1999 Dodge Dakota Other / unspecified Problems

DRIVING TO THE GROCERY STORE ABOUT 30 MPH NEEDING TO BRAKE AND THE FRONT BRAKES WERE GONE. RIGHT FRONT CALIPER BOLT BROKE THREAD AND THE CALIPER CAME OFF THE SPINDLE, STEERING CAUSED MORE GRINDING AND THEN I THOUGHT OF THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE. I HAVE REPLACED THE SAME SPINDLE BEFORE, BUT PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE NOW OR BEFORE. I CAN';T FIND A USED/NEW SPINDLE TO REPAIR IT AND IT JUST PASSED INSPECTION.

NHTSA ID

11046501

Incident

Oct 28, 2017

Mileage

153,000 mi

I OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA V-8 MAGNUM 5.2L, IT ONLY HAS 138,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I BOUGHT IT IT ONLY HAD 76,600 MILES. IN THAT LITTLE TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS TWICE, AND THE RACK AND PINION, AND THE WATER PUMP, THE THERMOSTAT, THE POWER STEERING PUMP, THE TIE RODS, AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE WRONG. WHY AM HAVING TO REPLACE THESE THINGS TWICE IN SUCH LITTLE MILEAGE? AFTER READING UP ON IT THROUGH THE INTERNET I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE PROBLEMS, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINTS, WHY IS THERE A RECALL ON THE 2000, & 1998 BUT NOT 1999? I AM OUT SO MUCH MONEY AND HAVE ALMOST WRECKED MY TRUCK TWICE BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS, ONCE WITH 6 KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME AND AGAIN WITH MY 3 KIDS. THIS NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION BEFORE SEVERAL PEOPLE GET HURT OR WORSE, DIE!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10287467

Incident

Oct 11, 2009

Mileage

138,000 mi

I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW, WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR AND SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A CLUNKING NOISE WHICH GOT LOUDER AND FASTER AS I ACCELERATED THE DEALER COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. AFTER PICKING IT UP THE UMTEENTH TIME, THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE, I DROVE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP DEMANDING THEY FIGURE IT OUT. THEY PUT THERE QA TECH ON IT AND DISCOVERED IT WAS THE DRIVE SHAFT. THAT WAS REPLACED AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, THE TIRES PREMATURELY WEARING, BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THEY WERE REPLACED IN DECEMBER 07 THE LAST TIME, LESS THAN A YEAR BEFORE THE LAST TIME, ALONG WITH NEW TIRES. IT IS NOW APRIL 11, 2008 AND I WAS JUST TOLD AFTER SERVICING THE VEHICLE THEY NEED REPLACED AGAIN AND THE TIRES ARE WEARING. THE AIR CONDITIONING FAILED SEVERAL TIMES, THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WEAR BI-ANNUALLY AND DON'T STOP PROPERLY, AFTER ABOUT 60,000 MILES, THE COMPUTER WENT ON THIS VEHICLE, LEAVING ME STRANDED MANY, MANY TIMES. IT WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS AND THEY COULDN'T DETECT THE PROBLEM, EVEN AFTER MY PERSONAL MECHANIC TOLD THEM WHAT IT WAS. I HAD TO HAVE THIS FIXED ON MY OWN BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT STICKS AND IS DIFFICULT TO UNFASTENED, THE PAINT ON THIS VEHICLE IS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE FROM EVERYWHERE BUT THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE RIDICULOUS AND REALLY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. HOW MANY DEATHS ARE YOU WAITING FOR TO OCCUR BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MANUFACTURER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DEFECTS??? IS IT GOING TO TAKE A DEATH TO OCCUR AND CHRYSLER TO BE SUED FOR THEIR NEGLECT AND FAULTY EQUIPMENT????? *TR

NHTSA ID

10224180

Incident

Jun 1, 1999

Mileage

6,000 mi

AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE. SUBJECT ON AIR CONDITIONER COOLING PERFORMANCE DETERIORATING AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF OPERATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10200441

Incident

Sep 1, 2006

Mileage

82,000 mi

DEALER NOTIFIED ME THAT BOTH BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS ARE DANGEROUSLY LOOSE AND NEED REPLACED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 04V596000 SPECIFIES MANUFACTURE DATE FROM 01/07/1999 - 12/31/2002. MY TRUCK WAS BUILD IN MARCH OF 1999. THEY ARE CLAIMING THAT I GOT LUCKY AND MY TRUCK DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL, YET I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. 1999 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT 4X4 VIN #[XXX]. *NM UPDATED 07/12/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10167878

