2003 DODGE Dakota

We have recently submitted a claim to the Bureau of Automotive Repairs. Our truck has been in the shop 6 times for the same and new problems. We bought this vehicle in June with 12 miles on it.They recently had our vehicle for 3 days in a row and wanted to keep it for a 4th day, however we declined. Below please find a list of the problems:1) loud howling noise when backing up in reverse2) slips out of gear when in reverse or drive3) idles roughly4) occasionally dies when backing in reverse or going forward5) wheel well guards are starting to peel away6) runs in the paint job7) there was electrical wiring issues 8) transmission issues

Transmission will not shift from 2nd to 3rd gear when climbing grades. Also truck will stall out with no warning or check engine lights.

Transmission intermittently jerks/shudders when accelerating around 30-40 mph.

Transfer case leaks fluid on output shaft seal. First repair attempt replaced seal. Second attempt at 2531 miles replaced seal again. Third attempt at 2909 miles replaced extension housing on transfer case. Extension came with new seal already installed. Fourth attempt at 6,745 miles replaced extension housing again also new yoke and checked balance in driveline.

TIMING CHAIN STARTED MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE. DEALER TOLD ME I NEEDED A TIMING GEAR CONVERSION KIT, WHICH INCLUDED A TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER (NOT STOCK). HE SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND DODGE KNEW ABOUT IT.

the truck leaked water ever time it rained or go into carwash. that was the body problem. dodge told me they couldn’t fix it. I later fixed it on my own at the house. Funny that I could fix it and the whole company of dodge couldn’t do it, anyway…. The cd player stoped working and I just put a new aftermarket player back in. the water pump went out with only 39000 miles. the windshield wipers work great but the spit on the pass side never has worked right. In all this is a powerful truck for it’s size and I will prob buy one again but it has had a few issues.

The biggest problem is the Engine Backfiring at times. It doesn\’t do it all the time, but it will backfire when you give it sort of hard accelation and shift from 1st to 2nd, and sometimes 2nd to 3rd. Like if you need to get in the flow of traffic fast. Have had 2 dealers look at it (5 times) and they can not find the problem. The dealer I bought the truck from has looked at it 4 times. Service manger& the mechenic that has worked on it told me that it backfired on them 1 time each when they test drove it. They replaced the distributor, that did not solve the problem, then later they replaced the PCM, that did not solve the problem. I am tired of messing with this truck and have got another vehicle, and also I have a lawyer on this. When I bought the truck, it was used, with only 2827 miles on it, but with the full remaining factory warranty. Also when I took the truck in for the 2nd oil change(9,604 miles) the tech. brought the air filter to show me it needed to be changed( it was really dirty from the backfiring)and the dirty side of the filter was on the engine side of the the filter, not the side that filters the incomning air. Just to many trips to the dealer to fix this thing(which they can\’t fix.) Thanks for your time Roger D. Shaw

Since June of 2003 truck kept stalling about once a wk. Then sometimes more ot less. Don’t know when it will happen. Put Co-pilots on twice and showed nothing. Called cunsumer Dodge around 6 times. It will happen when you start to pull out. With in the first 3 min. After that the truck goes fine. If I pull out on an intersection I will get smashed if this happens. Now for the Winter it stopped. I don’t drive in the cold. Does not show on the dash when it happend. Its not getting gas. It backfires and goes about 3-5mph. Carol

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Peeling paint from front grille assembly. Also at 10600 miles the transmission shifts hard. Both upshifts and downshifts cause a noise and a slight hesitation, followed by a very harsh shift. And the engine seems to engage the electric heat/exchanger fan assembly causing a tremendous amount of cab noise. No temperature change has been detected with the dash gauges when the electric radiator has engaged. Very noisy.There will be a follow up letter after the truck is taken to the dealer. Oct. 5th, 2003. 2:30 PM MST

Paint is bubbling up and peeling off hood anf front of truck.The dealer has told me that Chrysler will not pay for repaint. I have always taken good care of my truck and believe that is why this manufacturing defect did not show up for so long.

My 2003 Dodge Dakota r/t is already leaking transmission fluid. I just found the problem, and will be bringing the vehical in tomarrow. Also the truck rattles all over. The right front brake squeeks, and some of the ground effects are not atatched properly. I guess I should not have traded in my chevrolet truck.

Even though engine has been maintained properly (oil and filter changes etc.)there has been a build up of engine sludge, according to auto manuals its caused by build up of emission gases usually vented through the pcv valve if working properly, manuals say to change at every 30,000Miles, failure of a pcv is noticed by rough idle. Currently my vehicle has 51,000 miles on the odometer and I have had to change the 8 times. The oil pump failed and the engine needs replacing. Manufacturer warranty should cover this but dodge states the engine wasn\’t maintained properly because of sludge build up. There are literally 1,000\’s of consumers with this same exact problem. Not honoring the factory warranty is a breech of contract and Dodge is about the only manufacturer not changing its policy, to cover oil sludge build-up. In every case, weather maintenance is documented with receipts or any other form, dodge states that it is caused by lack of maintenance. They not only charge the customer for a new engine but cancel all factory warranties. Dodge has even gone to the extreme of changing the design of filler hole and cap to hide sludge build -up that in past could be seen on the cap and in the filler hole. Sludge is a indication of poor engine ventilation where as old oil just breaks down and doesn\’t lubricate properly. Most of the complaints receive state poor, low or a lose of oil pressure resulting in engine failure, I have found numerous complaints being investigated by NHTSA on various web sites. There are literally thousands of consumers wanting a class action suit.

Complete engine failure. Engine showed excessive sludge. Dealer/Chrysler is attempting not to honor the warranty!

AC-found out wires were grounded and that was causing a resistor to burn up and the fan for ac/heat to stop working about once a year.engine-constant oil problems. at 62k, oil pump went out. Engine was gunked up with dry oil, had to be flushed. at 74k, oil pump went out. Engine was gunked up with oil deposits, had to be flushed. at 85k, engine had build up of fuel deposits in valves and fuel injectors causing bad engine vibration. engine valves and injectors cleaned. at 89915 miles the engine died forever. made horrible noise. dealership said a rod wanted to go through the engine block but hadn\\\’t quite made it yet, and that a new engine was needed. I was quoted $5000 minus 500 discount (4500) for installation of new engine. I\\\’m very disappointed in this vehicle.

2003 dodge dakota with several electrical problems. consumer states that the headlights, wiper delay, and interior lights stopped working. he states that this all happened when the low fuel light illuminated and the service 4 wheel drive light illuminated. *kb the consumer stated the head lights do not work at all. the dealership informed the consumer they didn't have a recall in their system and refused to fix the vehicle at no charge. *jb

Email fm mr. robin suggs (nc) re an oil consumption problem with her 2003 dodge dakota pick up truck.*mr the dealer told the consumer the vehicle consumes about 2 quarts of oil every 3,000 miles. the manufacturer stated it was normal. the emergency brake handle needed to be repaired, however, the consumer was told it was a cosmetic defect and was not covered under warranty. *jb

2003 dodge dakota upper left ball joint had to be replaced.*mr the consumer requested that the dealer also replace the upper right ball joint but they refused stating that the manufacturer wouldn't cover the replacement until it failed. *nm

2003 dodge dakota experiencing problems with the ball joints as well as the welds of the truck bed at the upper part near the rear window.*mr a recall was issued for the upper ball joints (04v596000) but the dealer wanted the consumer to pay to diagnose the problem. there are plastic rivets on both side panels that attach to the rear panel truck bed. the rear panel truck bed is so weak that about five pounds of pressure bent the panel. the consumer believes the plastic bed liner is stronger than the rear truck bed panel *nm

After starting the vehicle air bag warning light illuminated. light stayed on while vehicle was being operated. ealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

Head lights intermittently start blinking and eventually go out all together along with dash and dome lights. online forums say it's the ctm. the next day it's fine then out of the blue it starts acting up again. very dangerous when traveling at night. any recalls for this? seems to be quite common for this year dakota

Fuel tank hanger brackets rusted into and gas take fell out causing a hole to be rubbed through the bottom of the tank. twelve gallons of fuel was lost. luckily there was no fire or explosion. i was only going 35 mph and stopped as soon as i heard dragging. i was traveling on a city street at the time. i filed a complaint with dodge, file number 31424705.

Our pick up truck was diagnosed with needing a central timer module replacement. we learned that there is a recall for vehicles that were built from 10/2/02 through 11/8/02. our vehicle was built on 9/12/02. our vehicle was built just 2 weeks before the recall and needs the same type of repair! dodge will not pay for the repair. problem occurs when it is stationary or in motion. we are requesting that you investigate this issue and expand the recall to include our vehicle.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the low beam headlights failed to illuminate. the dealer was notified and informed the contact that the part to repair the vehicle was not available. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unavailable. updated 10/06/16*lj *tr

There have been many recalls that include my model but, neither the previous owner or me, received any mail from any dealer or the manufacturer.

Airbag red light is on all the time ignition switch is on. airbag red warning light on all the time, sitting still or driving

I recently bought a used 2003 dodge dakota. the truck was great except that at night when i would turn on the headlights all of the interior and exterior lights would flash off then back on approximately every two seconds to 30 seconds. after driving for about half an hour with this happening i became very frustrated. after doing some research on the internet, i narrowed down my problem to the dakota central timing module. it appears as if many dodge customers have this exact issue with these dodge model trucks. it is very unsafe to operate a vehicle under these conditions. this issue did not depend on whether i was driving in rough terrain at night or during the day. no matter where i drive the truck, if the lights are on it will begin to start blinking off and then on intermittently. please fix this problem! i have since had to purchase a used central timing module off of the internet because when i went to the dealer, they told me that they were not able to get the part and if they were it would cost over $500 just for the part. *tr

I have had electrical issues since last year. first time the wipers, lights and blinkers quit working late in the evening, almost didn't make it to the auto shop. told me the computer was the issue but they got the truck working again. then it happened again but i knew to try the disconnect the battery trick and that worked. yesterday i was in line to pick up a food box, idling and the truck just quit, i tried to get it to restart with no luck. thankfully this did not happen while i was actually driving so i was safe where it happened. i got it towed and am pretty sure it is the tipm based on the steps i took, switching out the working relays with the one for the fuel pump. still wouldn't start so pretty sure it is a bad tipm. *tr

1. while sitting in park on a automatic transmission. in a still position rolled front or back more than a couple inches. had to step on brake while in park and had to block wheels when engine was off to keep from rolling. emergency brake does not hold or work properly either. 2. the heater has only high position working now. the dash gets to hot to even keep heat on very long. fuel cap with key. when getting fuel truck has to be turned off before pumping otherwise engine light comes on the dash and needs to be reset or driven miles before engine lightor goes back off.3. the upper ball joints had to replace twice now. breaks had to replace twice also due to suspension being out of whack and problem above. now there is noise in front driver side wheel area. 4. put all new break lines on it because they kept blowing out. leaking in different locations by too much pressure build up in sections of lines. 5. i bought it in 2018 used from a dealer. but i have put so much work on it that now there's a transmission problem. 6. having no or little breaks all of sudden in a crowded intersection or having to block wheels so it doesn't roll into another car but no accident yet but could happen.

This truck has a problem with the window regulator on all doors. we have had to replace them each two times. the window will fall down and window regulator will just snap. he has replaced and does not know what to do. this to me is a safety hazard. he has bolted the windows shut and will be stuck closed. he says it’s a plastic regulator that snaps. anyone know what we can do to remedy this problem.

Wiring harness connected to a/c and hater blower motor melts and causes the blower motor to fail. it has happened twice in 2 years. the first time the dealer put in a new harness at my expense, around 400 dollars. both times the blower motor stopped while driving under normal city driving conditions. there are other complaints about this problem on this ntsb website, and they describe the exact same symptoms and conditions both before and after harness failure. my fear is the harness melting and could cause a fire under the dash leading to a crash or vehicle fire.

Vehicle will shift gear mechanically, but will not shift into neutral and/or park on the dash. vehicle also will not start as a result.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. while driving, the clutch was applied and the exterior lighting became inoperable. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the contact called ferrario chrysler dodge jeep (2463 corning rd, elmira, ny 14903, (607) 733-9108) and informed them of the failure. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. the contact stated that the failure was similar to nhtsa campaign number: 02v322000 (exterior lighting). the failure mileage was 42,000. *bf *tp

To whom it concerns: i am requesting that the dot nhtsa investigate the possibility of a tire sidewall separation or sidewall delamination of cooper tires (cooper tire & rubber company) model discoverer rtx, size p245/70r16, dot ut9h 2bm 1818. i purchased a set of 4 tires (discoverer rtx, 245/70r16) on november 14, 2018 for my 2003 dodge dakota. on december 9, 2018, i was driving on the highway for the first time since purchasing the cooper tires. i suddenly heard a noise similar to driving on grooved payment or rumble-strips. however, the roadway was smooth and clear. i pulled over immediately and checked the tires. the right-rear tire was torn (shredded) all-around between the tire shoulder and tread, resulting in two separate pieces. upon further inspection, i found a portion of the side wall where the outer and inner sections were not adhered (or not glued) together like the rest of the tire. i am concerned that this tire was defective and that the other 3 tires may also be affected. can you look into this to see if this tire should be recalled? i am concerned about the safety of these tires. thank you

The fan in my truck randomly shuts off so in turn, my ac does not work nor does the heat when this occurs. this happens every three months. it is not working again this week and there has been a heat wave all week of course. it happens at all different times. it starts out shutting off then it will work for a day again then it will go out permanently. this is probably the fifth time in two years

Lost exterior lights (parking lights, license plate light, tail lights, and instrument panel lights) while driving. headlights, turn lights, and brake lights functioning. ctm was diagnosed and replaced to correct the issue, however safety concerns caused the vehicle to be unused in low light conditions until problem diagnosed. repetitive postings about this models ctm failures all over the internet and adjoining safety consideration with only a limited recall, which did not include my vehicle. no after market parts were found and replaced with a item for a local junk yard which may simply fail again.

