1979 Dodge Sport Utility Brakes Problems

MY 2001 GRAND CHEROKEE IS EXPERIENCING A SEVERE VIBRATION PROBLEMS WHEN BRAKING. I'VE CONTACTED THE NW JEEP DEALERSHIP IN BEAVERTON OREGON AND THEY HAVE INFORMED ME THIS PROBLEM IS NOT TAKEN CARE BY THE JEEP CORPORATION. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN INHERIT DEFECT TO THE CAR SINCE I HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM FIXED A YEAR AGO AND NOW THEY ARE REFUSING TO FIX THE SAME ISSUE SINCE IT IS NOT UNDER WARANTEE ANY LONGER. I'VE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL JEEP OWNER ON THE SIMILAR VINTAGE VEHICLE AND THEY ARE ALSO HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FORCE THE JEEP CORPOARTION TO PUT THE VEHICLE AS A RECALL ITEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10075390

Incident

Jun 14, 2004

STARTED 2001 GRAND CARAVAN EX AFTER SHOPPING RUN,ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL CHECK LIGHTS REMAINED ON. PULLED OVER TWICE AND RESTARTED,SAME LIGHTS STAYED ON. VEHICLE HAD 26,078 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS OCCURRED. CHECKED BRAKE FLUID LEVEL,O.K. LUCKILY FOR OUR FAMILY,THE VEHICLE STILL HAD ENOUGH BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE,THOUGH COMPROMISED (SQUISHY,NOT FIRM, SECURE AND CONTROLLED AS IT WAS PRIOR TO THE OCCURRENCE), AND THE BRAKES COULD STILL BE USED TO STOP VEHICLE. CHECK THE VEHICLE AGAIN AFTER A FEW HOURS(CHECKED BRAKE FLUID AGAIN, ABS FUSE CHECKED-OUT O.K.,STARTED VEHICLE)NO CHANGE. NO CHANGE THE NEXT DAY. *LA

NHTSA ID

10074475

Incident

May 28, 2004

Mileage

26,078 mi

SECOND TIME TO GO TO DEALERSHIP ABOUT WARPED ROTORS. THEY TRY TO GET AWAY WITH JUST TURNING THEM, BUT ISSUE JUST RETURNS. DC HAS SOME MAJOR ISSUES WITH THEIR ROTORS AND SAFETY IS A MAJOR FACTOR, BUT THE WAY THEY ARE DEALING WITH THE SITUATION ALSO NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10056613

Incident

Feb 4, 2004

TRUCK SHAKES WHEN BRAKING AT SLOW OR MODERATE SPEED. REPLACED FRONT ROTORS AND PADS THREE MONTHS AGO AT 38,000 MILES. NOW WITH 43,000 MILES THE SHAKING HAS RETURNED. *LA

NHTSA ID

10042996

Incident

Jul 5, 2003

BRAKE ROTOR ON MY 2000 DODGE DAKOTA HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN TWICE AND REPLACE ONCE IN 30,000 MILES. THE WAS DUE TO EXCESSIVE PULSATING AND DEGRADATION OF STOPPING ABILITY. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE OCCURRENCE OF REDUCED BRAKING POWER. THIS PROBLEM IS OCCURING ONCE AGAIN AND NEEDS TO BE REMEDIED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DODGE THAT IS IS NORMAL WEAR AND WILL HAPPEN. A WARPED BRAKE ROTOR IS NOT CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR. THE PULSATION OF THE BRAKES CAN EASILY CAUSE SOMEONE TO LOSE CONTROL ON A SLIPPERY SURFACE. IT IS ALSO CONCIEVABLE THAT THE ABS SYSTEM MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN THE ROTOR IS WARPED. PLEASE LOOK FURTHER INTO THIS, THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ID

10037275

Incident

Sep 5, 2003

Mileage

51,000 mi

WHIE DRIVING 45 MILES PER HOUR I HAD STEP ON MY BRAKE TO STOP THE TRUCK. I HAD TO SVERVE TO THE RIGHT SO I WOULDN'T HIT THE CAR. ALSO I HAD THE BRAKES WORKED AND NOW MY ROTORS HAVE HEAT CRACKS AFTER BEING REPLACED. NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE AGAIN THIS THE FOUTH TIME. DEALER SAY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES JUST THAT THEY ARE WEARING OUT FRONT ROTORS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10032773

