Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Dodge Dakota submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 33 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 33, in the owner's own words
CAR LOST POWER AND LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SCANNER SHOWED CODE P0740; TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM. HAD TO OVERHAUL TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER. *JS
MY BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS WERE GOING BAD AT 54,000 MILES. DODGE WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. ALSO, MY TRANSMISSION STARTED TO GO BAD AT 74,000 MILES. 2ND GEAR WENT OUT, THEN IT WENT COMPLETELY OUT AT 91,000 MILES. OBVIOUSLY DODGE WASN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I WONT BUY ANOTHER DODGE AGAIN. *TR
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 50,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO BOG DOWN WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES IT WOULD ONLY GO ABOUT 5 MPH WHILE REVING ABOUT 3500 RPM. PAID FOR TOW TO DODGE DEALER IN HAMPTON VA FOR ANALYSIS AND REPAIR. TOW OPERATOR REMARKED ALMOST ALL DODGE DAKOTAS TOWED FOR TRANNY WORK ENDED UP COSTING $2300-$2900 FOR A REPLACEMENT. I WAS LUCKY AND ONLY HAD TO REPLACE ALL PRESSURE REGULATING VALVES FOR ABOUT $670 (FUNNY HOW THEY ALL WENT BAD AT THE SAME TIME BUT I WOULD NOT ARGUE THE POINT SINCE THE PARTS WERE CHEAP COMPARED TO DOING IT OVER IN A FEW MONTHS). DEALER INDICATED THIS WAS A YEARS OLD PROBLEM WHICH WAS COMMON TO REPLACE THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND THAT MY $600 REPAIR WAS NOT GUARANTEED TO PREVENT TOTAL FAILURE. DODGE HAS NOT AGREED TO ANY RECALL TO FIX BUT SHOULD DO THIS. THEREFORE, I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER DODGE OR CHRYSLER OF ANY SORT. UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ALSO FAILED AT UNDER 50,000 MILES AND NO REPAIR RECALL ON THIS LONG STANDING PROBLEM AS WELL. SUBJECT ON ANOTHER COMPLAINT. *TR
MY TWO YEAR OLD SUCCESSFULLY PLACED KEYS INTO IGNITION AND TURNED TO ON. THEN WITHOUT THE REQUIREMENT OF DEPRESSING THE BRAKE HE WAS ABLE TO PLACE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL. MY TRUCK ROLLED BACKWARD APPROXIMATELY 150 YARDS AND CRASHED INTO TREE. TOTAL DAMAGE OF $3500, LUCKILY NO ONE SERIOUSLY INJURED.
AUTO MATIC TRANSMISSION LACK OF FLUID CAUSED BY CHECK VALVE AND TRANS COOLANT LINE. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING TRANSMISSION FLUID PROBLEM. SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER HAD TO CHANGE TRANSMISSION FLUID EVERY YEAR. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED TO WORK AND VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. *AK
SPEEDOMETOR AND CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING REPLACED SPEED SENSOR PER DEALER AND STILL NOT WORKING. ALSO SEAT DOESN'T LOCK IN UPRIGHT POSITION ON DRIVERS SIDE. TRANSFER CASE SEAL WENT OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE TRANSFER CASE. I HATE THIS TRUCK AND I COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY. *AK
WAS DRIVING WHEN TRANSMISSION BECAME HARD TO SHIFT INTO GEARS. WOULD DOWN SHIFT INTO 3RD FROM OVERDRIVE ON ITS OWN. TOOK TO TRANSMISSION MECHANIC. WAS INFORMED THAT GEARS WERE MADE OF PLASTIC AND WERE STRIPPED, BREAKING GEAR TEETH OFF. *AK
UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON FREEWAY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF 5TH GEAR AND REMAINED IN NEUTRAL. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT "GEAR WAS CRACKED." PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
SHIFTER CABLE BROKE WHEN DRIVER WAS SHIFTING GEAR. HE CONPLAINED THAT VEHICLE SHIFTER WAS PULLING HARD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT SHIFTER WAS OKAY.*AK
TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR.*AK
WE PURCHASED A 1997 DODGE TRUCK IN OCT. 1996. THHE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 42000 MILES. WE WERE TOLD BY BOTH OUR LOCAL SOUTH CAROLINA DEALER AND BY ED MURDOCK WHERE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THAT CHRYSLER WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO OUR WARRANTY BEING UP AT 36000 MILES. WE CALLED THE 800 # TO CHRYSLERS COMPLAINT LINE AND WERE TOLD THE SAME THING. WE HAD OUR TRUCK REPAIRED AT A LOCAL INDEPENDENT GARAGEAND ONLY THEN DID WE DISCOVER THAT OUR TRUCK HAD A 1998 PROTOTYPE TRANSMISSION IN IT. PARTS WERE ORDERED FROM ATLANTA THAT WOULD NOT FIT OUR 1997 DODGE DAKOTA BECAUSE OF THE PROTOTYPE TRANSMISSION AND HAD TO BE RETURNED AND REORDERED FROM DETROIT. ALA IN ALL WE WERE WITHOUT OUR TRUCK FOR 29 DAYS WHILE THIS MESS WAS SORTED OUT. WE WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED A TRUCK WITH A PROTOTYPE ASIAN TRANSMISSION IN IT IF WE HAD BEEN TOLD. THHE ED MURDOCK DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REIMBURSE US FOR OUR EXPENCES, CHRYSLER SAYS THAT THEY WILL NOT BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE TO MAKE THIS RIGHT BECAUSE NOT ONLY WERE WE MISLED IN OUR PURCHASE BUT ANY TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO PERFORM LONGER THAN 42000 MILES. WE WANT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE WORK DONE AND OUR EXPENSE FOR A RENTAL CAR DURING THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT WE WERE SORTING THIS MESS OUT AND STILL HAVING TO GO ON WITH OUR DAILY ROUTINE. NO ONE SEEMS TO WANT TO STAND BEHIND THHE CHRYSLER PRODUCTS FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO THE ONE WHO SELLS THEM. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP , I HAVE SENT SEVERAL OTHER LETTERS AND IF YOU CAN TELL ME OF SOMEONE ELSE TO WRITE I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANKS, RENEE MCABEE. *AK
WHEN GOING 55 OR FASTER AND LET OFF THE GAS, WHEN REACCELERATING THE TRANSMISSION "BUCKS". THE TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE THERMOSTAT HAS BEEN REPLACED TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT IT HAS NOT WORKED. *AK
DUE TO DEFECTIVE DRIVESHAFT WHICH WAS OUT OF BALANCE BY 31/2 OUNCE, DIFFERENTIAL AND TRANSFER CASE MALFUNCTIONED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
VEHICLE SHOWS RPMS BUT DOESN'T ACCELERATE AS FAR AS MOVING UP TO SPEED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED & IT MAY BE THE TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION REPAIRS ARE NOT NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.*AK
ON 2/27/2000 I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. MY PROBLEM BEING MY TRANSMISSIOM WILL NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. WHEN IT IS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE THE VECHICLE MAY HESITATE AND NOT MOVE THEN VIOLENTLY SLAM INTO GEAR. ON ONE OCCASION MY NEICE SETTING IN THE BACK SEAT HEAD WAS SLAMMED INTO THE REAR WINDOW GLASS AS THE VECHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. I HAVE A VIDEO TAPE OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING TO PROPERLY ENGAUGE. I WAS ABLE TO REACH IN THE BACK SEAT TAKE THE CAMERA OUT OF THE CASE INSERT THE BATTERY FILM AND SHOOT A VIDEO OF THE TRUCK SETTING IN GEAR THEN VIOLENTLY LURCHING FORWARD. THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER SAID ON THE SERVICE ORDER "CANNOT DUPLICATE SITITION. I SHOWED HIM THE VIDEO AND HE ADMITTED I HAVE A PROBLEM BUT HE COULDNT HELP ME BECAUSE CHRYSLER WOULD NOT REIMBURSE HIM. