1999 Dodge Dakota equipment problems

“I OWN A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA V-8 MAGNUM 5.2L, IT ONLY HAS 138,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I BOUGHT IT IT ONLY HAD 76,600 MILES. IN THAT LITTLE TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS TWICE, AND THE RACK AND PINION, AND THE WATER PUMP, THE THERMOSTAT, THE POWER STEERING PUMP, THE TIE RODS, AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE WRONG. WHY AM HAVING TO REPLACE THESE THINGS TWICE IN SUCH LITTLE MILEAGE? AFTER READING UP ON IT THROUGH THE INTERNET I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE PROBLEMS, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINTS, WHY IS THERE A RECALL ON THE 2000, & 1998 BUT NOT 1999? I AM OUT SO MUCH MONEY AND HAVE ALMOST WRECKED MY TRUCK TWICE BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS, ONCE WITH 6 KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME AND AGAIN WITH MY 3 KIDS. THIS NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION BEFORE SEVERAL PEOPLE GET HURT OR WORSE, DIE!!! *TR”

“TWO YEARS AGO I PURCHASED A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA 4WD PICK UP TRUCK WITH APPROX. 63K MILES. AT 68,500 MILES I REPLACED THE BRAKE ROTORS, PADS AND CALIPERS. THE CALIPER BOLTS PULLED OUT OF THE SPINDLE ON EACH WHEEL AND ALLOWED THE CALIPER TO DROP DOWN ONTO THE ROTOR CAUSING THE BRAKES TO PULL TO THE LEFT SIDE AND OVERHEAT. WHEN I REMOVED THE CALIPERS THE BOLTS WERE REMOVABLE BY HAND AND THE THREADING IN THE SPINDLE WAS RUSTED OUT AND WOULD NOT HOLD NEW CALIPER BOLTS. I CONTACTED TWO DODGE DEALERS (PARTS DEPT) AND THEY STATED THEY KNEW OF NO PROBLEMS WITH THE SPINDLES. I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE BOLTS PULLING OUT OF THE SPINDLES ON THIS MODEL OF DAKOTA'S AND DURANGO'S. THIS IS CLEAR CUT SAFETY PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DODGE AND THE NHTSA SHOULD BE FORCING THEM TO MAKE THE REPAIR OR AT LEAST PROVIDE THE PARTS FOR A SOLUTION. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL DID BEGIN TO OVERHEAT AND ACTUALLY BEGAN TO CATCH ON FIRE WHICH REQUIRED ME TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND ALLOW IT TO COOL DOWN AND TEMPORARILY ADJUST THE CALIPER IN ORDER TO GET HOME. *TR”

“I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW, WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR AND SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A CLUNKING NOISE WHICH GOT LOUDER AND FASTER AS I ACCELERATED THE DEALER COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. AFTER PICKING IT UP THE UMTEENTH TIME, THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE, I DROVE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP DEMANDING THEY FIGURE IT OUT. THEY PUT THERE QA TECH ON IT AND DISCOVERED IT WAS THE DRIVE SHAFT. THAT WAS REPLACED AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, THE TIRES PREMATURELY WEARING, BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THEY WERE REPLACED IN DECEMBER 07 THE LAST TIME, LESS THAN A YEAR BEFORE THE LAST TIME, ALONG WITH NEW TIRES. IT IS NOW APRIL 11, 2008 AND I WAS JUST TOLD AFTER SERVICING THE VEHICLE THEY NEED REPLACED AGAIN AND THE TIRES ARE WEARING. THE AIR CONDITIONING FAILED SEVERAL TIMES, THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WEAR BI-ANNUALLY AND DON'T STOP PROPERLY, AFTER ABOUT 60,000 MILES, THE COMPUTER WENT ON THIS VEHICLE, LEAVING ME STRANDED MANY, MANY TIMES. IT WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS AND THEY COULDN'T DETECT THE PROBLEM, EVEN AFTER MY…”

“DEALER NOTIFIED ME THAT BOTH BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS ARE DANGEROUSLY LOOSE AND NEED REPLACED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 04V596000 SPECIFIES MANUFACTURE DATE FROM 01/07/1999 - 12/31/2002. MY TRUCK WAS BUILD IN MARCH OF 1999. THEY ARE CLAIMING THAT I GOT LUCKY AND MY TRUCK DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL, YET I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. 1999 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT 4X4 VIN #[XXX]. *NM UPDATED 07/12/2012 *JS”

“MY SON ESCAPED DANGER WHEN THE TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER OF HIS 1999 DODGE DAKOTA WENT OUT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. AFTER REPLACING THAT AND HEADING BACK HOME, HIS U JOINTS AND WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT ALMOST CAUSING ANOTHER WRECK. THESE WERE ALL REPAIRED. SO FAR $3000 IN REPAIRS IN A MONTH. THEN THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AS HE WAS DRIVING. NOW THE OIL PUMP NEEDS REPLACED. ALONG WITH THE TIE END RODS, THE TIMING CHAIN, AND THE SERPENTINE. HE'D ALREADY HAD THE TOTAL BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACED THIS SUMMER. HAVING ALL THE RECEIPTS SHOWING REGULAR OIL CHANGES, THE WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE OIL PUMP BECAUSE OF SOME SLUDGE IN THE PUMP. NOW I FIND FROM RESEARCHING ON THE COMPUTER THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN DURANGOS AND DAKOTAS. WE'VE PUT $5000 IN THIS TRUCK IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO ADMIT THE FLAWS IN THIS VEHICLE. THEY HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY HERE. WE ARE JUST GLAD HE WAS NOT INJURED OR KILLED. BUT WE'VE PUT OVER $5000 IN A '99 VEHICLE - WHICH IS UNFAIR WHEN THE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED TO THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF THE VEHICLE. *NM”

“ON FEBRUARY 6, 2004 MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA HAD BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES REPLACED BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE WEAR AND DETERIORATION. THE TRUCK HAD 46,500 MILES AT THAT TIME AND IS DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. IT IS NOT USED COMMERCIALLY. THE COST FOR REPAIRS CAME TO $1078. SUBSEQUENTLY, ON MARCH 4, 2005 I HAD TO HAVE TO HAVE MY UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED ON BOTH SIDES, AGAIN BECAUSE OF WEAR AND DETERIORATION. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS $338. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE ORIGINAL BALL JOINTS USED BY DODGE ARE SUFFICIENTLY LACKING IN QUALITY, AND SO ARE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS, AS WELL. *AK”