2004 Dodge Dakota Brakes Problems

AT VARIOUS TIMES THE BRAKES SEEM TO LOCK UP WHEN COMING TO A STOP QUICKLY. THIS NEVER HAPPENS WHEN BRAKING NORMALLY, ONLY WHEN NEEDING TO BRAKE QUICKLY AND HARD. ALSO HAPPENS AT TIMES DURING NORMAL BRAKING, BUT THEN NEEDING TO ACCELERATE, THEN BRAKING AGAIN QUICKLY. THIS IS DANGEROUS IN WET WEATHER AS THE BRAKES LOCK MOMENTARILY AND THE TIRES HYDROPLANE, IT APPEARS TO BE THE REAR BRAKES DOING THIS, THEY RELEASE QUICKLY BUT THE MOMENTARY LOCK-UP IS DANGEROUS. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO DIDN'T FIND A CAUSE FOR THIS, BUT SAID MAYBE THE ABS WAS PERIODICAL FAILING, AS IT ONLY HAPPENS SPORADICALLY; BUT USUALLY WHEN NEEDING TO BRAKE HARD AS IN AN EMERGENCY. I'VE NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL ORDERS ON MY VEHICLE AND HAVE LIVED AT SAME ADDRESS SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10583700

Incident

Apr 12, 2006

Mileage

9,580 mi

I OWN A 2004 DAKOTA QUAD 4X4 WITH 78K MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW AND HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT. MOST OF THE MILES ARE HIGHWAY AND IT HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN OFF ROAD. SINCE ITS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY I GOT ONLINE TO RESEARCH A DIY SOLUTION. I FOUND THAT MANY OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD AND ARE HAVING ARE NOT JUST BEING EXPERIENCED BY MYSELF BUT OTHER DAKOTA OWNERS. 1) STEERING ISSUES THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN AT TIMES BOTH GOING INTO AND COMING OUT OF A TURN. THIS STARTED HAPPENING IN FEB 2009 WITH 71K ON IT. IT IS MUCH MORE PREVALENT IN COLD WEATHER. I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK UNTIL THE WEATHER WARMED UP. (I HAVE NOT HAD THIS FIXED YET.) 2) BRAKE ISSUES 27K I HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT ROTORS AND THE REAR DRUMS TURNED AND NEW PADS AND SHOES INSTALLED AND HAD THE BRAKE FLUID CHANGED. 46K I HAD TO HAVE NEW FRONT ROTORS AND PADS ALONG WITH THE BRAKE FLUID CHANGED 77K REAR BRAKES BEGAN MAKING NOISE. THE PARKING BRAKE PAD HAD FALLEN OFF. I NOW NEED NEW REAR DRUMS AND SHOES AND PARKING BRAKE SHOE. ( I HAVE NOT HAD THIS FIXED YET) 3)SUSPENSION 77K I NEED A FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT PROBABLY DUE TO EXCESS STRAIN FROM THE DEFECTIVE STEERING. ( I HAVE NOT HAD THIS FIXED YET). *TR

NHTSA ID

10284825

Incident

Feb 12, 2009

Mileage

71,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, HEARD CLUNKING NOISE THAT SEEMED TO COME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE APPEARED NORMAL, INCLUDING THE WHEELS. I CHECKED UNDER HOOD AND UNDER FRONT END AND FOUND NOTHING BROKEN, MISSING OR LEAKING AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL LATER FELL OFF WITH ALL STUDS SHEARED OFF. ALSO, ONE LUG NUT ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS MISSING AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE FOUND TO BE LOOSE, WITH SEVERAL STUDS CRACKED. BOTH WHEELS HAD BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED AND TIGHTEN SOME MONTHS EARLIER. TO CORRECT, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS REPLACED. ALL STUDS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS AND ALL LUG NUTS WERE REPLACED. ALSO, THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE FELL ONTO THE LEFT FRONT ROTOR.*TR

NHTSA ID

10283378

Incident

Aug 23, 2009

Mileage

103,000 mi

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I KEPT HEARING NOISES FROM THE BRAKES AND FRONT END. THIS WAS GOING INTO THE 2ND YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. MY DODGE DAKOTA HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP AT LEAST 15 TIMES FOR THE SAME THING. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE STEERING PARTS, SWAY BAR, BRAKES ROTORS, CALIBER AND STILL MAKE A A MOANING GROANING NOISE WHEN EVER I TURN OR GO OVER BUMPS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10242546