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAUGE AFTER BEING IN REVERSE FOR A PERIOD OF A MINIUTE OR MORE THIS HAS HAPPENED 14 + TIMES. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I TOOK A VIDIO TAPE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT GURLEY LEEP THAT CLEARLY SHOWS IT IN DRIVE WITH THE SHIFT IN DRIVE WITH THE TACKOMETER RISING AND FALLING THEN SLAMING INTO GEAR. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS OUT OF HIS HANDS BECAUSE CHRYSLER WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT . IT WAS BETWEEN ME AND CHRYSLER. I PERSONALLY WONDER IF THE DISTRICT REPRESENTITIVE ISNT WAITING FOR IT TO FAIL UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRENTY SO SOMEONE ELSE CAN PICK UP THE REPAIR TAB. IT VIOLENTLY SLAMS INTO GEAR WHEN PUT IN DRIVE THROWING YOU BACK IN THE SEAT AND SLAMMING THE POWERTRAIN IN ENGAUGEMENT. A CERTIFIED LETTER WAS SENT TO CHRYSLER# Z257635146 4/14/199 SIGNED FOR BY KYLE C AND THE DEALER GURLEY LEEP ATTEN MIKE LEEP Z257635147 4/12/1999 SIGNED FOR BY KRISTY ROBERTS BOTH LETTERS WERE IGNORED WITH NO TELEPHONE CALL OR LETTER RETURNED. THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST VECHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF REPAIRS THE FACTORY HAS BEEN TOTALLY INDIFFERENT TO MY PROBLEM AS WELL AS THE DEALER. *AK
WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES THE CLUTCH, CLUTCH DOESN'T ENGAGE. *AK
TRANSMISSION ACTING SLUGGISH. WAS NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR PROPERLY. WOULD BUCK SEVERELY. PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING, VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT FOR NO REASON. HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 4-5 TIMES. AT DEALERSHIP, MECHANIC CHANGED BATTERY, MAP SENSOR & THE COMPUTER CHIP. PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED. FINALLY INDICATED TRANSMISSION WAS WORN OUT & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH A REBUILT ONE. *AK
52000 MILES AND I HAVE REPLACED THESE ITEMS: BELT TENSIONER, A/C COMPRESSOR, 3 SETS OF FRONT TIRES (THE TIRES ARE WEARING ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE-THE TRUCK HAS BEEN ALIGNED EACH TIME THE TIRES WERE REPLACED), 2 SETS OF ROTORS, 2 BRAKE CALIPERS, 4 SETS OF BRAKE PADS, THE STEERING KNUCKLE THAT BROKE INTO THREE (3) PIECES WHILE THE TRUCK WAS GOING 65 MPH, AND NOW I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP BECAUSE THE TRUCK JUMPS FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHILE THE TRUCK IS IN MOTION. ALL OF THESE REPAIR COST HAVE BEEN PAID BY MYSELF. DEALER SAID THERE HAS BEEN NO OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE DODGE DAKOTA I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT21575R15 )
FIFTH GEAR CAME APART AR 65MPH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE POWER AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANOTHER GEAR.
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE IS BACKFIRING/STALLING/VIBRATING, AND VEHICLE DIES OUT. CONSUMER HAD TO GET A NEW CLUTCH AND THIS IS THE THIRD TRANSMISSION THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED WITHIN VEHICLE. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE GEARS, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WINDOW MOTOR FAILED, WINDOW SWITCHES FALLING OFF DOOR PANEL. MJS
HYDRAULIC CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FAILURE CAUSED UNSAFE CONDITIONS. VEHICLE WAS IN GEAR AND RUNNING AT TIME OF FAILURE; LIFTING FOOT FROM BRAKE PEDAL WHILE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED RESULTED IN VEHICLE LURCHING FORWARD.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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