1997 Dodge Dakota Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10863588

Incident

Apr 28, 2016

3 DAYS AFTER WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE THE FUEL SYSTEM WENT DOWN. REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND STILL WANTS TO STALL AND ACT LIKE ITS CLOGGED IN THE FUEL LINES. ITS BEEN FLUSHED. WHEN DRIVING IT BOGS DOWN AND CHUGS. IT WANTS TO DIE AND SHUT OFF WHILE YOUR DRIVING THE TRUCK. THE BRAKES ONLY WORK HALF THE TIME. MOST OF THE TIME I CAN'T EVEN STOP UNTIL I'M HALFWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. REPLACED ALL THE SENSORS AND STILL DOESN'T WANT TO START AND STAY RUNNING. FUEL PUMP KICKS ON, BUT HAS TO RUN EXTRA HARD TO TRY AND KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10706503

Incident

Sep 26, 2014

Mileage

171,000 mi

REPLACE RUSTED RADIATOR. *JS

NHTSA ID

10455931

Incident

Apr 18, 2012

Mileage

113,600 mi

REPLACED RUSTED RADIATOR. *JS

NHTSA ID

10455930

Incident

Feb 7, 2000

Mileage

70,916 mi

CATALYTIC CONVERTER INSPECTION. THERE IS A RECALL OUT FOR 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE WITH A 4.0 LITER ENGINE AND 1997 DODGE DAKOTA WITH A 2.5 LITER ENGINE. I HAVE A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA WITH A 3.9 ENGINE AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT ARE IN THE 2 MODELS DESCRIBED ABOVE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER RATTLES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10174420

Incident

Nov 1, 2004

I OWN A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA SLT. THE ENGINE IS A 5.2 V8 WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES MY COMPLAINT STARTED AROUND 40,000 MILES. I AM GETTING A SEVERE SPARK KNOCK AND A TREMENDOUS OIL CONSUMPTION 2.5 QUARTS EVERY TWO HUNDRED MILES. THEY INSTALLED FAULTY ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENUM PAN GASKETS. THROUGH MY EXTENSIVE RESEARCH THERE HAVE BEEN COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS ON THIS. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CHECKED MY GAUGES I HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME BECAUSE MY ENGINE STALLED!!! THE DODGE DEALER TOLD ME THIS IS VERY COMMON, SO WHY ARE THEY NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY? *NM

NHTSA ID

10171759

Incident

Oct 15, 2006

Mileage

44,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH A KNOCKING AND PINGING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACED DUE TO OIL SLUDGE. THE VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 6/12/2006 -*NM

NHTSA ID

10158184

Incident

Feb 7, 2006

Mileage

96,547 mi

OUR 1997 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK'S ENGINE FAILED THIS PAST FEBRUARY DUE TO THE LACK OF OIL PRESSURE. WE THEN HAD TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US WE NEEDED TO GET A NEW ENGINE PUT IN SINCE OUR ENGINE WAS FULL OF SLUDGE AND HE SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE LACK OF CHANGING OUR OIL. MY WIFE AND I KNEW THIS WAS NOT THE CASE AT ALL SINCE WE ALWAYS HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES AND WE COULD NOT FIGURE OUT HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. AFTER PAYING $5,000 FOR A NEW ENGINE, WE WERE OUTRAGED AND DID OUR OWN RESEARCH ONLINE ABOUT THE CHRYSLER ENGINES AND FOUND THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE CHRYSLER ENGINES EVERYWHERE. THE ONLY THING WE'VE NOTICED IN OUR RESEARCH IS THAT THE COMPLAINTS ARE STEMMING FROM THE SMALLER 2.7 LITER ENGINES, BUT WE HAVE A 3.9 LITER ENGINE WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THERE IS CLEARLY A DEFECT WITH THE CHRYSLER ENGINES REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE ENGINE. CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS SINCE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE PUTTING OUT THE DEFECTIVE ENGINES THAT ARE CAUSING ALL OF THE SLUDGE TO BUILD UP IN THEIR ENGINES!! *NM

NHTSA ID

10157202

Incident

Feb 7, 2006

Mileage

96,547 mi

TWO DRIVER SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKE OFF. THESE TWO BOLTS WHERE HOLDING ON THE HEAT SHIELD. THE HEAT SHIELD DROP DOWN AND WEDGED IT SELF BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND STEERING SHAFT. THE STEERING SHAFT IS NOW SCORED. THE ONLY REASON I FOUND THIS WAS THAT I KNOW WHAT AN EXHAUST LEAK SOUNDS LIKE AND WENT SEARCHING. IF I DIDN'T I WOULD HAVE NEVER FOUND IT UNTIL MY STEERING SHAFT SEPARATED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10145933

Incident

Dec 20, 2005

Mileage

147,000 mi

CONSUMER WAS REPLACING UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS EVERY 35,000 MILES. ALSO, CONSUMER REPLACED THE IDLER ARM. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY WILL NOT WARRANTY THE SUSPENSION PARTS. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANIFOLD PLENUM GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL INTO THE INTAKE. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE GASKET HIMSELF. *JB

