1997 Dodge Dakota problems

“PREMATURE WEAR AND FAILURE OF UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. TRUCK WAS MAKING POPPING NOISES WHEN YOU TURNED THE WHEEL OR WENT OVER BUMPS. TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC; MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE SCARY BAD. MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT IF I HAD NOT BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN THE FRONT WHEELS COULD HAVE BROKEN OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO WRECK. *JS”

“THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPER BOLTS TO THE STEERING KNUCKLE ON A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA, 4WD. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE DESIGN, THE THREADS THAT HOLD THE BRAKE CALIPER MOUNTING STUDS CAN STRIP OUT, THEREBY LEAVING THE CALIPER TO FLOAT ON THE KNUCKLE. UNDER PROLONGED USE, THESE STUDS CAN BACK OUT, LETTING THE CALIPER FALL OFF, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH. ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE, THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR THE THIRD TIME NOW, ONCE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND TWICE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE THREADS STRIP OUT, AND THE MOUNTING BOSS SECTION IS SO SMALL THAT A LARGER THREAD CANNOT BE RETAPPED WITHOUT DANGER OF BREAKING THE HOLE OUT. AUTO PARTS SUPPLIERS SELL SLIGHTLY OVERSIZE, SELF TAPPING STUDS, BUT THESE DO NOT LAST LONG. THE STEERING KNUCKLE IS A VERY PRICEY PART (ON THE ORDER OF $600 JUST FOR THE PART) AND CONTINUING REPLACEMENT IS COST PROHIBITIVE. MY VEHICLE IS APPARENTLY NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, AS A SEARCH OF SALVAGE YARDS REVEALED NUMEROUS STRIPPED OUT THREADS ON VEHICLES WHERE THE STEERING KNUCKLE WAS ACTUALLY AVAILABLE. *TR”

“CAR LOST POWER AND LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SCANNER SHOWED CODE P0740; TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM. HAD TO OVERHAUL TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER. *JS”

“CATALYTIC CONVERTER INSPECTION. THERE IS A RECALL OUT FOR 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE WITH A 4.0 LITER ENGINE AND 1997 DODGE DAKOTA WITH A 2.5 LITER ENGINE. I HAVE A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA WITH A 3.9 ENGINE AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT ARE IN THE 2 MODELS DESCRIBED ABOVE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER RATTLES. *NM”

“MY HUSBAND AND I WERE IN A WRECK 01/02/06 WITH HIS 97 DODGE DAKOTA SLT CLUB CAB, WE HIT 2 DEER AT 50-55 MPH HEAD ON. OUR AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE NOTIFIED CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS MATTER. THEY SENT OUT A SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR TO GO OVER THE TRUCK TO SEE WHY THEY DID NOT DEPLOY, WE WERE ADVISED BY MY HUSBANDS INSURANCE COMPANY TO BE PRESENT AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION, WE TOLD THIS TO CHRYSLERS SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR. MY HUSBAND WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE TRUCK WAS TO BE TAKEN TO THE SI DIDN'T SHOW UP MY HUSBAND CAME HOME, I CALLED THE BODY SHOP THAT HAD THE TRUCK AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE SI HAD COME AND LOOKED AT THE TRUCK THERE AND THEN WAS WANTING IT TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I TOLD THE BODY SHOP NOT TO ALLOW THE TRUCK TO BE MOVED WITHOUT US PRESENT, THEY WENT AHEAD AND DID IT ANYWAY. ALONG WITH CONTACT OVER THE AIRBAGS WITH CHRYSLER I WAS MADE AWARE OF 1 RECALL, THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF. NOW IN MY RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND 5 RECALLS THAT WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF. I WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING, I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. WE HAVE NO VEHICLE AT ALL, CHRYSLER IS DRAGGING THEIR FEET ABOUT DOING ANYTHING AS FAR AS TELLING…”

“LOCKED VEHICLE IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HIGH, STARTED GOING THROUGH FLAT PASTURE, EITHER BRAKES LOCKED UP OR FRONT PUMKIN TURNED UP AND LOCKED FRONT WHEELS UP, LOST CONTROL AND ROLLED ONTO DRIVER SIDE. *TR”