2003 Dodge Dakota engine and engine cooling problems

“2003 DODGE DAKOTA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR ENGINE STALLING PROBLEMS. *SMD AFTER HAVING A COMPUTER UPDATE PERFORMED, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. *JB”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED AND THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING SPORADICALLY MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO, THE SIDE CAP TO THE MAIN RADIATOR SPEWED ANTIFREEZE APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET IN THE AIR. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, A LOUD POPPING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BALL JOINT FRACTURED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V596000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE HE PERFORMED THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.”

“I HAVE OWNED A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA V6 FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM UNTIL I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN UNION CITY GA YESTERDAY FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. AFTER WAITING 2 HOURS, THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE HAVING A PROBLEM GETTING OIL IN THE ENGINE BECAUSE THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE WHICH WAS CAUSING THE OIL TO GO IN SLOWLY. THEY RECOMMENDED ADDING AN OIL ADDITIVE. AN HOUR LATER THEY RETURNED MY CAR TO ME. I STARTED DRIVING OUT OF THE LOT MY CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH. TWO BLOCKS LATER THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, ENGINE STARTED A LITTLE TICKING AND RAN ROUGHER. I TURNED AROUND, DRIVING ABOUT 5 MPH, BARELY MADE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THERE WAS 6 QT OF OIL IN THE ENGINE. THEY WOULD HAVE TO START OVER. HALF HOUR LATER, THEY CAME OUT AND SAID NOW THEY HAD NO OIL PRESSURE AT ALL AND THEY WOULD HAD TO REMOVE THE OIL PAN AND MAYBE HAVE TO REPLACE THE OIL PLUMP AND OTHER PARTS. I MAY NEED A NEW ENGINE OR HAVE IT REBUILT. THEY WOULD CALL ME TODAY AND LET ME KNOW. MIND YOU, I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM UNTIL THEY DID THE OIL CHANGE THIS TIME. NOW THAT I CHECK THE COMPUTER, I FIND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SLUDGE AND LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE IN THE…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY, WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE O2 SENSORS, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE VIN INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”

“ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4.7L V-8. IT EXPERIENCED SUDDEN LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. VEHICLE HAD ONLY 60,745 MILES ON ODOMETER, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY CHRYSLER'S 7YR/70,000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY BUT CHRYSLER REFUSED TO COVER AS WITH ALL THE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. HOW MANY OF THESE ENGINES HAVE TO FAIL BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT PROTECTS THE CONSUMER? THIS OIL PUMP FAILURE IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER, BUT THEY REFUSE TO COVER ANY WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE ENGINE IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN, THESE ENGINES ARE FAILING AT A VERY HIGH RATE. SPEAK WITH ANY ENGINE REMANUFACTURER AND THEY WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THE DESIGN FLAWS OF THIS ENGINE AND HOW MANY REBUILDS THEY ARE SELLING TO FIX BLOWN ENGINES OF CONSUMERS THAT HAVE CHRYSLER VEHICLES WITH THIS 4.7L ENGINE. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR IN THE VEHICLE FAILED. HE WENT TO THOMPSON CHRYSLER AND DODGE AND HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED; HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE REPAIRS. THE RADIATOR STILL LEAKS FLUID AND THE CONTACT WOULD JUST LIKE HIS VEHICLE REPAIRED PROPERLY. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.”