Incident

Apr 12, 2005

Mileage

240,000 mi

AT 20K MY 2004 DAKOTA TRUCK NEEDS NEW BRAKES AND ROTORS. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY ARE BLUE FROM GETTING TOO HOT. MY 1999 DAKOTA JUST HAD NEW BRAKES AND ROTORS AND STILL HAD PLENTY OF PAD ON THEM AT 84K. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207571

Incident

Oct 31, 2007

2004/DODGE TRUCK/DAKOTA, REAR CALIPERS FAILED BY SEIZING. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH OF THEM BEFORE EVEN REPLACING THE BRAKE PADS. TOTAL MILEAGE ON THE TRUCK WAS 45,518.*AK

NHTSA ID

10186017

Incident

Mar 14, 2007

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED IN NOVEMBER 2005 WHILE TOWING A BOAT ON A BRIDGE THE BRAKES FAILED. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DODGE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE LINE AND CALIPER. THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE FINE UNTIL DECEMBER 2006 WHEN HE HEARD A SCRAPING NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FIRESTONE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD IT HAD TWO DIFFERENT CALIPERS ON IT, ONE WHICH BELONGED TO A DODGE RAM 1500. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DODGE DEALER. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE DODGE DEALER REPLACED THE CALIPER WITH AN INCORRECT CALIPER DURING THE BRAKE LINE REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THE DODGE DEALER WOULD NOT VERIFY THIS. THE CONTACT HAD NEW CALIPERS AND A ROTOR PLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD UNDER 36,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF FAILURE BECAUSE IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE CONTACT HAS THE OLD PARTS, PICTURES AND REPAIR INVOICES. *AK UPDATED 02/06/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10178301

Incident

Nov 1, 2005

ROTORS WARPED / DAMAGED. BRAKE ROTORS ARE SEVERELY WARPED. BRAKE PADS HAVE MORE THAN 35% LIFE AND THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT GIVE ANY EXPLANATION WHY THE ROTORS ARE DAMAGED. I CALLED DODGE CORPORATION CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WILL NOT HELP. VEHICLE MAINTAINED ONLY AT DODGE DEALERSHIPS AND ALL SERVICE HAS BEEN PERFORMED ACCORDING TO DODGE RECOMMENDATION SINCE PURCHASED NEW. *NM

NHTSA ID

10161056

Incident

Jun 1, 2006

Mileage

28,000 mi

WARPING OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ON DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB WITH 16,000 MILES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10154505

Incident

Mar 29, 2006

I AM LOOKING FOR ALL PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO SPEAK TO MY ATTORNEY ABOUT PROBLEMS THEY ARE HAVING WITH THEIR 04 DAKOTA'S. I HAVE HAD CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END, WHIRLING NOISE AT IDLING GETS LOUDER WHEN BLINKER ON, WINDOWS MAKE CLUNKING NOISE WHILE ROLLING UP OR DOWN, SEVER E SHAKING WHILE BRAKING ( WARPED ROTORS), TRANSMISSION LEAKING, AND THE LIST GOES ON. I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF LEMON LAW AND IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO BE ABLE TO FIND AN ATTORNEY. THIS ONE IS EXCELLENT.*JB

NHTSA ID

10144718

Incident

Dec 24, 2004

I HAVE A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA 4 DOOR CAB 2 WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK. THE BRAKES FAILED AT LESS THAN 12,000 MILES. THEY WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER AND FAILED AGAIN LESS THAN 8,000 MILES LATER. I HAD TO PAY FOR THAT FAILURE. THE SYMPTOMS WERE SHIMMY/SHAKE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. I HAD NOT MADE ANY PANIC STOPS AND MOST OF THE DRIVING HAD BEEN ON INTERSTATE OR STATE HIGHWAYS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10143849

Incident

May 15, 2005

Mileage

12,000 mi

HERE'S WHAT I SUBMITTED TO THE DODGE WEBSITE: LAST NIGHT I RETURNED FROM MY DODGE DEALERSHIP AFTER HAVING NEW BRAKE PADS AND NEW ROTORS INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVING FINE AND THE BRAKES ARE OPERATING PERFECTLY. THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, WES, WAS HELPFUL AND PROFESSIONAL. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK SPENDING $900 ON NEW ROTORS SHOULD BE REQUIRED AFTER TWO YEARS OF OPERATION AND LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. I AM METICULOUS ABOUT MAINTENANCE AND TIRE ROTATION. I DO NOT RIDE THE TRUCK HARD AND ALL OF MY DRIVING IS COUNTRY, NOT CITY, MILEAGE. EVEN YOUR DODGE PERSONNEL COULD NOT GIVE ME ANY REASON WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO SOON. I AM NOT A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH EITHER THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKES OR THE MATERIALS OR COMPONENTS USED IN THE BRAKE DESIGN. I BOUGHT A NEW '91 DODGE DAYTONA AND SAID I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE DUE TO PROBLEMS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS. IN 2003, I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE DODGE ANOTHER SHOT AND BOUGHT A NEW LOADED, DAKOTA TRUCK. REST ASSURED, THIS WILL BE THE LAST DODGE VEHICLE I EVER OWN. SINCERELY, WILLIAM WILSON. *JB

