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Dodge Dakota Problems. Please help!

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Comments

  • danodwdanodw Member Posts: 63
    All I can say is drive it first and make sure it has enough power with the V6. I have an 02 Dakota and I almost got the V6. Glad I didn't. I have the 4.7 V8 and its just right. If I was to go with a V6 or less, it would be Nissan. Also ask how many times it has been in the shop and what for. Good Luck.
  • danodwdanodw Member Posts: 63
    On my AC problem they ordered and replace a part called an AC control, part # A24024161. This is located behind the dash. So they did have to take apart my dash. Now the AC gets colder than it ever has before. The snow flake now stays on on low fan like it should. Guess what? The fix lasted two days. The snow flake light still stays on and the ac still cools great but now my low fan and the fan speed above that does not work. The first two speeds has no air at all except, and get this, when driving the fan will sometimes kick on but always stops when the truck is not moving. The service dept. agrees but does not know what to do, nor does DC. No one has ever heard of this problem and neither have I, until now. The switches checked out ok. After spending all day at the service dept. I was told they need to contact DC and decide what to do. Thats not all, my brakes are now acting up again. Warp rotors. I am so tire of the inferior quality of DC. The Dakota Q/C has so many appealing features like the style, power, size etc. why did they use such low quality parts or bad design. I would buy a jack [non-permissible content removed] to ride before I buy a Dodge. One thing has really bothered me about the AC control knob which proves how stupid their engineers are. If you turn your AC/Heat control knob you will see it has 11 different settings. Why in the hell does it have 11 settings.
    No more will I hold back on the griping I have done on Dodge. They deserve to be dogged and they need their [non-permissible content removed] kick. The can of worms is now open again and its too full to close. You know what else I did while at the dealership. A couple was looking at a Dakota and the salesman was doing his stuff to make the sale. I went to my truck and pulled out a stack of work orders on past service done on my truck. I showed them and also gave them the web address to this site. The salesman didn't know what to say. I told him it wasn't his fault and I was sorry but I could not stand by and let a young couple consider this truck without knowing how cheap they are. They thank me and said they wish more people would spread the word on crap like this. They didn't want to take the chance so they went elsewhere. As they were leaving I told them to listen to the way the auto trans shifted from P to D and back to P. It sounds like crap. They did ask me why I don't get rid of it. Answer, because of the money I will lose. I'm not rich and live on a very strict budget. I will drive this truck until my 60K warranty goes out and then will take the lost and trade.
  • hennehenne Member Posts: 407
    I feel your pain. I have had three Dakotas since 1996, and I cant for the life of me figure why I buy into its looks and ignore the lack of quality. The one I am in now is the best of the three, although the tranny has been pulled, engine rear main seal replaced, software updates, front end popping, rear drivers side passenger window popping out and so on. At least Dodge bought my second one back. I just hope my third one holds on long enough to be financially sound to get rid of.

    I too tell everyone that I see about my truck and the stacks of service orders that I have. One day Dodge will do what a company should. Stop the line and fix the problems before they ship anymore new vehicles.

    Good luck.

    Robert
  • iowabigguyiowabigguy Member Posts: 552
    You obviously have an intermittent connection in your wiring, if the mechanics can't find the problem have them replace the wiring harness next!
    You already know the problem with your brakes, replace the rotors with quality aftermarket ones.

    What gives you the right to screw up a deal between a customer and a sales person because you are seeking petty revenge against Dodge. Makes you look pretty foolish to me, especially bragging about what you had done.

    Dodge is getting ready to open a 3rd shift at the factory that builds Dakotas to keep up with demand. You don't increase market share selling junk. For every dissatisfied owner as yourself there are many more who are pleased with their purchases.

    I've read your complaints in the past and they all seem to be dealer related. Is your dealer that bad or are you so confrontational in your dealings with them that they have no incentive to make you a "happy customer".

    You said "No more will I hold back on the griping I have done on Dodge", really, have you ever held back???

