodge dakota experiencing problems with the headlights, interior lights, windshield wipers, and the key fod access.*mr the ti module has been replaced three times in the last five months. *nm

Dt: headlights not functioning. all interior lights not functioning, the wipers worked intermittently. the high, low selection for wipers does work. keyless entry does not work. contact has taken the vehicle to courtesy tire twice, then to bbc dodge three times for all of these problems. this started around 11/26/04. was told they thought it was a loose ground wire, second time they thought it was timer module part no#ti-8035033 and this module was replaced three times, probably four times as consumer is taking care again tomorrow. when the module is first put in everything works well for awhile or until it rains. consumer states he notices that after it rains everything listed above stops working again. consumer has contacted his attorney general to report this situation. *nm the transmission made a harsh sound when it was placed into gear. *sc *jb

Mechanic detected failing ball joint, front right i was informed condition could fail, and vehicle could be dangerous to drive had mechanic repair defetive ball joint. chrysler refused warentee, as their dealership did not repair defect.

2002 dodge dakota front brake calipers failed and the brake discs were warped. *mr the left brake caliper failed as well. in both cases the brakes grabbed and smoke was produced. the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc *jb

Abs system does not work properly. rear wheels lock up at low speeds when road is wet then release brakes causing the vehicle to accelerate. does same if rear wheel hit a bump or pot hole during braking. brakes release during mild stops. this condition has caused several close accidents. took to dealer and they replaced the ignition switch. this did not resolve the problem.

My 2002 dodge dakota sxt club cab has been in for service on 2/14/05, 2/23/05, 3/12/05, 3/26/05 and 4/9/05 for misfiring. it has had 3 fuel injectors 2, 3, and 4 replaced because they were leaking, and all the spark plugs replaced every time it has gone into service. to date, 4/18/05, the vehicle was still misfiring. on each occasion, the engine light came on, and each time, the dealership stated it was the same problem. i have had the dealership at my expense to flush the fuel injector system, and have had service automatic transmission. i have also had the dealership , under warranty, to replace a failing master cylinder on 1/26/05. i anticipate i will be back at the dealership sometime this weekend, as i am sure the engine light will come on again.*ak

Consumer hit an iron pole while crossing rail road tracks at an undetermined speed, and neither frontal air bags deployed. vehicle is at the body shop for inspection. *ak the driver's side air bag did not deploy. *nm

With around 15,000 miles on 02 dodge dakota was told front rotors had to be replaced and subsequently were at 20,000 miles. less then year later with 30,000 miles rotors must be replaced again at cost of $390. new truck twice in a year, with known problem dealer sticks head in sand and ignores.

2002 dodge dakota had work performed on the clutch.***no answer required***. *mr the consumer did not believe that a 3 year old vehicle with less than 30,000 should require a clutch replacement. the consumer is seeking full reimbursement. *jb

While driving 30 mph the front driver's side upper ball joints failed. as a result, the front end collapsed, owner had the vehicle towed to his home. a recall was issued, and consumer stated he has been waiting for two months for repair. please provide additional information.

Contact states: put a set of upper ball joints on vehicle but he thought it was all of the ball joints and they just put the upper ball joints and contact states he needed lower ball joints as well

Consumer received a manufacturer's recall notice d47 for upper ball joints .*ak the dealer had the parts but refused to do the work stating they could only do 1 or 2 repairs a day and were booked until end of june. *bf *nm

I was in a rear end colission on 2-18-05 that totaled my 02 dakota quadcab.the impact drove me into the vehicle in front of me and pushed everything into the motor.the airbags did not deploy.this is the second dodge that i've seen that had severe frontal damage and the airbags did not deploy(it was an 02 full size).i contacted daimler-chrysler and the rep. told me that any manufacterer vehicle must be accellerating with an impact force to trigger the airbags.talk about a false sense of security.

I was in a rearend collission that pushed my vehicle into the one in front . it pushed my tailgate in 20+" and shoved everything into the motor. the truck was totaled.i contacted daimler-chrysler who told me the airbags were not made to deploy in a rear end collission. only if the vehicle is moving forward with accelleration and suddenly hit in the front.what if someone was sitting at a stopsign and another vehicle came in their lane and hit head on? *ak

Abs brakes continue not work properly under wet road conditions and at 40 mph, during emergency stop, wheels initially lock up and then release all together. reoccurrance of similar event documented in odi #10049545. avoided rear end collision by driving off road into ditch. these brakes have a serious problem and need to be investigated. dealer continues to state that they are working as designed for a two wheel abs system.*ak

While stopped at a red light today (behind another vehicle) my 2002 dodge dakota was rear ended. rather than just being simply pushed forward, the vehicle abruptly and suddenly accelerated while my foot was on the brake!! perhaps the computer reset for acceleration? my cruise control was on, but i was at a complete stop! my 2 yr old daughter was in the car, and luckily no one was hurt. *nm

Recall campaig 04v596000 was received for the upper ball joint wear. consumer took the vehicle to dealer for the repairs, and discovered that the lower ball joints were also defective. *ak

While braking at any speed vehicle shimmied. dealership informed the consumer of the front brake rotor wear. the problem was not resolved. *ak

Took dakota to dealer for front and rear differential service (fluid change). dealer called and said rear differential (limited slpi) failed and had to be repaired. a pin slipped out of position and the rear differential was slowly destructing itself. i asked why this happened and was told it was paobably due to abuse. since i don't tow, take it off road or overload it this explanation does not make any sense. almost all of the milage is highway.

When the weather gets cold windshield washer does not operate. this resulted in poor visibility, and affected the consumer's view while driving. dealer inspected the vehicle, and informed the consumer that they could not locate or duplicate the problem.*ak

I too have just had to replace the front rotors on my 02 dakota. i have never owned any vehicle where the rotors had to be replaced, with far more mileage than this truck(44k). the dealer says "they rotors are overheating" well if the truck is used mostly for freeway use, isnt hauling loads or towing, and its only weight is on the brakes, it would seem to the most ignorant that there is definately defective materials in the brake system.*ak

'recall campaign' dodge dakota 2002, windshield wiper motor. *bf the consumer made an appointment for 10:00 am he arrived at 9:30 am and at 11:20 am the dealer still had not performed the recall. after waiting for almost 2/12 hours the consumer requested his vehicle back without the recall being performed. *jb

Consumer received recall 04v596000 concerning upper ball joints. while driving 10 mph suddenly the right front wheel came off, causing the vehicle to strike the ground. vehicle sustained front end damage. the police arrived, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the consumer made contact with his insurance company. it was discovered later there was a recall for the upper ball joints. currently, the insurance company was not filing the consumer's claim. consumer contacted the manufacturer, who sent an independent contractor to examine the vehicle, and consumer heard nothing from the manufacturer since then. *ak

Rear leaf springs deteriorated. consumer was concerned that while driving the leaf spring could fall apart, and the rear end will lose control. dealer stated there was no solution at this time. *ak

Consumer purchased the vehicle at 11,000. 2,000 miles later consumer noticed a pulsation in the brake pedal. the rotors were worn out. consumer stated the rotors had to be replaced at about every 8,000 miles. *ak

2002 dodge dakota 2wd 6 cylinder. occasionally the brakes see to release at low speeds when approaching a stop, causing close calls, near accidents.*ak

Rack and pinion failure 48,000 miles. seals leaking and pump whining. *ak.

The recall for the upper ball joints have been issued, however the dealer states the parts were unavailable. the consumer has been waiting since december. please provide additional information. *jb

Nhtsa recall campaign 04v596000; daimler chrysler issued an upper ball joint recall. this vehicle was included in the recall, but there were no available parts in order to do recall repairs. this was dangerous because the wheels could fall off.*ak

Nhtsa campaign 04v596000; daimler chrysler issued an front upper ball joint recall. this vehicle was included in the recall, but when taken in for service, owner was informed that the lower ball joints need to be replaced as well. owner was informed that the wheels can fall off if not replaced.

Upon putting the vehicle into park it automatically shifted by itself into reverse, which caused an accident. consumer sustained injuries. *ak the consumer sustained injuries as he was exiting the vehicle. the door knocked him down and the vehicle continued to roll until it hit a snow bank. consumer called manufacturer. they told consumer to see the dealer. they checked it out and put some new components in computer. *bf *nm

Recall campaign#04v596000: the vehicle's ball joints failed prior to recall notification. *nm the ball joints had worn out. the consumer reqested reimbursement. *sc *jb

No parts were available for recall d47 concerning ball joints. *ak as of 2/20/05 the dealer still had no parts and was unable to tell the consumer when the parts would become available. *nm

During heavy rain the air bag light would illuminate on the dashboard. a day or so after the rain had passed the light would go off. *ak the consumer is concerned that the air bag may not protect him during an accident. *nm the consumer stated each time he took the vehicle to the dealership, they found a loose connection with the seat belt system under the passenger seat. the adjustments would last anywhere from 90 days to a year. the last time the consumer took the vehicle in to the dealership, they found an open circuit within the passenger side seat belt. updated consumer is still having an issue the air bag . updated 9/22/08 *nj updated 09/23/08. *jb

Rusting and pitted brake rotors on 2002 dodge dakota. vehicle has less than 40k miles and is garaged in winter months. inspection showed brake pads were not worn out but rotors were pitted and had to be replaced. manufacture defect. i paid $406 to have brake pads and rotors replaced. could have had a brake failure. chysler took my complaint and said it was past the warrenty mileage.

The consumer believes the vehicle's front ball joints are loose. *nm *jb

Re 2002 dodge dakota truck that makes a noise in the front because of defective ball joints. consumer inquiring why she have not rec'd a recall letter. *bf *nm

Front brake rotors are warping extremely early. *nm

Recall campaign: 2002 dodge dakota have upper ball joints problems. replaced upper ball joints. *bf recall campaign; the consumer received a safety recall notice to have the upper ball joints replaced. the consumer was told that the tie rod replacement and front end alignment would not be covered. *tc the consumer had the ball joints replaced prior to receiving the recall notice. *jb

Recall campaign: 2002 dodge dakota have upper ball joints problems. *bf recall campaign: the consumer received a recall on his vehicle dealing with the upper ball joints. the dealer told the consumer that the lower ball joints were bad but not included in the recall. the consumer requested information on why only to replace the upper ball joints if the lower ball joints were still bad and what recourse he has other than contacting chrysler. *tc

Recall campaign 04v596000 concerning ball joint wear. owner received notification from the manufacturer in january 4, 2005. owner contacted the dealer, and was told that parts were not available, and there was no indication as to when the parts will be made available. also, contacted the manufacturer, and they too were unable to give a dare as to when parts will be made available. *ak the consumer stated that the vehicle sways from side to side. *tc

When applying left turn signal the four way flashers come on. *nm

Upon applying the brakes, the front of the vehicle dips with the rear of the vehicle lifting. as a result, the rear wheels lock up very easily, causing the abs system to kick in. when the abs system kicks in, the vehicle feels like the accelerator was pressed. i have driven many other types of trucks and never encountered a truck with such poor braking. the truck should be designed to limit the rear from lifting while braking. *jb

Slight noise, loud noise. power steering pump. *ak.

The rotors and brakes needed to be replaced when the vehicle was taken for checkup. this defect made it difficult for the vehicle to stop.*ak

Nhtsa recall campaign 04v596000 concerning front ball joints. this vehicle was included in the recall, but there were no appointments available until may, which could be dangerous because the wheels could fall off.*ak

Nhtsa campaign 04v596000; daimler chrylser issued an upper ball joint recall. this vehicle was included in the recall, but there were no available appointments until may, which could be dangerous because the wheels can fall off. *jb. consumer stated no available appointments until may was ridiculous since this was a safety issue. *ak

A banging noise was coming from underneath the vehicle. the driver pulled over and the noise stopped. while driving, the noise escalated repeatedly. the consumer was able to drive to a mechanic. the mechanic informed the driver that the hub assembly needed to be replaced please provide additional information. *jb tire was barely attached. *eh *jb

Nhtsa recall 04v596000 on the ball joint wear. consumer contacted the dealer and was informed that the next available appointment is on may 26, 2005. please provide further details. *jb

Consumer complained about upper ball joints problem. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer several times. dealer inspected it, gave it a wheel alignment, and then said there was nothing wrong. currently, manufacturer is recalling the 4 wheel drive. however, this vehicle is a two wheel drive. *ak

The lights on my 2002 dodge dakota started flashing and a few days later my lights, dash lights and power door locks stopped working. i have had 3 different auto mechanics look at it and no one can figure out what the problem is. my truck has 40,900 miles on it and no wrecks of any kind. i read about a recall with this problem on dakota's and the factory states that they are recalling dakotas with manual transmissions only for this problem. my truck is an automatic. *jb

Upper and lower ball joints required replacement after 2,000 miles of ownership. this was brought to the dealers attention. the dealer would not fix the problem, stating it was a wear item. it should have been caught and fixed before offering the vehicle for sale, but they claim otherwise. i was forced to replace both sets of ball joints on my own. since then, dc has recalled the upper joints. the upper joints created a situation causing the lower joints to fail also and should be covered in their recall. they also do not specify covering the alignment needed after joints are replaced. the recall should be reissued covering upper and lower ball joints along with alignment to remedy the situation in this recall failure. *jb

The consumer believes that the scope of the ball joint recall should be expanded. the ball joints on the consumer's vehicle failed yet the vehicle was not covered under the consumers 100k miles limited warranty. the vehicle's transmission also failed. *bf *nm *sc the consumer stated that the vehicle transmission stalls and gets stuck in low gear when the engine is cold. *tc

Vehicle is 2002 dodge dakota sport plus quad cab 4x4, with 58,000 miles on it. when i took the vehicle to a brake repair shop for rotor / drum resurfacing, it was discovered that the ball joints in the front suspension of the vehicle have worn out, are loose, and need to be replaced, at a cost in excess of $850. i have not replaced the ball joints yet, but will have to soon. i feel the ball joints should have lasted longer than 58,000 miles.*ak

Nhtsa campaign 04v596000; daimler chrysler issued an upper ball joint recall. this vehicle was included in the recall, but there were no appointments available until late march 2005. *ak

Consumer received nhtsa recall 04v596000 concerning ball joint wear. dealer refused to honor the recall because the vehicle was not purchased at that particular dealership. *ak

Regarding the daimler chrysler recall of my 2002 dodge dakota 4 wheel drive truck. one of the reasons they may be having problems with the upper ball joints has to do with the lousy metal used on the front brake rotors. i have had the truck for 3 years and under normal braking there is shuttering, and much worse during heavy braking. this has been a problem developed in the first few months and has only worsened. the local dealer inspected the brakes and said the pads are fine but the rotors are warped. *ak

Front disc brakes would not release while driving. dealer could not find a problem. occurred again on dec 10, with front rotors turning bright red and smoking. dealer found abs system was not releasing hydraulic fluid, replaced abs component, front rotors and brake pads. occurred again on dec 30 while driving, will return to dealer for resolution.

