Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Dodge Dakota submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 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 26, in the owner's own words
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY IN A UNPREDICTABLE PATTERN. VEHICLE RESTARTS AFTER STALLING 7 OUT OF 10 TIMES. WHEN IT WONT RESTART IMMEDIATELY AFTER STALLING IT WILL TAKE UPWARDS OF 10 MINUTES TO ACHIEVE ENGINE OPERATION. I'VE REPLACED THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR, AS WELL THE CAM POSITION SENSOR. VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY.
THE NUT CAME OFF THE PINION
I GOT THE '99 DAKOTA ABOUT 7 MONTHS AGO AND LIKED IT DROVE PRETTY GOOD EVEN THROUGH THE WEEK WHEN IT WAS ALL SINGLE DIGITS NO PROBLEM. THEN ONCE IT STARTED TO WARM UP INTO THE MID TO HIGH TEENS AND UP TO THEN 60S AND 70 IT WOULD SHAKE AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK. IT ALWAYS SEEMED TO START AT ABOUT 45 THEN ONCE THE ENGINE WARMED UP IT WOULD STOP. THAT STOPPED NOW THAT ITS IN THE 80S AND 90S. NOW I BARELY HAVE POWER STEERING AND LOOKING AT IT, IT SEEMS TO BE THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT WHICH LOOKING AT ALL THE COMPLAINTS I'M SURPRISED YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED INTO IT FOR IT TO BE RECALLED BY NOW ALONG WITH THE TIE RODS, BALL JOINTS, ETC. THESE THINGS SEEM TO BE FALLING APART AT THE FRONT. I JUST HOPE NOBODY DIES BEFORE THIS IS FIXED. *JS
TSB#030299A, SOUNDS LIKE MY TRUCK IS GOING TO FALL APART. *TR
UPON STARTING MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA, IT IMMEDIATELY WENT FULL THROTTLE AND LURCHED FORWARD, BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE. WAS PLACED IN REVERSE AND VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY WENT BACKWARDS IN FULL THROTTLE. STILL UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH BRAKES, HIT AN OAK TREE WHICH TOTALLY WRECKED THE TRUCK. NOTE: THE TRANSMISSION WAS STILL IN "PARK" WHEN TRUCK WENT FORWARD. THINGS HAPPENED SO FAST THAT MY WIFE, WHO WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK, DID NOT THINK TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION. *TR
1999 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 150,000MI AND AIR COND. GONE *TR
TRUCK DIED IN DOWNTOWN DENVER. NO BUS"ON DIGITAL ODOMETER. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FOR WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR REPLACEMENT, BUT IT WAS STILL FAILING. *AK
FAILED TRANSMISSION, FAILED UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND CLEAR COAT DELAMANTING ON ALL PANELS OF TRUCK. *JB
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
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
VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING A CLANKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK
I HAVE A 99 DODGE DAKOTA WITH 59,000 MILES. I AM CURRENTLY HAVING MY SECOND 4WD TRANSFER CASE REPLACED. FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS AT 41,000 MILES. I USE MY 4WD APPROX 20 TIMES A YEAR AND FOR SHORT DISTANCES. I HAVE REPLACED THE U JOINTS TWICE, THE A/C COMPRESSOR ONCE DUE TO IT BEING LOCATED IN A TERRIBLE PLACE. OH, LETS DISCUSS THE BALL JOINTS AS WELL. *JB
NUMEROUS FRONT END/ENGINE, EXHAUST, BRAKE AND ELECTRICAL MAFUNCTIONS/MECHANICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING INCREASING SEVERITY FRONT END WOBBLING/VIBRATION/FLEXING WHEN TURNING WHEELS, GOING DOWN A HILL AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. NO ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED YET BUT OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED WITH SAFETY OF VEHICLE AND OPERATION. I HAVE CONTACTED,COMPAINED, CALLED.E-MAILED AND FAXED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THIS 1999 DODGE DAKOTA WITH SUPPOSSEDLY ONLY 44951 MILES -MITCHELL PRE-OWNED CERTIFIED ON QUEEN STREET IN SOUTHINGTON, CT AND ALSO THE MITCHELL CONGLOMERATE OWNER STEVE MITCHELL AS WELL AS MITCHELL DODGE IN SIMSBURY, CT WHO PROVIDED THIS SUPPOSSEDLY INSPECTED, CERTIFIED SAFE VEHICLE TO MITCHELL IN SOUTHINGTON, CT FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE REAR AXEL SEAL LEAKED AND WAS DRIPPING FLUID ONTO THE REAR BRAKES. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED TWICE, PROBLEM RECURRED. ALSO, BALL JOINTS WORE OUT EXCESSIVELY ON BOTH SIDES, UPPER AND LOWER.*AK