    You knew in the past what was wrong with your brakes but you insisted it was up to Dodge to fix the problem and if I recall they did finally fix it (using the same "inferior parts") to your satisfaction. Now they are getting warped again, is the cause "inferior parts" or possibly your driving style? Put on aftermarket rotors and fix the problem! New rotors are a lot less expensive than trading for a new vehicle.
    If you need constructive help ask for it but if you are just looking for cheese for you WHINE don't expect much sympathy.
    For your edification I have a 2000 Quad cab that has never been back to the dealer for anything in over 2 years. I change my own oil and do all my own preventative maintenance. Rick
  • bcarter3bcarter3 Member Posts: 145
    I'm not sure how other people decide on major purchases. I do a lot of research before I make a decision to spend 20+ thousand and no irate stranger waving a bunch of papers would cause me to change my mind either way. There are problems with all vehicles and some are more difficult to solve causing some owners to bad-mouth the whole line of vehicles. I do not use the services of any dealer but, if I did and couldn't get satisfaction, I would move on. Life is too short. Dodge has a problem with brakes. Think they are the only company with bad brakes? Look around the Town Hall.
  • mopar67mopar67 Member Posts: 728
    "replace the junk rotors with aftermarket units and the warping goes away"

    Thats all well and good, but correct me if I am wrong, but isn't that why you pay 20K+ for NEW vehicle? Otherwise, DC should offer a discount to Dakota owners for acting as development engineers. I got fed up with being DC's quality control test rat and got rid of my Dakota. I haven't looked back either. Yes, I too have had my driving habits questioned by everyone except the Pope and well, if driving 20 miles round trip to work each day is abusive, then yes, I was guility! I suppose living in W PA is part of the problem too. Lots of hills here, not like Indiana where I grew up. Shame on me for living in a hilly area I guess. More the point, shame on Dodge for sourcing the cheapest possible brake components that probably barely passed factory inspection. But hey, the guy who figured out how to save two whole dollars probably got a bonus AND a promotion. What I got was lousy brakes.

    Dandow has a point...to a certain extent. He pays his money and expects a vehicle to perform. Nothing wrong with that. What's wrong is the shockingly lax quality control and the advent of finance persons being involved with engineering and development...read: Too much cost cutting in the wrong areas.

    Nevertheless, I had to chime in here cause I know all about the lousy brakes, the freakish shift quality of the 45RFE, the popping and clunking in the front end, the endless trips to get the PCM flashed properly so a fuel injected vehicle runs like it should, not like my dads lawnmower, the AIS motor, the camshaft reference sensor.
    FUnny thing is, Suzuki got the PCM programming right on the first try. WHy couldn't dodge?
    Ah well, not my worry anymore. Probably the best thing which can be said is I'm not a "pain" in my dealers [non-permissible content removed] anymore and DC doesn't get any more corespondence from me either.
  • iowabigguyiowabigguy Member Posts: 552
    Yes Dodge has soft rotors. That has been discussed over and over in the past. Yes it is unfortunate and is not right.
    Yes Dodge has had programming problems with a new and innovative transmission, since I don't have one I can't address the problem.
    A vehicle of any type is a highly complex device that built with many things guiding it's inception including government regulations and corporate bean counters.
    It is assembled by human beings. These human beings have their good and bad days just like you and I. They perform repetitive tasks day after day after day. I myself could not last in such a mind numbing job very long while performing at my very best. I'm not making excuses, just observations!

    I know from personal experience that some drivers and their driving style are harder on vehicles than others.
    We have a fleet of over 100 cars in my organization.
    One driver can go over 40,000 miles on the same type vehicle with no adverse wear to the brakes while another driver can't get a set to last over 10,000. Same cars, only variable is driver. Why, I don't really know!

    We have Dodge, GM and Ford vehicles.
    We experience problems with ALL of them. We are a government agency so there are no imports in our fleet. You would probably be surprised to know that GM and Ford have brake rotor warpage issues too! Turning the rotors is not a long term cure, we replace rotors with aftermarket when available because they are cheaper and we have a budget to live within.
    SUVs, based on my observations if I were to purchase one(not likely), my choice would be
    1. Suburban (like a rock, reliable, gas piglet),
    2. Durango (nimble but a gas hog)and last
    3. Ford Expedition (under powered and breaks more often, Major gas hog).