Vehicle was taken to dealer for the upper ball joint recall. dealer told consumer that the lower ball joints wore out as well, and needed to be replaced. manufacturer stated no recall.*ak recall campaign; nhtsa campaign id number : 04v596000 dealing with upper ball joints. the recall did not include the lower ball joints with the same defect. nhtsa campaign id number : 04v216000; dealing with the windshield wiper motor. the consumer stated that the windshield wiper motor was serviced and had at least one failure since the repair. nhtsa campaign id number : 03v389000 dealing with the dash wiring harness repaired by the dealer. *tc

Recall 04v596000 concerning ball joint wear. consumer received notification from the manufacturer regarding the recall on ball joint wear. consumer notified the dealership and scheduled an appointment. when the consumer took the vehicle to the dealership for the scheduled appointment consumer was informed that the parts needed to repair the vehicle were not available and there is no date of expectation either. *ak......*ak

Consumer could hear a clicking noise while driving at any speed. vehicle was taken to a repair shop, and mechanic determined that both front upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced. *ak *jb

1. preparing to drive from california to north carolina ib 2002 dodge dakota quad cab 2wd. having tires replaced and front end alignment. front end ball joint and assy needed to be replaced due to extreme wear. mechanic stated i was lucky the wheels didn't fall off. had front end ball assy replaced.*ak

Sir, i read about dodge dakota has upper joint plm. gates(chrysler) says, they can hear noise from joint but u forget about deaf people have own too. i am deaf and my truck is 2002 4x4 dodge dakota. they should concerns about deaf people too. please inform me soon before happens anytime!!! thanks. *ak

In a recent news article i read that the nhtsa is considering recalling dodge dakotas for faulty upper ball joints. i would like to share my experience with my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab concerning this issue.*ak i recently took my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab in for a front end alligment. at the time of service the vehicle had 36,500 miles on the odometer. the service tech notified me that the right upper ball joint had excessive play and will require replacement. i feel this is a major component of the vehicle and should not require replacement at the stated mileage. i hope this issue can be remedied soon.

I noticed loud cracking-popping noises coming from the front suspension when turning or traveling over rough pavement. i took the vehicle to the dealership for service. i told them about the noises from the suspension. they checked the vehicle and said that i was in danger of losing a wheel if i hit a pot hole. they wanted over $1000.00 to replace the upper ball joints. i declined. i replaced the upper ball joints myself. i know i was over the 36000 mi. warranty. i thought it was an excessive ammount of money to replace 2 ball joints that cost $50.00 each. i did not keep the old parts. one of the ball joints fell apart as i was removing it.*ak

The air bag sensor stayed on. clock spring malfunctioned. consumer was concerned that the air bag will not deploy upon impact. *ak

Had to have the balljoints replaced at less than 50'000 miles.*ak

There has been no failure of my front end yet, however i have noticed a rattle in the front. i have not notified my dealer yet. i dont believe the ball joints are under warranty. just wanted to express my concern.*ak

Driver's side seat belt will not unlatch. driver had to cut seatbelt. *ak

I have heard news that there may be a recall of dodge dakota trucks for reason of unsafe ball joints. i own a 2002 dodge dakota quadcab 4.7l two wheel drive truck. since i bought the truck, i have heard a loud clunk noise when i turn a corner or go up a bump or driveway. this is not a normal noise on cars or trucks. for a truck that can haul heavy weight, this is not acceptable. i am always aware of the noise and know this is unsafe. anytime you have metal making rubbing in such a manner, there is an obvious problem. i do not believe these vehicles are safe with parts that are not sound and durable for the weight of the vehicles. i ask that the two wheel dakota trucks also be considered for recall for more durable and safe ball joints and suspension parts. i do a lot of highway travel and when you pay thousands of dollars, you should not have to feel your wheel may fall off at any time. *jb

(1) failure of steering components; (2) replacement of defective parts; (3) parts replacement imminent.*ak

I own a 2002 dodge dakota and had to have the ball joints replaced at 24,000 miles after doing some research i found that this is common. my hope is that you would investigate this and force chrysler to do a re-call and fix the problem before someone gets hurt or killed. *ak

I have a 2002 dodge dakota 2wd truck. i have just been rejected a virginia inspection because the upper ball joints in my truck are about to come out. the local dodge dealer told me that the 2wds are not included in the recall. if the dakotas are made with the same parts for the same place. isn't it likely that all the parts are faulty. now i have a truck that will not pass inspection and a $400.00 problem to fix on a truck that only has 40k miles.*ak

I brought my dodge truck (2002) reg. cab (no 4x4) to the dealer back in 01/30/2003 i had 6470 miles on it. i complained about a thumping noise in the right front tire when i go over a bump. pryer to this when i was getting an inspection a week earlier they told me my ball joint was bad. when the dealer took it in they said that the ball joint play was within specification and found nothing wrong. to this day i still have the same thumping noise in the right front tire/ball joint. i am very worried that this is has been a problem all along and has been covered up. what should i do now. *ak

I purchased my 2002 dodge dakota quadcab 4x4 new from the dealer. and at about 40,000 miles i notice suspension noise from the front. it was intermittent at first then as i approached 50,000 miles the noise became a metallic chatter at all times. i had the parts replaced by a local shop after the dealer failed to honor my appointment times. the mechanic said that the upper ball joints were out and that they had to be replaced. he also commented that he has never seen a ball joint wear out in just 50,000 miles. he gave me the old parts showed the play in the joint and the absence of grease in the boot. he claimed that the design must be defective to wear out that early and completely. i use the car for work and lose money when it is not operative. my main concern was safety and reliability since i am required to work in all weather conditions with my contract to the local utility, pg&e. now i am at 65,000 miles and they are giong out again. it is under warranty with the local shop but is it fair for this business to deal with a manufacturing problem? the date of repair was 8/23/04 but the problem was first noticed 4/5/04 and worsened to i felt i couldn't safely drive the vehicle anymore. now the early signs are starting again 10,000 miles after repair. *ak

December 6, 2004 i own a 2002 dodge dakota quad cabu and noticed a shaking feeling when applying my brakes when going down hill on 11/25/04. this problem has continued to happen. i have also noticed that when going over bumps that there is a loud creaking noise. i brought my vehicle in for any oil change and asked to have a road test done to see what might be causing the problems. i was informed by the mechanic that my front brake rotors were completly rusted, rotted out, and had grooves all over them. i was also informed that my ball joints were "shot" and needed to be replaced. i have 22,000 miles on my dakota and do not believe that this is exceptable to have my front brakes completely replaced! i spoke to the service manager at the dealership i purchased the dakota from and was told that dodge's warranty only covers brakes for 12 months or 12,000 miles! after reading the nhtsa's complaints for a similiar problem, i see that this problem seems to happen when the vehicle's mileage is approximately between 20,000-25,000 miles. not very happy with dodge about this problem! dealership did not seem to be very understanding. *ak

When applying the anti- brakes from a low speed brakes locked. as a result, vehicle rear ended another vehicle. *ak

Told by four people at work that they had problem with there ball joint and had to replace them on dodge dakotas truck, ask dodge dealer they said they go bad because of michigan roads, i ask him what about the other 49 states. *jb

1. after driving vehicle several miles, audible "groan" comes from front suspension of vehicle during turns. no problem with steering, no excessive play, but makes that moaning sound. suspect ball joints. this is an ongoing problem.*ak 2. at 46,000 (approx) had to replace 1 rotor, 1 drum on brakes for excessive vibration during stops. problem cleared for about 18,000 miles, now doing same thing again. suspect dodge's supplier of rotor and drums is not very good.

Two months ago consumer started to notice brake failure. when applying the brakes the car jerked sporadically. the problem steadily got worse. three weeks later this vehicle started to work properly when applying the brakes. two days ago, the same problem recurred. *ak

The right front tire came off while driving at 75 mph on the highway. vehicle went into the median and stopped. vehicle was towed. it was discovered that ball joints were defective, and caught on fire.*ak

Brake rotors warped at 20,000 miles. pads ok. terible pulsing when stopping. local dealer wanted to charge a fee just to look at it. i believe the anti lock brakes are affected by this. brakes horrible in wet condition.*ak

Driving my 2002 dodge dakota (slt 4x4) in a 55 mph speed limit. was traveling at 49 mph. applied brakes with abnormally slow response, jerking and vibration, resulting in rear-ending the car ahead. resulted in $5050 damage to my truck and $4781 in damage to the other vehicle. have had brakes checked twice by the dealership since accident with explaination that the front brakes are disc and the back are drum and that front disc brakes will apply before the rear, and this is the normal operation of these brakes. this truck continues to have a long stopping distance compared to other trucks i have owned. i am now seeing multiple other braking complaints related to this truck. i am in the process of looking for a different vehicle because this one does not feel safe while stopping.*ak

The driver and passenger side wheel bearings failed. *nm drivers side heated up so much that it blew the tire and the rim off the hub while the vehicle was in motion. due to the damage the wheel bearing hub, rotor, brake and tire had to be replaced. one week later the passengers side failed. *tc *jb

There is a clicking noise when the vehicle is making turns, causing the suspension to become loose and maintain proper control. vehicle was taken to dealer for front ball joint repairs for the fourth time.*ak

Front end of truck would make noise when hitting bumps the steering wheel would shake violently. oth ball joints on the passenger side were defective. the upper had nearly 1/4" of up and down travel and the bottom was completely broken. it is amazing that the wheel didn't fall off completely. replaced both passenger side ball joints. had to purchase them from an aftermarket vendor do to chrysler having them on national backorder. the only part that they had available was a complete a arm assembly at a price of $250 each versus the $50 for the ball joint itself. i find it somewhat strange that 2wd versions of the dakota and durango are not being covered under the recently announce recall. having managed auto parts stores for several years, are customer complaints and sales are just as high on the 2wd parts as the 4wd.*ak

Bought 2002 dodge dakota club cab slt+ in june of 2002. within 6,000 miles, began to hear an occasional 'scrunch' sound when turning sharp (like into parking spaces) - more pronounced when hitting a bump while turning sharp (on my street, there's a slight - less than 2 inch - dropoff from the road to my driveway). gradually got more and more noticeable, and took less and less to cause the sound, until i took it in at about 24,000 miles. both sides, both ball joints were replaced. truck drove great for a while, then at about 30,000 or so, started all over again. same thing. truck now has 48,000 miles, and is in the shop again for the same service.*ak

Front end vibration and creeking. dealer states both upper front ball joints worn and need replacing. old parts available.*ak

While attempting to get the front end aligned on my 2002 dodge dakota it was discovered the upper ball joints have failed and separated. the vehicle had less than 30,000 miles. the mechanice states it is a defect of the parts. *ak

2002 - dodge dakota: truck mechanically sound when it comes to the engine. recently had a tune-up & 27 point inspection @ 50,000 miles and was informed that the upper and lower ball joints need replacement and would cost about $1200.00 to fix. the dealers mechanic asked if i have been hear a "clunking" sound when making sharp turns. i advised the mechanic that this sound started happening around 30,000 miles but did not pay to much attention. i asked the dealership if it was common for this to happen so prematurely. no answer. any recalls in the works. there seems to be may issues from others surrounding the balljoints!!! if i would have known about the additional cost of $1200.00 maybe i would not have considered purchasing the truck in the first place.*ak fp