MY 99 DAKOTA BEGAN HOWLING AND WHINNING IN THE REAR END. I HAD THE REAR END AND GEAR LUBE INSPECTED. GEAR LUBE WAS FULL, AND GEARS AND BEARINGS SHOWED NO SIGN OF WEAR. ABOUT 1 WEEK LATER WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY ABS AND E-BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. BRAKE FLUID WAS NEARLY EMPTY. MECHANIC FOUND FRONT AND REAR BRAKE LINERS WORN, AND REPAIRED AS NECASSARY. THIS DID NOT FIX ANY LIGHT OR NOISE PROBLEMS. AS SOON AS THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, MY SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT FUNCTION UNDER 40 MPH, AND ENGINE WOULD STALL AT STOPS. MECHANIC REMOVED DIFFERENTIAL, AND PINION GEAR. PINION BEARING WAS SHREDDED BADLY, CAUSING THE HOWLING. ALL BEARINGS IN REAR END WERE REPLACED, AND REAR END NOISE WAS CURED. THE BEARING SHAVINGS MAY HAVE DAMAGED THE REAR ABS SPEED SENSOR. I HAVE HEARD OF THE SAME SYMPTOMS FOR THE REAR END NOISE FROM OTHER DAKOTA OWNERS BOTH ON LINE AND IN PERSON. THIS WAS A COSTLY AND STRESSFUL DIAGNOSIS PROCEEDURE, AND MAY WARRANT SOME SORT OF POSSIBLE RECALL INVESTIGATION. IS THE MANUFACTURER USING AN INFERIOR LUBRICANT? THIS TRUCK'S FRONT BUMPER WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED BY 40,000MI. NOT THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF THAT ISSUE EITHER.
I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 2WD DODGE DAKOTA ABOUT 5MPH WHEN THE DRIVE PINION GEAR SHAFT THAT GOES INTO THE REAR END SNAPPED CLEAN INTO TWO PIECES. IT CAUSED THE DRIVELINE TO FALL AND SPIN HITTING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK INCLUDING THE GAS TANK AND CAUSED THE REAR WHEELS TO LOCKUP AND STOP TURNING. (GOOD THING I WAS ONLY GOING 5MPH)*AK
THERE WAS A NOISE FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR END BOLTS AND OTHER COMPONENTS CAME APART. THE DEALER REPLACED THE GEARS AND DIFFERENTIAL. THE ABS SYSTEM ALSO FAILED. *AK *NLM
BOTH REAR AXLES LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. . FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
REAR END HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, BUT STILL HAVE WHINE, DODGE TELLS DEALER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL THEY FIND PROBLEM, AND THAT HAS BEEN A 1YR AGO
AT 4,000 MILE DEALER REPLACED DIFFERENTIAL. WITHIN A YEAR DEALER REPLACED PARTS IN DIFFERENTIAL ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRED. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND SENT A REPRESENTATIVE. INFORMED THAT VEHICLE DID HAVE A DEFECT, AND SHOULD BE TURNED BACK IN. BUT, CONSUMER WANTED TO KEEP VEHICLE. *AK
REAR END GEARS ARE TRASHED. *AK
REAR END HAS BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES EACH TIME AT A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. EACH TIME NOISE REAPPEARED AT THE SAME SPEED, BUT THIS TIME THEIR IS ALSO A GRIND WHEN AT A STOP AND MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN. A ADDITIVE HAS BEEN ADDED TO REAR END BUT HAS NOT STOP GRINDING. DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THEY CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL THEY COULD FIND A SOLUTION. THEY TOLD WISON DODGE THIS THE FIRST TIME I HAD REAR END REPLACED AND THAT WAS OVER A YEAR AGO. ONLY DIFFERENCE NOW THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING AND MY TRUCK HAS 35,000 MILES ON IT. IT NOT THAT I HAVE NOT TRIED TO GET DODGE TO DO SOMETHING, I HAVE TO TRY TO GET ANOTHER DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE REAREND. THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN IN SHOP A TOTAL OF ABOUT 18 DAYS AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE TIME I HAVE SPENT AT DEALERSHIP WAIT TO HAVE TRUCK CHECKED FOR PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THIS TRUCK, FRONT SUSPENISON PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS, BUT BLACKWELL DODGE IS STILL WORKING ON PROBLEM. ANY HELP WILL BE GLADLY APPRECIATED. *AK
NOISE IN REAR DIFF. DEALER ADMITS THE PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT FIX
VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO CLEAR LAKE DODGE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM, AND NO PROBLEM WAS DETECTED.NEXT DAY THE OWNER REMOVED DRIVESHAFT AND FOUND WELDED BALANCE WEIGHT HAD COME OFF .OWNER TOOK DRIVESHAFT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND POINTED OUT PROBLEM AND NO SATISFACTOY SOLUTION WAS REACHED.
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.
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