Incident

Aug 25, 2006

Mileage

134,000 mi

MY SON ESCAPED DANGER WHEN THE TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER OF HIS 1999 DODGE DAKOTA WENT OUT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. AFTER REPLACING THAT AND HEADING BACK HOME, HIS U JOINTS AND WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT ALMOST CAUSING ANOTHER WRECK. THESE WERE ALL REPAIRED. SO FAR $3000 IN REPAIRS IN A MONTH. THEN THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AS HE WAS DRIVING. NOW THE OIL PUMP NEEDS REPLACED. ALONG WITH THE TIE END RODS, THE TIMING CHAIN, AND THE SERPENTINE. HE'D ALREADY HAD THE TOTAL BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACED THIS SUMMER. HAVING ALL THE RECEIPTS SHOWING REGULAR OIL CHANGES, THE WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE OIL PUMP BECAUSE OF SOME SLUDGE IN THE PUMP. NOW I FIND FROM RESEARCHING ON THE COMPUTER THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN DURANGOS AND DAKOTAS. WE'VE PUT $5000 IN THIS TRUCK IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO ADMIT THE FLAWS IN THIS VEHICLE. THEY HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY HERE. WE ARE JUST GLAD HE WAS NOT INJURED OR KILLED. BUT WE'VE PUT OVER $5000 IN A '99 VEHICLE - WHICH IS UNFAIR WHEN THE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED TO THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10147155

Incident

Jan 3, 2006

FAILED BALL JOINTS ON 1999 DAKOTA AT 32,000 MILES AND 67,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10114507

Incident

Mar 9, 2005

Mileage

32,000 mi

ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004 MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA HAD BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES REPLACED BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE WEAR AND DETERIORATION. THE TRUCK HAD 46,500 MILES AT THAT TIME AND IS DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. IT IS NOT USED COMMERCIALLY. THE COST FOR REPAIRS CAME TO $1078. SUBSEQUENTLY, ON MARCH 4, 2005 I HAD TO HAVE TO HAVE MY UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES, AGAIN BECAUSE OF WEAR AND DETERIORATION. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS $338. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE ORIGINAL BALL JOINTS USED BY DODGE ARE SUFFICIENTLY LACKING IN QUALITY, AND SO ARE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS, AS WELL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10112576

Incident

Mar 4, 2005

DODGE DAKOTA 1999 NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE BALL JOINT AND STEERING MECHANISMS. *BF THERE WERE ALSO PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR END, TRANSMISSION, ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHTS, POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE WHICH CONSISTED OF HESITATION AND LOSS OF POWER ESPECIALLY WHEN UNDER A LOAD-GOING UP AND HILL AND SEEMED TO GET WORSE AS THE GAS LEVEL IN THE TANK LOWERED, HARD ABRUPT SHIFTING WHEN IN REVERSE AND PARK TO REVERSE, LOUD RUBBING WHICH WAS INTERMITTENT WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS AND WHEN STOPPING, THE FRONT WOULD SHAKE, THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT WAS NOT VISIBLE ON THE DASH WHEN ACTIVATED AND WOULD ONLY SHOW WHEN THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE WAS ACTIVATED, AND THERE WAS A WOBBLE, FLEXING AND OR VIBRATION THAT WOULD BE PRESENT WHEN BRAKING ALONG WITH A LOOSE FEELING OR WOBBLE WHEN TURNING THE FRONT WHEELS. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10113622

Incident

Feb 1, 2005

ALUMINUM WHEELS LUGS:NUTS CAME OFF. CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER HAD TIGHTENED THE LUGS:NUTS, HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT STAY TIGHTENED.*AK...EVERYTIME CONSUMER HAD WHEEL WORK DONE, FRONT WHEEL LUGS:NUTS AND BOLTS LOOSENED AFTER DRIVING ONE HOUR OR MORE. CONSUMER'S FIRST CONCERN IS FOR HIS FAMILY. ALSO, IF HE SHOULD TRADE OR SELL IT IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10110880

Incident

Mar 15, 1999

Mileage

100 mi

HAVE STAYED UPDATED ON TUNE-UPS AND KEEPING TRUCK RUNNING, GOT NEW TIRES NOV. 24, 2004 FROM LESCHUAB. ON DEC. 1 2004, I WAS HIT ON THE FRONT END DRIVER SIDE. TOOK TRUCK IN FOR REAPIRS, AND FOUND OUT THAT BALL JOINTS WERE EXTREMELY WORN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10104809