Incident

Mar 9, 2003

WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2002. THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD 49,000 MILES ON IT. THE COST WAS OVER $900.00. LESS THAN A YEAR LATER, AT 62,000 MILES THE UPPER BALL JOINT AND TIE ROD ENDS AND BRAKES AND ROTORS NEED REPLACED. *PH

NHTSA ID

10030543

Incident

May 20, 2003

Mileage

51,000 mi

FROM THE DAY I SAW THAT 96 DODGE TRUCK ROLLING DOWN THE STREET I FELL IN LOVE. I SAVED EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO PURCHASE THE BIG BAD 1500 4X4 5.9(98)WITH EVERY OPTION AVAIL. HAD EVERYTHING AND FROM WEEK 1 HAD PROBLEMS. FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING "DUE TO FRAME STRESS" IT ABOUT 2 WEEKS INTO IT. BRAKE FAILURE CAUSE SERIOUS ASSAULT ON GUARD RAIL, AND DODGE SAID I MUST HAVE BEEN DRIVING TO FAST (@ 30 MPH). THEY REFUSED ANY WARRANTY BECAUSE "NOTHING CAN TOUCH THE WHEEL" AND SINCE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER 93 DAYS LEMON LAWS DID NOT APPLY SO AFTER (2) $900 BRAKE JOBS TWO WEEKS APART EVERYTHING WAS FINE. NOT TO MENTION DAMAGE TO BODY I PAID FOR OUT OF POCKET. NOW I JUST GO THROUGH AN ENTIRE SET OF BRAKES EVERY 6 MONTHS. BUT I STOP UNTIL THEN.. I REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT 38 K MILES, NOTE THE WARRANTY ON THAT IS 36 K MILES. I HAVE HAD STEERING LINKAGE BECOME SO LOOSE INSTANTANEOUSLY (OR 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS) THAT IT FELT LIKE I WAS RUNNING OVER MY OWN AXLE, WHICH IS ANOTHER $1000 EACH TIME. FOR THE PAST THREE EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS THE ON BOARD COMPUTER FAILS SO I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHILE THEY CHARGE $200 TO FIX IT, BUT WILL NOT GIVE STRAIGHT ANSWER TO WHAT IS PROBLEM. AND TO NIGHT AS I TYPE, I SPREAD THE GRIME OF ENGINE CRUD ACROSS MY KEYBOARD AS I TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE FUEL FILTER SUDDENLY STOPPED. AMAZINGLY I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK FOR 5 YEARS BECAUSE IT HAS KEPT ME TOO BROKE TO BUY SOMETHING ELSE. ANY "LEGAL" SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT CAN BE DONE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. I RECOGNIZE I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $15,000 TRYING TO KEEP THIS THING RUNNING RIGHT, AND THAT IS TOO MUCH FOR A "LATE MODEL" TRUCK. I WOULD LOVE TO BLAME A DEALER BUT I HAVE BEEN TO JUST ABOUT ALL OF THEM AROUND HERE AND WITH THE SMILES ON THERE FACES I HEAR "THAT WILL BE ANOTHER $950 SIR".. GOOD GRIEF. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010863

Incident

Mar 21, 2003

WHEN REQUIRING TO STOP QUICKLY, FRONT BRAKES LOCK UP, AND VEHICLE SKIDS, REAR ANTI-LOCKS WORK BUT DONT KEEP VEHICLE FROM SKIDDING. CLICKING NOISE FROM UNDER DASH WHEN THIS HAPPENS. HAVE HAD SEVERAL ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. EVEN AT 35 MPH ON DRY STREET THEY STILL LOCK UP. DEALER WOULDNT TALK TO ME, REFERED ME TO DODGE COMPLAINTS, THEY TESTED THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND READ THAT THE COMPUTER SHOWED NO FAILURE IN BRAKING SYSTEM.

NHTSA ID

10002656

Incident

Sep 2, 2001

Mileage

85,000 mi