1989 Dodge Dakota Owner Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED WHICH PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM STEERING THE VEHICLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BOLTS ON THE RACK AND PINION WERE CRACKED. AS A RESULT, THE RACK AND PINION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXCEEDED THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS TO RECEIVE REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 96V094000 STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WHO FILED A REPORT AND ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT HIM BACK AT A LATER DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 209,000. UPDATED 10/12/11*LJ UPDATED 10/14/11 *BF WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. HE LOST CONTROL OF THE TRUCK, DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO STEER AND ULTIMATELY ENDED UP IN A DITCH. UPDATED 10/18/11 UPDATED 10/26/11 UPDATED 10/31/11 UPDATED 3/30/12 *CN

NHTSA ID

10425814

Incident

Aug 16, 2011

Mileage

209,000 mi

WHEN SWITCHING FROM 4H TO 2H ON 89 DODGE DAKOTA ON FLOOR SHIFTER IT TAKES A FEW MINUTES TO ENGAGE AND WHEN IT DOES IT JARS THE VEHICLE TO A SIDE JERKING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT SUDDENLY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10184459

Incident

Mar 1, 2007

Mileage

105,980 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PLACING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, THE GEAR SHIFTS INTO REVERSE OR IF PARKED ON AN INCLINE WILL ROLL DOWN A HILL. THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT PROPERLY LOCK INTO THE PARKING GEAR. NO EXAMINATION OR REPAIRS WERE MADE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 00V106000 REGARDING POWERTRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

NHTSA ID

10171732

Incident

Oct 17, 2006

Mileage

144,000 mi

DT: CONSUMER STATES: WHEEL DIDN'T FIT HUB CORRECTLY AND IT WAS STRIPPING LUGS: NUTS AND STUDS WHEN HITTING SMALL BUMPS. THERE WAS NOTHING TO HOLD THEM. . DODGE SAID NEEDED A FACTORY RIM, AND THEY DIDN'T MAKE THEM ANYMORE. *AK UPDATED 01/09/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10122018

Incident

Mar 1, 2005

Mileage

100,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN 1994 AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSED A HUGE FIRE. MELTING ALL THE WIRING AND DESTROYING THE TRUCK. THE DETROIT FIREDEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THE TRUCK IS A TOTAL LOSS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT PAY FOR IT BECAUSE I HAD BASIC COVERAGE. I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS A RECALL. I WAS NEVER CONTACTED. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 1993 AFTER THE RECALL. I BOUGHT IT FROM A DEALER YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD HAVE FIXED IT. LUCKILY THE POLICE AND FIRE WERE CLOSE AND THEY PUT IT OUT BEFORE IT BLEW UP. THE FREEWAY WAS CLOSED FOR A WHILE AFTER THIS HAPPENED. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE TO MAKE DODGE REPAIR THIS? IT HAS BEEN SITTING FOR 1 YEAR AND I COULD NOT AFFORD TO FIX IT. I AM NOT SURE OF THE EXACT DATE BUT IT WAS A WEEK. *AK

NHTSA ID

10096295

Incident

Aug 10, 2003

Mileage

167,000 mi

THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED AND MELTED.*MR *PH *NM

NHTSA ID

10053319

Incident

Dec 28, 2001

Mileage

99,100 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE DISINTEGRATED, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE DAMAGE FOUND TO THE TIRE WAS CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD AND NOT A DESIGN FLAW.(COOPER TRENDSETTER AW RADIAL TIRE P235 75R15, DOT NUMBER, VP HL CNA 7500)*JB

NHTSA ID

567300

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

RACK AND PINION BOLTS FRACTURED ,CAUSING RACK AND PINION STEERING TO SEPARATE FROM FRAME, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED UNDER RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

896510

WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY AND TURNING RACK AND PINION STEERING SEPARATED FROM CROSS MEMBER OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 96V094000. *AK

NHTSA ID

890387

Incident

Jun 4, 2001

FRONT-LEFT TIRE BEGAN TO PEEL OFF THE CASING, SIMILAR TO THE 23575R15'S( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 21575R15 )

NHTSA ID

729177

Incident

Aug 21, 2000

RECALL 96V-094000/ STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLT FAILURE. CONSUMER STATED THAT AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE, DRIVEABILITY OF THE VEHICLE WORSENED. CONSUMER HAS NOTIFIED THE DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

861833

HAVING ALOT OF HOWLING IN THE DRIVESHAFT??AND THEY DON'T WHY.*AK

NHTSA ID

722000

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND IT TAKE A WHILE TO RESTART. YH