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

REPLACEMENT OF BALL JOINTS AND ADDITIONAL PARTS THAT WERE WORNOUT, AND THE TRUCK HAD ONLY 68,000 MILES, $900 REPAIR COSTS, DEFINITELY A HAZARD THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVERTED BY THE MANUFACTURER, AND I WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMNT FOR MY PROBLEM THAT ALOT OF VEHICLES OF CHRYSLER-DAILMER DODGE DAKOTA P/UHAS HAD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10067832

Incident

Apr 9, 2004

1999 DODGE DAKOTA.I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE NEW IN LATE 1998. IN THE FIVE YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO BALL JOINTS IN THE RIGHT FRONT. CURRENTLY, A METAL-ON-METAL SQUEAK EXISTS IN THE RIGHT FRONT, AND I BELIEVE IT IS A BALL JOINT. I HAVE LUBRICATED ALL PIVOT POINTS AND JOINTS, BUT CANNOT LUBRICATE THE BALL JOINTS. THE SQUEAK STILL EXISTS. HERE HAS BEEN NO INCIDENT AS OF THIS DATE. I ONLY FILLED IN THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW WITH TODAY'S BECAUSE IT IS A REQUIRED FIELD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10060438

Incident

Mar 4, 2004

TOW RATING LOWERED FROM 6400LBS TO 2000LBS

NHTSA ID

714252

TRUCK WAS ADVERTISED TO BE ABLE TO TOW 6400LB AS EQUIPED, LETTER WAS SENT STATING TOWING WAS NOW MAX OF 2000LB.

NHTSA ID

710011

I WAS RECENTLY NOTIFIED THAT THE TOW RATING OF THE DODGE DAKOTA R/T ONLY WAS LOWERED FROM 6400 LBS TO 2000 LBS. I FOUND OUT ON A WEBSITE. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS TRUE, THAT IT WAS LOWERED IN FEB 99 AND I WOULD RECEIVE A LETTER IN THE MAIL REGARDING MY OPTIONS. THEY WOULD NOT TELL ME WHY IT WAS LOWERED. I ASKED IF IT WAS A SAFETY OR PERFORMANCE ISSUE. THEY WOULD NOT SAY. IT TOOK 2 MONTHS TO GET THE LETTER AND ALL IT WAS A YELLOW CARD TO PUT IN MY OWNER'S MANUAL SAYING THAT THE TOW CAPACITY WAS NOW 2000 LBS. ALL THE LITERATURE I HAVE ALONG WITH MY OWNER'S MANUAL SAYS 6400 LBS AND APPARENTLY, CHRYSLER IS STILL ADVERTISING 6400 LBS.

NHTSA ID

710006

WHEN I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK (JAN. 99) THE TOW RATING WAS 6400 LBS. RECENTLY, DIAMLER CHRYSLER CORP. SENT ME A CARD TO INSERT INTO MY OWNERS MANUAL THAT SAYS 2000# IS ALL THIS VEHICLE WILL TOW SAFELY. WHAT THEY DON'T EXPLAIN IS WHY THE TOW RATING IS DECREASED! IT SEEMS TO ME IF DC IS CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THIS ISSUE THAN THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED DURING THEIR OWN TESTING BEFORE RELEASE TO THE CONSUMER. THIS IS THE SECOND MODEL YEAR THAT THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION AND THEY JUST NOW REALIZED THERE IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THERE ORIGINAL ADVERTISED TOWING FIGURE? WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS TRUCK THAT DC DOESN'T WANT TO TELL IT'S LOYAL CUSTOMERS ABOUT? I HAVEN'T TRIED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER BUT SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MODEL TRUCK HAVE AND DC IS BEING VERY TIGHT LIPPED CONCERNING THE REDUCED TOWING ISSUE, BASICALLY THEY WOULD RATHER "BUYBACK" THE VEHICLE THAN SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE CAUSE FOR THE WEIGHT REDUCTION.

NHTSA ID

709894

MANUFACTURER LOWERED TOW CAPACITY FROM ADVERTISED 6400LBS TO 2000LBS

NHTSA ID

709851

MANUFACTURER WHO SOLD VEHICLE, AND ALSO OWNER'S MANUAL STATE THAT VEHICLE CAN PULL UP TO 6000 TOWING POUNDS, BUT IT CAN ACTUALLY PULL ONLY 2000 POUNDS . *AK

NHTSA ID

841491