    My point, any vehicle is going to break eventually. You would think a $25,000 vehicle since it costs so much should be very reliable and in my opinion it should. Do you realize that at $25000 you are almost talking entry level vehicle any more? Not making excuses here, again my observations.
    Moving on to the Dealership. Run by human beings (some are rumored to be sub species). How you interact with a person generally causes a similar response. Whether it is right or wrong doesn't matter, it is human nature.
    A courteous, informed customer will interact with the service people better and possibly get better results than a less mature attitude. Fact!
    Service people are often under trained and time constrained. They don't make money on the hard jobs. If they can't figure it out they change a part that might be the problem and move on to the next job. Time is money! Is it right? not if your car is the hard job. But that is the way it generally is, doesn't make a difference what the brand vehicle.
    Seems to me you had a wiring harness burn up in your Suzuki! Only recall one Dakota with a melted down fuse box. Suzuki needed a PCM reprogram? Not exactly a flawless vehicle either. Rick
  • mopar67mopar67 Member Posts: 728
    But still, less "flawed" than the Dakota.

    BTW...be thankful you don't have the 45RFE.....a coworker(who will soon be leaving our organization due to downsizing) chatted with me last Thursday about the 2nd 45RFE he's getting in his Dakota.
  • haselhasel Member Posts: 64
    very good write up, am a retired fleet manager, all makes have problems, I had 547 pieces of rolling stock in my fleet, always had best service from Chrysler Products.
  • kayaker3kayaker3 Member Posts: 9
    Ok folks Have not posted here since the rear axle offset was the big talk,
    Here it goes,01 Quad cab,2wheel dr. 4.7 and have the offset axle. 26,000 miles. Rear end was howling real bad and have never towed (syn lube?)
    Took it in and this is what they told me they did to it, Pinion bearings and carrier bearings were rusted,pitted. Removed/replaced Pinion and side bearings and filled with fluid and additive. How do the bearings get rusted and pitted?? And also I always heard that replacing the pinion was kind of a science to it?? I have about 200 hundred miles on it since work was done and I can already hear a very slight whine to it. Do you think I should demand a new axle since it is offset and this howling issue. Not that demanding will get me anywhere. Need advice folks, What would you do??
    Thanks Paul..
  • mailman54mailman54 Member Posts: 111
    mopar67: I for one am thankfull that I have the 45RFE. I still have my 91 5.2 Auto Dakota with 122k on it. It continues to be a great truck, but I must say that the 45RFE transmission in my 2000 4.7 Dakota is vastly superior. It shifts much smoother and unlike my 91, I seldom have to lock out overdrive to climb a hill. Time will tell whether this transmission will be as trouble free as my 91 was, but at least for now, color me thankfull that I have the 45RFE transmission!

    Mailman
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    ........has proven to be very reliable so far. The first year in the Jeep Grand Cherokee Chrysler replaced about 18,000 of them because they had gotten the wrong lubricant. To date that's the only blemish that I know of.

    I've talked to half a dozen transmission techs and to the person they have said they've yet to see one. And in general Dodge auto transmission problems are way, way down since the "RE" series got a major lubrication system upgrade in '98.

    After tomorrow I will own a 45RFE and I wouldn't have even considered one if I thought there was a major design problem.

    Dusty
  • mopar67mopar67 Member Posts: 728
    Just after my experience with the two filter, special fluid, and 30K fluid/filter changes, I still belive this transmission cannot even begin to hold a candle to the lengendary 727 torqueflight. Even a TH350/400 shifts better. Ford tranys; I only had a c4 in a Merc and it was lousy until I got it rebuilt.
    Point being, this "driver adaptive" transmission on my Dakota apparently did not make it past middle school. Rough 2-3 upshift, enough to make the rear axle bang(god knows how much good it was for the ujoints and pinion gear)and a very harsh 4-3 downshift were enough to turn my off for good.