Over a period of time i gradually noticed exhaust gas coming into the cab. i had no idea why i was getting a headache and becoming exhausted. i took the truck into a dealer and he found exhaust manifold bolts broken allowing exhaust gas to escape through the gaskets.

2003 dodge dakota. consumer writes in regards to dealership unable to diagnose and repair engine stalling problems. *smd after having a computer update performed, the vehicle continued to stall. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the headlamps, interior lighting, gauges, and instrument panel randomly failed. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 02v322000 (exterior lighting). the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 150,000.

Pig tail connection to control blower motor for a/c and heat will melt. the fear is that it will cause a fire in the cab. there seems to be a history of this same problem and nothing is being done about this hazard.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. when the vehicle was started, the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. the dealer stated that the vehicle was operating as designed. the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 115,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. while driving approximately 3 mph and making a left turn, the front driver side upper left ball joint suddenly failed and caused the wheel to separate from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who indicated that the failure was caused by rust and corrosion of the ball joint. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v596000 (suspension). the failure mileage was 114,208.

2003 dodge dakota. consumer requests air bag on-off switch information. *smd

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. while depressing the brake pedal, the brakes malfunctioned and made the vehicle difficult to stop. while inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the brake fluid leaked from the vehicle due to rusting and corrosion of the metal brake lines. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 125,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the front of the vehicle. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ball joint failed on the front suspension. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v596000 (suspension).the approximate failure mileage was 100,497.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the windshield wipers failed and the exterior lighting sporadically malfunctioned. also, the side cap to the main radiator spewed antifreeze approximately five feet in the air. the contact shut off the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer and dealer were made aware of the failure. in addition, while driving at a low speed, a loud popping sound emitted from the vehicle. after inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the ball joint fractured. the contact was made aware that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v596000 (suspension). the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence where he performed the repair. the failure mileage was 220,000.

I've had my 2003 dodge dakota 4x4 for 2.5 years and the front suspension has always had a cluncking noise in it. i seen the recall from daimler/chrysler in reference to suspension(front control arm:upper ball joint) nhtsa campaign id number: 04v596000. nhtsa action number: ea03023. i thought for sure that my truck would have been included in this recall,however, it appears to me that it isn't. my vehicle only has 75,000 miles on it now and i am worried that the ball joints may separate and cause me or my wife to loose control of the truck because of evacuation of the lubricant due to moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joints. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed at night, the headlights failed. the contact mentioned that neither the low beam nor the high beam work properly. the dealer advised that the electrical central module failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made ware of the failure. the failure mileage was 95,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. while driving over a bump or making a turn at any speed, the contact could hear an abnormal noise coming from the vehicle. the dealer stated that the central timing module needed to be replaced. the technician also stated that the ball joint was rusted and corroded and might fracture. the contact discovered that the underbody was corroded. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v596000 (suspension) and nhtsa campaign number: 08e064000 (suspension). the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 92,000.

While driving there is a loud humming noise in front end and knocking from front and a squeeky noise from underneath. *js

Wiring harness going to blower fan resistor shorted out due to corrosion inside the connector and melted the wire insulation from the wiring close to the harness. i believe this could under certain situations cause a vehicle fire. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while traveling 35 mph, the vehicle slid down an embankment and crashed into a tree. the air bags did not deploy. the contact sustained various injuries and required medical attention as well as physical therapy. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to a private mechanic however, they were unable to diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 150,000. the current mileage was 201,475.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the key fob failed to lock and unlock the vehicle. additionally, the driver’s side master window control was also inoperable and the doors could not be locked or unlocked. the contact then started the engine and the 4-wheel drive warning light illuminated. the headlights and tail lights had also failed to illuminate. the vehicle was taken the dealer for diagnosis where the dealer stated that the central timer module would need to be repaired. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 02v322000 (exterior lighting) however, the contact was advised by the manufacturer that the vin was not included in the recall campaign. the contact believed that the failure described in the recall was the same failure that had been experienced with his vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 128,000.

Upper ball joints determined to be seriously worn. need to be replaced asap. was told dodge had recall/extended warranty on these parts but chrysler will not cover replacement at current time and with current mileage. was told by chrysler to initiate nhtsa contact relative to chrysler case #[xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

On saturday, march 29, 2014, during a trip from saint paul, minnesota to laramie, wyoming, we suffered two blowouts of goodyear wrangler tires in size p265 70 r16. in each instance the tread separated from the tire. the tires were well maintained and properly inflated. at 10:00am, traveling 65mph on interstate 35, north of des moines, iowa we suffered the first blowout. there was a loud whup, whup, whup noise and the vehicle became difficult to steer. we were able to safely reduce speed and pull over. we discovered that the right rear tire tread had completely separated from the sidewall. we had the damaged tire replaced in ames, iowa at a goodyear dealer. at our next stop, i checked the air pressure in all 4 tires. the left rear tire was at 32 psi. i inflated the left rear tire to 40 psi to match the other 3 tires. while traveling 75 mph on interstate 80, east of laramie at 11:00pm we suffered the second blowout. again there was a loud whup, whup, whup noise and the vehicle became difficult to steer. i reduced speed and attempted to brake which sent the truck into a wild fishtail skid. we crashed into the guardrail and the vehicle was rendered inoperable. we got out of the truck and surveyed the damage. it was then we discovered that a portion of the left rear tire tread had separated from the tire. the inner tube of the tire was exposed but still inflated. after the crash i was made aware of a recall by goodyear of their wrangler tires. while the tires described above do not fall into the dot numbers of the recall, i would ask that nhtsa investigate further and broaden the range of recall as the blowout that caused our crash appears to be the same as the blowout that caused a crash in texas that resulted in the deaths of two college students on august 01, 2011. *tr

I was going to move the truck out of the garage when my brake pedal went to the floor. having recently replacing all of the brakes, i was surprised and upon further inspection saw fluid squirting out onto engine firewall. had the truck towed to a garage where they have informed me that the steel brake lines have completely rusted through and need to replace all of them, to the tune of $800. as the truck has rather low mileage and is lightly used i am shocked with this type of failure. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact was driving 30 mph and attempted to stop at an intersection when the brakes failed. the contact pumped the brakes continuously until the vehicle came to a stop. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection and repair. the contact was advised that the brake lines were corroded and all of the brake lines that were connected to the master cylinder had to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

I have purchased several tires for this vehicle, and the problem is mainly in the front. i have had it aligned as required and it continued to eat the tires in a very few months. i recently (within the last 6 - 8 months) had the brakes, rotors, idler arm, bushings and other items replaced that dealt with the steering and the braking of this vehicle and it is doing the same thing again. when turning left or right, it will pop, and when pressing on the brakes it will grab, release then grab again. the brakes are not making a noise and i know when new brakes are installed that they have to allowed to maintain their fit, however, once they maintain their fit, they shouldn't start grabbing. when i have to press the brakes in a hurry the abs light comes on and it concerns me the vehicle will not stop in time. this has been a problem for the last 4 or 5 years. *tr

I backed out of a parking spot, turned the wheel to straighten out the vehicle. as i straightened out the drivers side front wheel upper ball joint failed trapping the wheel beneath the truck. *tr

While traveling over a set of railroad tracks, the driver side front tire along with the upper ball joints separated from the vehicle causing me to temporary lose control of the vehicle. when i researched to see if this was a common problem relating to this vehicle i found about the recall. however, when i contacted daimlerchrysler i was informed that the recall was vin specific and that my vehicle was not covered. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while parking the vehicle and in reverse, the contact attempted to steer the vehicle to the right and the steering wheel seized. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the steering shaft needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 91,500.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the windshield wipers malfunctioned. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician diagnosed that the body power module and the central timer module were defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 121,000.

When driving down the road straight no curve, the rear axle of my truck on the passenger side broke off and lost control of the vehicle fortunately, there was no traffic near by while vehicle was moving uncontrolled down the road. in a coincidence dodge is have a recall of same issue for only the 2009 and 2010 models. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the rear axle pinion nut became loose. the axle then seized without warning, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle momentarily. the manufacturer was notified of the issue but offered no assistance. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and was repaired. the failure mileage was 100,012 and the current mileage was 100,205.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the low beam head lights malfunctioned. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the ctm and the low beam wire circuit were defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 02v322000 (exterior lighting:headlights:switch). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 9,710.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that while parked, the front driver's side tire detached from the vehicle as a result of a fractured ball joint. the vehicle was towed to the contact's home and was not taken to dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and stated that were not familiar with the failure as described by the contact. no assistance was provided and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 93,400.

I was told the ball joints are no good on my 2003 dakota 4x2 and need to be replaced. the warranty on the ball joints was given a 10 year extension on 4x2 and recalled on 4x4. i was told that even though the ball joints are clearly the faulty ones my manufacturing date was 20 days after the dec 31 2002 cut off for warranty extension. how is that my truck is not covered, despite being effected by the same recalled parts. it would seem 20 days is quite a small window to be completely excluded from the extension, and that there is a reasonable margin of area. *js

I have owned a 2003 dodge dakota v6 for the past 3 years and never had a problem until i took it to the dealership in union city ga yesterday for a routine oil change. after waiting 2 hours, they told me they were having a problem getting oil in the engine because there was sludge in the engine which was causing the oil to go in slowly. they recommended adding an oil additive. an hour later they returned my car to me. i started driving out of the lot my car was running rough. two blocks later the oil light came on, engine started a little ticking and ran rougher. i turned around, driving about 5 mph, barely made it back to the dealership. they said there was 6 qt of oil in the engine. they would have to start over. half hour later, they came out and said now they had no oil pressure at all and they would had to remove the oil pan and maybe have to replace the oil plump and other parts. i may need a new engine or have it rebuilt. they would call me today and let me know. mind you, i have never had a problem until they did the oil change this time. now that i check the computer, i find hundreds of people have a problem with sludge and loss of oil pressure in the dodge dakota for no reason. this is very dangerous. all of a sudden there is no oil pressure while you are driving. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the vehicle stalled intermittently, without warning. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic several times for the failure. the mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. the local mechanic replaced the spark plugs and the o2 sensors, but the failure was not corrected. the vehicle continued to stall intermittently. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 135,000. the vin information was not available.

Engine warning light came on for emission warning. dealer replaced $400 of emission control components. 2 weeks later same emu warning. read this blog site regarding gasoline fuel caps. dealer quoted $30 for replacement. bought plastic fuel cap @ can tire for $8. installed on vehicle, emu warning disappeared and has not returned. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that both the interior and exterior lights would switch on and off repeatedly. the manufacturer was notified of the failure, but denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 96,660.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the dome light socket burned where the bulb was plugged in. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the socket would need replacing. the manufacturer was advised that there were no recalls for the failure and referred the contact back to the dealer for repairs. they offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 77,940.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the front upper and lower ball joint failed while attempting a right turn. there was a loud noise coming from under the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and advised they were unable to assist because the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 04v596000 (suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 88,500 and the current mileage was 89,000.