Rack and pinion, and tie rod failure after 2 years on dodge dakota....tire rotation store informed me that wheel was in danger of coming off. rack and pinion gear and tie rod replaced at cost of 1,000.00. was "worn" there was no damage to the pieces. a search of the web indicates that there are numerous complaints of wheels coming off, ball joints, and tie rods failing on the durango/dakota front clip. will it take a death for chrysler to recall these vehicles? i have driven for 35 years and never had a failure in suspensin like this. this has been "under investigation" for 3 years. why is that? *ak

Dodge dakota had several problems at low miles, notice scrunch sound in front suspension whenever consumer pulled into the driveway. *bf *tc

Premature ball joint failure in 2002 dodge dakota 4x4. ball joints where making clunking sound and were bad at 35000 but dealer refused to fix. now when i returned at 79000 and they are really really bad and unsafe they admit that they are bad and that they know dodge has a problem with the ball joints but still refused to fix under warranty.*ak

The tire retail store was unable to perform a front end alignment after replacing the front tires because 3 of the ball joints were defective, and the fourth wore out. *ak the consumer stated that his vehicle has no lift and no oversized tires. the defective tires have 20 to 25% of the tread still on them showing indication of faulty ball joints. *tc

The front brakes on my truck was diagnosed with defective rotors. i do mostly highway driving so i expected 40,000 to 50,000 miles on the front brakes. i had 15,000 miles on the truck for its 1st brake inspection and was told at that time that i still had approximately 80% of pads left. i brought the truck in at 31,000 and requested to have the brakes inspected again. i was taken by surprise when they told me that the rotors were shot and asked to see them before i would authorize a repair. the mechanic told me that there was over 50% of the brake pads left but somehow the brake rotors were scored so badly that they could not be cut down to repair them, they must be replaced, and i could also see that the rotors were that bad. considering that there was a lot of brake pad left i opted not to spend the $565.00 at this time and get more life out of the brakes. they still stop the vehicle with no problems. i feel that this should be looked into.. defective metal in the rotors, ( not hard enough ) , defective pads, ( hard steel embedded in them ) etc. *ak

The module controlling my 2002 dodge dakota's headlight's, windshield wipers, interiot lights failed. symptoms are shockingly close to those of the recall (i do have a manual transmission). headlights failed, brights failed, wipers failed. only turn signals horn and caution lights remain. dealer refuses to admit it is related to recall. symptoms are the same! what do i do about this!?*ak

Upper and lower ball joint failure, both sides. replacement estimated at $1100.00.*ak

A recall was issued for the windshield wiper motor. dealer stated they did not know when the parts will bw available. *ak

My 2002 dodge dakota's upper and lower ball joints failed at around 48,000 miles of regular highway driving, and now at 58,000 it feels as if they are going again. they were replaced with dodge parts, and chrysler told me that they are not recalling it. after all the news i've seen on dakota/durango ball joint problems, i figured i'd file a complaint with you guys, i'm just fed up i guess.thank you . *ak

This is in regards to my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4. i began noticing popping noise coming from the front right side wheel at approximately 20,000 miles. i took it into the dealer who claimed nothing was wrong. 6,000 miles later it was getting worse so i took it back to the dealer. sure enough i had a bad upper ball joint, which they replaced under warrenty. i now have 40,000 miles on this truck and the right side is making the popping noise. i wish dodge would make a recall a fix the problem for good. i feel that if i was not dillegent in my pursuit to have my truck repaired, that i would have been one of the many others who have had there front wheel fall off while driving their dakota or durango.*ak

Reported a popping sound on the right front of vehicle to dealership appro. one year ago, informed nothing was wrong. upon a personal inspection during a routine oil change i noted that the right upper control arm ball joint had prematurely failed. *ak(current vechicle mileage 16,000) purchased replacement control arm and installed per manufactuers instructions. i have saved the old part. my concern in this matter is, if these same parts are used on both dodge dakotas and dodge durangos and this part is prone to premature failure, what will be the end result?

Due to the worn front upper ball joints, the consumer would hear a clunking noise when driving. the dealership is aware of the problem, but did not resolve. please provide more information. *nm

Upper control arm. *nm

Upper ball joints of a 2002 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4 needing replaced with only 15,153 miles on truck. *nm

The upper and lower ball joints continued to wear prematurely. please provide additional informtion. *jb

Front brake disc were cast in layers, and they came apart. manufacturer recommended that consumer call this office.*ak

Upon turning the steering wheel, i would hear "popping" coming from the front suspension. brought it in for inspection. mechanic diagnosed the problem as bad ball joints. replaced both upper and lower ball joints (left and right). the condition of the upper ball joints indicated that they were ready to pop out of the socket.

My husband's truck was struck on the rear driver's side. almost @ the bumper. police report stated damage to the other vehicle "negligible". my husband was killed. he was partially ejected. the truck rolled over on him. great road/weather conditions. light traffic-just the 2 vehicles. 45 mph speed limit. his back tires were both ripped from the vehicle. all he ever hit was a curb. he was killed instantly. *nm

2002 dodge dakota pickup truck exhibits premature wear on upper ball joints resulting in loud popping noise during turns and front in rattle on uneven pavement.*ak

Passanger side floor floods when air conditioner is on. everyday i need to suck out the water with a vaccume. inside of truck smells as a result of the problem. *jb

Noise in front end pickup moves side to side. *ak

While driving home after having transmission rebuilt my brakes started to sound as if there was dirt on the pads. as the vehicle only had 19000 miles at the time that's what i believed. the noise over the next week got louder and the truck harder to stop saftly. contacted dealer brought in and discovered that the rotors were scared and the pads were gone on the passenger side. the rotor was pitted on the driver side. dealer refuses to fix except as a maintence issue. they did however replace upper ball joints . i believe the loose front end caused the vibration in wheels which led to brake failure. i have read many compaints of brakes on the web. dodge needs to recal this veicle -- someone is going to get hurt.*ak

Worn ball joints and related suspension noise. *ak

I have had clunking and squeaking noises coming from the front end of my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab since about 18,000 miles. i have mentioned it to the dealer and they say they do not know what it is. after viewing the internet i have realized that there is many problems with the upper and lower ball joints. i will soon be returing to the dealer with the info to try to get it fixed. *ak

The upper ball joints were worn out and need to be replaced. when vehicle went over a pump in the road there was a clucking or knocking noise from the front end. this was a common problem with these trucks. *ak

Consumer received nhtsa a recall 04v21600 on the windshield wipers two months ago. two months later, dealership still does not have the parts to conduct the recall. this dealership is the only one in town. the next dealership is about 350 miles away. *ak

Front brake rotors warped. *ak

Hello, i have a 2002 dodge dakota sxt. i noticed water on the passenger floor board of the vehicle. i cleaned the water and assumed i had left the window down at some point and rain got into the vehicle, however this was not the case. today i noticed the passenger floor board was soaked with water. i thought that my heater core was busted but the fluid wasn't antifreeze it was water. i pulled the carpet back and to my dismay there was 2 gallons of water on the floor board under the carpet. my vehicle only has 41000 miles and i thought this to be strange at such an early time of the vehicle. i decided to look on the internet and typed the words " dodge dakota passenger floor board wet" at my yahoo search engine. i was amazed when at least 50 message boards with people from all over the world asking the same question and people replying to this problem. there are a lot of upset dodge dakota owners that are having the same problem. it appears in the message boards that there is a serious defect with the air conditioning condensation vent tube causing this problem in many dakotas. i have not contacted my local dealership yet but intend to. i believe there to also be a health concern associated with this apparent defect. i have noticed an odor in the vehicle in the past and it was apparent when i pulled the carpet up today what it is. there is mildew and mold all over the floorboard of the vehicle due to this condition/water defect. please give this matter the attention it deserves. thank you for your time. below are links to some of the recent message boards i have found regarding this specific defect. http://www.woodalls.com/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/1543652/gotomsg/1569000.cfm http://www.dakotausa.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=11124 http://www.dodgedakotas.com/boards/v8/2141.html http://mydodgesucks.org/dodge_trucks.htm. *jb

Consumer complained that abs locked up when applying the brakes on wet road surface. vehicle was inspected by an repair shop, and they could not locate the problem. *ak

Shaking in front end when brakes are applied, also rattle in front end. dodge dealer found front brake rotors to be severely rusted and pitted and that brake pad clips were completely rusted off front pads causing rattle. rotors and pads were replaced and old parts are available. dodge refused to pay for repairs.*ak

Felt pulsing in front brakes due to rotor overheating and warping. brake failure, no accident or injuries.*ak

Premature failure on left upper ball joint for 2002 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4, 36,990 miles. popping sounds coming from front left, so i took it to the dealer for evaluation. i was charged for the ball joint check and deductable on extended warranty.*ak

I have a 2002 dodge dakota quad cab--with 49000 on it and it needs lower ball joints! is there any type of recall or course of action i can take ? these ball-joints should not need to be replaced at 49000. *jb

While driving at approximately 40 mph heard noises coming from the front. had no difficulty with the driving. took vehicle to dealership, and mechanic determined that the right side lower ball joints needed to be replaced. did not need to replace ball joints on the left. had previously filed complaint #12187283. *ak *nm

Consumer was concerned that the vehicle started up, and the headlights came on by themselves while parked in the garage, which was attached to the house. dealer was not notified. *ak

The right rear tire had a blowout while driving 70 mph ( original equipment, tire size p265/70r16, dot# 25.4 0ffset) *jb

After approximately 1 year and about 15,000 miles i took my 2002 dodge dakota slt quad cab 4.7l v8 4x2 in to the dealer for a "clunking" noise in the steering. the dealer stated that the upper ball joints were worn and replaced the parts under warranty. on 4 july 2004, after having the truck for about 2 years and 32,000 miles, while going over a speed bump at approximately 10 miles per hour, a lound crash was heard followed by a griding noise. it turns out that the upper ball joint on the passenger side just snapped and the steering arm slammed in to the rim of the wheel scraping the edge of it barely missing the tire by 1-1.5 inches. the vehicle is now having that same "clunking" noise when going over bumps and it can be felt in the steering.*ak

Brake caliper got stuck open while driving. the vehicle was impossible to control. no one was injured. also there was no warning and we have done regular maintenance as suggested in the owners manual. *ak

Vehicle stalled. the manufacturer stated that they could not get the vehicle to repeat the problem. manufacturer replaced the vehicle chip on four occasions, but it continued to stall. *ak

2002 dodge dakota front end failure.*mr when the consumer was maneuvering a curve the power steering failed and the vehicle hit a guard rail. the truck sustained some front bumper damage. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they replaced the steering shaft. the consumer still hears a popping noise when making sharp turns. the consumer plans to take the vehicle to another dealer for a second opinion. the consumer believes that since dodge is have problems with their suspension that the dealer needs to look at the ball joint, tie rods, rack and pinion. *nm

Brought 2002 dakota to dealer cause of popping noises coming from front end especially when turning. dealer said no problem found. truck still makes noises. heard that there may be a problem with ball joints. *jb

2002 dodge dakota 52000 miles first the seat belt light comes on while driving, then all the guages on the dash go dead for about three seconds. odometer also will not record any mileage also. then the gauges reset normal. this happens only when the inside gets hot from the sun. turning the air on and cooling the inside helps to stop or slow down the pulsing of the guages from dead to normal. replaced central timing unit computer . did nothing, old unit put back in .next step is to replace dash cluster.*ak

Traveling approx 25 mph on wet roads. applied brakes nothing happened. truck didn't slow down with brake to floor. collision occurred (rear-ended another vehicle) and front airbags did not deploy. wearing seat belt. *jb

My rotors were trashed at 20,000 miles on the 2002 dodge dakato. i do basic driving and found out from a forum website on dakatos that there are so many people with this problem. a mechanic from the dealership told me that he fixes double the rotors on dakatos that he does on any other vehicle.*ak

I had loss of control of my vehicle this morning which i believe is a direct result of my steering/ball joint / rack and pinion failure. it's at the dealer now being looked over thoroughly. the dealer just replaced the intermittent steering shaft last week.*ak

Brake rotors warp early due to normal wear. ith 19,000 miles i have to replace the rotors before replacing my first set of pads.ther people report the me:http://www.carsurvey.org/review_30410.html http://www.dodgedakotas.com/boards/v6/924.html. *ak

Vehicle was taken to the dealer for a routine inspection, and mechanic determined that both upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced due to worn out parts. *ak

Saw on a message board that there is an ongoing investigation re: dodge dakota ball joints. i have a 2002 dakota. at around 10,000 miles, i started hearing a noise in the front suspension. it was very intermittent, so i didn't pay any attention. but it got more and more frequent until around 20,000 miles, when i finally had it fixed. the dealer (anderson dodge in rockford, il) replaced both of the front ball joints. now, at 45,000 miles, it's starting to make some of the same sounds - possibly failing again. *ak

I had a brake and rotor job done at 36000 miles by a local mechanic and found that my rack and pinion is leaking at the boot and there is to much play from tie rods. dealer ship will do nothing to help exept charge me $3750 to fix it. i do not no how long the problem has been there. anouther dealership told me it was a messy oil change ya right!*ak