    ALl I know is the 727 held up for me fine during my teenage years and never missed a shift, used regular Dexron fluid and a simple $8.00 filter. Same thing for the TH350 in a Nova I owned for a bit and needless to say it sure did get abused big time.
    As I stated before, I am not picking at Chrysler for making an abuse proof transmission. Lord only knows I can offer up my teenage years as an example of how NOT to drive an automatic.
    But this is a truck and to drive 20 miles round trip to work and occasional trip to camp & having to put up with all that was simply absurd.
    Add to that the fact it never towed or hauled anything save for my 220 lb frame and I say Chrysler needs to dig out those blueprints for the 727 and soon!
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    I've driven three RAMs with the 5-45RFE and they did not exhibit the shift symptoms you talk about. I just purchased a Dakota Sport Plus Club Cab with the 4.7 and 5-45RFE transmission and, while admittedly still quite new, the transmission shifts flawlessly. I talked to a fellow today who has 19K on his 2002 RAM and I asked him about the transmission. He's quite happy and thought the transmission was super smooth.

    Maybe you've got one that isn't quite right, but that doesn't mean they're all like yours.

    How many miles do you have on your truck?

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • mopar67mopar67 Member Posts: 728
    I got fed up with the problems and traded it off for a Vitara and pocketed 3,000 extra cash on the deal.

    I hope you have good luck with yours; mine was built on a Friday so apprarently that old saying still holds true!
  • bookittybookitty Member Posts: 1,303
    Dusty, Ben (mopar67) is a valued contributor to these threads, even though in utter frustration he decided to change "mounts." The membership implored him to stay aboard as his knowledge base is excellent and without reproach. And, although all of us do not always agree with each other, that contributes greatly to the general health of the Dodge Dakota Owners threads. Whether or not various opinions agree concerning the 5-45RFE, one thing is certain: The 5-45RFE in Ben's truck was "disagreeable." This posting is just to bring you up to speed on mopar67. I have always valued his opinions in the highest way.

    Bookitty
  • mopar67mopar67 Member Posts: 728
    However, I learned a valuable lesson during that experience.

    As others have posted, the solution was/is......go with the 5 speed!
    My guess is had I gone with the 5 speed, I would have been a lot happier.
    LOL....so....on my next ride, I didn't even consider the automatic option at all. Especially since the 4 banger doesn't have much power to begin with.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Please do not believe that I was attacking anyone. If you've read any of my posts in here you should know, hopefully, that I'm not in a habit of personalizing dialog, attacking people for their beliefs, and I do not have a first strike policy.

    I understood that a Dakota experience has made someone very unhappy and I don't for a moment assume that it was an undeserved perspective. There are negative tendency characteristics with most vehicles. I was only making the point that I don't believe that the problems experienced by Mopar67 are inherent in the 545RFE. That doesn't mean there aren't going to be misfit 545RFE transmissions lurking out there. Heck, I've been to my Toyota dealer four times and seen new Tundras with the transmissions being replaced, and everyone knows how perfect they are.

    I believe that most people will be tolerant of a certain level of assembly mistakes from auto manufacturers. After all, they are assembled by human beings. Since I have some experience in this area -- at both ends, I might add -- I think its safe to say that people get really sour when they perceive that they are being dismissed rather than being served with an honest effort to resolve the problem.

    A disinterested service department, a disinterested manufacturer repressentative can only aggravate an unhappy experience.

    I assure you that I wouldn't have just purchased a Dakota if I believed they suffered from serious design problems, especially those in the drivetrain or affecting reliability. I have talked to dozens of very happy Dakota owners and in all honesty never found one that was anything but very pleased with their truck. But bad ones will happen to anything.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • mopar67mopar67 Member Posts: 728
    Its just hard to swallow when its YOU these things happpen to.

    Another contention is the fact that out of all my Chrysler products which I have owned, fixed, had fixed, abused, used, and just plain drove like holy old heck, the Dakota was by far the most disappointing out of all of them. SInce becoming an adult, I have long toned down my abuse and rather fast driving (it didn't take much to get me to race back in my teenage years)of my vehicles. Accordingly, I expected far less problems with the Dakota than what I had. Had my prior experience with Chrysler products not been so positive, I would have written off this situtation as simply a bad deal and moved on. Which I have to a large extent. But like any long term relationship, when it goes sour, it hurts. But I guess I get too involved with my vehicles! ha ha.

    At any rate, your postings here are an asset to this board so please keep them coming. As a truck purist, I agree that good old drum brakes in the back are perfectly fine. Dodge's problem was not so much a design flaw in using drum brakes but using inferior, non heat treated drums and rotors. I also agree with bpeebles on solid front axle. THat is, after all, what makes a truck a truck. Want a smooth ride? Go get a Camry or Accord or something.