Steering shaft universal joint has excessive wear, appears it is due to poor design as road splash hits the lower steering joint and poor seals allow rust and cause it to seize, making steering difficult and then when it is lubed by spraying a lubricaant on it it fails a short time later. survey the dodge dealers and see how many of these joints they are replacing... this part is also on national bank order per my local dealer. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge dakota quad cab. while driving 35 mph, smoke emitted inside of the vehicle. the contact drove to the side of the road, while inspecting the vehicle he noticed smoke coming from the front driver side wheel. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the failure was related to defective calipers. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota quad cab. the contact stated that the brake lines ruptured behind the fuel tank due to corrosion. the contact also stated that a lot of salt was not used on the roadways, but the vehicle was purchased in maryland. prior to the failure, the contact stated that the brake pedal felt soft. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 195,000. updated 9/27/11 *cn updated 10/007/11

Original date of purchase 9/18/2010 original tire: dunlop rovers lt 265/70r16 load range c da8d633v2709 goodyear/mr. tire auto cedar bridge ave store # 1014 brick nj 08723 (732)477-3480. customer id# [xxx] $892.82 on july 14, 2011 i was making a right turn onto main street in toms river when the left front tire exploded, and a few seconds later the right tire also exploded. i drove about 100 feet to a parking lot to look at the damage. on the inside of both tires there was a large gash about 5 inches long on one tire and on the other tire there were 2 different gashes about 4 and 5 inches long. i put a spare on one wheel and had a hard time getting the 2nd wheel off so i hit it with the lug wrench. i took that tire to a nearby sts and bought a cheap tire $171.00 and put it on and drove home. two days later, saturday july 16, 2011, i took the truck to goodyear where i purchased the tires less then a year ago. they told me because the back of the rim was scored it must not have exploded, it must have been cut in a carwash. they charged us $85.41 for 2 new tires. they told us this did not happen on the road it had to have happened at a car wash. this truck has never been to a car wash since i have had it several years. i had them replace the 2 bad tires with goodyear wrangler sr-a?s but i still have 2 dunlop tires on the back of my truck. i am concerned for my safety, and my family?s safety, driving on these tires. i have a picture of one tire and i have pictures of the inside of the rims. goodyear kept both tires. i am a former mechanic, front end specialist, for 22 years, i am a retires us army vet, and currently working as sheriff's officer, and i have never seen tires that looked like this. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that around the base of the rear passenger seat belts, there was a sharp metal shard tearing away at the seat belt straps. the rear driver side seat belts was also torn. the contact took the vehicle the dealer and was told that they would need to consult with the manufacturer before proceeding with any repairs. the manufacturer advised that they would not assist with repairing the seat belts. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 42,900 and the current mileage was 43,263.

Upper ball joints were both loose and dealer recommended replacement. vin number was not included in previous recall by chrysler. *tr

I have a 2003 dodge dakota club cab. according to the dealer the upper ball joint on both sides of the vehicle are blown. dealer states no recall for my year due to the fact mine is a 2wd. called corporate and have had no luck. dealer is charging me $400. my truck only has 65,000 miles. will not honor the 10 year or 100,000 miles extended warranty. *tr

Original owner of a 2003 dodge dakota quad cab 4.7l v-8. it experienced sudden loss of oil pressure and catastrophic engine failure. vehicle had only 60,745 miles on odometer, it should have been covered by chrysler's 7yr/70,000 mile powertrain warranty but chrysler refused to cover as with all the other similar complaints. how many of these engines have to fail before the government protects the consumer? this oil pump failure is a well known problem with chrysler, but they refuse to cover any warranty claims for this problem. the engine is a defective design, these engines are failing at a very high rate. speak with any engine remanufacturer and they will tell you about the design flaws of this engine and how many rebuilds they are selling to fix blown engines of consumers that have chrysler vehicles with this 4.7l engine. *tr

This is a 2003 dodge dakota pick-up with 2 wheel drive. upper ball joint and front hub bearing are both bad, and must be replaced . this vehicle has only 34,900 miles on it. started making a loud humming sound when making a turn and was taken to repair shop for inspection. we thought maybe it just needed a front end alignment. was told by the repair shop the alignment could not be done and the repairs were very much needed for our safety. reading on line i see many complaints about the same problem, but chrysler has only agreed to recall 4 wheel drive vehicles with this same problem. if dakota's with 2 wheel drive are having the same problem, why are they not included in the recall? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. while driving 55 mph he noticed smoking coming from the engine. he immediately took the vehicle to the car wash to stop it from smoking. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who located the failure as the front drive shaft. the drive shaft was replaced. the total cost of the repair was $320.00. the manufacturer stated that they would not offer any assistance with the repair cost because the repair was not done by an authorized dealer. the failure mileage was 68,000. the current mileage was 100,000. updated 3/17/10 *cn the consumer stated the defect was on the hgh velocity joint fo the front drive shaft. updated 05/14/10.*jb

3 weeks after purchase had truck in shop with noise in front and rear tire/suspension areas...in for several service visits, seemed to get better than came back, they replaced bushings//had not heard noise...january 28, 2009 very loud noise and hard to turn drove to local tire company which said my suspension was bowed that tires were angled incorrectly and an immediate fix of the upper ball joints needed to be done for safety...$900.00 later they replaced. i found out that night through an on line search that there had been a recall of the same part that was consistent with my situation same model make year/ i have the removed defective parts. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota with bf goodrich tires, long trail, dot# ap72f821, size p265/70/r16. the contact stated that all four tires failed state inspection due to abnormal tread wear. premature tread wear on the tires increased the risk of a tire blow-out. the manufacturer has been notified. the current and failure mileages were 14,721. updated 10/21/09. *lj updated 10/20/09*jb

My husband and i had driven our 2003 dodge dakota quad cab about four or five miles when we smelled smoke. my husband looked in our rear view mirror and noticed smoke coming from between the cab and truck bed not from the engine area. at the same time, i glanced in the side mirrors and saw something liquid (or melted) dripping behind us on fire in the road and leaving a burning trail on the asphalt. we immediately pulled over (thank god there was a spot to do so!) but had no brakes. due to the sandy nature of the dirt and slight uphill he was able to throw it into park. i bailed out my side and ran. randy tried to exit his side, but the flames were already too high so he luckily was able to get out my side as well. the entire underside of the truck was engulfed in flames and when randy hit the ground he noticed what he thought was the catalytic converter hanging down and on also fire. the truck exploded about 10 - 15 seconds after we escaped. this was a well maintained vehicle both inside and out and we had absolutely no warning that we were in any danger or that there was anything wrong with the truck. *tr

2003 dodge dakota, 2wd, 5 spd manual, v6. at speeds from 15 mph and up the brake system seems to fail as the truck jumps and skids very rapidly. the first time this happened i was on the freeway, traffic came to a halt quickly, i applied the brakes and almost lost control and hit the car in front of me as this jumping and skidding occured. all parts on the truck are factory and have not been modified. i am concerned and wondering if this has anything to do with the front suspension clunking. *tr

2003 dodge dakota, 2wd, 5 spd manual, v6. although a recall has been generated pertaining to the 4wd version only, my truck has the same issue. when i am driving at any speed and turning or going through a bump i hear a clunk which sounds like what is described on the existing recall for the 4wd only. i am concerned about this. *tr

Have had to replace 2 of 4 window cables and motors. truck is now back in for third window in a seven month period. windows are hardly ever rolled up or down. vehicle has 46000 miles on it, proving not a lot of wear and tear. first window, was rolling back up, got half way and fell down. second window fell while in parking lot and no one was around. third window fell when closing door. *tr

In late february 2009 i had a slipped belt on one of my goodyear wrangler rt/s tires on my 2003 dodge dakota. this was particularly annoying especially since the tires only had 33k miles on them. the spare had never been used so we put the spare tire on. that was find for a few weeks but then the other tires started slipping belts. after the initial tire i contacted goodyear to inform them what had happened to their goodyear wrangler rt/s tire and they indicated that sullivan tire in stratham new hampsire could review the situation for them since they were a trusted dealership. today i brought the car back to sullivan tire and they told me that the belts on the other tires had slipped and were actually dangerous and i should be careful about driving on them. as a result i had them replace the tires and was so mad about this that i had them put dunlop tires instead of goodyear on them. i realize that these were the original tires on my 2003 truck ( sullivan tire indicated that the serial numbers indicated this) but the tires had in excess of 50% treadware on them. sullivan tire told me that because the tires were about 7 years old that goodyear would no do anything. after leaving i checked the tire warranty document that came with the car and there was no indication that there was any time limit on the warranty - only treadwear. i am out $587 and should have not been. i feel that these tires were defective and something should have been done because of this. please let me know if there had been any other complaints about this sort of thing. i have never had anything like this happen to me. i am 62 and have been driving since i was 16 and am very familiar with cars since my dad was a mechanic. *tr

Upper ball joint failure passenger side of vehicle, i contacted chrysler and they say that my vehicle is not covered under the recall #04v216000, which covered 600,000 vehicles for this very type of failure. i was never offered or informed of a extended warranty given by chrysler to cover this very problem. if i was made aware of the possibility of this problem occurring with my vehicle, i would of made sure that my vehicle was inspected on a timely manner in this area. i did return my vehicle for a recall for my windshield washer assy in december of 2004 and also for my balljoints due the fact i was sent a recall notice. if the weather was worse or i did drive my vehicle off road i do believe my ball joint would have deteriorated as a accelerated rate. i also believe that if i experienced this failure in my vehicle,which was not recalled, there are many more dodge dakota pick up trucks that will experience this type of failure. chrysler says the numbers don't warrant a recall,but this failure in their vehicle compared to gm or ford products of the same type vehicle are about 300% to 1% comparing the numbers. i feel chrysler should be responsible for any and all expense that i have incurred to repair my vehicle and more vehicles should be put into a recall status for this problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota quad cab. the contact stated that the radiator in the vehicle failed. he went to thompson chrysler and dodge and had the vehicle repaired; however, he was not satisfied with the repairs. the radiator still leaks fluid and the contact would just like his vehicle repaired properly. the vin was not included in the recall. the nhtsa campaign id number and vin were unknown. the current mileage was 88,000 and failure mileage was 82,000.

The paint its coming off. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota quad cab. on september 12, 2008, the passenger side low beam headlight failed to illuminate. the light bulb was replaced, but the failure persisted. the contact reviewed the wiring diagram for the vehicle and noticed that there was no power coming out of the central timer module. through online research, the contact realized that he was experiencing the same failure as noted in nhtsa campaign id number 02v322000 (exterior lighting:headlights:switch). the dealer stated that the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle has not been taken to the dealer. the current mileage was 86,000 and failure mileage was 85,000. updated 10/16/08. *lj updated 10/20/08. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota quad cab. whenever the brake pedal was applied, the brakes would pulsate, overheat, and lock up. the stopping distance would also increase. the dealer stated that wet conditions and high speed braking caused the rotors to warp. in addition, the vehicle idles high and roughly when approaching a stop sign or traffic light. when accelerating from a stop or merging into traffic, the vehicle would idle roughly. there was no throttle response for approximately 10 to 20 seconds, but then the vehicle would surge forward. the vehicle has been taken to a dealer approximately five times for these issues, but the failures still persist. all the sensors were replaced, but the failure is becoming worse. the dealer replaced the front rotors three times and the contact replaced them four times. the current mileage was 132,655 and failure mileage was 5,000. updated 11/06/08. *lj the rotors and brakes were replaced several times. the consumer was told the vehicle had a faulty master cylinder that was not letting the rear brakes ever work. the air conditioner was built to drain into the front passenger floor. the computer in the vehicle would not accept updates. the intermediate shaft was replaced. the wiper motor was replaced. updated 11/06/08. *jb

Window regulator fails when shutting door, dropping window down in door channel. window regulator must be replaced. has just happened for the 3rd time in past 1 year. each time a different window of this dakota quad cab pickup i purchased new from dealer. vehicle has been in no accidents. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. while accelerating from a stop light, the front passenger side upper ball joint failed. the front tire became disconnected and detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop and the cause of the failure was confirmed. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v596000 (suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint). the current and failure mileages were 104,000. updated 09/10/08 *bf updated 09/15/08 *jb

I was driving my truck over a speed hump going approx. ten mph when something sounded like it dropped, i put the truck into park and got out to find my right passenger side tire laying horizontal, but still attached to the truck. i had to have it towed and i was informed that my upper ball joint had broke along with the half shaft/cv joint. i called dodge because i was told there was a recall on the ball joints and they said they couldn't help me because my truck is no longer under warranty. i don't think i should be responsible for this repair. the truck only has 56,000 miles on it. *tr

I have a 2003 dodge dakota sport quad cab 4 wheel drive vehicle. i've had an embarrassing squeak in my steering and front end for 4 years. after listening to it for a while after purchasing, i took it to trail dodge on 08/26/04 and complained. the service note said "customer states there is a loud squeaking noise from right side suspension area while driving. inspected and road tested and could not duplicate customer's concerns, no noises heard at this time (wet out) did inspect front end all is tight." it took it in to fury motors, south st. paul, mn, at about 36,000 miles and the same. they could not find it at that time. noise persisted, till it's now embarrassing to drive the vehicle all together. today, may 12, 2008, i brought it back to fury motors, because of the sound, that has progressively gotten worse (now 50,000 miles), and they tell me i need both upper and both lower ball joints, to the tune of $1500!!!! then i get on line and find out there has been a recall (nhtsa action #ea03023). i called fury motors to let them know and they state my vin number is not included in the recall. it has been the same sound that was progressively getting worse and worse, and now i find out it could have been disastrous and i'm not covered??? please help! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that his vehicle failed inspection because the brake hose was abnormally poking through the master cylinder to the front passenger side wheel, which could cause the brake system to become inoperative. he is in the process of notifying the manufacturer to determine the cause of the failure. the failure and current mileages were 46,000.

