1998 Dodge Dakota Transmission Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. THE BALL JOINTS HAVE COMPLETELY WORN OUT AND ALSO HAS A VERY NOISY LIFTER IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DRIFTS IN AND OUT OF LANES AT ANY SPEED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. THE CONTACT HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. HE WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S MODEL, BUT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. UPDATED 03/14/08. *LJ THE SHIFTER DIDN OT STAY IN PARK

NHTSA ID

10209566

Incident

May 1, 2007

Mileage

82,000 mi

BALL JOINTS FAILED, PASSENGERS SIDE CAME LOOSE AND THE WHEEL FEEL OFF AND THE TRANSMISSON HAD TO BE REBUILT DUE TO CHEAP INTERNAL PARTS. BUT IF YOU OWN A 98 DODGE DAKOTA HAVE YOUR BALL JOINTS CHECKED THEY ARE A HAZARD AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED, IF THEY ALREADY HAVE NOT.... *NM

NHTSA ID

10142475

Incident

Sep 30, 2005

Mileage

102,950 mi

MY HUSBAND AND I OWN A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA, VIN [XXX]. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, BEGINNING IN THE SECOND YEAR OF OUR LEASE. DURING THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $9,000 ON VEHICLE REPAIRS INCLUDING A NEW TRANSMISSION, NEW ENGINE, NEW STARTER, NEW WHEEL BARING, NEW BRAKE CALIPER, NEW HEATER CORE AND NEW WATER PUMP. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND ALTERNATOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND TWO O2 SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS BEEN REPAIRED FOUR TIMES. WHILE THESE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COSTLY AND INCONVENIENT, NONE OF THEM HAS POSED A SAFETY CONCERN PER SE. I AM WRITING NOW TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR MOST RECENT VEHICLE FAILURE WHICH MOST CERTAINLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ON NOVEMBER 18, 2004, MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN HIS FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BROKE OFF FROM THE AXLE. THE TIRE FELL ON ITS SIDE AND THE TRUCK LANDED ON THE TIRE. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND THE TRUCK SKIDDED TO A STOP IN THE LEFT TURN LANE. MY HUSBAND HAD NO CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. WHEN WE TOOK THE TRUCK TO OUR MECHANIC, HE FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS NEAR THE BREAKING POINT AS WELL AND REPLACED THAT AXLE AS WELL. WE ARE STILL DRIVING ON THE TWO FRONT TIRES, BUT WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE SHOULD GET AN ALIGNMENT AND PROBABLY HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED AS WELL. WE UNDERSTAND THAT DODGE HAS RECALLED THE 2000-2003 DAKOTAS FOR THIS SAME DEFECT. WE BELIEVE THAT OUR VEHICLE SHOULD ALSO BE COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. *NM UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10104743

Incident

Nov 18, 2004

Mileage

96,300 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ONGOING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM FOR 3 YEARS WHICH BECAME WORSE WITHIN THE LAST 2 WEEKS. THE RPMS REVVED VERY HIGH WHEN THE VEHICLE WENT INTO SECOND GEAR AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP POSITION. WHEN THIS OCCURRED CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. DEALERSHIP NOR THE MECHANIC COULD IDENTIFY WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS TO OCCUR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10099932

Incident

Nov 15, 2001

Mileage

93,000 mi

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091848

Incident

Sep 10, 2004

VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND LURCHED FORWARD AFTER SHIFTING OUT OF PARK OR NEUTRAL. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091609

Incident

Sep 3, 2004

Mileage

95,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ,TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT TO NEXT GEAR, RPM'S GO REALLY HIGH AND THE SPEEDOMETER STICKS. I'M AFRAID WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET ACROSS AND IT MIGHT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *LA

NHTSA ID

10054710

Incident

Oct 1, 2003

Mileage

59,000 mi

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW. 2 MONTHS AFTER 8/98 PURCHASE DATE, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THE BRAKES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, THE MAP SENSOR WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER BALL JOINTS. THE SEAT BELTS COME OFF ENTIRELY TOO EASY. ALL OF THIS AND THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 39,000 MILES ON IT. I SENT ARBITRATION PAPERS TO CHRYSLER TWICE WITH NO RESPONSE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10045118