Upper ball joints are failing. *nm

2002 dodge dakota has front end noise problems.*mr the vehicle was taken to the dealer but they couldn't find anything wrong with it. the dealer indicated that the noise was a characteristic of the vehicle. the dealer eventually replaced the front end but the noise was still present. *nm

Problems with front suspension and brakes on 2002 dodge dakota. *mr the front suspension squeaked and was unable to be duplicated, the brakes were noisy upon application and was also unable to be duplicated, noise would come from the shock absorber when stopping and when going over bumps, noise was coming from the left front upper ball joints on left turns and when going over bumps, the left caliper made a sticking sound and the wheel bearing was replaced, the drive belt made sounds, and the brakes pulsated. *sc *jb

Warped disc rotors on 2002 dakota with 16000 miles. dodge refuses to cover under warranty. it appears that there are excessive early rotor failures on dakota's as identified by nhtsa complaints. this is a serious safety issue and may be related to defective calipers causing the problem. *la

Intermittently the brakes failed to release fully after being depressed. the brake pedal came back up when released, but the brakes dragged. when this occurred, the front rotors overheated. the dealership turned the front rotors, but the failure recurred a month later. this time the rear brake drums overheated. *ak *sc *jb

Update to complaint 10028872. after having the rotors turned (recut to safe specifications) at 24,000 the same severe vibrations and shaking came back at 27,000. even light braking pressure caused the vehicle to swerve to the left and across lane markers. i noticed that when the truck was driven after sitting overnight all braking functions were normal. after driving approximately thirty miles the shaking and pulling to the side came back without warning. i had the rotors, calipers, and pads all replaced with high performance parts (slotted & cross drilled rotors, ceramic pads). now at 37,000 with no further issues (as of this writing) on the brakes. i am deeply concerned that a less experienced driver could lose control of their vehicle resulting from this brake system defect.*ak

Defroster would not work on a cold morning.the defroster would not work due to the resister being burnt out, and you had a hard time seeing out the windshield, and no heat was getting into the passenger compartment. *ak

Ball joints and u-joints are in need of replacement after only 26 months of ownership and 60,000 miles put on the truck. *ak

On our way to the hospital (after dark) when the oil pressure went to '0' and check engine light came on. truck started slowing down (as if downshifted) and smoking. about the time we got to the shoulder of the road it backfired and a flash came from the back of the truck and it died. i have a 2002 dodge dakota. we had to call 911 and get a deputy to pick us up and take us to the hospital. *la

Had to have the front rotors on my 2002 dodge dakota replaced after 25,000 miles and turned after 30,000 miles, most of the mileage is hughway miles.*ak

At around 15000 miles i noticed the brakes starting to pulse or drag during normal stopping. at 18000 miles i was told by midas that rotor failure in this vehicle was a big problem, and that i would have to replace them many times during the life of my truck. *jb

While driving at any speed and when brake were depressed pedal pulsated. vehicle was serviced, and technician turned the rotors at 34, 000 miles. *ak vehicle has a problem with the ball joint in the past, which concerned the consumer. *la

A power port inside of a center console had a device plugged into it and the vehicle started on fire. the start of the fire was traced to the plug in inside of the center console. the fusible link/fuse never blew and so the vehicle sustained $4000 worth of damage before the fire was put out. *la

Have had my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab for less than three years and already have had to replace my rotors twice! and it only has $44,000 miles on it. i am sure that after another 10-15 thousand miles that the vehicle will again begin to shake and vibrate when i put on the brake and sure enough i will have to go and have them replaced yet again. from everything that i read here there are tons of people out there having the same exact problem and it doesn't seem like anyone out there want to do anything about it so i will do my part and post my problems here hoping someone gets off their butt to do something about it and from now on, no more chrysler vehicles for me. *jb

There are so many problems that it is hard to really point one out that i am most concerned with. first of all it started with the transmission problem. then it lead into what the manufacturer says is an electrical problem. then the replacement of the entire fuel delivery system. now we are at a standstill since they say that it is working as designed. they also say that it is expected to see the erratic behavior from the motor. i am confused since they say that the computer adjusts and then it won't allow the car to run at optimal effectiveness. does this mean that it is designed to run at less than optimal effectiveness? i have had a smell come out of the air as though the vehicle was completely flooded. the front suspension makes threatening sounds and the back wobbles like a serpent. the brakes jitter and i have had to pay for rentals at times when the manufacturer approved the reimbursement. the statement for denial of reimbursement was "the after market alarm caused it". they were the sponsors and initiators of this company since i bought it at the dealership included in my price. *ak *tc

Dodge dakota 4x4 2002 /have been experiencing front end problems with truck since purchase. brought in numerous times to dealer for brake issues[front rotors,pads,rear drums and discs].told multiple times there is no problem, its the way you drive. truck has never been abused,very well cared for. after the 5th time to dealer finnally told that the upper ball joints need replacment.this was after one full year of denial.notified dealer of noise at the steering wheel,told they could not vrify the complaint would probably go away after replacing upper ball joints.one week later after replacment of upper ball joints ,same noise reoccured [loud clunking sound at front end]took back to dealer only to be told that the bottom ball joints need replacment,no mention one week prior about wear on lower area.dealer also stated that the noise noted coming from stering wheel from previous complaints was now thought to be an intermiediate shaft in the steering column,this same noise that one week earlier could not be identified.at 30,000 miles my entire differential gear assembbly needed replacment.i have been charged multiple warranty deductibles on what seems to me to be, the same problem and possibly a canidate for lemon status.at what point will the consumers right's be protected.i am joining a class action lawsuit in regards to chrysler/daimler and suggest to everyone who reads this to do the same.check out www.dodgetalk.com for info and links.also i reccomend to anyone who has had problems with their daeler in terms of denials/non repairs/faulty workmanship/or any related costs out of pocket to file formal complaints and contact a local lemon law attorney in relation to their actions and lack of proper business ethics.only until we make change happen can we acctually achieve it.good luck to everyone who reads this.*ak

Upon inspection of road wander complaint, vehicle was found to have a bad upper ball joint, and excessive wear on all other ball joints for mileage noted.*ak

While driving, noticed that the check engine light was on and the oil pressure gauge was incorrect. notified dealer of this issue and also an issue with grinding noise when turning left or right. the dealer has replaced the upper and lower ball joints on the front and even admitted that they have seen a high failure rate for this. also they replaced the vacuum tube harness under the gas tank. the oil pressure gauge sensor was loose and was corrected. *jb

At just 24000 miles my brakes were replaced because the front end would shimmy when stopping. upon inspection, the rotors were gouged but there was plenty of wear left on the pads. because of these faulty/poorly designed brakes i was involved in a mva when my brakes failed to stop me when attempting to slow down when approaching an intersection. i applied the brakes while only going 20mph (in the rain) but my anti-lock brakes locked up. when i first pressed on them there was no effect, when i pushed a little harder they locked. i released them and tried to stop again but they locked again and i slid into the car in front of me as there was no where to turn. my dealership was notified of brake problems prior to this but told me the brakes and rotors only last 25000miles. these brakes didn't work and this isn't the first time. *ak

When the brake pedal was depressed to slow down the vehicle when approaching an intersection at 20 - 25 mph it failed to do so. as a result, consumer applied more force to the brake pedal. then, tabs locked up and the vehicle skidded. vehicle stopped when it smashed into another vehicle. upon impact, none of the frontal air bags deployed. this incident occurred while driving on a wet road. prior to the accident, brake pedal vibrated when depressed. *ak

Front rotors on my 2002 dodge dakota are habitually warping under normal driving conditions. upon replacement of the rotors with raybestos severe duty rotors, they warped again. the dealership won't touch the issue upon requests. *ak

My husband and i own a 2002 dodge dakota. we purchased it in march 2002 and moved to puerto rico in september 2002, where we took our dakota to an authorized dodge dealership when problems arose. in april 2003, we began to hear unusual noises coming from the front left tire area. the service techs reported premature wearing of the ball joint and replaced it, plus the upper and lower control arms, as well as the sway arm and all related bushings (they showed premature wear, too). the following january (1/23/04), less than 12 months later, we began to hear similar noises from the front right tire area. the service techs at the same dealership as before replaced the same items for the same reasons that affected the driver's side front tire. all new parts, correct? we thought so, but as my husband was making a u-turn one sunday afternoon in early april 2004, the front passenger tire disconnected from the vehicle (due to defective parts--the very ones that they replaced in january 2004. we video-taped the damages to our vehicle (ball joint, cv joint, control arms, tire, rim, brake lines, front bumper and fog light) and had the truck towed back to the dealership with whom we previously dealt. the dealer eventually agreed that the parts were indeed defective and the cause of our accident. they replaced all damaged parts. now that we have 37000 miles on the truck, relatively low for that year model, we are concerned that this problem will occur again when we are not driving at such a low speed. *ak

While driving/turning or braking front upper ball joints made a popping noise. upon inspection of the vehicle by the dealership, they noticed that the upper ball joints were defective, and needed to be replaced. the ball joints were replaced.*ak additionally the steering shaft needed to be replaced and august 2003, the dealer replaced the steering gear box. *nm

Intermittent activaton of the airbag warning light when turning steering wheel. diagnosis by dealership is failed clockspring assy in steering column. result of not fixing is inoperable airbag. dealership replaced part at cost.*ak

On 12, 27, 2001 i purchased from nemer chrysler/plymouth/dodge in queensbury, new york,12804 a 2002 dodge dakota, slt pick-up truck. thus far the valve body of the transmission was replaced on 12,19, 2002.*ak on 5,25,2004 with 26thousand + ,miles, the front brake rotors had to be replaced becasue of suspected poor workmanship and materials in the metal. (the pads with 26 thousand miles were in like new condition)

While braking the consumer heard a popping noise coming from the front ball joints. the dealership was notified but did not resolve the problem. please provide any additional information. *nm

While driving,the vehicle would stalled. the driver tried to restart, but was unable to start. the driver noticed on more than one occasion while turning on the lights. the interior, and exterior lights would come on and off on its own. the driver had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the driver that the problem could not be determine. please fill in additional information. *nm

Dodge dakota 02 with just 50000 miles has noise in front end, thud in front end on bumps and turns, camber seems to change at times when veiwed while parked, called dodge at 1-800-992-1997, got a runaround from customer service, if i take truck to dodge and pay for a diognostic on ball joints they may help with repairs. this has to be extremly poor quality parts for this many vehilcles to have proplems.*ak

02 dakota sxt/3.9l/auto purchased 10-2003 from dealer at 23k miles. vibration from drive train started at 24040 miles between 45-50 steady mph. 1st dealer balanced the tires stating they could not duplicate problem. 2nd dealer replaced driveshaft stating out of balance from factory - no change in symptoms. back to 2nd dealer for trans flash program - no change. was told it was normal. back to 1st dealer - could not dup. took to trans shop. vibration goes away when out of overdrive - thrust bearing or torque converter bad in trans. no help from dealers or 800 customer service. *jb

Consumer heard a popping noise in the front end of the vehicle when turning, driving over any imperfection in the road ,or any front end movement. upon inspection of the vehicle by the dealership they noticed that the front upper ball joint wore out prematurely, and needed to be replaced.*ak

The dealer's technician noticed that the right upper ball joint had excessive play. *nm *nm

While driving 50 mph the front passenger side tire and rotor separated from the vehicle. as a result, the vehicle rolled over four times. the driver sustained broken ribs. *ak sc

Upper ball joints were loose, one to the point of coming apart. there was no noticeable failure of the part leading up to the point when i discovered the problem. when i went to rotate my tires i bumped the right front and heard an audible "click" while it was on the jackstand. i have since replaced both upper joints as the vehicle was unsafe to drive. *mr

While driving at 45 mph consumer heard a loud noise coming from the front end. vehicle was taken to dealer and mechanic determined there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. then, an independent repair shop indicated that ball joints needed to be replaced. *ak

When driving and making a left hand turn there is a loud knocking noise on the passenger side of the vehicle. *ak

The truck has had sever problems with acceleration and stalling. it also makes a clunking noise when turning the vehicle. there have been numerous amounts of problems with at leat 15 days total in the shop.

Warped rotors. a known issue among many, many dodge truck owners. front rotors seem to warp every 20,000 miles or so. i've read many complaints on websites for dodge truck owners experiencing the same problems. it seems the only fix is to purchase high performance "drilled or vented" rotors at a very high cost. this is a manufacturer issue as the problem has carried over the years anywhere from 1995 through 2002. i've read where people have had the dodge dealerships replace with dodge rotors only to experience the same problem. this is a big issue!! i am now going through this for the second time around and am looking at having to spend anywhere from $500 to $1,000 to resolve this issue. dodge needs to address this and be held accountable for this problem.

Right front brake locked up. dealer said brake fluid is comtamanated. i am doing my own repair with master mechanc. iam going to have the brake fluid checked dakotas have been having front brake problems for a few years. there is nothing wrong with brake fluid. they said the lines are swelled up they said all rubber lines and seals would have to be replaced at my cost, they will not warranty work

Truck had problems of switicng into 2nd while driving at 70mph plus. had it looked at three times. in april the transnission went. the reverse gear blew up and blew into the case and aslo runined the radiator. thanks dodge !!

