1997 Dodge Dakota engine and engine cooling problems

“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”

“I OWN A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA SLT. THE ENGINE IS A 5.2 V8 WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES MY COMPLAINT STARTED AROUND 40,000 MILES. I AM GETTING A SEVERE SPARK KNOCK AND A TREMENDOUS OIL CONSUMPTION 2.5 QUARTS EVERY TWO HUNDRED MILES. THEY INSTALLED FAULTY ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENUM PAN GASKETS. THROUGH MY EXTENSIVE RESEARCH THERE HAVE BEEN COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS ON THIS. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CHECKED MY GAUGES I HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME BECAUSE MY ENGINE STALLED!!! THE DODGE DEALER TOLD ME THIS IS VERY COMMON, SO WHY ARE THEY NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY? *NM”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH A KNOCKING AND PINGING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACED DUE TO OIL SLUDGE. THE VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 6/12/2006 -*NM”

“OUR 1997 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK'S ENGINE FAILED THIS PAST FEBRUARY DUE TO THE LACK OF OIL PRESSURE. WE THEN HAD TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US WE NEEDED TO GET A NEW ENGINE PUT IN SINCE OUR ENGINE WAS FULL OF SLUDGE AND HE SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE LACK OF CHANGING OUR OIL. MY WIFE AND I KNEW THIS WAS NOT THE CASE AT ALL SINCE WE ALWAYS HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES AND WE COULD NOT FIGURE OUT HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. AFTER PAYING $5,000 FOR A NEW ENGINE, WE WERE OUTRAGED AND DID OUR OWN RESEARCH ONLINE ABOUT THE CHRYSLER ENGINES AND FOUND THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE CHRYSLER ENGINES EVERYWHERE. THE ONLY THING WE'VE NOTICED IN OUR RESEARCH IS THAT THE COMPLAINTS ARE STEMMING FROM THE SMALLER 2.7 LITER ENGINES, BUT WE HAVE A 3.9 LITER ENGINE WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THERE IS CLEARLY A DEFECT WITH THE CHRYSLER ENGINES REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE ENGINE. CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS SINCE THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE PUTTING OUT THE DEFECTIVE ENGINES THAT ARE CAUSING ALL OF THE SLUDGE TO BUILD UP IN THEIR ENGINES!! *NM”

“TWO DRIVER SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKE OFF. THESE TWO BOLTS WHERE HOLDING ON THE HEAT SHIELD. THE HEAT SHIELD DROP DOWN AND WEDGED IT SELF BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND STEERING SHAFT. THE STEERING SHAFT IS NOW SCORED. THE ONLY REASON I FOUND THIS WAS THAT I KNOW WHAT AN EXHAUST LEAK SOUNDS LIKE AND WENT SEARCHING. IF I DIDN'T I WOULD HAVE NEVER FOUND IT UNTIL MY STEERING SHAFT SEPARATED. *JB”

“CONSUMER WAS REPLACING UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS EVERY 35,000 MILES. ALSO, CONSUMER REPLACED THE IDLER ARM. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY WILL NOT WARRANTY THE SUSPENSION PARTS. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANIFOLD PLENUM GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL INTO THE INTAKE. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE GASKET HIMSELF. *JB”