    Lord, how I miss that old IH we used to have. Now there was a truck. Period!
  • bookittybookitty Member Posts: 1,303
    Dusty, in no way did I take what you posted as critical of mopar67, I just wanted you to be up to speed in the event that you have not been privy to this thread in the past.

    Bookitty
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Glad to hear that you didn't think I was bashing.

    Yes, Mopar67, I know exactly what you mean. A sour note might be music to somebody, but its still a sour note. I had a very repugnant dislike for my wife's Plymouth Acclaim and have been frustrated with Chrysler over that. The shame of it all was that it was a terrific car to drive, had the best interior of any car either she or I have ever owned, and got high 30s for gas mileage. A few times even over 40 mpg. Mechanically is was probably better than average and didn't cost us serious money until 122,000 miles (left outer transaxle bearing failed). But this thing had more buzzes and rattles than a B-24 with 35 combat missions. The dealer was disinterested. The Chrysler rep. seemed to be, but as soon as the pressure was off the dealer just started to jerk us around. By the way, I can't stand a buzzy, rattley, noisy car!!!!

    Now our 1999 Avalon, a $31,000 car by the way, is actually worse with rattles!!! Yep. You read this right. It has kind of put things in perspective for me. It also has the worst transmission I've ever owned. Rides nice and has plenty of power. I should've bought the Maxima, but the Avalon had more room in back.

    Anyway, very sorry you had a poor experience with your Dakota. Hopefully your current vehicle will treat you better....and so will mine!!

    Best regards,

    Dusty

    P.S. Liked your comment about the old Chrysler 727s. I agree, they were the most bullet-proof transmission EVER built.
  • mopar67mopar67 Member Posts: 728
    AN Avalon with problems.....wow.....Inever would have thunk that.

    SoOrry about your Acclaim. I know EXACTLY how you feel. THe treatement you get from the dealer and/or factory can make or break your experience.

    FWIW.....the Dodge Spirit I had was one of CHrysler's best cars I ever drove. Rock solid, easy to work on, and it simply did not break.

    As before, I sure do hope your dakota performs well for you and last a long long time!
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Yes, I know. I never ran into anyone else that owned one that was displeased. And in many respects it was a saignificantly more capable car than the then current competition from GM and Ford. We never did have a lick of problems with the engine, despite the head gasket problems Chrysler was having with them at the time. Did replace two rack and pinion steering assemblies, and was always having caliper trouble.

    Dusty
  • mopar67mopar67 Member Posts: 728
    I did have the rack and PS pump replaced under warranty on that thing at about 39K. Otherwise, it was indeed a solid, if unspectacular car. Thing I miss most was the easy maintenance. And the bulletproof A413 trans.
    The 2.5 really was a good motor, made even better with the balance shafts. The FI was throttle body but it worked flawlessly. I never even had to replace a sensor.......like I said, I totally forgot about the rack until you mentioned yours.
    I guess it was so trouble free, I had to pause a minute there to remember that!
  • ford_biiford_bii Member Posts: 120
    Ok, I took my truck to the dealer this morning to have the loud whirring noise in the AC investigated. I got a phone call around noon - no big suprise "all ok, sounds normal".

    Here is my question: how does the engine sound in each of your vehicles when you have the AC turned on vs when it isn't? What I do to showcase the problem is rev the engine in neutral to about 3000, then I let it come back down, click on the AC, and rev it to 3000 again, and there is a loud whirring noise that I never remember being there before. When driving with the AC on, the idle seems to "hang" a little longer during shifts then when it does without the AC on.

    So, to summarize, is there any NOTICIBLE extra noise in your trucks when you repeat the above process?

    2001 QC 4.7L 5-speed.
  • bookittybookitty Member Posts: 1,303
    Chris, my engine also is a bit noisier when the A/C is on. I believe that one reason is that the cooling fan is engaged with air on versus only operating under certain heat conditions when A/C is not being utilized. The reason that the engine does not drop RPM as quickly, is because when the A/C clutch is engaged it keeps RPM raised so that the engine won't stall. I think that is normal. It would do the same with an automatic transmission if you placed it in neutral between gear shifts.