There is a hesitation (dead spot) while depressing the accelorator pedal,when trying to start rolling from a stop. the rpms actually fall before they rise. this ,while letting out the clutch is unsafe ,causing the vehicle to stall when the power is needed the most. have taken the vehicle 9 times and each time they say ; 1)it will get better with time 2)this is an inherant problem with the 6 cylinder & manual 3)cant duplicate (it happens every time i try to move) you actually have to play with the gas pedal in order to get past the hesitation area

Fuel pump failed at 41,000 miles. *ak

Consumer heard a noise in the front end when the brake pedal was depressed, when making right turns and when down hill. upon inspection of the front end by a mechanic it was determined that front driver side tire and front upper ball joint were loose. vehicle was then taken to a dealership who indicated that the ball joints were not loose enough to be replaced.*ak *nm

When turning left, the driver heard a loud noise coming from the front. the vehicle was due for an inspection at 30000 miles. the mechanic determined that the upper ball joints on the passenger side needed to be replaced. *ak *sc *jb

Vehicle had excessive brake pad wear. the front pads has been replaced 4 times and the rear twice within a short period of time. also at 4,000 when turning there was clucking noise in the front end of the truck. the front tires had a quarter inch cup in them. the upper ball joints were bad. the dealership replaced the ball joint but the problem recurred. the upper ball joint had to be replace again. *jb

Failed right upper ball joint with 42,000 miles on vehicle. problem found after vehicle exhibited wheel binding while making hard right hand turns, clunking noises during left hand turns.*ak

When the brakes were applied, the vehicle pulled to the right. while the consumer was getting the tires rotated, the mechanic determined that the tie rods were loose. midstate dodge replaced the tie rods with new ones. *ak midstate dodge would not replaced the brakes. the vehicle was still under warranty. *sc *jb

Oh where to start? first the brakes and rotors seem to be a common problem. mine are also bad. 20,000 miles shredded and had to replace rotors at my expense. they cannot support the wait of a 5.9 l v8 quad cab. dodge needs to rectify this problem swiftly. customer service has not been exactly friendly on this matter. like all the testimonies i have read they seem to get the same attitude " oh well, its your problem." also the transmission shifting from 1st t0 2nd is rough. dealer has checked this several times, but they same everything is normal. also when servicing front brakes i found the caliper pin was strip. so much for hardened steel. also i had some bad tread wear on the goodyear wrangler rts tires. dealer told the were ok. said it was called second tread wear. second tread from outboard of tire was bald all other were ok. it would be nice for dodge to address these problems when i bring my car to them, but i do like the way the dealer cleans my car everytime. *ak

At 42,000 miles noticed a clunking noise coming from the front end of the vehicle during sharp turns over bumps at low speeds. brought vehicle to the dealer and they indicated that both upper ball joints need replacement at a cost of ~$500. will be having both ball joints replaced and will request that the defective parts be saved.*ak

2002 dodge dakota quad-cab 4x4 the upper and lower balljoints in the front end seem to be loose and causing excessive popping noises when i hit dips/bumps in the road or turn sharp. my truck only has 30,000 miles on it.*ak

Vehicle miss misfire dand stallled while driving at any speed. *ak

While driving at 55 mph the driver could hear a loud noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. the mechanic informed the driver both upper and lower ball joints needed replacing due to worn parts. *mr

While driving at any speed and when turning corners, hit bumps, or simply turning the steering wheel, there was a distinct crunching sound in front of vehicle. dealer examined the vehicle, and determined that the upper and lower ball joints needed replacement.*ak dealer replaced upper and lower ball joints. *la

Failure is in progress! my upper left ball joint on my 2002 dodge dakota is loose!! the dealer tells me it is not a warranty item [40,000 miles on vehicle], that the part is on backorder, and they don't know when they will get mote parts. everywhere i have look, both auto parts stores and online, it is the same story..they either tell me it is a dealer item or that they are out of stock. i drive a minimum of 60 miles a day, and i can't buy the part to repair this!! how can this be? who is going to pay for the wear on my tires? where and when can i get a new quaility part?..not the piece of crap dodge puts on !!!

2002 dodge dakota quad cab, had noise in front end starting at about 25000 miles. complained to dealer at the following 2 oil changes about front end pulling to the right and noises in front end, diagnosed as "normal". finally, i told dealer that i would pay for a front end alignment, and both upper ball joints diagnosed as bad and needed to be replaced before the alignment could happen. ball joints were replaced after a 4 week wait for the ball joints that were on "back order", 32,000 miles at replacement time.*ak

Both upper ball joints. *ak

The ball joints on my 2002 dodge dakato 4x4 have prematurely failed. the truck has approx. 27000 miles on it. the infamous knocking sound comes from the front suspension when i turn. the truck has been taken to 2 different dealerships a grand total of 5 times for this same problem. a service tech and a service manager have both ridden in the truck and agree that there is a problem initially. upon inspection, i have been repeatedly told that there is no problem "under normal operating condition." i have contacted dodge and have been told that they always favor the service dealers over the customer's opinion. through research i found out that the ball joints on dakotas and durangos prematurely fail. i informed dodge that i knew this and that i would like them to rethink their original decision. they said that nothing in my research provided reason to change their conclusion. my truck has prematurely failed ball joints and neither dodge nor the dodge service dealer will do anything about it.*ak

Upper ball joints failed without warning. *ak

Four months ago while driving at 45 mph consumer heard noise coming through the front end. vehicle was taken to the dealership, and technician determined nothing was wrong with the vehicle. four months later and without warranty dealership indicated to the consumer the need to replace upper and lower ball joints. *ak

Clunking and excessive squeaking coming from the front-end. slow 90 degree or u - turns consistently reveal clunking. 18000 miles currently on dakota quad cab. steering shimmy inadvertently appears when driving straight down the road. these symptoms have been happening for 3+ months. i am experienced with front-end work, and recognize these symptoms to be familiar with upper ball-joints failure. i refuse to have the same product installed. there is obviously a problem. *jb

My 2002 dodge dakota 4x4 at 20,000 miles began experiencing a pulsation in the brake pedal when the brakes were applied. i took my vehicle to the dealership who told me that my rotors were warped and pitted and that my calipers were grooved. dodge told me that this was not a warranty item and that this was normal wear. i spoke to two shops specializing in brakes and they stated this is not a normal wear problem.*ak

While driving on the highway at 40 mph transmission shifted into a low gear, and vehicle's speed decelerated to 8 mph. this occurred while consumer switched lanes to avoid hitting another motorist. dealership performed a diagnostic test and the failure code read a catastrophic internal failure.*ak

Consumer saw an advertisement concerning ball joints. vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the upper ball joints. *ak *la

Upper ball joints are bad, both left and right hand side, was told by a mechanic that there is no way that they should be bad in a '02 truck.*ak

While driving consumer heard a clanking noise coming from the front ball joints. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

While driving 65 mph, a rattling noise was heard coming from the front of the vehicle. the driver was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic replaced both upper and lower ball joints due to corrosion. *nm control arms were replaced as well. consumer also stated that problem is similar to dodge durango sport utility vehicle. *la

While driving there's a vibration in the front end. vehicle is currently at the dealership for inspection. *ak

At just 22,200 miles truck in for third time for engine light being on. this time the thermostat was broken. less than 1000 miles since the last time it was on, last time the canister hose was cracked. *jb

2002 dakota pk front brake rotors poor quality castings , pittted causing shimmy on braking . vehicle still in warranty . company advises vehicle not in warranty. *ak

Front end and wheel vibrated while driving. upon inspection by the dealership they indicated that the bushings deteriorated, and only bolt remained. also, front end was loose. *ak

When turning in either direction front end produces a knocking noise. *ak

While driving 30 mph consumer heard a noise coming from the front driver side wheel. consumer took vehicle to dealer more than once, but problem still exists. mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. *ak

Repeat warping of brakes. rotors and drums warped at 30k. turned. again warped at 36k. no hills, trailering, abnormal driving conditions.

While driving at any speed a noise was heard from the front end. the dealer determined, that the upper and lower ball joints had to be replaced.*ak *jb

Major vibration and pulsating while braking, vehicle only has 22000 miles. warped rotors. *jb

Noisy and unpredictable sound coming from suspension. warning light remains on. stalls and surges unpreditabley. reduced gas mileage. eratic electronic behavior, stops and restarts. even has eratic alarm responses.*ak

During a routine inspection the consumer was informed that the upper ball joints were severely worn. the manufacturer and the dealer are aware of the problem. *nm *mr

When making a left turn there was a popping noise in the steering. dealership replaced the steering shaft sector, rack and pinion, and upper and lower ball joints. *ak

My 2002 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4 has 21,000 miles and now all four upper ball joints are bad.*ak

Popping noise in the front ball joints of my 2002 dodge dakota. i noticed this the day i bought this unit. and just today (3-4-04) i found out on cbs that it is a manufacturer defect. and would like very much to have the problem resolved before something bad does happen on the highway. *jb

With 23,359 miles on my dodge dakota the right upper ball joint exhibited excessive play and had to be replaced. i believe there should be a recall and all the upper and lower ball joints should be replaced on all dakotas and durangos. *jb

Brake rotors are warped. started at approximately 20,000 miles. way to early to be warped. have read of many others with same problem. also heard noise from front suspension, thought it might be ball joint or suspension problem, but dealer stated that it is ok. read quite a bit about ball joint problems on same vehicle. *jb

Vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a front end alignment. mechanic determined that the right upper ball joint needed to be replaced. *ak

While making right hand turns consumer heard a loud noise coming from the front end. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

When driving and/or while turning in either direction, the driver heard a popping noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealer twice and was not able to determine the cause of the noise. after watching a tv report about the ball joints, the consumer suspected the problem may have been the ball joints. *ak the consumer stated when the vehicle was placed in reverse, it did not engage. the air condition was inoperative. *jb

All four ball joints bad at 21000. heater switch bad at 21000k and also canister hose cracked at 21000. my main concern is faulty, failing ball joints. *ak

While driving at slow speeds and turning corners there was a clicking sound coming from the front end. *ak *sc *jb

I bought my 2002 dodge dakota new in march of 2002. ever since approximately july of that summer, i heard the now infamous clunking noise in my front end. it wasn't until last fall of 2003 and several visits to 3 different dealerships, that they finally somewhat fixed my vehicle. i have since seen the reports by cbs news in regards to the ball joints and that has put further concern in the reliability of my vehicle. even though several parts, including the ball joints have been replaced by the dealerships (none of whom said they could figure out what the problem was, or even claimed that i didn't know what i was talking about when i said i heard the noise), i still hear the clunking and feel that it will never be fixed. i have put in several complaints at chrysler, so my problems should be very well documented, but feel it is chryslers responsibilty if anything futher would happen to my vehicle, or any other for that matter. please continue to do your investigation into this matter before someone does get seriously hurt.

Vehicle has definitive clunk when crossing over small bumps or turning tightly. worn ball joints are to blame. vehicle has 50,000 miles.

While driving consumer heard a rough sound coming from the front. vehicle was taken to a dealer, where the mechanic replaced the upper and lower ball joints on the right side. *ak *la

2002 dodge dakota quad cab, vibration in the front end, taken to dealership mult times with no luck, vibration has lasted since truck was new, now 24000 miles later same problem. truck jerks in gear 1st to 2nd and popping when turns, taken it 2 different dealers, 1 said balance tires (3-4 times) no help, other said power steering pump bad, fix did not help. what can i do 30k+ truck has not been fixed since day one! what do i do from here . *ak

While driving consumer lost control. dealership informed consumer that the problem pertained to the front upper ball joints. *ak

Vehicle was taken to dealer 4 times for popping and cracking sound heard in the front of vehicle when making turns. also, consumer heard a popping and cracking noise when driving on bumpy roads. ball joints were changed. however, after 500 miles the problem recurred. *ak

I own a 2002 dodge dakota pickup. after hearing and reading cbs news piece on the durango and dakota having faulty ball joints, i had my local dodge dealer check the upper ball joints on my truck. one upper joint was loose and they recommended it be replaced. the cost was $188. i feel since there have been over 700 complaints about this, that daimler chrysler should recall affected vehicles and fix the problem. the fact that dodge has had so many complaints and it took a cbs news report to educate the public is tragic. what's more tragic is that it put the life of myself and my son in danger. i feel that dodge should reimburse my $188. *jb

For a vehicle supposedly with an abs brake system, this dakota's wheels lock up at the slightest presence of water. this caused me to slide into the rear of another vehicle during a rainstorm at something less than 20 mph. i sustained $5,000 damage to my truck, and the airbags did not deploy. this is the only accident i have ever had in over 40 yrs of driving. testing stopping distances on wet pavement are at best, scary. this thing locks wheels too easily in my opinion, causing uncontrollable skids that i have never experienced in my 1990 dodge caravan, or any other car i have ever owned. *la

Upper ball joints are failing prematurely. passenger side is worse.*ak

My 2002 dodge dakota sport 4x2 has approximately 15,200 miles on it. at approximately 13,000 miles i began to notice that the front end started to rattle and seem loose when going over bumps. after doing some research and having someone look at it, i found that the ball joints are failing prematurely.