NHTSA ID

551454

SPARE WHEEL FELL FROM CARRIER WHEN WINCH CABLE PARTED DUE TO WEAR/CORROSION. WHEN REPORTED TO DEALER, HE SAID THAT IT WAS HAPPENING A LOT LATELY. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND HE RESPONDED NO. A TIRE FALLING FROM UNDER VEHICLE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS CAN EASILY KILL PEOPLE IN OTHER VEHICLES, YET DEALER (AND MANUFACTURER?) SEEMED TO NOT CARE. SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE TRACKED AND A MORE PERMANENT DEVICE OTHER THAT FLIMSY, CORROSION PRONE CABLE BE USED TO SECURE THESE SPARE TIRES. *AK

NHTSA ID

717448

Incident

Jan 15, 1999

MOTOR FAILED

NHTSA ID

715294

Incident

Nov 26, 1999

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40MPH HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. THEN IT MADE A CLUNKING NOISE.THE DRIVESHAFT WAS DEFECTIVE & THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. WAS TOWED TO SHOP THE REAR END OF DRIVESHAFT WAS SHOT. HAD THE WRONG REAR END PUT IN VEHICLE. HAD TO REPLACE IT. *AK

NHTSA ID

845055

Incident

Nov 1, 1998

SEAT BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTON BROKE APART, CAUSING SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

838864

Incident

May 1, 1999

THE FRAME IS CRACKED FROM THE STEERING GEAR ON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID

837765

THE PAINT ON THE TRUCK STARTED BUBBLING UP AND BURSTING OFF WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS JUST OVER A YEAR OLD.I CONTACTED THE REGIONAL OFFICE. THEY SENT A PERSON DOWN WHO TRIED TO TELL ME THAT THE PAINT WAS BUBBLING UP AND PEELING OFF BECAUSE OF THE OZONE. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THERE WERE OLDER VEHICLES IN THE JUNK YARD THAT HAD BETTER PAINT JOBS THAN MY TRUCK. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I HAD BOUGHT THE ADDITIONAL WARRANTY WITH THE VEHICLE, THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. I TOLD HIM THAT IF HIS VEHICLE WAS AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED, THAT I SHOULD NOT NEED THE ADDITIONAL WARRANTY. AS IT WAS, I GOT THE 7/70,000, BUT THAT DID NOT COVER THE PAINT. I WAS TOTALLY DISSATISFIED WITH THE REGIONAL OFFICE. I WROTE A LETTER THAT WAS NEVER ANSWERED. I EVEN CALLED THE MAIN CHRYSLER OFFICE WITH NO RESPONSE FORTHCOMING.

NHTSA ID

700019

Incident

Jul 5, 1990

ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING.

NHTSA ID

539658

Incident

Feb 1, 1994

TH

NHTSA ID

506499

Incident

Jul 6, 1995

THE TRUCK WAS IN PARK , LEAVING THE ENGINE IDLING AND GOT OUT TO OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR. UPON TURNING AROUND THE TRUCK WAS MOVING BACKWARDS OUT THE DRIVEWAY. RUNNING TO CATCH VEHICLE BEFORE IT REACHED THE STREET, DRIVER OPENED THE DOOR AND TRIED TO ENTER VEHICLE. DRIVER WA SKNOCKED TO THE PAVEMENT. VEHICLE PROCEEDED ACROSS THE STREET AND HEADWD TO MAIN ENTRANC EOF HOSPITAL. RUNNIN GOVER CEMENT PARKING STOPS OR THE CURB TURNED FRON TWHEELS TRUCK MADE A CIRCLE AND LANDED BACK OUT ON THE STREET. ATTAMPTING TO ENTER VEHICLE A SECOND TIME, DRIVER WAS AGAIN KNOCKED TO THE PAVEMENT, SUSTAINING A BROKEN COLLAR BONE/HEAD CONCUSSION AND SEVERE TISSUE AND KNEE DAMAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID

506449

Incident

Jul 6, 1995

ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT CONTINUES TO BLOW FUSES.

NHTSA ID

532480

Incident

Dec 7, 1997

RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED CAUSING ACCIDENT. RECALL WORK DONE ON THE SYSTEM PRIOR TO INCIDENT, HOWEVER DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

524469

Incident

Mar 18, 1997

HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#96V094000) & CALLED DEALER. TOOK VEHICLE IN ON APPOINTMENT DATE. WAS TOLD VEHICLE READY & TO TAKE IT HOME. HEARD A POP A FEW HOURS LATER. TOOK IT BACK ON AUG. 7, 1997 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AGAIN. WAS CHARGED FOR LABOR DONE TO VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

816121

Incident

Aug 5, 1997