    Bookitty
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    I have a new 2003 Dakota Club Cab Sport Plus, 4.7 engine and automatic. I've only had the air conditioning on once so far and I did not notice any noise. I'll check it again tomorrow.

    regards,
    Dusty
  • bcarter3bcarter3 Member Posts: 145
    Here in South Florida my air is always on and I have the additional noise that you describe. I believe that it is the electric cooling fan. It is always on with the A/C on and rarely, if ever, on with A/C off. Try turning the A/C off while idling. You will notice the engine sound gets much quieter.

    Dick
  • ford_biiford_bii Member Posts: 120
    Definitely not the electric cooling fan.

    I told the service manager to talk to the guy I demoed the problem to, and after another inspection, they think it may be a bad AC compressor. He's got one on order now.

    Seems Dakota's don't have very good AC systems.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Okay. It was 32 degreees here in Rochester, New York this morning. I started the engine and switched on the A/C. About 7-8 seconds after I switched it on I heard a faint "whirring" sound from what I thought was the engine compartment. I switched off the A/C and the noise continued! It stopped on its own after about 12-15 seconds.

    I repeated this several times during the day and could not reproduce the noise.

    Dusty
  • bookittybookitty Member Posts: 1,303
    Dusty, don't stay in Rochester all winter. Go someplace that's exciting and warm. Try tropical Batavia.

    Bookitty
  • glzr2glzr2 Member Posts: 70
    It wasn't as cold in ann arbor this morning as it was in Rochester yesterday, but I still had the heat cranked during the drive to work. I noticed a whistling noise coming from the vents when I set the fan between medium and high. It was annoying, so I just set the fan on the second notch. Is this typical? It persisted despite the temperature or direction setting.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Bookitty, did they sell Batavia and move it below the Mason-Dixson line? Golly, if they did maybe we can get a good price for Webster, New York!

    GLZR2, I think I've had my heater controls in pretty much every position now and have not noticed any whistling from the vents.

    A couple of more gripes: Small ones, but I'd sure appreciate stays or loops like Nissan and Toyota use to keep the floor mats from moving around.

    I'm not fond of the headlamp beam switch being actuated by double-pulling on the directional lamp stalk, either. I like the Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, etc., method better.

    A couple of nice things: This is the first vehicle I've been in (most certainly the first I've owned) that the window switches are illuminated for nighttime use. Kudos to Chrysler!!

    I did notice that unlike cars & trucks built by the Chrysler, Ford, and GM of years past, this Dakota gets heat very, very quickly. Just about as quickly as our Sentra and Avalon.

    Oh, yes. I drove a new RAM Quad cab the other day. No, it did not hop, in fact this is the fourth 2002-3 RAM I've driven and I still feel they are the best handling full-size pick-up on the market. Anyway, I noticed that the rear windows went all the way down into the door. No 4-6 inches of glass sticking up! Why they all don't do that is a mystery.

    Do the Dakota Quads do that as well?

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • bookittybookitty Member Posts: 1,303
    Dusty, the Quad rear door windows do go down into the door with no residual glass lip exposed. I always hated windows that would not bury completely into the door. My wife's 4-Runner does that as well. It is one of the things that most people complained of and it seems that the manufacturers are listening. Anyhow Dusty, in Western NY you can only open the windows during the summer (August 7th).

    Bookitty
  • datagurudataguru Member Posts: 95
    I own a 2001 QC 3.9L 2WD 4-sp auto (42RE) 3.92 axle ratio. While climbing a moderate 40% uphill grade with the cruise control ON going 80Kph/50Mph at 1200RPM, the engine starts to kick down to a lower gear as normal BUT, all of a sudden (VERY VERY sudden) the engine lurches/surges & revs to 4200-4300RPM for about 2-3 seconds before settling back down to 1200RPM. I believe the tranny kick down process should be a lot more gentle than what I have been experiencing. The dealer says, it's normal. I strongly believe there is something wrong here. Has anyone else experienced this situation with their 3.9L Dakotas? or 4.7L? Does anyone have any suggestions as to where/what to try next? Any assistance is muchly appreciated.
    Thanks, Bill.
  • bookittybookitty Member Posts: 1,303
    Bill, perhaps the transmission was "hunting." It downshifted, but did not access a low enough gear to satisfy the cruise control setting. It would be like shifting from fifth to fourth only to realize that what you really needed was third gear. Of course, with the manual, the cruise is cancelled when the clutch (or brake) is engaged. It may have to do with the combination of the grade, the speed, and the engine torque of the 3.9. I wouldn't worry about it unless you detected slipping.