Airbag didn't deploy when an accident occured at 43 mph. steering wheel locked up when my son hit the brakes to avoid the accident.*ak

Upper ball joints are worn out and are popping and causing front tires to cup,and truck will not drive straight.you can really hear popping noises when turning sharp and going in a driveway.

Right front control arm failed which caused knocking in the front end. *ph *nm

While parking consumer heard a loud noise coming from the front end. vehicle was taken to the dealership, where they replaced the upper ball joint. *ak

Both front brake rotors needed to be replaced with approximately 30,000 miles on truck. the brakes had been checked regularly during the recommended maintenance and no indication of trouble had been made prior to the failure.*ak

Consumer wanted transmission replaced. *ph nothing happened when the vehicle was placed in park and back into drive, the vehicle went from reverse to drive and the vehicle stalled, placed in park, then restarted. *sc

Consumer took vehicle to dealer for tires to be serviced. mechanic noticed that upper ball joints were defective. also, consumer remembered hearing a noise when turning corners. *ak

While driving 25 mph, the consumer heard a noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. a few seconds later the vehicle went to one side and collided with a tree. the consumer was knocked unconscious in the collision. the cause of the collision was the spindle and the wheel separated from the vehicle. the manufacturer and the dealer were aware of the problem. *jb *mr

Premature wear of ball joints on 2002 dodge dakota pickup. this wear could result in an accident if not repaired.*ak

Premature failure at 34,000 miles on both upper ball joints on my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab. front-end noises (at turning, rough pavement, speed bumps) started occurring before 10,000 miles and continued to grow worse until replacement.*ak

When turning left the passengers side tire produced a thumping noise. consumer was concerned that the tire will separate from the rim. *ak

Vehicle = 2002 dodge dakota quad cab - v6 (currently @ 49,000 miles) took vehicle to independent mechanic for annual inspection and was told that both the upper and lower ball joints were worn excessively and would totally fail in approximately 1000 miles. after further investigation on numerous websites i have found this problem to be quite common and is what was causing the feeling of loss of control when hitting bumps in the road at speed, strange noises when turning slowly, and it also seems this is what could have led to my premature brake failures (which i had to have my rotors ground at approx 25k miles). i will be speaking to my dealer tomorrow directly - my girlfriend had called them for me because i was out of town for work and it sounds as though they are claiming they have never heard of the problem. this appears to be quite a common problem and had my mechanic not caught the problem doing the annual inspection it would have definitely caused an extreme safety hazard. hopefully something is being done to remedy this problem. thanks. *ak

While driving the vehicle at 30 mph or more the right side of the vehicle vibrated. an independent mechanic stated there was a problem with the ball joints. please provide further information. *jb

Premature failure of upper lower ball joints. this started at 20k at which time i brought it into a dealership, but the "front end" guy was sick that day (how convient), so no one would look at the truck. very loud popping noise from front end especially when turning at low speed on icy conditions. when turning sharp the wheel feels as if its about to colapes under itself. very dangerous. now that im over the 36k warrenty dodge tells me i have to pay to have it fixed. i will never purchase a dodge again. this is a life threatening condition should it fail. i have children and no longer feel safe transporting them in this vehicle. i cannot even trade it in untill i fix it as all the other car dealers are quite aware of this defect....help please!!!*ak

The upper ball joints wore out prematurely. *ak *sc *jb

Ball joint failure at 25,000 miles. *ak

2002 dodge dakota club cab p/u has serious water leak to pass side floor. dealer has had interior out of truck 4 times w/o fixing problem. i am personally aware of many other dakota owners with same exact problem. this appears to be a model wide defect and dodge has no interest in dealing with damaged owners. could cause eleectric short/problems as wiring/wiring connections run under carpet on this side of truck. dealer must have known of leak and failed to disclose to internet buyer and did best to minimize appearance of dampness by "shampooing" carpets for delivery - very dishonest!!!!!!!!!*ak

While having vehicle serviced for a brake issue dealership noticed that all four ball joints wore out prematurely, and the tie rods were defective. dealership could only replace the upper ball joint, but was unable to replace the lower once due to part being on back order. *ak

I took my 2002 dodge dakota to get state inspection and was told the left upper ball joint was worn out. only has 35000 miles on it. i went to dealer to have it repaired on dec 29 2003 and was told the ball joints are on back order until jan 14 2004 and was told i may not be one of the luck ones to get it even then. my truck has been sitting since dec 31 2003 because of the inspection has exp. *la

The brakes on my truck started pulsating at around 13000 miles. i called the dealership to ask about this problem and they said the brakes need a checkup but are out of warranty so they'll have to charge me for everything. this shouldn't be happening on a brand new vehicle. the truck starts to vibrate and shake almost violently when light braking pressure is applied. i'm in the process of getting my brakes/rotor replaced.*ak

Balljoints bad on my 2002 dodge dakota 4x4 at 35,000 miles.*ak

Consumer complained about a ball joint problem. consumer took vehicle to dealer to have tires replaced when it was noticed that the ball joints were defective. *ak the consumer stated that the grease was able to wash out and there was no place to grease the ball joints. the dealer failed to correct the problem. *sc

2002 dakota pickup truck with 29,600 miles loosing front steering stability and front end rattling. check with local mechanic reveals both left and right upper balljoints failing and need to replaced asap to prevent wheel failure. also tires wearing out. dodge contacted, no recall yet???

Control arms and ball joints made clunking and popping sounds. bushings made loud squeaking sounds. all mentioned parts needed to be replaced. sounds started as early as 10,000 miles logged on vehicle. after searching internet found ball joints could separate and finally took vehicle to dealer. dealer is replacing parts under warranty but my concern is they are replacing them with the same defective parts. *la

2002 dodge dakota club cab is making clanking, creaking noises while turning at low speeds. this is at 46k miles. has been making this noise since 40k miles. found many complaints of upper ball joint problems with other dakotas and durangos. very concerned and suspicous.

2002 dodge dakota quad cab has had grinding/jumping/bumping condition when braking since 4/03 @under 24k miles. private mechanic has checked brakes twice for this and has found no problems stemming from brakes. condition persists, and am wary of problems with this make/model and ball joint wear. is dodge covering this as a warranty repair now or not?

I own a 2002 dodge dakota. at 27,000 miles, the dealership replaced all four ball joints. they also worked on the 4 wheel drive. at 34,000 miles they replaced three ball joints and worked on the 4 wheel drive. at 42,000 miles they replaced the rack and pinion on the passenger side and worked on the 4 wheel drive. at 49,000 miles i had to replace wheel bearings in the passenger side. fortunately, i have not had any accidents. i have heard noises and taken it to the dealership or my mechanic. i am very concerned about driving it. i do not feel safe driving it anymore. i think they have some serious front end problems that they should be addressing. i don't think i should be footing the bill for it. i am also very upset that the dealership and dodge have known about the problems and chose to blame them on other conditions caused by the owner.*ak

Bought truck new. rotors worn beyond repair at 25000 miles. brakes pads were less then half worn. seems to be a very common problem. *cb

Vehicle does not brake adequately during "panic" stopping. rear wheel abs does not appear to be working properly. have had three occurrences when i needed to "panic" stop and in all cases had to swerve to avoid collision because brakes were not stopping vehicle. rear wheel abs engages but allows too much "free-wheeling" which allows vehicle too much travel. regular braking (even "hard" braking without abs involvement) seems to work correctly. have had vehicle to dealer twice and first time rear drums were turned and second time abs module was replaced, but has not fixed problem. service advisor and mechanic say that the abs system is working as designed for a rear wheel only abs. i have not had any resolution to problem but now dealer won't look at it because they say they have done everything they can. *la

Consumer noticed uneven wear on the outside edge of the front tires. there was a groaning sound coming from the axle area when turning corners and the steering column was very loose. the dealer informed the consumer that the upper ball joints were defective. *ak *jb

I have a 2002 dodge dokota sxt 2wd that has a clunking sound similar to that which i have heard described in regard to a front ball joint problem. i have spoking with other persons who also have 2wd dakotas and have hed to replace the ball joints well before they should be. i currently have 43,00 miles on the vehicle but the clunk has been present for several thousand miles and i was hoping there might be a recall before i have it fixed. i have no ride or handleing problems but just the clunk when i go over an object or onto a sidewalk to park. *ak

2002 dodge dakota 4x4 quad cab pickup - both upper ball joints experienced premature failure. signs of failure began around 30,000 miles, but misdiagnosed by local mechanic as "no problem found." i later took the truck to dodge when knocking noise kept getting worse (after warranty expiration). both upper ball joints were replaced and front end alignment performed for approximately $500. since this is a safety issue, i believe a recall should be implemented. *ak

I have had to turn my front rotors on my 2002 dodge dakota 4.7l, 4wd quad cab 4 times in 40,000 miles. the dealership blames it on rain cooling the rotors too fast. i do strictly highway driving, and the vibration that occurs is nerve racking. i have seen many complaints on consumer sites regarding this. please consider this for a recall. *la

Denial of inspection in nh for bad upper ball joints. told to take it to dealer. dealer says it's ok and charged me $15.00! iinspector showed me how much movement when i brought it back again to complain they were wrong. i agree with the inspector, this is unsafe. any movement is a problem, they shouldn't be allowed to say .60 is ok. *ak

Upper and lower ball joints are exhibiting premature signs of failure at 10,000 miles load popping sounds when turning and braking. vehicle now has 23,000 miles and is showing signs of steering vibrations. why haven't the dakota models been included with the durango suspension engineering investigation. there are almost 100 complaints on the website? *jb

I am owner of a 2002 dodge dakota quad cab pick-up with defective front ball joints. i have noticed noise from the front end of vehicle and took it to dealer. even took the shop forman on road test and he also heard the noise i was experiencing. then the dealer blamed it on the side bars that i had previosly installed. (the noise was there before the the bars were installed). needless to say, i was given the run around. i am a experienced mechanic by trade and i know about these things. i am very concerned that i am driving a potential time bomb just like the durango's which share the same front suspension that are having critical balljoint failures which there is now a class action law siute in process. there needs to be a recall initiated because lives are in danger!*ak

I own a 2002 dodge dakota with 40,385 miles. after seeing a piece on cbs about the upper ball joint problems, i had my truck checked at the dealer. both upper ball joints had to be replaced at a cost of $384.55. upon going to this site i saw an open investigation so, decided to file a complaint hoping to eventually have a recall on this obviously defective part. *nlm

At barely 39000 miles on my 2002 dodge dakota sxt, we have discovered that the right upper ball joint is nearly shot. the problem is that the noise and problems began way before the 36000 mile mark but we never considered that it would be something that needed major repair. now we are beyond the 36000 mile warranty and we have to pay for the repair ourselves. after research we have discovered that this problem is quickly becoming a common problem with these vehicles. so we would like to make our issue known in conjunction with any other owners with the same problem in hopes that maybe dodge will take some corrective action. *ak

When driving brakes locked up, and vehicle was involved in a rear end collision. then, vehicle caught on fire. *ak

Ball joints had to be replaced due to being worn out on my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4. dealer never mentioned the ongoing investigation or problems with ball joints. subsequently viewed the cbs report on dakota ball joints and ongoing investigation the night we got truck back from dealer with new ball joints.*ak

Passenger side floor fills with water until it wicks through the carpet completely saturating the area. *ak

At a full stop you feel like a "bump" in the transmission, or just like someone hit you from the back. it doesn't do it all the time. it normally happens when driving the vehicle for more than half hour in traffic or local roads with frequent stops. dealer haven't been able to reproduce the problem, which started at 1500 miles. they service the differential but the problem still persists. they haven't been willing to drive it enough even when i left the vehicle for them to try for more than 24 hours. vehicle now has 17,000 miles, has been serviced every 3000 miles in five start dealer.*ak

At 35,500 i was told that my front brakes and rotors had to be replaced because the rotors were pitted and brakes were worn. i could understand brakes pads need replacing (although i do most driving on a highway therefore not using brakes much) but rotors need replacing because of pitting; something is wrong here. in addition, ever since i've had this truck (rear anti-lock brakes) i notice that when the anti-lock kicks in it seems as though i've lost alot of braking power. i've found myself in the middle of an intersection at times because the truck wouldn't stop and i was not going that fast. i had a truck cut in front of me one day on the highway (someone in front of him had stopped) and the only way i advoided hitting him was to drive off on the shoulder of the road; the brakes quit working. i have a '92 dakota with rear anti-lock brakes and it stops with out problems. *ak

Driver's side upper ball joint wore out prematurely. as a result the dealership was unable to perform a front end alignment. the ball joint was replaced.*ak

We own a 2002 dodge dakota quad cab truck. it's getting ready to be taken back into the shop for a ball-joint problem we supposedly already had fixed. we purchased this dodge truck as our main family vehicle. how can i feel safe transporting my family in a vehicle that could have a tire collapse at any time? i've researched information about this very problem and am disturbed to find out that it's happening to a lot of vehicle owners. for most of us, a vehicle is one of the most costly purchases we make in our lifetimes... how long are we going to have to wait for daimler/chrysler/dodge to stop sweeping this problem under the rug and take the safety of all passengers seriously? *la