NHTSA ID

10141814

Incident

Nov 5, 2005

Mileage

48,750 mi

TOOK DELIVERY OF TRUCK ON 6/24/04 WITH 341 MILES AT DELIVERY. NOT EVEN SIX MONTHS LATER, 12/16/04 IN FOR SERVICE DUE TO VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING. THEY REPLACED BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS, MILEAGE 12,031. A LITTLE OVER SIX MONTHS LATER, 6/27/05 IN FOR SERVICE AGAIN, FOR THE SAME VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING. AGAIN THEY REPLACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS, MILEAGE 25,033. WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT CHRYSLER WILL NOT WARRANTY THEM AGAIN, THIS WAS THE LAST TIME THEY WOULD WARRANTY THE BRAKES. ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, AT APPROXIMATELY 33,000 MILES NOTICED THE VIBRATION AGAIN. CALLED THE DEALER AND WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD HAVE TO CALL THE (800) NUMBER AND SEE WHAT THEY SAID. FIRST SPOKE WITH MATT, THEN WAS TRANSFERRED TO DON IN OUT OF WARRANTY DEPARTMENT (WHEN CALLING THE 800 NUMBER) I WAS TOLD THAT IF IT WAS CAUSED BY THE CALIPERS THEY WOULD PAY TO REPAIR THE CALIPERS AND ROTORS, HOWEVER IF IT WAS DUE TO THE ROTORS ONLY, WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE REPAIR. ASKED ABOUT THE LEMON LAWS, AS THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN FOR THE SAME REPAIR SINCE OWNING THE TRUCK. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SOMEONE HAVING THIS MUCH TROUBLE WITH BRAKES. THIS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, BRAKES SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 12, 0000 MILES. WAS FURTHER TOLD BY DON, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT MY STATE ATTORNEYS OFFICE TO DEAL WITH THE LEMON LAW ISSUE. IN LOOKING AT THE LEMON LAW BOOK THAT I WAS PROVIDED UPON DELIVER OF MY TRUCK IT STATES I SHOULD CONTACT CHRYSLER/DODGE IN WRITING BY MAIL OR CONTACT THROUGH WEBSITE. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST DODGE TRUCK, BUT AFTER THIS ORDEAL I AM STARTING TO THINK IT WILL BE MY LAST, WITH THE PROBLEM I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH THIS BRAKE ISSUE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10140596

Incident

Dec 16, 2004

Mileage

12,031 mi

I HAVE A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA WITH 19,000 MILES. BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPED BEYOND REPAIR. BRAKE PADS STILL LOOK BRAND NEW THOUGH. DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND DEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEMS WITH SEVERAL OWNERS COMPLAINING OF ROTORS, YET NOTHING IS BEING DONE. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10134415

Incident

Aug 27, 2005

Mileage

18,000 mi

2004 DODGE DAKOTA WITH 14,000 MILES TRUCK <1YEAR OLD FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED NOT COVERED BY CHRYSLER FROM SEARCHING THE INTERNET IT APPEARS THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM AS NUMERIOUS OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM IN DODGE DAKOTA TRUCKS. ROTORS SOULD NOT WARP IN 14,00 MILE S UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A MATERIAL DEFECT IN THE ROTORS. I HAVE REPLACED BRAKES NUMERIOUS TIMES ON OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED AND NEVER HAD THIS OCCUR WITH SO FEW MILES.

