2003 Dodge Dakota service brakes, hydraulic problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DROVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO DEFECTIVE CALIPERS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES RUPTURED BEHIND THE FUEL TANK DUE TO CORROSION. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A LOT OF SALT WAS NOT USED ON THE ROADWAYS, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN MARYLAND. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000. UPDATED 9/27/11 *CN UPDATED 10/007/11”

“2003 DODGE DAKOTA, 2WD, 5 SPD MANUAL, V6. AT SPEEDS FROM 15 MPH AND UP THE BRAKE SYSTEM SEEMS TO FAIL AS THE TRUCK JUMPS AND SKIDS VERY RAPIDLY. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS ON THE FREEWAY, TRAFFIC CAME TO A HALT QUICKLY, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AS THIS JUMPING AND SKIDDING OCCURED. ALL PARTS ON THE TRUCK ARE FACTORY AND HAVE NOT BEEN MODIFIED. I AM CONCERNED AND WONDERING IF THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION CLUNKING. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE BRAKES WOULD PULSATE, OVERHEAT, AND LOCK UP. THE STOPPING DISTANCE WOULD ALSO INCREASE. THE DEALER STATED THAT WET CONDITIONS AND HIGH SPEED BRAKING CAUSED THE ROTORS TO WARP. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE IDLES HIGH AND ROUGHLY WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE ROUGHLY. THERE WAS NO THROTTLE RESPONSE FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 20 SECONDS, BUT THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES FOR THESE ISSUES, BUT THE FAILURES STILL PERSIST. ALL THE SENSORS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE IS BECOMING WORSE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS THREE TIMES AND THE CONTACT REPLACED THEM FOUR TIMES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,655 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. UPDATED 11/06/08. *LJ THE ROTORS AND BRAKES WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY MASTER CYLINDER THAT WAS NOT LETTING THE REAR BRAKES EVER WORK. THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS BUILT TO DRAIN INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR. THE COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE…”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE THE BRAKE HOSE WAS ABNORMALLY POKING THROUGH THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 46,000.”

“TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I OWN A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB SLT. AND I HAVE RUN INTO A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK THAT PEOPLE I KNOW SAY THEY HAD VERY SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME MAKE OF VEHICLE. TO START WITH MY TRUCK ONLY HAS ABOUT 62,184 MILES ON IT, FOR A 2003 MODEL TRUCK, THAT IS CONSIDERED LOW MILEAGE. THE PROBLEMS I HAVE RUN INTO IS AS FOLLOWS: BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUB BEARING SETS HAVE PREMATURELY FAILED, IN PARTICULAR, THE RIGHT FRONT HUB TRIED TO LOCK UP ON ME AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK, I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THAT HUB BUT STILL NEED TO REPLACE THE LEFT FRONT BEFORE IT LOCKS UP:SECOND IS THAT THE STEERING AND SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAS NO PROVISIONS FOR PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, I.E. NO GREASE ZIRCS FOR THE BALL JOINTS, TIE RODS,UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, WHEEL BEARINGS, ETC...CAUSING RAPID WEAR AND FAILURE:THIRD BIG ISSUE, I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS DUE TO WARPAGE. THE BRAKE CALIPERS WERE BUILT WITH SOME TYPE OF COMPOSITE PLASTIC PISTONS THAT DISTORT DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD UP IN THE BRAKES. WHICH IN TURN CAUSES UNEVEN PAD CONTACT, THAT THEN CAUSES EXCESSIVE HEAT, ACCELERATED PAD WEAR, BRAKE…”