Upper ball joint on 02 dodge dakota quad cab needs to be replace w/ only 27,200 miles on truck.*ak

2002 dodge dakota dealer identified lt ball joint/control arm assembly in need of replacement @ 42,000 mi. problem existed some 6000 - 7000 prior based on drivability/noise. veh has had repeated evap leak since 14,000 mi.*ak

2002 dodge dakota r/t. issue in wiring harness/electrical causes the 5amp fuse regilating the instrument panel lighting to blow regularly, causing a lose of all instrument panel lighting. *ak

2002 dodge dakota quad cab v8 currently with 45, 000 miles. first noticed steering problems at 18,000 miles. the truck makes noise over bumps and when turning. brought truck in for seat repair and to check steering at 35,000 miles. mechanic performed front end alignment. problems still persisted. also, the brake rotors were warped at 18,000 miles and caused a pulsating feel in the pedal. the truck now feels as if it will fall apart over bumps and feels as if i will loose control of the vehicle on the highway. the vehicle warranty is now expired but i need this problem fixed. i have read of many complaints in dodge trucks as well as their cars of premature steering failure. *la

2002 dodge dakota quad cab. while braking there seems to be a vibration under the front end or sometimes while turning either left or right in motion it will make a popping sound. i did take it to the dealer 2 month ago for that problem, but all they found out that the brake disks needed to be turned. but the same problem still happens. need to find out if there is anything wrong with the upper or lower ball joints, bushings that are not properly seated on the front end parts, or what? *la

Premature failure of the upper ball joints on my 2002 dodge dakota club cab pick-up with 26,465 miles. took the vehicle to dealer to diagnose a clanking noise in the front end when turning they did not find any problem on the first visit, i returned for a second visit and i identified the upper ball joints as the problem, they checked them and agreed. they were replaced under the warranty. after reading a large number of complaints on different web sites this seems to be a common problem with the dakotas and durangos. how about a recall! (premature front disc brake rotor failures is another common problem on both of these vehicles. mine had to be replaced at 26,120 miles and was not covered under the warranty.) *la

Premature failure of the front disc brake rotors. had a severe pulsation when braking at approximately. 26,000 miles. dealer stated that the brakes were not covered on the 3year/36,000 bumper to bumper warranty, brakes were only covered for 1year/12,000. i took the vehicle to a meineke shop at 26,120 miles and they told me the rotors were too deeply pitted to be resurfaced and needed to be replaced. the pads still had plenty of life, almost like new. i had them replace the pads and rotors which cost me $275.35. i believe these rotors failed prematurely and caused extended braking distances and some loss of vehicle control. *la

While driving 70 mph driver noticed sparks were coming from underneath the dashboard. the driver was able to pull over to the shoulder. vehicle caught on fire. *ak

I have problems with the front suspension in my dodge dakota. the front end vibrates at speeds over 60mph . i feel this is not right, correct, or safe. i got another opinion from daigle steer-o-master.they found that the right balljoint is the problem.the dealer claims the balljoint on all the wheels are within specs . after another opinion the right front wheel still has excess play,which i feel is not safe at any speed. it also would not pass the state inspection. my dodge dakota only has 17,152 miles. i think that the dealer will not correct this problem until the warranty has expired or there is a recall.*ak

While driving 35 mph consumer was approaching a red light while applying the brakes and brake pedal felt like a wet sponge. the vehicle never slowed down. consumer applied the emergency brake, but a collision occurred. consumer's vehicle collided with the rear end of the vehicle in front. the consumer was wearing a seat belt, but the drivers side air bag did not deploy. the manufacturer and the dealer were informed of the crash. *ak

When backing out of the parking lot the vehicle did not accelerate. the vehicle was driven to the dealership. *ak this was an intermittent problem and would mostly occur in traffic. *scc *jb

Noise when making turns and over light bumps in front suspension of a 2002 dodge dakota crew cab pickup. *la

Front brakes and rotors need replaced at 16,000 miles. this truck is not driven hard or a lot. dealer refuses to replace under warranty, claims no knowledge of reported problems. *la

Premature failure (40000 miles) of ball joints in a 2002 dodge dakota quad cab. *la

Popping sound in front end when turning at slow speed, driving over a speed bump at slow speed, stopping or pulling out from stop. *la

Heard and felt a clunking sound in steering when vehicle hit a bump/ ball joints and arms replaced. *mr the consumer felt and heard a clunking sound in the steering when a bump was hit or turning a corner. the dealer replaced the upper ball joints and a arm under warranty. *scc *jb

At 20,000 miles the lenses on the fog lights on my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab cracked for no apparent reason.*ak

Transmission slips out of gear from 1st to 2nd shift which is especially dangerous when crossing intersections or attempting to pass vehicles as problem is occurring often but inconsistently. have taken truck back to dealer 5 times and only once could they find the problem and replaced transmission oil pump and valve body but problem still exists. also when putting vehicle into drive it sometimes acts as reverse, and when in reverse lunges forward as in drive. dealer replaced prdnl (gear shift) once but still having problems with gear position. dealership states they must be able to reproduce problem in order to replace transmission. was also told by service department that this was a common problem with this model vehicle with no solution in sight thus far. am pursuing lemon law litigation as this is more than just a safety hazard. *ak

Experiencing pulsation and pull to the side under braking. problem originated at approximately 25,000 miles and currently at 33,000 miles it now feels unsafe. dealer states front rotors are warped and need machined to specifications and that rotors are a "wear" item and not covered under the 3 yrs./36,000 miles "bumper to bumper" warranty. i see that there are numerous complaints already on file regarding this issue, so being that i am no expert in braking systems or theory i will leave that debate to others, however i will say that my experience with other vehicles and manufacturers would lead me to believe that rotors should last at least 70,000 to 80,000 miles before needing to be machined. the other three vehicles my family has recently owned were all driven beyond 70,000 miles, all without ever needing the rotors turned. *la

When putting vehicle into reverse or drive transmission stalls. *ak

Upper control arm ball joint failure. *ak

My 2002 dodge dakota 4x4 had a defect in the brakes/rotors which had to be replaced at 30000 miles. from checking chat sites this is apparently a very common problem with this truck. dodge told me that they were not going to do anything for me that the truck was not under warranty.*ak

While driving at 55 mph with the cruise control set, another vehicle pulled across the highway and the consumer t-boned the other vehicle. the consumer applied the brakes to avoid hitting the other vehicle, but hit it broadside. upon impact, the airbags failed to deploy. there were no injuries.*ak

When applying brakes unexpectedly brakes do not grab, causing extended stopping distance.*ak

Regardless of how fast the vehicle is traveling, the abs brake system does not stop the vehicle in a reasonable distance in an emergency. the vehicle has been to the dealer four times for the same problem. the manufacturer has been notified of the problem. *ph

I own a 2002 dodge dakota with 25000 miles just had to have front rotors and brake pads replaced.*ak

I am having problems with the brakes, which causes a shudder under moderate braking. the front brake pads are dragging all of the time, causing the rotors to overheat and warp. the warped rotors are the only problem that the dealer acknowledges, but there is obviously some defect that is causing the rotors to warp after only 15,000 miles.*ak

Consumer states front brakes are warped. dealer notified.*ak

While driving automatic transmission doesn't shift properly from the third to the fourth gear ,won't shift. dealer has inspected vehicle eight times, and could not duplicate or correct the problem.*ak

While driving and applying the brakes steering wheel shook, had some pulsation either to the right or left. dealer has inspected vehicle several times, and could not duplicate or correct the problem.*ak

Problems with vehicle's upper ball joint, lower control arm, and steering.*mr *cb

2002 dakota 4x4 4.7l continuosly warping bake rotors, normal driving conditions. *ak

Transmission not shifting properly. shifts at 35 mph and then winds out to 55 mph or more and will not shift until you take foot off gas slightly. vehicle has been brought back 6 times for same problem. their "fix" was from adjustments to changing internal tranmission parts to installing a new transmission with the same problem persisting. now am in lemon law litigation. *ak

Consumer states that she and husband have been everywhere to try to get help for 2002, dodge, dakota pick. truck fills up with water, and no one can find out where the water is coming from. consummer states that they had windows/seals/vents, and whole truck gutted out a number of times, but the problem was still there. truck has been serviced 9 times, 6 of those times for water damage. this problem has baffled the mechanics that tried to fix the problem.*ak

While driving about 65mph on the highway no indication or warning, of a problem. the transmission shut down cause is undetermined at this time. please fill in additional information on this situation. the manufacturer is aware of the problem.

Transmission not shifting properly for several blocks brakes are pulsating when makeing normal start, has 13500 miles. *ak

Front brake rotors had to be turned/replaced at approx. 17000 miles. dealership said they would not replace as brakes only have 1yr/12000 mile warranty. repair facility only replaces with oem parts, so they will probably have to be replaced again in another 15-20000 miles. this is unacceptable.*ak also appears i will now have to replace ball joints at approx. 18500 miles. these parts should last much longer than this. vehicle is 2002 dodge dakota cc 4x4 4.7l engine.

Premature failure of upper ball joint. *ak

Dealer replaced both upper and lower ball joints and control arms. consumer stated this vehicle was the version of durango, therefore , they used the same parts. *ak

With no advance warning my 2002 dodge dakota began experiencing severe steering wheel vibration whenever the brakes were activated. i immediately brought the vechicle into the dealership and was charged $148 dollars to machine the front rotors of my truck. the truck (used as transportation to my desk job) has 24,000 miles on it, is a manual transmission, and is highway driven so the brakes do not see alot of activity. a check of the dakota.com site indicates many rotor problems with low mileage dakota series trucks. i believe either the brake rotors are not designed properly or are being made of material that cannot support safe performance within a 25,000 mile lifecycle. i have never had to have any brake maintenance performed on any of my other vehicles (other than inspection) before 75,000 miles and i am concerned that the problem will reoccur without warning.

I have a 2002 dodge dakota 4x4 pick up truck which needs to have itsupper left ball joint replaced after 10 months of ownership. i previously owned a 2000 dodge durango which had the same part replaced on three occasions.

I am concerned about the front bake rotors on dodge dakotas. mine were warped after less than 8000 miles of regular use, no towing or hauling with the vehicle. i have talked with and searched for others with similar problems and find that numerous other dakota owners have had the same problem. these rotors warp so badly that it becomes difficult/dangerous to stop the vehicle safely. when i took the vehicle in for service i was told that this is an uncommon problem and that it was most likely due to my use of the brakes. now after a total of 17,000 miles the brakes are now warped again. i have owned several other vehicles, many weighing more than a dakota and have never encountered any brake problems. i wonder if there is a design flaw with the dakota's brakes that is causing repeated warping. this warping does make it difficult to saftely and effectively stop the veheicle, especially in emergency situations.

The investigation on the 1998-2003 dodge durango ball joints needs to be expanded to the entire line of dakota trucks. these vehicles, from the "b" pillar forward are virtually identical. go to this site to see hundreds and hudreds of complaints: www.dodgedakotas.com use the search engine. the ball joints are completely worn on my 2002 dakota quad cab, to the point where the suspension has become unpredictable under certain road conditions. this vehicle has only 21k miles on it.