Incident

Oct 10, 1998

Mileage

300 mi

TRANSMISSION THROTTLE VALVE ADJUSTMENT...KEEPS THE TRANSMISSION FROM SHIFTING AT THE PROPER TIME... WONT DOWNSHIFT WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR. ALSO... SHIFTER LEVER CABLE ADJUSTMENT.... WRONG GEAR SHOWS UP ON CONSOLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10037004

Incident

Aug 15, 2002

IN WINTER TIME TRANSMISSION DOES NOT WANT TO SHIFT OUT OF LOW GEAR WHEN IT SHOULD WILL EVENTUALLY USUALLY AT ABOUT 1500 TO 2000 RPM AFTER GETS REALLY WARM STILL WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. CHANGED FLUID MYSELF WITH ATF 3 OR 4. HAVE HAD AT SHOPS NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT CAUSES THIS THEY GUESS A LOT. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023743

Incident

Jan 3, 2002

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND RUNNING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND WENT BACKWARD INTO THE STREET. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK.*JB

NHTSA ID

8012855

Incident

Jun 27, 2002

OWNER'S MANUAL STATED 87 OR HIGHER OCTANE SHOULD BE USED. WHEN PUTTING A MEDUIM GRADE GAS IN VEHICLE OVERDRIVE STOPPED WORKING/TORQUE CONVERTER WOULD NOT LOCK UP, AND CAUSED RPMS TO INCREASE. RMPS WENT UP TOO HIGH FOR TRUCK. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ,AND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

895733

Incident

Apr 1, 1998

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED A 10 YEAR OLD WAS ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT A TREE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS*AK

NHTSA ID

888711

A CRACKED FIFTH GEAR LEFT ME COASTING IN NEUTRAL AT 55 MPH ON A SIX LANE LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY, DESPERATELY TRYING TO REACH THE SAFETY OF THE SHOULDER IN LATE EVENING TRAFFIC. *AK

NHTSA ID

745606

Incident

Apr 2, 2001

CONSUMER WAS ON THIRD CLUTCH FAN. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 46,000 MILES. FIRST CLUTCH FAN WENT OUT AT 26,000, AND SECOND WENT OUT AT ANOTHER 19-20,000 MILES APART. DEALER COULDN'T EXPLAIN IF THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE PARTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

887304

Incident

Apr 26, 2001

WE TRADED OUR 1999 KIA SPORTAGE FOR A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK 10-12-2000, AT THE CENTRAL KIA SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN PLANO TEXAS. WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK AND WE HAVE SPENT OVER $800.00 SINCE WE HAVE HAD THE TRUCK. WE CONTACTED THE KIA DEALERSHIP PH#972-422-5300, WHEN WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS THEY TOLD US THAT DODGE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REPAIRS ETC. THE TRUCK IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WE HAD DRIVEN THE TRUCK FOR ONE MONTH WHEN THE PROBLEMS STARTED. THE TRUCK IS A LEMON AND WE ARE STUCK WITH TRUCK PAYMENTS AND WE ARE IN DEBT OVER THE REPAIRS WE HAD TO PAY FOR OUT OF OUR OWN POCKETS. THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND SURELY IS NOT FAIR TO US. WE TOOK THE TRUCK TO BLEDSOE DODGE, INC.PH#214-296-9800 @ [XXX] LOVE FREEWAY DALLAS TEXAS MR [XXX] SPOKE WITH US ABOUT THE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ETC. AND HE TOLD US THAT DODGE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK FROM THE KIA DEALERSHIP. SO WE HAD TO PAY $200.00 TO MR. JIM HURST AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP FOR BRAKE REPAIRS. WE NEED SOME JUSTICE WITH THIS MATTER AND YOU ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WE BELIEVE CAN HELP US WITH THIS MATTER. WE NEED OUR MONEY BACK THAT WE HAVE BEEN OUT OF BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS LEMON WE HAVE BEEN STUCK WITH. PLEASE HELP US? SINCERELY YOURS MR.& MRS [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