NHTSA ID

10128853

Incident

Jun 10, 2005

Mileage

16,000 mi

FRONT END EXPERIENCED SEVERE SHAKING WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE ROTORS WERE MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY. VEHICLE'S WEIGHT WAS MORE THAN WHAT THE FRONT ROTORS COULD SUPPORT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10105554

Incident

Jul 30, 2004

Mileage

15,000 mi

BOUGHT DAKOTA NEW JAN,04 AT 10000,15000,AND 18000ROTORS WERE REPLACED FOR SHAKE IN TK WHEN BRAKING STILL HAS PROBLEM FRONT HUBS AND BEARINGS REPLACED HAS POPPING NOISE IN FRONT END WHEN TURNING SOMETIMES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TRUCK PULLS TO LEFT FRONT DRIVESHAFT AND DRIVER WINDOW REGULATER HAS BEEN REPLACED ALSO 2 SENSORS IN TRANS REPLACED.TEMPERATURE GUAGE WENT ALL THE WAY TO HOT 1 TIME WHEN TRUCK WAS STARTED. WISH DODGE WOULD JUST BUY IT BACK.MY FIRST AND LAST DODGE EVER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10104512

Incident

Apr 18, 2004

Mileage

10,000 mi

I OWN A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA [XXX]. I NOW HAVE 40,000 MILES ON IT. MY FRONT BRAKES (DISC) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THREE TIMES DUE TO PULSATING. THIS PULSATING IS ATTRIBUTED TO ROTORS WARPING. THE ROTOR WARPING IS CAUSED BY TOO MUCH HEAT FRICTION IN THE FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM. AS A RESULT, THE ROTORS WARP CAUSING A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS IN BRAKING POWER. THE BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS WERE ALSO REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY WERE 'LOOSE' AND THEY MADE A CLUNKING SOUND OFTEN. SINCE THE PARTS WERE REPLACED, THE SAME SOUND STILL OCCURS LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE OEM PARTS ARE FAULTY. I DO NOT USE THIS VEHICLE FOR MEDIUM OR HEAVY LOADS AT ANY TIME; I DO, HOWEVER, USE THIS VEHICLE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS IN THE CAPACITY OF A PASSENGER VEHICLE.*AK UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10104379

Incident

Dec 23, 2004

Mileage

10,000 mi

GOT DODGE DAKOTA 4X2 BRAND NEW. BRAKES SQUEALED AFTER 6,000 MILES, FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 12,000 MILES THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHILE TURNING, TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, SAID IT WAS FIXED. IT WAS NOT FIXED. AT 14,000 MILES, BOTH TIE RODS SNAPPED WHILE MAKING A TURN FROM A COMPLETE STOP. FIXED UNDER WARENTY. NOW AT 15,000 MILES, THE CLUNKING NOISE IS BACK WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND MAKING TURN. THESE CARS ARE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10100058

Incident

Jul 26, 2004

Mileage

6,000 mi

WHEN BRAKE ROTORS HEAT UP THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. AT FIRST SHAKING IS MINOR NOT ALWAYS NOTICEABLE. BUT AS BRAKES HEAT AND COOL STEERING WHEEL SHAKE BECOMES WORSE AND HAPPENS EVERY TIME BRAKES ARE APPLIED. SEVERE STEERING WHEEL SHAKE BECOMES DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN BRAKING. CHRYSLER STATES NOT A WARRANTY ITEM AS BRAKES ONLY COVERED FOR 12,000 MILES AND MY COMPLAINT IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10093114

Incident

Aug 30, 2004

Mileage

11,000 mi

CRUISE CONTROL WOULD ENGAGE ITSELF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ALSO, A LOUD POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD WHILE BRAKING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. DEALER REPLACED BOTH ROTORS AND BRAKE LIGHT 4 TIMES DUE TO MOISTURE BUILD UP. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10092810

Incident

Mar 24, 2004

Mileage

4,000 mi

WHEN SLOWING DOWN BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED, AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10092572

Incident

Jul 16, 2004

Mileage

13,300 mi

LOUD THUNKING NOISE COMES FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. REP FROM CHRYSLER STATED THIS WAS COMING FROM THE GAS TANK . THERE IS A VIBRATION BETWEEN 30-45 MPH COMING FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN. REP STATED THIS WAS "NORMAL".THERE IS ALSO A LOUD WHIRRING NOISE COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP. REP ALSO STATES THIS IS NORMAL.BEARING NOSIE IS COMING FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP. MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA SXT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES AND THE DEALER STILL CANNOT FIX. THE REP FROM CHRYSLER STATED THIS IS THE "BEST" TRUCK DODGE HAS EVER BUILT. I'D HATE TO SEE THE WORST! SO FAR THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE AC CONDENSER, COMPLETE RACK & PINION STEERING SYSTEM, COMPLETE DRIVE SHAFT, REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING, REAR SWAYBAR LINKS, THE BRAKES SHUDDER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP , LEFT FRONT BRAKE SQUEAL, FRONT END NEEDED ALIGNING AFTER RACK & PINION STEERING REPLACEMENT . TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING FROM TAIL SHAFT SEAL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10063654

Incident

Mar 17, 2004

Mileage

1,500 mi