2003 dakota lights quit working, i could have been killed. also doors wouldn't lock or unlock electrically. wife took truck to local dealer who said they couldn't touch it for two weeks. i could not drive the truck without lights. i checked all fuses and searched internet and deduced the central timer module (ctm) (56047092ai with date code 12/22/2002) was the problem and there was a recall #02v322000. i contacted chrysler who said the recall didn't apply to my truck vin #. i called another dealer who wanted $400+ to fix it. i found another dealer willing to sell me the part). they sold me a newer version and i installed it in their parking lot in about ten minutes. all the lights and electric door locks worked again except the for the key fobs which had to be reprogrammed. total repair was $260.21. then i contacted chrysler to get my truck included within the recall and asked for a refund of the repair cost. they asked for all original receipts and a form filled out. about two weeks later chryslers customer service office in india called and three different people kept telling me the recall didn't apply to my truck and they were not going to refund the money. they would not give me any other contact people or phone numbers. to my truck. but the $260.21 i paid to have the ctm #56047092al installed replacing the original one that failed with a date code of 12/22/2002 fixed the problem and was one day prior to the recall starting. please refund the $260.21. *tr

During october of 2007 the central timer module on my 2003 dodge dakota went bad. all lights inside and outside would go on and off intermittently. after a lot of online searching and reading forums it seemed that a lot of other owners had the same problem with their ctm's. my truck was out of warranty at the time and the cost for a new ctm was $253.00 plus cost to get the auto keys reset. the dealer said no recall on this problem, so i had to pay. i put it in myself. i called chrysler corp. and they were no help at all. my main question was and still is, that this is a safety issue. traveling at night with all lights going on and off could very well cause an accident. a recall should be made by chrysler. *tr

2003 dodge dakota with several electrical problems. consumer states that the headlights, wiper delay, and interior lights stopped working. he states that this all happened when the low fuel light illuminated and the service 4 wheel drive light illuminated. *kb the consumer stated the head lights do not work at all. the dealership informed the consumer they didn't have a recall in their system and refused to fix the vehicle at no charge. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. while driving between 5-10 mph, the contact heard a loud thud coming from the axle area. the four wheel drive indicator light illuminated and the headlights, interior lights, and windshield wipers failed completely. eventually, the horn began to sound intermittently, the windshield wipers began wiping automatically, and the low fuel indicator light illuminated and continued to chime. the contact believes that all the failures were related to the central timer module. nhtsa campaign id number 02v322000 (exterior lighting:headlights switch) was referenced. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 66,000 and failure mileage was 65,700.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota quad cab. the contact stated that there is excessive wear on the ball joints. the dealer stated that his vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v596000 (suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint). the current and failure mileages were 71,000. updated 03-25-08 *bf updated 03/25/08 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. whenever the contact drives the vehicle, the central timing module fails and all of the lights dim. the headlights, dome light, windshield wipers, and door locks failed while driving 45 mph. chrysler stated that his vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 02v322000 (exterior lighting:headlights:switch) and would not repair the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 33,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the emergency brake light fails intermittently and the door ajar indicator displays sporadically on the instrument panel. the dealer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 02v322000 (exterior lighting:headlights:switch) and daimler chrysler recall number b32. the vehicle has not been repaired, which would cost $500. the manufacturer stated that nothing could be done because the vehicle was not under warranty. they also informed the contact that nhtsa was the agency that issues recalls. the failure mileage was 30,000 and current mileage was 33,000. updated 01/29/08 *bf

Replace exhaust manifold gaskets, screws and studs on right and left sides of engine. *tr

25jan06 tell dodge dealer that pass window inop from pass side switch works from drivers side switch. dodge replace switch. 20apr06 tell dodge dealer pass window inop from pass side but works from drivers side. dodge couldn't find anything wrong. persists up to 7dec07, hopefully my mechanic found the trouble. 1dec07 "service 4wd" light came on 3dec07 called to get apptmt for truck 4dec07 remote door entry wouldn't work or door lock for all doors on driver arm rest, windshield washer and wiper pulse wouldn't work 5dec07 headlights did not come on during evening traffic commute, turn signals worked 7dec07 take truck to shop finds short to ground in circuit to into lights (fuse#1) pnk wire near parking brake petal, replace central timer module (p/n 56049072al). *tr

I own a 2003 dodge dakota (pickup) purchased new (i am the original owner). the lower ball joints were replaced by the dealer at 23,000 miles (under warranty). they are now bad again at 78,000 miles (no warranty now, this bill was on me)! the upper ball joints were also replaced twice (those are under an official nhtsa recall). my complaint is about the lower ball joints. these parts should not wear out this often, and i feel this is a bad design! this is a safety issue (in my opinion) and also a big expense for the owners of these vehicles. i feel the lower ball joints should also be an official nhtsa recall!!! *tr

Brake vibration at 40,000 miles brake rotors rusted through to friction surface causing large pits and raised areas. rotors replaced. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the contact stated that the vehicle slipped out of gear and began to roll while it was parked. the vehicle was unable to be driven because it would not shift into gear. the powertrain was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 34,700.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. when she attempted to enter the vehicle, the stick slipped out of gear and the vehicle began to roll backward. the vehicle was parked in first gear and the engine was turned off. the vehicle was parked on a flat surface and the weather was normal. the vehicle was not looked at by a dealer. the current mileage was 34,750. the failure mileage was 34,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota quad cab. the contact stated that the vacuum tube hose has become loose on multiple occasions. dodge stated that there are no recalls for the defect. the contact feels that the failure is due to the emission. the dealer mounted the hose that connects to the engine, which is a design flaw. the vehicle idles as a result of the failure. dodge agreed that if there were a recall, they would reimburse the contact for any cost related to this defect. the current mileage is 61,400 and failure mileage was 50,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota 4x2. the contact stated that the upper ball joints were corroded. the failure was noticed while driving 45 mph. a mechanic repaired the vehicle. the contact believes that the failure is a safety hazard. the current and failure mileages were 23,198.

I have upper ball joints going out on my 2003 dodge dakota..and the dodge dealer in fargo nd says my vin number is not recalled. but on your site there is a recall for them? i want clarification, of why mine has not not recalled too? please contact me through my internet addresses. thank you. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the material on the seatbelt has ripped in the center. the seatbelt was not in use at the time it ripped. the dealer stated that they are unable to diagnose the failure. the seatbelt has not been repaired. the current and failure mileage were 67000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge dakota. the headlights and automatic locks on the left side of the vehicle were inoperable. the mechanic stated that the body control module needed to be changed. two months later the failure recurred. the mechanic then stated that the central timer module needed to be replaced. the module was repaired on the vehicle. since the repair no other failures occurred. the contact spoke with the dealer regarding recall #02v322000. the dealer stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. the current and failure mileage were 60,000.*ak update 05/10/07*tr

To whom it may concern, i own a 2003 dodge dakota quad cab slt. and i have run into a lot of problems with this truck that people i know say they had very similar problems with the same make of vehicle. to start with my truck only has about 62,184 miles on it, for a 2003 model truck, that is considered low mileage. the problems i have run into is as follows: both front wheel hub bearing sets have prematurely failed, in particular, the right front hub tried to lock up on me and almost caused me to loose control of the truck, i have since replaced that hub but still need to replace the left front before it locks up:second is that the steering and suspension system has no provisions for preventative maintenance, i.e. no grease zircs for the ball joints, tie rods,upper and lower control arm bushings, wheel bearings, etc...causing rapid wear and failure:third big issue, i have already replaced all four brake rotors due to warpage. the brake calipers were built with some type of composite plastic pistons that distort due to excessive heat build up in the brakes. which in turn causes uneven pad contact, that then causes excessive heat, accelerated pad wear, brake fade, rotor warpage, and an awful "squeal" when the brakes are applied. i have noticed that my brand new brake pads are actually cracked now because of a combination of the calipers and the hubs going bad: fourth issue is that the transmission causes the engine to over "rev" in the highway passing gear especially with the over drive and cruise control on. when you're driving down the highway and you give it a little more gas to get around somebody, the engine rpm's shouldn't go up to sometimes around 7000, that in turn could cause premature engine or transmission failure. i have been in contact with daimler-chrysler about these concerns but they just keep giving me the run around and not answering my questions. i still have the old parts also.

2003 dodge dakota 4x4 4.7 automatic: steering/handling looseness, instability, skittishness on roadways worse at higher speeds, very pronounced over bumps. inconsistencies in roadways. vehicle "walks" sideways when going across road discontinuities. dealer service return for diagnosis: major safety component intermediate steering shaft defective/worn. *nm

2003 dodge dakota 4x4 pickup 1d7h32n03s124289 loud clunking noises, front end, steering loosesness,skittishness, severe vibration and poor handling felt in front end section of vehicle. (purchased from mitchell simsbury,ct )brought to local dealer who diagnosed & replaced (2)bad /defective upper ball joints 17011019 but charged for parts/service. approx mileage:48,318 very premature for good product design & reliability. dangerous safety related defects. *nm

Popping noise in front end entering driveway or over speed bumps had dealer inspect and perform tsb. on upper ball joints per letter from chrysler corp. they did repair and told me the hub bearings were also bad not covered, 552.00 i replaced them myself i can't find a problem the hubs . the noise is still there ! *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 60 mph on the highway, there was a loss of all oil pressure without warning. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer, who determined the oil pump failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not alerted.

I was driving along when my truck lost power for no apparent reason, it just stalled out. i did get to the side of the highway and turn it off, then started it up again. i continued down the road when it did it again. i was 80 miles from home and 30 miles from the nearest town in a truck that only had 40k miles of it and it left me stranded in the middle of nowhere because of a faulty fuel pump. this must be a problem since there was a recall on replaced fuel pumps in this year of vehicle. a vehicle between 03' and 06 should only have about 12k to 36k so why are the parts not staying together? it was a fuel pump, in the gas tank which you don't have access to unless its at home or in a shop, why are they building vehicles with faulty parts that you can't even change. i had to pay $763.00 to get it fixed, and it had to be towed 125 miles from where i lived, so i was with out a vehicle and then had to get a ride over to get it a week later. *nm

On september 8 2006 my service engine light came on as i was driving home. while climbing a hill the engine started to miss fire and the truck was running very rough. when i crested the hill the vehicle stalled and i lost power brakes and steering. there was no traffice so i was able to pull over and stop the vehicle safely. i looked under the hood and seen that the vacuum line was rotted in half. i tried to restart the vehicle and it would not run. i spliced the line and was able to get the vehicle home. i was then looking under the hood and noticed that the vacuum booster for the brakes has rust on it. i called the chrysler customer care line and they told me that they had never heard of that happing on a 2003. they asked me the milage and i told them it had 45000 miles on it. i was then instructed to take the vehicle to a chrysler dealer and have it checked so they could see if there was a problem with the car. i took the vehicle to richland county chrysler in richland center wi. they told me that they would look at it as see if there was a problem. they looked at the vehicle and told me that yes the vacuum lines are rotted and that the brake booster is rusting. they would not repair the vehicle and charged me $80.00 to look at it. i have the old vacuum lines that are rotted and i also have the rusted vacuum booster.

Gas caps are defective on dodge dakota's 2003 series...this causes computer to fire an error that their is a leak in the pollution system..take to dealers and they charge 90 dollars to reset and then tell you gas cap is all right and if it does it again bring it back...again at a 90 dollar charge. on the internet i was able to discover thousands of people having exactly the same bad gas caps......then i wrote the manufacturer and back and forth on 3 replies..each time they simply tell me go to a dealer ...apparently they do not even properly read e mails they receive...these are available if needed! the pollution control system is major on the newer vehicles, and certainly a known continuous failure of faulty gas caps effects the entire system and is a high cost item for the consumer to try working over and over with the dealers..when the manufacture is or must be aware of the defective gas cap failures. *jb

Ball joint failure on dodge dakota 4x4. recall on other vins not mine. failure at 30000 miles. the dealer said 1200 dollars and they would put on the new modified ones. why am i paying for a dodge defect. *nm

Oil gauge dropped to 0 while driving. stopped to check the oil and it was fine. drove about 3 miles and the truck died. every thing locked up and unable to start again. towed it to the mechanics and he said that we had sludge. we changed the oil as recommended. the warranty said that they will not cover buying a new engine because it was our fault. i have the receipts to prove that we did the oil changes. they had poor customer service. what's the sense of getting the extended warranty if it won't help. our truck has 50,000 miles. *jb

Oil pressure dropped within seconds, within 8 minutes engine died, couldn't start up again. oil level was fine, did the oil changes prior to this when it was recommended. chrysler stated that the warranty did not cover this. oil sludge. others have gone through the same thing. *jb

On june 5, 2006 the engine light came on in our 2003 dodge dakota (approx. 25,500 miles). we took it to the dodge dealership and they replaced a hose for the fuel line at a cost of approx. $250. on june 7, 2006 the engine light again came on and dodge said an o2 sensor needed to be replaced (at a cost to us of approx. $300). with in the next 3 weeks our dodge was in the shop 2 more times (for a total of 4 items in a month) due to the engine light coming on. the last time they told us the o2 sensor that was replaced was faulty and was the problem. this concerns me as the car was 5 weeks over the 3 year warranty so nothing was covered and the service we received at dodge was the worst i have ever received. *nm

