2002 Dodge DAKOTA: complaints, problems and recalls

DIMMER SWITCH ON 2002 DODGE DAKOTA GETS EXCESSIVELY HOT AFTER LIGHTS ARE ON FOR SEVERAL HOURS WITH DIMMER SWITCH IN THE IN DIM POSITION. IT IS HOT ENOUGH TO BURN A CHILD'S HAND. SWITCH WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES BY DEALER AND STILL NO CHANGE. DEALER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ELSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTIFIED THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, RECALL DEPARTMENT AND THEIR CORP. HEADQUARTERS. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000520 at NHTSA ↗

2002 DODGE DAKOTA (18,000 MI), 4WD, V8, X-CAB. BRAKES WARPED. I HAD A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA (38,000 MI), 2WD, V6, X-CAB THAT THE BRAKES WARPED AND HAD TO BE TURNED A TOTAL OF 3 TIMES BEFORE I SOLD THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATES THAT THIS IS NORMAL USAGE FOR BRAKES.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 17,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000921 at NHTSA ↗

SPEEDODOMETER READS LOWER THAN ACTUAL SPEED, CAUSING DRIVER TO GO FASTER. TS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001434 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES GAS, VEHICLE WILL EITHER HESITATE TO ACCELERATE OR ACCELERATE AT A VERY HIGH SPEED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE IGNITION CONTROL SYSTEM, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED TWICE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. PH

Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002117 at NHTSA ↗

WE PURCHASED A NEW 2002 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD IN DEC. '02. WITHIN A FEW DAYS, WE NOTICED WHEN FIRST STARTING UP IN THE MORNING, IT CLUNKED WHEN PUTTING IN REVERSE, AND IT DID NOT SHIFT FROM 1ST GEAR UNTIL WE HAD GONE 3-4 BLOCKS. THE ENGINE WAS REVVING AND THE RPM'S WERE INCREASING BUT THE TRUCK WOULD NOT SHIFT UP TO 2ND GEAR. WE HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY TELL US THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG, WHICH I KNOW IS NOT TRUE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003258 at NHTSA ↗

GOODYEAR TIRES: I PURCHASED A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA IN JUNE, 2002. FROM DAY 1, I HAD TROUBLE STEERING. AFTER 3 TRIPS TO THE DEALER, I LEARNED TODAY THAT THE GOODYEAR TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE. I WAS TOLD TO IMMEDIATELY GET NEW TIRES. THE GOODYEAR DEALER WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO MY NEED. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH DEFECTIVE TIRES. I WENT IMMEDIATELY TO A MICHELIN (SP) DEALER AND PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES. THE MICHELIN FOLKS COULD INSERT A CAR KEY FULLY INSIDE SPLITS THAT WERE IN MY TIRES. I FOUND NEWS REPORTS OF ABC INVESTIGATING GOO…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005427 at NHTSA ↗

THE SECOND WRECK I CAN ATTRIBUTE TO THE ANTI-SKID BRAKING SYSTEM. (TWO SEPARATE VEHICLES). PH

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005469 at NHTSA ↗

MY TRUCK HAS LOUD KNOCKING NOISE IN ENGINE AND DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERELY, HAVE TAKEN TRUCK IN AND THEY SAY THE ENGINE RACING IS NORMAL. THE KNOCKING NOISE IS A PURGE SOLINOID WHICH DODGE ADDMITS THERES A PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO FIX. THEY HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS WHICH NOW HAS AFFECTED PERFORMANCE TO ENGINE. I HAVE HAD IT IN SHOP 4 TIMES SO FAR WITH NO RESULTS. THEY TRY TO TELL YOU THERES NOTHING WRONG LIKE ITS YOUR OWN IMAGINATION.

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005516 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2003-10-10 (October 10, 2003)

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, THE HEADLAMP AND DASH WIRING HARNESS MAY BE CHAFED BY THE ACTUATION OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL. THIS COULD RESULT IN ABNORMAL OPERATION OF THE WIPERS, TURN SIGNALS, HORN OR LIGHTING SYSTEMS.

Consequence: THIS COULD AFFECT DRIVER VISIBILITY, COULD PREVENT A DRIVER FROM SOUNDING A WARNING BY USING THE HORN, AND, WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS ARE INOPERATIVE, THE DRIVER CANNOT USE THEM TO SIGNAL INTENT TO TURN, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REROUTE THE WIRE HARNESS AND REPAIR THE HARNESS IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 3, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-992-1997.

Reported: 2003-12-10 (December 10, 2003)

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS AND 4X2 PICKUP TRUCKS, THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL MAY HAVE GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATINGS (GAWR) THAT EXCEED THE MAXIMUM TIRE LOAD CAPACITY AS DEFINED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."

Consequence: IMPROPERLY LOADING YOUR VEHICLE CAN CAUSE TIRE FAILURE AND RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL OVERLAYS CONTAINING CORRECTED INFORMATION RELATIVE TO VEHICLE GAWR AND TIRE SIZE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-992-1997.

Reported: 2004-05-05 (May 5, 2004)

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE MOTOR MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER INTRUSION THAT COULD CAUSE INTERNAL CORROSION AND RESULT IN PARTIAL OR COMPLETE LOSS OF FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPING CAPABILITY.

Consequence: DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2004-12-21 (December 21, 2004)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4X4), IF MOISTURE LEAKS INTO THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER BALL JOINT, EVACUATION OF THE LUBRICANT AND CORROSION OF THE JOINT MAY CAUSE THE JOINT TO WEAR OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THIS COULD CAUSE A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION, WHICH MAY NOT ALWAYS BE HEARD BY THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Consequence: EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE UPPER BALL JOINT MAY ALLOW IT TO SEPARATE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER BALL JOINTS. THIS SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON DECEMBER 21, 2004. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2007-12-04 (December 4, 2007)

ON CERTAIN VAN AND PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE IGNITION/PARK SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE. THIS CAN ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED (OR IN THE "LOCK" POSITION). THIS CAN ALSO ALLOW THE IGNITION KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFTER HAS NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE "PARK" POSITION.

Consequence: EITHER OF THESE CONDITIONS COULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY CAUSING A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GEARSHIFT BLOCKER AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JANUARY 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.