Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Dodge Dakota submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
FRONT CV AXLE(HUB AND BEARING) FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. THE INTERMEDIATE AXLE ALSO NEEDS REPLACING DUE TO SEVERE RUST FROM CV AXLE. THE UPPER UPPER BALL JOINT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUETE VISABILITY AT NIGHT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO OPERATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
COMPUTER CONTROL OF HEADLIGHTS, INTERIOR AND DASH LIGHTING, AND POSSIBLY THE ABS SYSTEM AND THE INTERMITTENT WIPER CONTROL ARE AFFECTED. WITHOUT WARNING THESE SYSTEMS EITHER FAILED OR BECAME ERRATIC. VEHICLE EXHIBITS THESE MALFUNCTIONS BOTH STATIONARY AND IN MOTION, AND AT ALL SPEEDS. IT IS APPARENTLY NOT AN UNCOMMON ISSUE, AS PER INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET. THE (TEMPORARY?) FIX IS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY FOR 15+ MINUTES, POSSIBLE CAUSE: THE COMPUTER CONNECTORS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR DOME AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CENTRAL CONTROL TIMER MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND ALL THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE AND KEYLESS ENTRY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
DASH LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH ALONG WITH HEAD LIGHTS, THEN WENT OUT. TIME WAS 10:30 PM TO DARK TO DRIVE RURAL ROADS. *TR
THE STEREO SYSTEM STOP WORKING, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE FLICKERING AND EVEN WHEN THE DOORS ARE PERFECTLY CLOSED AND I AM WEARING MY SEAT BELL THE ALARM ( BELL SOUND) START SOUNDING WHEN I REACH THE 10 MPH SPEED. *TR
RECALL ID # 03V389000: ON 2001 DODGE DAKOTA WIRING HARNESS REROUTING/REPAIR RECALL ID#09EO12000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING RECALL ID#09EO25000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING HEADLIGHTS THE 2001 DODGE DAKOTA WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH TURN SIGNALS ,TAIL LIGHT, DASH LIGHTING, & RADIO FAILURE I HAVE TALKED TO 20 OR 30 DAKOTA OWNERS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION &SAME PROBLEMS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOOR LOCKS,AIR BAG, HEAD LIGHTS, AND WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE CMT MODULE AND THE CLOCK SPRING MODULE.THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,990 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HIS 2001 DODGE DAKOTA HOME AT NIGHT, ON A COUNTRY ROAD, AROUND AUGUST 5, 2008 AND THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF. WHEN HE GOT HOME, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT HAYWIRE, THE HORN CONTINUED TO HONK, THE DOOR LOCKS BEGAN LOCKING AND UNLOCKING, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. WE FOUND OUT THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE (CMT) AND CLOCK SPRING HAD FAILED AND WAS TOLD THE TRUCK WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WE HAD BOTH REPAIRED FOR $530. I WAS TOLD THAT RECALLS EXISTED ON SEVERAL DODGE VEHICLES BUT NOT ONE OF THEM SPECIFIED OUR TRUCK. I CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY JUST SAID IT WAS NOT MY TRUCK SO I WAS OUT OF LUCK. I THEN DID SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ON-LINE AND FOUND SEVERAL FORUMS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR OF TRUCK, PLUS SEVERAL OTHERS, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY HELP FROM DODGE EITHER. THIS IS A REALLY SERIOUS MALFUNCTION AND COULD OF CAUSE A VERY BAD ACCIDENT. I JUST NEED DODGE TO OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM AND REIMBURSE US FOR THE REPAIRS WE HAD. ALSO ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM ON ALL DODGE VEHICLES, BEFORE SOMEONE GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR
THE FUSE FOR MY DIMMER SWITCH KEPT BLOWING. AND I KEPT REPLACING. BECAUSE WITH OUT IT IN I CAN NOT SEE GAUGES. AND MY OUTSIDE MARKER LIGHT FUSE KEPT DOING SAME. I REPLACED FUSES AGAIN TODAY THEY IMMEDIATELY BLEW. I ROTATED THE DIMMER SWITCH TO THE LOWEST POSITION. AGAIN I REPLACED FUSES. THEN I TURNED ON LIGHTS AND SLOWLY ROTATED DIMMER SWITCH UP AND I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM CORNER OF INSTRUMENT PANEL NEAR WHERE SWITCH SETS IN DASH. *TR
I HAVE A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. ONE HEADLIGHT BULB FAILED. THE VEHICLE MANUAL INSTRUCTS ONE TO REMOVE TWO BOLTS TO ACCESS THE BULB. THIS BULB IS SUBJECT TO THE WEATHER AND HAS RUSTED. I NEED TO REPLACE THE BOLTS. DODGE INDICATES THAT THE BOLT IS NOT SOLD SEPARATELY AND IS PART OF THE HEADLIGHT UNIT. THIS UNIT IS $250.00. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ABSURD AMOUNT TO PAY FOR A BOLT WHICH IS REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITH FUNCTIONAL HEADLIGHTS. *JB
MOVEMENT OF TILT STEERING WHEEL IN LOWER HALF OF RANGE WILL CAUSE SHORT-CIRCUIT OF TURN SIGNAL OPERATION. LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNAL WILL BE INOPERATIVE. RADIO CIRCUIT ALSO AFFECTED. MOVEMENT BACK INTO UPPER HALF OF RANGE WILL CORRECT PROBLEM. AS OF DATE NO REPAIR HAS BEEN ATTEMPTED. *NM
FOR THE 2ND TIME THE FAN MOTOR FOR THE A/C,HEATER HAS STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. THE DEALER HAD THE TRUCK FOR OVER A WEEK THE FIRST AND IT REALLY NEVER SEEM TO WORK RIGHT. THE FRONT HEAD LIGHTS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. *JB
DT: THE DASHLIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLASHING AND HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL. ALSO, THE REMOTE WOULD NOT OPEN DOORS, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HAVD TO REPLACE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE (CTM). DEALER UNHOOKED THE MODULE AND CONECTED IT BACK, AND ITWORKED FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. *AK
HEADLIGHTS TURNING OFF AND ON AND FLASHING WHILE DRIVING, POWER DOOR LOCKS NOT WORKING DURING THIS TIME. IF INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE ON AT THIS TIME THEY WOULD FLASH ON AND OFF ALSO. FOUND PREVIOUS YEAR MODELS OF DODGE RAM'S AND DAKOTA'S HAVE SAME PROBLEM WHICH WAS RECALLED. CENTRAL TIMER MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED AND REPROGRAMMED. A VEHICLE WITH 60,000 MILES SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. COULD ONLY DRIVE IN DAYLIGHT HOURS UNTIL PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED AT MY EXPENSE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB AT NIGHT, ALL OF THE LIGHTS (EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR) STARTED FLASHING INTERMITTENTLY. THIS COULD EASILY STARTLE THE DRIVER OR THE DRIVERS OF OTHER VEHICLES, AND COULD LEAVE THE VEHICLE WITH NO LIGHTS. DEALER DIAGNOSIS REVEALED A BAD CENTRAL TIMER MODULE (CTM) WHICH CONTROLS THE LIGHTING SYSTEM OF THE VEHICLE. ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE GATHERED ON VARIOUS DODGE FORUMS REVEALED SEVERAL INSTANCES OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. DAIMLER CHRYSLER SHOULD BE QUERIED ON HOW MANY OF THESE MODULES THEY ARE REPLACING ON 1998-2004 DODGE DAKOTAS.
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL 03V389000 REPAIRS CONCERNING DASHBOARD WIRING HARNESS. THE REPAIRS WERE DONE, BUT VEHICLE WAS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS/ HORN/ INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEMS. THE DEALER WAS ASKING CONSUMER TO PAY $500 TO DIAGNOSES AND RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS REQUESTING A CALL BACK.*AK
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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