Went to use the emergency brake. there was no holding of the brake. took it in for repair and it was found that on both wheels the emergency brake linings had fallen off the backing plates. replaced the brake linings in both wheels. *jb

The driver and passenger air bags did not deploy when i was involved in a head on collision with another vehicle. *jb

I was caught in an ice storm in my 2003, dodge dakota, 4x4 quad cab. the truck went into a slight spin and bumped a small curb then slid up over the curb. i was only traveling at approx. 5 mph when i bumped the curb. the axle sheared off and broke the hub, rotor, wheel, tire, and bent the axle housing. the truck was rendered undrivable and was towed to a dodge dealership for repairs. i called daimlerchrysler and asked for the parts to be tested for defectiveness. i had seen several web sites devoted to axles put into dodge trucks that were known to daimlerchrysler to be defective due to poor heat treating. i was treated very rudely and the problem was not addressed. since the accident, i have had several mechanics and machinists look at this axle and all say that it should have never broken under the circumstances it was subjected to. i am now afraid to drive this vehicle, fearing that the rest of the axles are also defective. i am getting no satisfaction in solving this problem and my own insurance had to pay the $3,000. damage caused by a 5 mph bump. *nm

Experienced clunking noise in front suspension. ball joint subsequently failed causing front wheel to separate from the vehicle while operating. *nm

Evening rain conditions headlight failure interior lights stuck on. (caused vision impairment) bright headlights not functioning. *nm

On october 20, 2005 i was driving my 2003 dodge dakota quad-cab 4wd pickup back from visiting a friend when i sustained a catastrophic failure of the transfer case. this resulted in a complete loss of motive power. vehicle was towed to the nearest dodge dealer and repaired. dealer claimed case was struck by something (implying abuse) which is unsupported by any physical evidence. the dealer's position prevented repairs being made under warranty. investigation by an independent shop identified the source of the damage to be the coupling between the front driveshaft and the transfer case. daimlerchrysler refuses to acknowledge the factual cause and adheres to the dealer's (erroneous) position. *nm

Dt: the consumer stated while driving there was noise coming from the suspension when going over bumps. the problem occurred at low speeds. the dealership determined the bushings and the upper ball joints were worn. there is a recall with the nhtsa # 04v596000. the consumer experienced the same problem as indicated in the recall; however, the vehicle identification number was not included. *jb

Dt: the contact states there i nhtsa recall campaign id 04v596000 concerning the upper ball joint. the vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall, but it is not included in the recall due to vin. the vehicle is currently being repaired at the contact's expense.*ak

Dt: contact complained about the brakes making noises. he took the vehicle to a dealership six or seven times for this problem. the vehicle made noises when braking at any speed. the manufacturer sent an inspector to investigate this vehicle. no problems have been found with the brakes. no repairs were made at this time. the vehicle is still under extended warranty.*ak

My 18 month old son and i were in a single car rollover, on september 9, 2005. i was driving a 2003 dodge dakota when my truck started to make a noise, then we were sent into a rollover. the right front tire was gone when we stopped. i was sent information from my uncle after i sent him pictures of the accident and he sent me information on the possible recall. i need to know what my options are and what do i do now. *nm

Water saturating floor on passenger side. carpet smells moldy due to recurring problem. taken to dealer 2 times previous and truck at dealer now for the 3rd time to attempt a possible repair. sealed drain hole in firewall where evaporator housing drain hose goes through to outside of body and checked a/c lines for leaks. truck leaks from inside the firewall, dealer is not sure where. *nm

My husband took his 2003 dodge dakota to a dodge dealership for recall work to be done. a front ball joint had to be replaced (to keep the front end of the truck from falling apart while driving and killing everyone.) when he took it in it drove fine. after the work was done, it pulls to the right. i called another dodge service department to ask them about procedure, they said that an alignment is standard procedure when completing that type of work, but that the car owner is screwed when it comes to recall work. i then called the manufacturer who told me basically the same thing. that's not right!! i should not have to fork over money to have fixed what they screwed up! please fix this. *jb

Dt: 2003 dodge dakota. the consumer received manufacturer's 35190558 concerning upper ball joints failure. consumer called the dealer, and the dealer urged the consumer to call the manufacturer. the consumer called the manufacturer, and they said to call the dealer back. the consumer complained, was getting the run around from both places. the dealership said there must be a certified mechanic to have the repairs done. the only certified mechanic was in anchorage, alaska . there were no roads to the village where consumer lived, could only get there by airplane. *ak

Dt: the consumer stated 2003 dodge dakota's air bags did not deploy during a crash. the driver was traveling at 30 mph. the driver sustained some cuts, bruises and pulled muscles from the seat belt and hitting the dash. the consumer has not contacted the manufacturer. a police report was taken. this happened on august 18, 2005. the location the consumer says, was on the front right bumper. the consumer did not know if any of the air bag sensors were hit. the dealership has not been contacted. *ak upon inspection it was determined that he air bag sensors were hit. *nm

Email fm mr. robin suggs (nc) re an oil consumption problem with her 2003 dodge dakota pick up truck.*mr the dealer told the consumer the vehicle consumes about 2 quarts of oil every 3,000 miles. the manufacturer stated it was normal. the emergency brake handle needed to be repaired, however, the consumer was told it was a cosmetic defect and was not covered under warranty. *jb

Dt: the contact states there is a recall on 2003 dodge dakota concerning the upper ball joint. the contact feels the problem is going to continue because water runs down between where the door opens leading to the front suspension. the consumer has contacted two service dealers . the consumer has not contacted the manufacturer. *ak

2003 dodge dakota upper left ball joint had to be replaced.*mr the consumer requested that the dealer also replace the upper right ball joint but they refused stating that the manufacturer wouldn't cover the replacement until it failed. *nm

Consumer seeking help for 2003 dodge dakota airbag clockspring repairs. *mr the air bag light was intermittent. *sc the consumer believed that since the problem was saftey related he should not have to pay for the reapirs. *jb

Truck was sitting in driveway and caught fire in engine compartment at firewall and windshield.it hadnot been driven in about 36 hours.

2003 dodge dakota experiencing problems with the ball joints as well as the welds of the truck bed at the upper part near the rear window.*mr a recall was issued for the upper ball joints (04v596000) but the dealer wanted the consumer to pay to diagnose the problem. there are plastic rivets on both side panels that attach to the rear panel truck bed. the rear panel truck bed is so weak that about five pounds of pressure bent the panel. the consumer believes the plastic bed liner is stronger than the rear truck bed panel *nm

1) at about 40,000 miles my front drivers side lower ball joint started making an extremely loud crunching noise as if metal were grinding with metal. 2) i subsequently took my truck to a local dealer who notified me that the lower ball joint was loose and that it was not covered by the previous recall which covered the upper ball joint only. 3) the parts and labor to replace this part cost in excess of $270.00 not including the $40 inspection fee

The right front lower control arm ball joint separated causing my 2003 dodge dakota to run off the road and swerve to the right. the truck hit a parked car and both vehicles were totaled. there was no noise or indication of any problem prior to the incident. mileage was 31,600.*ak

After starting the vehicle air bag warning light illuminated. light stayed on while vehicle was being operated. ealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

Consumer states: lower control arm ball joint right front separted and wheel and came off vehicle while in motion

With regards to the recal # 04v596000 on the 4x4 dodge dakota truck. i am having the same noises and problems on the 2x4 truck will this recall be exspended to 2x4?

While making a right turn the steering wheel failed to turn. this caused the driver to crash into a guard rail and hit debris on the shoulder of the highway. upon impact, both air bags did not deploy. no injuries reported. vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection, but mechanic could not determine the problem. *ak

2003 dodge 1500 quad cab, consumer concern about what type of accident you must have for the air bags to deploy properly. *bf the consumer did not stated if he had an accident. *jb

I started my vehicle and then left it to clear snow from its exterior. the vehicle locked me out. i was at home and got the spare key to let myself in. while i was driving, the vehicle repeatedly locked and unlocked the doors by itself. this has continued, and the vehicle also now locks and unlocks even when the key is not in the ignition.*ak

Brake warning light abs light parking brake light' no fuse read in mileage indacator box flashing all at the same time. *ak

Rear brakes howl in reverse. dealer stated needs break in. at 41.000 miles, still howls. recall on upper ball joints received in february. as of 03-29-05, dealer states there is a 2 month backorder on parts for repair.

Nhtsa recall campaign 04v596000; daimler chrysler issued a front upper ball joint recall. this vehicle was not included in the recall, but the left front ball joint fell off.*ak

The vehicle failed a required state inspection because the vehicle's upper ball joints were unsafe. *nm the consumer has since learned that there was a safety recall and warranty extension on the upper ball joints. he feels he should be reimbursed for the upper ball joint repair. *nm

Dodge dakota quad cab pickup 2003, brake failed to work properly. *bf the consumer hit a parked vehicle on 2 separate occasions. the consumer stated when he attempted to apply the brake, the pedal simply collapsed to the floorboard. the dealer checked out the brakes and stated there were no problems, however on the third occasion the brakes failed again without incident. the consumer has continued to experience brake problems. the consumer took the vehicle to midas who told the consumer there was internal failure within the brake system and it was a warranty issue that should be handled by the dealer. *jb

Nhtsa campaign 04v596000; daimler chrysler issued an upper ball joint recall. this vehicle is included in the recall, but there are no parts available in order to repair, which is dangerous because the wheels can fall off. *nm

While driving 70 mph with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle started to pull to the right and slid into a guard rail. the consumer lost control of the vehicle and was forced over two lanes. the consumer struck a concrete divider. the consumer was wearing his seat belt, but none of the air bags deployed. the consumer received minor injuries and did not needed to be transported to the local hospital. the dealer and the manufacturer were both notified. *jb

I own a 2003 dodge dakota 4x4 has problem with ball joints. front end alignment pulling to the right. consumer wants to be reimbursed for time and labor. *bf the engine light illuminate. the dealer found that there was an evaporator leak which was caused by an aftermarket fuel cap. *jb

2003 dodge dakota quad cab sport plus is having multiple check engine light warnings. this has happened upwards of 4 times. in addition, one of these was supposedly caused by cracked hoses. cracked hoses on a car with 16k miles on it! also, the dealer replaced my breaks because they could not find the reason why the truck makes a certain noise while backing in reverse...the problem still exists.*ak

Recall 04v216000/windshield wiper module motor: after this recall repair was performed on the consumer vehicle. the consumer states, that whenever the vehicle is being driven in inclement conditions it causes the windshield wipers and the headlight to stop operating. the dealer was not notified at this time.*ak

2003 dakotaquad cab is having ball joint popping similar to durango. the problem is this is a highway driven truck, not an offroad truck. problem started at 20,000. could cause a serious accident if not repaired.*ak

Truck shifts out of gear when stop and is left running. 1) events leading to the failure: stop to get some information on a neighborhood store, stop the truck shift the truck into park, open the door got out of the truck, close the door, as i was waking towards the front of the tuck and i was approximately 5? feet away from the door of the truck started to move in reverse. i quickly chase the truck back, open the door jump into the truck (while the truck was moving) apply the brakes and stop the tuck. the shift indicator it showed that he truck was in park. 2) failures and consequences: if the truck start to move while you getting out of the truck the open door can push you down and kill you. if some one is behind the vehicle the person kill or the object/property damage. 3) what was done to correct failure: truck will be taking to the dodge service department for analysis and correct failure. *nm

Nhtsa campaign 04v596000; daimler chrysler issued an upper ball joint recall. this vehicle is included in the recall, but there are no appointments available until march, which could be dangerous if vehicle is driven because the front wheels could fall off.*ak

The truck was taken to the dealership to have the ball joints inspected because of the tv broadcast. upon inspection the dealership indicated that both the upper and lower ball joints were worn and needed replacement. only the upper ball joints were replaced. *jb

I purchased a new 2003 dodge dakota 4.7l v-8 quad cub. at approximately 6,000 miles, i noticed a shudder in the truck when the brakes were applied. it became worse with mileage, and at 15,000 miles, the vehicle felt unsafe when stopping due to horrible shaking and shuddering. it also felt i had less stopping power and distance. i took it to the dealership, and they advised i had warped brake rotors. they replaced the rotors at my expense. approximately 3,000 miles later, the vehicle showed the same symptoms again. i took it back, same diagnosis. i asked the service representative why this continued to happen. she told me "dodge is using junk parts". i asked why they didn't put better parts on if they knew this and she said that was up to chrysler, not the service dealer. approximately 3,000 miles later i had to take my truck back again, for the same problem. again, when i asked why this continued to happen, i was advised "junk parts". i contacted dodge via their website explaining my problem and they advised me to use a different service dealership. even with the new rotors, my truck feels it has inadequate stopping power. after reviewing dodge dakota owners website, i saw that there are many other owners experiencing the same problem. please help dodge owners with this problem. dodge is clearly using inadequate brakes for their trucks, sacrificing on stopping ability and quality. dodge does not seem to care about the owners safety. please help dodge take accountability for their inadequate equipment. i would be happy to provide any other information or documentation to assist with resolving this issue.*ak