NHTSA ID

10103527

Incident

Oct 15, 2004

Mileage

35,000 mi

60,000 MILES TO AND FROM WORK NO ABUSE BALL JOINTS FAILED AND AC HAS LEAK IN DASH,TIMING CHAIN AND IDLER PULLEY MAKES NOISE. RADIATOR LEAKS TRANSMISSION FLUID PLASTIC TANKS ON RADIATOR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10104913

Incident

Dec 20, 2004

VEHICLE IS MISFIREING AND LOSING POWER. DEALER HAS NO SOLUTION TO PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10086774

Incident

Nov 29, 2003

Mileage

130,000 mi

THERE WAS A BALL JOINT PROBLEM. THEY MADE A CLANKING SOUND ALONG WITH A SQUEAL. THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR A CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEM. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10074079

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

Mileage

70,000 mi

BALL JOINTS FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10060284

Incident

Mar 3, 2004

Mileage

75,000 mi

UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED AT 77,000 MILES. *AK THE VEHICLE STARTED SQUEAKING OVER SLIGHT BUMPS AND WORSENED TO SQUEAKING ALL OF THE TIME, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO MAKE UNUSUAL NOISES WHEN TURNING, AND COOLANT LEAKED FROM THE ENGINE. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10050284

Incident

Nov 22, 2003

Mileage

77,000 mi

AIR CONDITIONING--STILL WORKS BUT AT TIMES IT SHUTS OF THE UPPER AIR DUCTS AND I HAVE TO SHUT IT OFF ON RESTART IT TO MAKE IT WORK RIGHT. ENGINE--- MAKES A NOISE ( STARTED AT 20,000 MILES) TOOK IT TO A DEALER THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP TOLD ITS THE TIMING CHAIN.AT 92,000 STILL MAKES THE SAME NOISE POWER WINDOW-- PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT WORK OTHER--1. RADIO (TAPE DECK) TAPE DECK TURNS THE WIND AND REWIND ON BY ITSELF. HAVE TO TURN THE MOTOR OFF AND RESTART TO GET IT TO QUITE. 2.HAVE ALL KINDS OF WIRE PROBLEMS, ALL THE PLASTIC COATING COMES OFF AND WIRES BREAK 3.TAIL LIGHT PLUGS WON'T STAY PLUGGED IN PAINT-- CHIPS EASILY

NHTSA ID

10070823

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

TIMING CHAIN BROKE. IT CAUSED DAMAGE TO VALVES AND HEAD.*JB

NHTSA ID

10039286

Incident

Sep 5, 2003

LOW OIL PRESSURE AT IDLE SPEEDS. ACCORDING TO DEALER, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 5.2L V8 ENGINE. FIX IS TO REPLACE THE OIL PUMP AND OIL SENDING UNITAT A COST OF OVER $800.00.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030859

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

Mileage

36,000 mi

POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED DURING COLD WEATHER. WAS SLUGGISH DURING SLOW IDLE. MOPAR MECHANIC SAID THAT COMPLETE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST OVER $1000 AND MAY STILL NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. *TT

NHTSA ID

10021258

Incident

Nov 2, 2002

Mileage

70,000 mi

TWO FREEZE PLUGS WERE NOT REPLACED IN THE BACK OF THE BLOCK, CHRYSLERS RESOLUTION WAS STOP LEAK, HOWEVER AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC PULLED THE TRANSMISSION TO REPLACE THE FREEZE PLUGS AND FOUND STOP LEAK ALL OVER THE FLY WHEEL AREA, EVEN THOUGH CHRYSLER STATED THAT THEY HAD REMEDIED THE PROBLEM.*JB

NHTSA ID

566508

WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND SAW INSULATION OF ENGINE WAS BURNING.*AK. *JB

NHTSA ID

8006029

Incident

Mar 1, 2002

WE DISCOVERED A DEFECTIVE ENGINE ASSEMBLY TICKET #311914 STUFFED NEXT TO THE ENGINE. THE TICKET INFORMATION IS BUILD. NO 107, SHIFT 2, H/T PUNCH G , REJECT 1 DATE 3/5/97 NATURE OF DEFECT #5 M/F INSPECTOR 64274, NATURE OF REPAIR 03052654 NDF. WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND WERE TOLD THEY DO NOT SELL TRUCKS WITH DEFECTIVE ENGINES. CAN YOU HELP US FIND OUT WHY OUR DAKOTA PICKUP WOULD HAVE THE INSPECTION COPY OF A DEFECTIVE ENGINE TICKET ROLED UP AND TIED WITH TIE WIRE TICKET ON THE ENGINE?*AK

NHTSA ID

759462

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE ENGINE LIFTERS WOULD TAP. HAD LIFTERS REPLACED TWICE . PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8002200

Incident

Dec 27, 2001

ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON SEVERAL OCCAISIONS. BRAKE LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATES. ABS PULSATION EVEN ON DRY ROADS. FRONT PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED AT APPRX. 40000 MILES. SERVICE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT "DODGE ROTORS DO NOT LAST VERY LONG." ENGINE RATTLE BEGAN ABOUT 30000 MILES. DIAGNOSED AS A HEAT SHIELD RATTELING. SUBSEQUENTLY DIAGNOSED AND A LOOSE TIMING CHAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

752568

ENGINE IS CAUSING A "PINGING" NOISE WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT PAN GASKET WAS SUCKING AIR AND CAUSING EXCESSIVE BURNING OF OIL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

888596

Incident

Feb 1, 2001