2002 dodge dakota 4x2 pickup has premature failure of upper ball joints and severe tire wear. 32,000 miles having to replace upper ball joints, bad front end suspension and handling.*ak

My 2002 dodge dakota sport 4x4 antilock brakes don't provide adequate braking. on several occasions, i have had to stop quickly and even at slow speeds the antilock feature releases the brakes long before it should. i took the truck to the local dealer and they said the proportioning valve in the master cylinder was defective and they replaced it. the problem still exists. i don't think the rear brakes are engaging as they should. i've seen similar complaints on your site and feel dodge needs to take a look at these problems because there are too many to ignore. i have had three near misses where the antilock feature of the brakes caused the brakes to release prematurely when i have had plenty of time and distance to stop safely. i have had antilock brakes on several of my previous vehicles but this truck has the weakest brakes i've ever experienced on any car or truck i've owned.*ak

Truck has 24000 miles and brakes are completely shot on vehicle, started having problems after 8500 miles on brand new truck

Right rear door lock made buzzing noise when locked, which is startling when auto-lock engages on acceleration. dealer repaired, and as i left parking lot, it began again, and was repaired. about 3 weeks later, left rear lock did the samething and was repaired. of course, the dealer did not believe me until i took time off of work to take it to them. i asked them to replace all remaining motors, but they refused since it was still in warranty and not broken yet. two months later, rear driver side automatic winow did not work.*ak

The passanger side floor floods with about a gallon of water every week. so every week for the pase two months, i had to remove the carpet and soak up the water with towles. so far it cause is unknown. *ak

Only 27689 miles safety front end components failed power steering rack seal leaking fluid.sway bar bushings were replaced.seat right rear coming apart pass side plastic recliner handle broke my 2002 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4 sport has had suspension problems, and brake problems. the upper and lower control arms and ball joints make a popping sound when step on brakes or make a sharp left turn. i now have 29900 miles and the pounding and noise have not stopped. vehicle feels like you will loose control when going over bumps in the highway. *ak

Bad vibrations in front brakes. rotors were visibly worn and had pits in them. this was only after 16,000 mi. all highway driving, no towing or off road driving. was out of warrenty and had to have the rotors turned. i have since found out many have this issue. could prove to be a serious issue if not taken care of.*ak

Front brake rotors are warped/pulsate/out of round. pads are still ok, have torques lug nuts everytime to 95 ft/lbs with a hand torque wrench. rear brakes drums are constantly adjusted. *nlm

Front rotor on 2002 dakota warping for second time. had them turned about 10,000 miles ago and are already starting to warp again. dealer offering non-warranty solution. dealer admits it is common with the dakotas and durangos but there is no recall notice on them so there is nothing they can do. *jb

While accelerating from a stop vehicle stalls without warning. *ak

Defective brakes and rotors. there are many, many others just like myself going through the same problem. either it is a portioning problem which the causes the majority of the braking weight to be absorbed by the front brakes which causes rotors to warp due to the self adjusting back brakes, which do not function properly. or the fact that the front rotors are not sufficient to carry the weight of the v8 quads. either way, there are too many postings to list from other dodge truck owners at www.dodgetalk.com and www.dodgedakotas.com forums that list the same problem. the fix is unfortunate for owners as it can range anywhere from 600.00 - 1500.00. when you purchase a truck that costs 25,000.00 - 35,000.00 you are putting your money into something that should be durable beyond the standard 12,000 warranties on this particular item. i've read postings whereas people have had this problem start at the low mileage of 5,000 up to 25,000 miles. this is unacceptable!! i've contacted chrysler and received an "oh well, it's your problem not ours" attitude. this problem started at approx 20,800 miles for me under normal highway driving conditions. this is my 2nd complaint on your website!! please help us!!!! everyone who has contacted chrysler has gotten the same response. i've read where some of the owners received warranty repair within the 12,000 mileage range only to have it happen again after the warranty limitations without help from chrysler beyond the 12,000 even though it was an issue that was on going prior to the expiration. with the cost of vehicles these days and the outrageous monthly payments, this should not be happening. chrysler is not responding to any of us. help!!! to say that brakes are not a safety issue is ludicrous!!!*ak

2002 dodge dakota parking safety failure: my 5 year old son was able to take the vehicle out of park while it was parked in our drive-way; neither ignition key was in the vehicle nor the brake pedal was pressed. the vehicle rolled back down the drive-way; luckily there were no injury or damage to the property. the dealer, carl gregory dodge in atlanta ga, fixed the problem. however, the dealer told me that they never seen this problem before and it took the dealer 4 days to figure out the problem. the manufacturer finally informed the dealer that it was a bad casting in the steering wheel column parts. this is a major safety issue and yet the dealer has no knowledge and there were no re-call. my friend also told me a similar incident that happened recently on dodge durango. the same thing happened and a little boy was killed. both vehicles use the same steering wheel column. dodge needs to make a recall on this problem.*ak

Since the purchase of my vehicle in april 02 i have had a problem with the acceleration when starting to move the vehicle. basically when pressing on the gas pedal there is a dead spot (hesitation).if the vehicle accelerator is in the dead spot and the clutch is released this causes an unsafe condition. *nlm

My rotors on my dodge dakota 4x4 (2002) began to warp at 15,000 miles. i am now at 40,000 miles and the vibration has become so bad that i will be replacing them. this problem is so bad that it is a very bad safety issue. i have heard many other people having the same problem. i have never had to replace rotors before 80,000 miles. in my opinion a recall should be issued for this safety defect in this vehicle. *nlm

At just around 17,000 miles, the brakes started to vibrate when applied. dealer says rotors are already worn and need to be cut/replaced, although brake pads are still good. rotors should last a lot longer, early wear is most likely due to improper design, venting, material and will recur once replaced. dodge will do nothing, as they claim they cover only 12k miles on defects. i don't believe it's a defect, but rather a design issue, which the consumer cannot be responsible for, or avoid even with extra-easy driving. there is no alternate rotor available at this time through dodge. *jb

Front rotors warp after only 20,000 miles . dealer could not turn them due to the severe rust pitting .after extensive research i find this problem very common. all of the repair shops and dealers and a majority of dakota owners have had warped rotors. this is a severe safty issue due to the dimished brake capacity of defective rotors.*ak

Warped rotors. *nlm

There was a loud knocking noise coming from the front of vehicle when turning left or right. *nlm. *ak

The vehicle stalled while driving. *nlm *ak the vehicle experienced the following: knocking in the suspension(4 attempts to fix), the vehicle pulled to the right, the driver door had a wind noise and water leaked, the tailgate handle was loose on the right side, the lower steering column coupled, and the upper control arm bolts were found loose. *scc

The automatic transmission in this dodge dakota club cab 4x4 shifts with such force it throws the passengers neck around. it hangs in lower gears and down shifts with too much force. the word smooth has not been entered in this trucks computer. *jb

While driving 35 mph on the highway the driver loss control of the vehicle and hit a tree. none of the air bags deployed deploy. *nlm. *ak *cb *jb

Braking for 4 months has become progressively worse. the dealer states that it was warped rotors. the dakota truck is only 1.5 years old with 23,000 at first start of problem. the dealer states they can't be turned due to severe rust pitting when i brake the truck hops into the next lane . the dealer states that it is not under warranty. i suspect that there are more trucks with this problem out there. i believe this is a manufacture defect. *jb

The consumer loss control of the vehicle when the brakes failed at 40 mph. the vehicle hit a tree and none of the airbags deployed. *jb

When the consumer applied the brakes, the brake pedal traveled to the floor, which caused the consumer to lose control of vehicle and hit a tree. consequently none of the airbags deployed. *jb

The consumer nearly had a collision due to the malfunctioning of the power steering system. *ak *cb *jb

Vibration when applying brakes. warped rotors at only 27,000 miles when used only for commuting to and from work, mainly highway miles. was told that many things could cause premature wearing and or warping of the rotors such as heavy towing and high temp's. none of which the truck has endured. i do not/have not towed anything and furthermore the warping happened in the middle of winter so, high heat couldn't have been the cause either. i've done extensive research online and realize now that many other people are experiencing the same problems with this model and year. dodge will not assist with resolving the issue as they will only warranty rotors up to 12,000 miles. the other cases i've read about seem to happen at or within 10,000 miles. this is a serious issue that dodge needs to address and take responsibility of. not only the brake issue but i am also experiencing similar problems as others with the upper ball joints. mine have already had to be replaced because they were so loose that you could move them with your hand. dodge should be help accountable for these issues!!!! *nlm

Brakes, vibration when applying brakes, warped rotor. *nlm

Unsafe condition involving the automatic transmission manifested itself at approximately 4,000 miles. while driving the vehicle the automatic transmission will enter overdrive mode at approximately 45-50mph. once this occurs the vehcile will no longer respond to light or moderate throttle pressure. if you apply a heavier pressure then the vehiclee drops down into passing gear and takes off. this presents a very unsafe and hazardous condition when attempting to enter a limited access highway or passing another vehicle, in that the vehicle power and acceleration is lost at the precise moment that the transmission drops into overdrive. the dealers fix was to replace the automatic transmission. unfortunately the new transmission has developed the same problem after only 3,000 miles. the new transmission also does not shift properly from 1st to 2nd gear when starting up in the morning. the engine revs and gains rpms but the transmission does not upshift until the vehicle has travelled 4-5 blocks.

Rotors and drums worn to below oem replacement specifications in only 20,000 mi. with no towing involved. at issue for safety is whether or not the design of the rotors and drums are acceptable for the additional weight of the quad-cab line. the wear on my vehicle is unusually fast as i have owned the vehicle for only 7 months and drive mostly highway miles. the brake pads (linings) are still in good shape so, in my opinion, the composition and design of the rotors and drums on my vehicle are not safe. if this issue is not addressed there will be the possibility for numerous brake failures on this model in the next few years. the parts should be recalled and the rotors and drums should be redesigned. *nlm

The brakes of my dodge dakota started to pulse. i took it to the dealer at 24,000 miles and the rotors were worn to below minimum standards. the rear drums had to be cut. i drive highway with no towing and minimal stop go driving. i have never had a vehicle do this to me before so it is not my driving. *nlm

2002 dodge dakota quad cab w/ 5.9 liter engine. my truck suffers from a shaky idle, very prevalent when releasing the brake and rolling. is worse at cold start up. i suspect ignition system= location of coil may be the cause due to being so close to the tensioner pulley or a out-of balance harmonic balancer. *jb

The vehicle stalled at 30 mph. *jb

My 2002 dodge dakota quad cab 4x4 sport has had suspension problems, and brake problems. the upper and lower control arms and ball joints have been bad from day one. i now have 35,000 miles and the pounding and noise have not stopped. this seems to be a very common problem. why not a recall? *nlm

Consumer started vehicle and retrieved some items from the interior cabin. consumer saw a flash and then smelled a "burning" odor. lighting had struck the steel antenna. the same incident occurred with the consumer's 1997 dodge caravan. consumer believed the antenna was defective. *jb

The vehicle pulled from side to side. the vehicle was taken to the dealership who stated the front disc rotors were warped and needed to be turned. *jb

While driving the rear passenger side tire blew out without warning . the dealer was notified ( size#p26570r16 and dot#pk72wdwr4001). *nlm

2002 dodge dakota 4x4, mileage 20800, the front brakes were pulsing and ineffective, the rotors were so badly pitted that they had to be replaced. the dodge dealership indicated that other trucks were coming in with the same problem. this is a safety problem, defective rotors, and dodge should issue a recall.

Pickup truck drive train binds up during 2 wheel driving. the front axle (4x4) does not allow the front wheels to disengage. truck has been to the dealer 3 times and dodge says this is the way they all are. at 4272 miles the front tires show significant feathering, and is stalling out when driving around corners in low gear mode (@ intersections and parking spaces). dodge says that the front and rear axles are not limited slip but positive traction and recommends that i push in the clutch to keep from stalling. they want me to double-clutch to get through an intersection when i make left hand turns? i feel that this is a design error with safety implications. *nlm

Front end linkage. transmission won't shift out. front end has a popping noise again ( same as before) transmission won't shift out and causes the motor to rev up considerably. *nlm

Fuel level is off. the vehicle may have 7-8 gallons out of 22 when fuel light comes on. book says you have 1/8 left, equalls about 2 7/8 gal. dealer and chrysler say it is ok, have to keep fuel pump cool? *nlm

Our 2002 dodge dakota 5-speed got stuck in a snow drift during our blizzard last week. after shoveling it out, i forgot to release the emergency brake before putting it into gear, now they are telling me the entire rear brake system is blown and it will cost $1200.00 to fix. cherry creek dodge has the truck, they tell me this is normal for this vehicle and they have several others in the shop with this problem now. it seems like a manufacturer defect for something little like this to cause so much damage to an expensive vehicle. i want an investigation into this problem, it sounds like i am not the only one the repair shops are milking lots of money from. *jb

Warm engine idle on 4.7l engine in 2002 dakota quad cab stumbles when idling at traffic lights. rpm at normal idle only 500 to 550. when fluctuation occurs idle speed ranges between 450 rpms to 650 rpms. engine vibrates due to low idle rpm and has stalled on one occasion. to prevent stall out i need to shift automatic transmission into neutral. have been to dealer twice and was told they can't fix as no tsb has been received allowing for change to computer. this has been an ongoing problem since i bought the truck new last june. not just date specific as requested by an incident date. *jb

Front brake rotors warped for second time. first occurence was at 10,000 miles, second was quite noticeable by 20,000 miles. i had a 2000 dakota which chrysler re-purchased for the same reason (had 5 repairs in 30,000 miles on my 2000). chrysler offering a non-warrantied solution.

Vehicle's log nuts keeps coming unscrewed, which causes wheels to be loose. the dealership indicated that it was caused by the rims and they replaced them, but problem still exists. ph, *ak

The second wreck i can attribute to the anti-skid braking system. (two separate vehicles). ph

Goodyear tires: i purchased a 2002 dodge dakota in june, 2002. from day 1, i had trouble steering. after 3 trips to the dealer, i learned today that the goodyear tires were defective. i was told to immediately get new tires. the goodyear dealer was unresponsive to my need. it was obvious that he did not want to deal with defective tires. i went immediately to a michelin (sp) dealer and purchased 4 new tires. the michelin folks could insert a car key fully inside splits that were in my tires. i found news reports of abc investigating goodyear but obviously this is not getting to the public, either through the media or dealers. no incident but only because i took the truck in for an oil change and again complained about difficulty keeping the truck on the road. this complaint is sent in hopes that an investigation will start. i was told that the tires were from a "bad batch". how many tires are in a batch and where are the other tires? please respond and let me know the appropriate actions to take. i was most fortunate because i drive 70 mph on interstate-10 daily. the oil change may have prevented an accident and perhaps my life. respectfully, patricia hunter

A slight vibration in the brake pedal accompanied by shaking of the truck chassis. ph

My truck has loud knocking noise in engine and does not shift properely, have taken truck in and they say the engine racing is normal. the knocking noise is a purge solinoid which dodge