Squealing brakes, unusual front tire wear, grinding noise on left front wheel when turn hard left, worn outside walls on front tires and replacement and brake work done at midas . *ak

Repeatedly and frequently warping brake rotors, which cause poor stopping.*ak

Uneven tire wear led me to have truck serviced at midas tire co. they reported excessive loose play in both top and bottom frontend ball joints. vehicle is under warranty w/daimlerchrysler so took to sales/service dealer "soutars" in barstow, ca two different times w/same concern. they reported nothing wrong w/ball joints both times. san bernardino sun telegram 12/11/04 news reports serious problems w/ball joints in dodge dakota 2003 models causing wheels to fall off.*ak

I purchased my 2003 dakota quad cab 2wd in early january of 2004. it has approximately 21k. signs of the steering making a creaking sound when being turned were first noticed at approximately 8000. it is more pronounced when entering an elevated street or a driveway, while making the turn. i believe the same defective steering components utilized in the 4x4 dakota also apply to the 2wd versions. i would like the initiative be taken to include the 2wd dodge dakotas in the recall as well. my truck has not yet been serviced, but if study information is required, such as an analysis of the joint, i am willing to volunteer my vehicle for such a study if it would help in moving forward with the recall.*ak

I purchased a 2003 dodge dakota on 02/01/2003. since i have had this vehicle i hear a metalic popping noise when i turn sharply. i was told by the dealer that the noise is probably my spare tire lock but even if i secure the lock the noise continues. because of the recent news stories about a possible recall i'm concerned that the noise i am hearing may be from the ball-joint defect that is being scrutinized.*ak

Windshield no top rubber, windsheild becoming loose. *ak

Recent inspection by authorized mechanic reveals heavily worn ball joints on 2003 dodge dakota with 24,000 miles

A loud clanking noise was heard coming from the front the clutch popped out. consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealer, and mechanic determined that the 02 sensor blew a hole inside of the clutch and needed replacement. *ak......*ak

While driving at 30 mph vehicle all of a sudden and without warning pulled to the right and lost steering control. it was towed to the dealer, who n informed the consumer that the entire upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced. *ak

My 2003 dodge dakota quad cab has had the brake rotors warped at less than 20,000 miles with no severe use. and also the ball joints are worn out at 35,000 miles. these parts should last a lot longer on a ligh use vehicle.*ak

Consumer hears a clicking noise coming from the upper ball joints. this is causing the vehicle to shake lightly especially when traveling at low speeds and making turns. consumer will wait to take vehicle to dealer for repairs.*ak

I am posting this complaint due to recent problems i am having with my 2003 dodge dakota slt plus 4x4 pickup. my vehicle has approx. 13,000 miles and is already displaying considerable wear due to defective front end ball joints. the vehicle is making a popping noise when turns are made into my driveway and parking deck at work. the vehicle has been checked independently and confirmed that this is the issue. i urge the nhtsa to continue in their efforts to fight for a recall of these defective ball joints from the manufacturer, daimlerchrysler. please feel free to contact me if you would like any additional information.*ak

The consumer received a recall notice in reference to the windshield wiper motor. *nm recall# 04v216000. the part was not available. *sc

I've had problems for about 6 months with my brakes. i don't think that they work as well as they should. and then about 6 months ago i assumed that something was wrong with my rotors because when i applied the brakes there was a shimming in the front end. i took the truck to the dodge dealer where i bought it and was told that it was okay because it was a new truck. i took it back again with the same problem with the rotors and this time the dealer told me that he knew what was wrong with it before they even checked the rotors. this time they turned the rotors and this fixed the problem but now it is doing the same shimming again. the truck now has a little over 15,000 miles on it and i feel that there sould not be any problems with the braking system this soon. *jb

No events leading to failure just regular driving.unusual rotor warpping on my 2003 dodge dakota so far has cost me over $800 dollars in repairs my complaint is on the poor engineering of the brake system.worst vehicle i ever owned should of stayed with toyota!*ak

2003 dodge dakota ball joint failure at low miles. ball joints squeaking, noise was constant, replaced both upper joints. *bf the vehicle ball joints began to squeak at 20000 miles but the consumer didn't realize the severity of the noise. at 40000 mile the consumer inspected the joint because the squeak had turned into a clunk and was constant. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the consumer that both upper joints had to be replaced. *nm

04 v 216 000/windshield wiper module motor: the consumer was unable to get this recall repaired because the dealer was unable to get the parts. *jb

Recall 04v216000 concerning windshield wiper motor. consumer was waiting over a month and the dealer was still unable to get the parts needed to honor the recall notice.*ak

Front/rear brakes wore out, causing vibration in the steering wheel when braking. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak.....consumer has had four replacements of brakes. vehicle unsafe to drive. *ak

After 10,000 miles on my 2003 dakota, i had to have the rotors (all 4) turned because they were warped. dealer did it for free. at 20,000 miles they are warped and needed turning again. dealer not paying i have to pay them. i am not the only one with rotor problems, it appears the brakes aren't made for a truck this size but for a smaller version of it. this needs to be fixed by dodge

The vehicle's ball joint had to be replaced at 24,000 miles. *nm the rear limited slip differential fluid needed to be replaced. *sc *jb

While driving my 2003 dodge dakota pick-up on the expressway my rear left drivers side tire had a blowout. upon stopping and inspection, the tire had a side blowout with only 15,775 miles of wear. this tire came with the vehicle when i purchased it new in april 2004. i did not hit anything on the roadway and was driving the speed limit of 55mph. i had been driving for about 25 minutes on the expressway when the blowout occurred. i still have the tire and am concerned that this was caused by a defect which caused the side tire blowout*ak

I have this 2003 dakota truck with 22,000 miles and the transmission slip at first startup and it is random maybe twice a month. the truck has been in the dealer three times and their position is they need see it slip before they can fix it. 2003 dodge dakota quad cab 5-spd automatic transmission 5-45rfe 4.7l magnum v8 air conditioning heavy duty service group

My truck has less than 25000 miles and the front brake rotors have warped and cause terrible vibration of the steering wheel when applying the brakes. *nm

Brake rotors warped after 6000 miles, brake pads squeal after less than 100 miles. waited until 22,000 miles to have inspected, and told the warranty on product is only 12,000 miles 12 months. refused to replace warped rotors with less than 25,000 miles on vehicle, and pads still in good condition despite squeaking.*ak

When braking consumer heard a loud squeaking noise coming from the rear brakes. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

While driving at any speed the transmission slipped. the vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the consumer that the transmission needed to be replaced. please provide further details. *jb

While driving 65 mph, the vehicle swerved in different directions. the consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle and drove it to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. please provide further details. *jb

While driving the consumer noticed smoke coming from the ignition. the consumer took the vehicle to a mechanic who informed the consumer that the ignition needed to be replaced which had since been replaced six times. please provide further details. *jb

Two weeks after purchasing the vehicle and upon making a right turn there was a loss of power. vehicle continued to run, but the vehicle would not move. this has happened four times. also, check engine light illuminateed, and evaporation leaked. took vehicle to the dealer, but problem recurred. *ak

Vehicle would shimmy while driving 30 mph. vehicle was taken to the dealer. dealer informed that the right front upper ball joint needed to be replaced. *ak

Consumer received recall notice 04v216000 concerning windshield wiper motor. no parts were available. service manager terry sotus. *ak

I have a light knocking in my engine. the first time i took it to the dealer, they stated there was something wrong with the engine, but unable to indentify the problem. i took it back again. they had it for 3 days, and said there was nothing wrong with it. they say all dodge engines make that noise. unknown to them, i have 2 and my other does not make the same noise. it has occasionally stalled both backing up and going forward. there is a pulling to the right even after having it aligned and balanced. it does not shift properly and won't stay in cruise control while climbing a hill. also my oil hose was loose causing a rattling under the hood. the light showing you the gear your in did not work properly. over all the worse vehicle i have ever owned with a hefty tag.

Took vehicle in for a blower fan problem, and told the service manager of a squeak going around corners. found that the ball joints were worn and require replacing. only 32,000 miles on vehicle. *ak

While driving down the road my engine lost oil pressure and i had it towed from the spot. now i need to have dodge dealer look at it.*ak

Bought 2003 dodge dakota with 4-wheel disc brakes. vehicle had only 3 miles on it at time of purchase. disc brake warpage starting at only 3000 miles. it slowly became worse and finally all four rotors were turned at 13000 miles. now at 15000 the brakes are beginning to pulse again.*ak

While driving on semi wet pavement brakes locked. as result, consumer's vehicle rear ended another vehicle. upon impact, dual air bags did not deploy. no injuries reported. *ak

While driving at 55 mph consumer depressed the brakes and the front wheels locked up. vehicle was towed to the dealer, who claimed that the power brake booster needed to be replaced. another certified mechanic determined that the abs system was defective. recently the exact same problem occurred, and the dealer was still denying that there was a problem.*ak

I purchased a new 2003 dodge dakota truck in november, 2003. the brakes started squeaking loudly in january, 2004. it seems that i really have to push hard for the brakes to work. i informed the dealership in january, march, and may 2003 and again in june, 2004. they insist that it is common for the brakes to make a noise like this. they have attempted to put some type of filler on the pads which only stop it from making a noise for one week. in june, 2004, they said they replaced the pads with a "cheap" new pad. the brakes are still squeaking loudly. i am sending this to you because i called chrysler and they said there was nothing they can do. i am just afraid that one day my breaks will not work and i will cause an accident. what do you recommend i do? thank you. ingrid getka *la

Various problems with 2003 dodge dakota. *mr there were backfires at times, the pedal would barely move at stop signs, when backing out, the vehicle would stay in second gear for a long period of time and the consumer would have to let off of the gas pedal then shift into high gear, sometimes the vehicle wouldn't shift into overdrive, then as soon as it started to misfire, the vehicle would drop to overdrive, the cruise control was inoperative, there was a whine and or howl in the rear differential around 50 mph, the engine light would never come on, sometimes the shift lever would be placed in park and the vehicle would start, at times when shifting to reverse or drive, the vehicle would not move and the would have to be jerked around on the shift lever, the heater controls were inoperative, and there were noises when the lights on the radio were turned on. the valve on the transmission was change and helped the vehicle, but sometimes when the vehicle was shifted up or down in gear it would be a problem. *sc *jb

The arms that hold the front end in place are broken they will knot fix it. they are saying it got hit the truck has 8320 miles on it. *ak

At 24775 miles; the right upper ball joint failed on my 2003 dodge dakota 4x2. *ak

Pe 03-032, front suspension upper ball joint failure: after inspecting the wheels, the consumer noticed that the upper ball joints are rusting out on both side. *nm

Front suspension popping when stopping and turning. *ak

Front suspension popping when stopping and turning. *ak

Vehicle will either go into neutral when put in reverse or while reversing pop out of reverse into neutral. this mostly occurred when the vehicle was in 4-wheel drive. the dealership serviced the vehicle several times for this issue, but since they were unable to duplicate or resolve the problem. *ak the consumer had two transmission problems. the transmission module shorted out on four separate occasions. this problem caused the consumer to be nearly rear ended three times. the transmission shift indicator showed that the vehicle was in reverse but acted as if it were in neutral. the vehicle pulled to the left, the brakes would squeak and the vehicle had poor gas mileage. *sc the battery was replaced because the vehicle did not start at times. *jb

Once vehicle accelerated from a stopped position it back fired. consumer had to push the gas pedal to the floorboard, and the speed only reached 2-5 mph. *ak

Normal wear and tear on vehicle, operated under optimal driving conditions. front rotors warped beyond repair after 18000 miles on the vehicle. dealer refuses to replace due to warranty expiration. rotors should not have warped after only 18000 miles. *nm

When the truck is started and put into drive it hesitates then shifts really hard. also when the truck is started and allowed to warm up for around three minutes it dies when it is put in reverse. when it does this none of the lights on the instrument panel come on. the truck just dies. i have had the truck into the dealership four times now. the first time i took it in, the dealership told me that they couldn't get the problem to replicate and told me to bring it back when it got worse. i am now on my forth attempt to get the problem fixed and they are continuing to tell me that they can't get the problem to replicate. so i went to the dealership and replicated the problem for them. that was on 10-27-03. it is now 11-06-03 and they called me today to tell me that they still can't get the truck to replicate. but they have hooked up a "co-pilot" which will read the trucks computer and hopefully catch the problem. i am having a really hard time believing that they can't replicate the problem. i have had the truck for three months now and the damn thing has died every single time i have put it in reverse. i am positive that i am being bent over. i know that i will never buy another chrysler again.

Defective goodyear tires, sidewall bloo out. *mr

Transmission will not shift from 2nd to 3rd gear when climbing grades. also truck will stall out with no warning or check engine lights.