742079

Incident

Dec 29, 2000

WE TRADED OUR 1999 KIA SPORTAGE FOR A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK 10-12-2000, AT THE CENTRAL KIA SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN PLANO TEXAS. WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK AND WE HAVE SPENT OVER $800.00 SINCE WE HAVE HAD THE TRUCK. WE CONTACTED THE KIA DEALERSHIP PH#972-422-5300, WHEN WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS THEY TOLD US THAT DODGE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REPAIRS ETC. THE TRUCK IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WE HAD DRIVEN THE TRUCK FOR ONE MONTH WHEN THE PROBLEMS STARTED. THE TRUCK IS A LEMON AND WE ARE STUCK WITH TRUCK PAYMENTS AND WE ARE IN DEBT OVER THE REPAIRS WE HAD TO PAY FOR OUT OF OUR OWN POCKETS. THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND SURELY IS NOT FAIR TO US. WE TOOK THE TRUCK TO BLEDSOE DODGE, INC.PH#214-296-9800 @ [XXX]. LOVE FREEWAY DALLAS TEXAS MR. [XXX] SPOKE WITH US ABOUT THE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ETC. AND HE TOLD US THAT DODGE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK FROM THE KIA DEALERSHIP. SO WE HAD TO PAY $200.00 TO MR. [XXX] AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP FOR BRAKE REPAIRS. WE NEED SOME JUSTICE WITH THIS MATTER AND YOU ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WE BELIEVE CAN HELP US WITH THIS MATTER. WE NEED OUR MONEY BACK THAT WE HAVE BEEN OUT OF BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS LEMON WE HAVE BEEN STUCK WITH. PLEASE HELP US? SINCERELY YOURS MR.& MRS [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *JS *TR

NHTSA ID

742078

Incident

Dec 29, 2000

THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN OVERHAULED TWO TIMES, THE CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS EXCESSIVE AND THAT THE FIRST REPAIR SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAT 40,000 MILES. *MJS

NHTSA ID

559653

Incident

Dec 31, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

739114

Incident

Sep 1, 1998

THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT HAS BEEN IN SERVICE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DUE TO NOISE, REPLACED UNIT AND COMPONENTS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HOWEVER THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT CONTINUES TO MAKE NOISE, DEALERSHIP IS NOW REFUSING TO CONTINUE TO REPLACED PARTS IN THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT. *MJS

NHTSA ID

556730

Incident

Dec 3, 1999

THE TRUCK WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY TO THE HOUSE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND IN THE "PARKED" POSITION. NOBODY WAS IN THE TRUCK AND IT AUTOMATICALLY RAN INTO THE GARAGE AND RAN INTO THE HOUSE. IT DAMAGED THE HOUSE, LAWNMOWER, POWER WHEEL CAR AND RADIATOR. THE TRUCK WAS THEN TURNED OFF WITH THE TRANSMISSION STILL IN THE "PARKED" POSITION.

NHTSA ID

730003

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

VEHICLE PURCHASED AUG. 24, 1999. RECEIPT OF CERTIFIED LETTER FROM NATIONAL DISPUTE CENTER-DALLAS, TEXAS. SIGN THIS LEMON DISCLOSURE PAPER NOT SIGNED WHEN YOU BOUGHT TRUCK. DEALER SIGNED CONTRACT WITH CHRYSLER TO DISCLOSE TO NEXT BUYER THEY WERE PURCHASING A LAUNDERED LEMON. THE DEALER, FINANCE OFFICER, NOR THE SALESMAN DISCLOSED THIS INFORMATION TO ME AT ANY TIME. IF I DIDN'T RECEIVE FORM FROM TEXAS, IT WOULD STILL BE COVERED UP. NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION FAILURES - HAULED IN TWICE WITH NOTHING SHOWING AT THE DEALERSHIP. I WORRY EACH TIME I GET BEHIND THE WHEEL. WHO WILL GET MAIMED OR KILLED? DEALER COMMITTED FRAUD BY FAILURE TO DISCLOSE. PLEASE HELP. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

724459

Incident

Feb 21, 2000

ROTORS WERE OUT OF PLACE AND WOBBLING CAUSING THE FRONT BRAKES TO FAIL. YH

NHTSA ID

551825

ENGINE KNOCK,POOR GAS MILEAGE, ROUGH IDLING, STALLING,TRANSMISSION CLUNK WHEN SHIFTING.WORST TRUCK I'VE EVER OWNED!!!

NHTSA ID

720527

Incident

May 1, 1999

SQUEALING NOISE WHILE DRIVING- COMING FROM TRANSFER CASE AREA. *AK

NHTSA ID

718440

Incident

Jan 1, 2000