Worn ball joints at less than 30000 miles. *ak

As truck pulls out (1-5min.)it slows down and backfires real loud. doesnt stall out, but no power. when you step on the gas nothing happens it still is crawling around 5mi.this will happen about 1-3mminutes then it automatically picks up by itself and resumes speed. happening every 2wks then every wk. sometimes a day apart.had co-pilot on twice but results were o. nothing shows on the dashboard when it happend, but the backfiring is getting louder. called consumer around 5 times but i am right where i started.

Peeling paint from front grille assembly. also at 10600 miles the transmission shifts hard. both upshifts and downshifts cause a noise and a slight hesitation, followed by a very harsh shift. and the engine seems to engage the electric heat/exchanger fan assembly causing a tremendous amount of cab noise. no temperature change has been detected with the dash gauges when the electric radiator has engaged. very noisy. there will be a follow up letter after the truck is taken to the dealer. oct. 5th, 2003. 2:30 pm mst

We have recently submitted a claim to the bureau of automotive repairs. our truck has been in the shop 6 times for the same and new problems. we bought this vehicle in june with 12 miles on it. they recently had our vehicle for 3 days in a row and wanted to keep it for a 4th day, however we declined. below please find a list of the problems: 1) loud howling noise when backing up in reverse 2) slips out of gear when in reverse or drive 3) idles roughly 4) occasionally dies when backing in reverse or going forward 5) wheel well guards are starting to peel away 6) runs in the paint job 7) there was electrical wiring issues 8) transmission issues

Transfer case leaks fluid on output shaft seal. first repair attempt replaced seal. second attempt at 2531 miles replaced seal again. third attempt at 2909 miles replaced extension housing on transfer case. extension came with new seal already installed. fourth attempt at 6,745 miles replaced extension housing again also new yoke and checked balance in driveline.

Transmission intermittently jerks/shudders when accelerating around 30-40 mph.

Dodge manufactured my vehicle with a 20 gallon tank, though it was built for the spec of a 22 gallon tank and and all the electronics were set to a 22 gallon tank. when i noticed the erroneous output from the computer i asked my dealer to investigate. this is when they discovered that i had a 20 gallon tank and that my model would not accept a 22 gallon tank. they also mentioned that they had others on their lot at the time with the same problem which dodge has printed new window stickers for since then. the only thing they could do is adjust the computer to be correct. my complaint revolves around the trucks that were sold with this condition, i believe a tsb should be issued to correct the computers to 20 gallon tanks and to notify the owners of the potential problem. since bringing this issue to dodges attention, they have been very evasive in their response when i asked what they are going to do for all the owners affected by this. i believe it poses a potential safety problem in that if an owner relies on the computer, they could run out of gas at an inoppurtune time. like in the middle of a freeway.*ak

While driving 10 mph consumer heard a noise coming from the front of the vehicle. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced. *ak

Consumer took vehicle to dealer for an annual inspection, and mechanic determined that upper ball joints needed to be replaced, and replaced them with new ball joints. several weeks later the driver's side wheel collapsed.*ak consumer is seeking chrysler to replace the vehicle. *la

I have been working with dodge chrysler daimler to resolve a problem with our cruise control. the safety issue is that you are never sure how the cruise control will respond. sometimes you notice cars and truck whizzing by and you're holding up the traffic. based the dealers repeated attempts to diagnose and fix the problem and the manufacturer's bulletin on how to try to remedy the problem by "re training the computer", i believe the real fix goes back to the computer program and sensors used in the system. can you please check into this issue for me and let me know what your advise is? copy of part of the correspondence to dealer follows: dodge country of appleton 4400 west college avenue as you can confirm we have had our 2003 dodge dakota in three or more times now to try and fix the cruise control. [xxx] there are basically two main symptoms: 1) unexpected shift into high gear when the vehicle is on cruise control - these events do not seem to coincide with any specific road condition. 2) non - responsive cruise control - the vehicle speed drifts down 10 mph or more off of set point on a very gradual incline with no response at all by the cruise control. once you reach level road the speed will very slowly creep up over what seems like several miles. this does not happen consistently or repeat under any specific road condition. sometimes at 60 - 70 mph on both gentle and steep inclines the cruise works fine. speed may only drop of one or two mph and the engine doesn't even shift into a higher gear. yet under identical conditions, sometimes at the same speeds of 60 - 70 mph the cruise will respond by kicking into the next higher gear and other times the cruise will not respond at all let the speed drop down 10mph. too slow a speed is just as dangerous as too fast a speed. another person i asked with an identical vehicle indicated similar problems. updated 07/26/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

The windshield wipers lifted off the windshield when traveling over 60 mph. *ph the wipers could not be adjusted to keep the blades from hitting the windshield frame. the defroster air flow does not keep the windshield clear of frozen ice or snow. the consumer has seven dodge dakota's ranging from 1994-2003 and they all have this problem. *nm

While driving on md rt 468 at approximately 7:10 am on january 9, 2004, the driver of my truck hit a small patch of ice at which time the truck went into a 360 degree spin. at some point during the spin the front wheel came off at which time the driver lost complete control of the vehicle and it ran off of the road and hit three trees. an inspection of the wheel, tire rod and ball joint revealed that the ball joint was rusted and snapped off. *jb

When making a left turn at 30 mph consumer heard a popping sound. when the vehicle was serviced, the consumer was informed that a tie rod needed replacement. consumer was still having the same problem, even after the repair was made. *ak *nm the consumer stated the dealer refused replace the wiper motor even though there was a recall. *jb

There has been a startling number of ball joint failures in the 1998-2003 dodge dakota and dodge durango vehicles. i own a 2003 dakota, and had an independent mechanic inspect mine. because my vehicle only had 8500 miles on it at the time, the ball joints checked out ok. it was his estimation that because of the greaseless fitting, however, i could expect the same problem so many other dakota owners have had in the near future. these parts should last 100,000 miles, but the ones on these dodge vehicles fail at about 25,000 to 30,000. i have voiced my concerns to dodge. the person i talked to at their recall center acknowledged the problem and that their was an investigation ongoing at this time, and told me to listen for "clunking" noises in the front end of the vehicle. of the reports i've seen of failure of the joint, few say there was any warning of this type, however.*ak

While driving the vehicle stalled. the driver tried to restart the vehicle and was able to restart. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the cause has not been determined. please provide further details.

The ball joints on my 2003 dodge dakota quad cab truck began making noise at only 5000 miles. the service manage at the dealership told me that this is a chronic problem on this model, but there is no maunfacturer-authorized repair for it. i am worried about safety issues . *ak

Ball joint replacement on 1998 dodge dakota

I own a 2003 dodge dakota truck. i have 15,500 miles on it and on 03/03/04 the left upper ball joint had to be replaced. in 2001 i owned a 2001 dakota and had no problems with it. ( it was traded at 17,000) miles. from 1987 until 2001 i owned a 1987 dakota, at the time of trade it had 187,000 miles with no ball joint problems, and it is still used on the road every day.

While driving at a low speed, the consumer heard a loud metal banging coming from the front end of vehicle. the dealership serviced the vehicle, but could not resolve the problem. *ak the front upper ball joints were prematurely worn out and had to be replaced. dodge suggested that nothing was wrong with the vehicle. *sc

Towing package 7 pin to 4 pin adaptor for trailer lights frequently short or fail to make contact which causes a extreme safety situation when pulling a trailer. this has been an ongoing problem which has kept me from pulling my boat on several occasions. *jb

Upperball joint premature failure 11,000 miles. *ak

When the vehicle was placed in reverse there was a moaning noise in the rear brakes. the dealership and the manufacturer were aware of the noise but were unable to fix it. *jb

At certain times the engine omits a high pitch whistle when driving. the noise comes and goes periodically and at different speeds. *jb

During cold weather it is difficult to turn the vehicle for the first two turns. driver has to turn the steering wheel a couple of times before driving to get the power steering to function. dealer says this is possibly a normal occurrence during cold weather. *ak

Vehicle stalled when driven at 50 mph or greater. *ak the consumer stated the problem occurred at least 4 times. *jb

Dealer replaced the fuel pump twice but the same problem still occurs. loud noise came from inside fuel tank. independent mechanic indicated that fuel pump could catch on fire and melt the wires. *ak

Consumer heard a noise coming from the front end of vehicle. dealer replaced the upper ball joints, but the noise continued. *ak

My 03 dakota's axle air breather came loose due to a faulty mounting clip. as a result the cap at the end of the tube, which is supposed to prevent water (due to submerging or splases from riding in the rain) became inverted and served as a reservoir to suck up water into the axle. dodge claims this is impossible without submersion. this truck has never been in more than a few inches of rain water from the street.*ak

Truck will not shift properly when going up grade. engine will rev at 4500-5000 rpm but will not shift until i slightly release the gas pedal. truck will also perform multiple hard up shifts when in cruise control going up grade... had the truck in for service 3 times. first time in may, 1 month after purchase, the dealer reprogrammed the computer with a "flash update" and adjusted throttle linkage. that was no help. several months later i took it in for the same problem, and dealer found nothing wrong. the third time, january 2004, i took a technician for a test drive, and he agreed that the truck was not shifting properly. they replaced the "valve body" in the transmission and the problem has now gotten worse. they informed me that the truck is now having problem shifting out of park. they claim they need to replace the same part they just installed, they say it must have been a defective "valve". furthermore, the technician is now saying the original shifting problem is normal because dodge reprogrammed the transmission to avoid multiple up & down shifting when going up a grade. this was down to put "less stress" on the transmission. doesn't make sense, dodge is saving the transmission by making it work less and destroying the engine by letting it rev at 5000 rpm..... p.s. this shifting problem has been occurring since the day i drove the truck off the lot. *la

Upper ball joints joints worn out and attaching nut completely stripped out on left side. heard a noise and took it to the dealer to be checked out in november 03. dealer claimed everything checked out fine, could not find any problem. december 03 noticed tire wear on inside, took the truck to an alignment shop. it was there that the mechanic pointed out that the ball joint on the right was worn badly and the left was about to fall apart. the dealers knew of this problem in this type of vehicle. i was to leave an hour after the alignment on an eight hour trip through the mountains. i consider myself very lucky and very wronged by the dealer and manufacturer for not notifying their customers of this problem. for that matter why hasn't any safety agency stepped up to tell us of this problem???. *ak

Rearend whines under power from 50-60 mph and while decelerating from 45-40 mph. *la

Rattle in dashboard, drivers side. *la

Cruise control loses speed up long inclines. *la

Automatic transmission will not shift to third gear unless the gas pedal is almost fully released. transmission will not downshift to pass. *la

While vehicle was getting a regular check up consumer found that the upper ball joints wore out, and the nut holding them together was stripped completely. *ak there was abnormal tire wear seven weeks earlier. the dealer checked the front end for noise and found no problem. *sc

Vehicle vibrated when it exceeded speeds of 45 mph. this was due to premature wear of the upper ball joints. this was a common problem, per the dealership. *ak

4x4 dodge dakota quad cab stalls periodically. has stalled 12 times between the period 10/30/03 and 12/19/03. dealership claims it cannot recreate. usually occurs within a few minutes of starting. typically has been at slow speeds (20 mph or lower), but has occurred as high as 40 mph. typically restarts after sitting for a few minutes. would not restart, however, after stall on 12/14/03. currently on 5th service visit. dealership tells me no error codes show up on the computer. i suggested installation of a co-pilot. after lengthy wait for a co-pilot (national backorder per chrysler), event was recorded on co-pilot and has been sent to chrysler. as of yet, no word on results of co-pilot data. i have begun arbitration process under mn lemon law to have vehicle replaced/repurchased.

While driving 50 mph the vehicle vibrated. the dealerships mechanic informed the consumer that the problem was due to transmission failure. the dealership could neither determine the cause of the problem nor repair it. *ak *nm

After 6,000 miles on my 2003 dakota, i had to have the rotors (all 4) turned because they were warped. now dealer did it for free. again 13,000 miles they are warped need turned again. dealer not paying i have to pay them. it is close to another 6000 miles and they are starting to behave in the way they did with pedal pulsating and vibrating and the truck rear end feeling like it is bouncing up and down and i know the same problem is there, and this time it is going to be replace all 4. i am not the only one with rotor problems, it appears the brakes aren't made for a truck this size but for a smaller version of it. this needs to be fixed my dodge. *cb

2003 dakota quad cab. in cold temperatures below 15f the fluid sprayers will freeze. causing low to zero visibility in winter weather driving. when truck is parked and warmed up for 10-15 mins fluid will spray for as long as you want, after you stop it pools up in the tips of the sprayers, and will freeze once you move again. the hose's are also not insulated to protect from the cold so they don't freeze as well. this can and will cause zero visibility, causing the drive to not be able to see and possibly getting into an accident. *cb

2003 dodge dakota with 19,000 miles. i have been told that the ball joints will need replacing very soon. *cb

Dodge dakota 2003 sport: first few months of ownership, i went to have tires rotated (20,000mi) and i was told that the ball joints were out of spec. by the mechanic and that i should take the vehicle to the dealer. after inspection, the dealer said nothing was wrong.i know something is wrong with the vehicle because since that time, everytime i turn left while applying brakes in a downhill situation, a terrible grinding sound is heard. the vehicle now has 54000mi and i hear about wheels breaking off. i am scared for my families and personal safety.*ak

(front end suspension problem) the vehicle had been checked three times with no improvement because of the unstable balance of the vehicle. the dealership suggested that the consumer change the tires and shocks and place sand bags on in the vehicle to stabilize the balance. *ak *sc *jb

Water leaking on passenger side. dealer attempted repair 4 times. dealer said first time air conditioning condensation leaked. filled up with water after rain, ruined carpet and musty smell.*ak

When depressing the brake pedal, a squeaking noise can be heard. the dealer says this is normal. please provide further details. *ph

I recently saw a cbs news story concerning the upper ball joints of dodge dakotas wearing out prematurely. my dakota is a 2002. i have taken in into my local dodge dealorship repeatedly because i heard a knocking sound when making a turn, especially on an incline. every time i have taken it in, they are never able to duplicate the problem. i have even taken the mechanic for a ride with me after they had it all morning and the noise, sure enough, can't be duplicated while he is in the truck. but sure enough, 3 or 4 days later the noise comes back. and the porcess repeats again. i take it, they can't find it, i take the mechanic and the noise is gone, 3 or 4 days letter - hello - its back! can you help me? fyi: for the incident date, i just put today's date. i took the truck in with the same complaint on 5/24/2002; 12/6/2002; & 9/3/2003 . *ak

While driving a fire started under the hood. consumer managed to pull over. dealership informed consumer that the problem was due to the wire harness. dealership/echanic tried to repair the vehicle 3 times before, but had not resolved the problem.*ak

Rh side - upper ball joint needs replacement at 15,700 miles. dealer found ball joint to be "out of spec" after an inspection was requested during routine service. *la

Airbag failure on 2003 dodge dakota sxt. force was such that frame of truck is bent and will be replaced but neither airbag deployed. driver side shoulder harness on seat belt also failed. a visit to consumer affairs.com quickly made me aware that daimler has this problem on many of its vehicles but sends the same "form" letter to each consumer reporting the problem. *ak

Engine malfunction light illuminated. tranmission will not shift from third gear. dealer confirmed problem, ordered replacement transmission module. replacement did not correct problem. further investigation from dealer found broken wire in wiring harness leading to transmission.*ak

The front upper ball joints wore out prematurely. the consumer could hear loud noises coming from the steering column. the dealership was notified but was unable to resolve the problem. *ak the consumer contacted the manufacture but was refused any assistance for repairs. *nm

On 2003 and 2004 dodge vehicles, the piece of trim and weather stripping are not being put at the top of the windshield. the gap between the top of the windshield and the car body ranges from none to 3/8 inch wide by 1/2 inch deep. water could get in this gap and freeze causing the windshield to come loose, crack, or shatter. water expands as it freezes and the pressure from the expansion could cause severe problems if the windshield came loose, cracked, or shattered when driving. water is naturally going to collect in this gap either from rain, car washing, or snow melting. the movement of the vehicle would cause the water to freeze faster in below freezing conditions. i notified daimler-chrysler and they said to take it to a dealer, which i did and the dealer said this was done by the factory starting with the 2003 model year. customer service at daimler-chrysler acts as if you are bothering them with problems like this but i feel it could be a real serious problem in the colder northern states like ohio. the gap runs the full width of the body. thanks.*ak

When the truck is started and allowed to warm up for approximately 3 to 4 minutes and then put into reverse the truck dies. i have had the truck back to the dealership 4 times now. they have told me that they are unable to get the problem to replicate. i know that this is not true because i have had the truck for three months and it has died every time i have put it into reverse. the last time they called me to tell me that they could not get the truck to die so i made a trip to the dealership and replicated the problem for them. the dealership then called chrysler and chrysler told them to put a "co-pilot" on the truck and hopefully that would catch the problem. i picked the truck up yesterday after they installed the co pilot and today when i went out to start it, died six times when i put it in reverse. i took the truck back to the dealership this morning and they removed the co pilot and said that they would send the info to chrysler. i am hoping to get this problem fixed but as of right now i am not going to hold my breath. *la

When hitting any size bump in the road the vehicle looses control. dealer states that upper control arm bolt malfunctioned. *ak

While driving, the vehicle swerved to the left without warning and the vehicle to hit a tree and rolled over. the dealer believed that the cause was due to front end suspension failure, however the airbags deployed upon impact. *ak *scc

At 6,000 miles the upper ball joints failed. when riding over any size bump in the road the front end collapsed. *ak the vehicle pulled to the right when driving and when braking, the flapper door for the fuel filler neck was missing and or fell inside the tank, the transmission did not shift properly, the front and rear rotors were grooved, worn uneven and pitted. *scc *jb

Driving down the road heard a bang lost control of the truck and hit a parked car. car was towed away and fixed body shop and front end shop said tie rod and ball joint snapped off clean this truck only has 5000 miles on it, also i have all the damaged parts if any body wants to test them. *la

My ball joints have worn out at about 55,000 miles. it is not covered in my 7 year 70,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. *la

While driving at 55 mph on the highway consumer lost control of vehicle and crashed into the guard rail. the driver was injuried and transported by ambulance to the hospital.a police report was done. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for analysis. the mechanic detected that both frontal ball joints cracked. *ak

Purchased a 2003 dakota quad cab in july 2003. when i test drove the truck i noticed a howl in the rear brakes when backing up. the dealership admitted that it was an issue but that dodge was working on a solution and that they would add me to their list. my truck was worked on per tsb 0050603. a couple of weeks later the noise returned. i took my truck into the dealership and i was informed that dodge has told them to not work on the trucks that they are working on a solution but do not know why the problem persists. *la

When making sharp right turns a popping noise can be heard coming from the front of the vehicle. the owner suspects there may be a problem with the ball joints, but the vehicle has not been diagnosed by a dealer. *ak *nm

The dealership refused to perform the wiring harness recall 03 v 389 000 because the consumer didn't purchase the vehicle from them. *ak *scc *jb

Front rotors on my 2002 dodge cc 4x4 dakota warped at 18,000 miles. had them turned and the rear brakes adjusted. warping again after 8000 miles. dodge dealer (sam leman dodge in morton illinois)will not acknowledge a problem. they offered to cut rotor at my expense.*ak

I keep hearing a loud "bang" and louding creaking noises in the front end of my 2003 dodge dakota when i turn the wheel. i have taken it to the dodge dealer several times, but they haven't found anything. i keep telling them it sounds like a cracked coil spring or body mount. they said if i bring it in again as warranty work, then they'll charge me for the time. also, the turn signals keep shorting out and when you turn the left one on, the emergency flashers come on. finally, the left power window slows down excessively when i attempt to put the window up. it goes down fine, but it won't go up at normal speed.*ak

While driving at any speed or stopping at a traffic light the vehicle would stall out. the dealership has been contacted. please provide any additional details. *nlm

Vehicle (1)shifts harshly, (2)does not upshift smoothly/upshifts at excessive rpm, (3)stalls when making low-speed left-hand turns, (4)idles roughly, (5)fails to maintain speed in cruise control, (6)downshifts harshly after losing speed in cruise control, (7)transmission gear indicator did not indicate actual gear vehicle was in, (8)vehicle failed to shift from reverse to park, and from park to reverse, and (9)vehicle emergency brake failed to release, then failed to hold.

While driving the vehicle hesitated then lost total power. *ak there was poor idling, hesitation and sudden stops at intersection's, loss of power and the cruise control would shut off. *scc *jb

The day i brought my 2003 dodge dakota quad cab home, i noticed a howling noise coming from the rear brakes when in reverse. took it back to dealer to find out what was the cause and for it to be repaired. service manager said that the breaks needed to be broken in and then the noise would stop. took truck back for oil change after 3000 miles and informed service manager that the truck was still making howling noise. told me there was a service bulletin on this problem and that as soon as the parts came in he would call . i'm still waiting. also i am having transmission problems. when i am climbing a grade the transmission seems to get stuck in second gear. i have to let off the gas for it to shift. sometimes the shift is very harsh and at other times it misses a gear altogether. truck has a hard time maintaining set speed when cruise control is set. seems to wait too long to shift to bring the truck up to speed

Water leaking onto passenger's side floor, moldy carpeting, smells badly. dealer attempted repairs, but defect continues.*ak

Check engine light came on, engine locked up with only 665 miles. oil pressure gauge also went to zero.*ak

Upon parking truck owner noticed a glowing under cab. a technician serviced vehicle and noticed an electrical short. *ak

Brakes squeal and engine idle problem.*ak

Brakes squeal and howl, engine idels rough with a/c off in drive (wants to stall).*ak

Brakes squeal and howling sound.*ak

Rear brakes make a howling sound when in reverse. *ak

I have a 2000 dakota -- rotors warped @11,000 dealer replaced -- rotors warped again 8 mounths later @24,000 dealer wouldnt replace, over 12k since they installed them,so i turned and new pads -- @38,000 warped again replaced roters and pads --@53,000 warped again turned and new pads --warrped again @71,000 but havent replced rotors till this weekend @76,000 . *ak

Consumer states that while driving and with no warning vehicle will stall, and it will be hard for consumer to control the vehicle. dealer notified. *ak

While driving with the cruise control engaged the vehicle suddenly began to accelerate. the consumer had to tap the brake pedal to get the vehicle to decelerate. about two miles later the vehicle began to accelerate again. *ak *cb *nlm

Consumer states while driving with cruise control on vehicle began to accelerate. consumer tapped the gas pedal ,and there was no response. consumer reset cruise control, and 2 miles later vehicle accelerated again while in cruise control. *ak *ts

After driving approx. 4 hours from fresno to reno on july 6, 2003 we were coming over interstate 80 at 70-75 mph, when our truck slipped out of gear, making the truck sound as if it had downshifted. we pulled off the highway thinking the transmission overheated and checked fluid levels. they were fine. we got back on the highway and not 5 miles later it did the same thing again. we thought we might be stranded.the dealer could find nothing wrong with the trucks computer and could not find anything on its memory. we got the truck back with no repairs. today, august 2, 2003, the transmission seemed to slip again at 70mph trying to pass a slower vehicle. looking through the tsb's the transmission problems i discovered(overheating) stated every transmission on a 2003 dodge dakota quad cab except the one in my vehicle a 45rfe. could the problem stated for the other transmissions possibly be a problem for mine? if so how do i get the dealer to fix it before it gets worse?. *ak

Water pouring into passenger side floorboard that soaks and ruins carpeting. unknown source, firewall area.*ak

While driving the rear of the vehicle vibrated and the tires bounced up and down. *ak *cb *nlm

The engine over heated excessively while driving. the vehicle was only 1 week old and has less than 500 miles. *jb

When the vehicle made a turn or backed up there was a squeaking noise. the dealership indicated the noise could be caused by rust on the brakes. *jb

When the vehicle turned or backed up, there was a squeaking noise. the dealership indicated the noise could be caused by rust on the brakes. *jb

When the vehicle made a turn or backed up, there was a squeaking noise. the dealership indicated the noise could be caused by rust on the brakes. *jb

Purchased a 2003 dodge dakota quad 4x4. day of delivery the salesman noticed the rear makes a loud squeeking noise when put into reverse and backing. took it in for inspection and they adjusted the rear brakes. we have had it back to the dealer three additional times. the most recent they replaced pads along with some additional adjustements. we drove the vehicle home pulled into the driveway and it did it this time going forward. now it does it in either drive or reverse. we have been told by the dealer it is a design problem but the manufacture states is not a potential saftey hazard but something the consumer will have to tolerate. the vehicle was purchased in nov of 02 and has aproximately 3,000 miles on it.*jb

Consumer called complaining about having problems wit the right rear wheel. also stated that while shifting gears the wheel will spin by it self. dealer was contacted and stated that if the consumer does not give a good reference on the dealer survey they will not fix the problem. ts

Location of gear shift lever is positioned, where if reaching over to ajust radio or air conditioning unit and putting hands back on steering wheel, can knock shift lever out of gear into neutral/ park while driving. this can result in an accident.*ak

Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (nhtsa recall no. 04v-596).though dcc does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise.because of the low rates of separation incidents in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report.

Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (nhtsa recall no. 04v-596).though dcc does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise.because of the low rates of separation incidents in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report.

Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (nhtsa recall no. 04v-596).though dcc does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise.because of the low rates of separation incidents in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report.

Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (nhtsa recall no. 04v-596).though dcc does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise.because of the low rates of separation incidents in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report.

Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (nhtsa recall no. 04v-596).though dcc does not admit to a safety-defect in the subject components, odi believes that the facts in this investigation show otherwise.because of the low rates of separation incidents in the remaining subject vehicles, a safety-related defect has not been identified in those populations and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists in those vehicles.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.for additional information, see the attached closing report.