    Bookitty
  • datagurudataguru Member Posts: 95
    Bookitty...thanks again for your help!

    Your analysis makes a lot of sense. Fortunately, I don't detect any slippage as yet. This surge is VERY VERY sudden; hence I'm going to assume the tranny must be kicking down at least 2 or 3 gears hunting for an appropriate ratio. My plan is to ascend the same hill again at the same speed but, only this time with the cruise control turned OFF to compare differences in the kick down process. Next, I plan to repeat the same test with the OverDrive(O/D) turned OFF and next test again with both features OFF and compare results.

    Perhaps, a general rule to follow may be to just...turn OFF the cruise control & turn OFF the O/D whenever climbing a grade. Would you reccomend that?
    Thanks again.
    Bill
  • haselhasel Member Posts: 64
    I had a 1999 Club Cab with the 3.9L Engine had the same problems, also you cannot run the Cruse Control in the Mountains, after I traded the truck the next owner who worked at the dealership had the PCM flashed to correct the problem.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    There have been a number of posts regarding the problem of premature wear or failure of the Dakota front brake rotors. While I been reluctant to comment on this subject in the past, my recent purchase of a 2003 Dakota has me interested.

    While I do not doubt that earlier Dakota models could have had better quality rotor material, there was one previous poster who tried to make the point that this problem was not necessarily unique to Dakotas. Indeed, our '99 Toyota Avalon is one of those that has had unsatisfactory service from front brake rotors. I know three Tundra owners who have had rotors replaced in less that 20,000 miles, and a number of other people with a vast array of different makes and models.

    In reading another board [bsmoodha "Dealership trouble!" Aug 4, 2002 6:23pm] I ran across what I believe to be a practicing service technicians comment:

    "......The problem with front brake rotor wear is industry wide. There is a "Quality" issue with the offshore manufactured products used in most US built motor vehicles that use off shore manufactured brake rotors. Ask your dealer Service Manager if it would be possible to share the repair records his shop has with the FMVSS inspectors. If not, call your state Bureau of Automotive Repair Board and file a formal complaint."

    Interesting, at one of our local brake & muffler shops I overheard the service manager tell a Chevrolet Suburban owner the same thing. I asked how much of a problem this was, and he replied that it is "almost universal." Oddly, when I asked about the Dakota specifically, he said that a number of other truck models were worse. He did say that '94 -'99 Grand Cherokee's were probably THE worst.

    Dusty
  • bookittybookitty Member Posts: 1,303
    Bill, I may not be the right guy to ask, as we have three vehicles, but none with automatic transmission. However, it is recommended that towing should not be done in O/D. This is somewhat the same, as @ 50 MPH ascending a grade, there is not much momentum (inertia) and the cruise control will "demand" the RPM to satisfy the speed setting. With an automatic transmission, that translates to shifting down so as to maintain the preset speed. If you get my drift. If you manually go from O/D to "drive", and if it continues to occur, then defeat (cancel) cruise until it catches up with itself.

    Bookitty
  • datagurudataguru Member Posts: 95
    Thanks,Gentlemen...for your continued help. I haven't had a chance to run my proposed tests yet.

    However,I did some more searching around and found that this problem has already been documented for 2001 3.9L engines and perhaps 4.7L & 5.9L as well. So, for those of us who are/may be affected, it's filed under Technical Service Bulletin #0803500. The summary description is as follows:

    " Some vehicles may exhibit a surge while the speed control is engaged at 74-76km/h (46-47mph) or at 109-111km/h (68-69 mph. "

    The TSB does not mention if there is a Flash to the module to resolve but, I guess the dealers would know.
    Thanks.
    Bill
  • bcarter3bcarter3 Member Posts: 145
    This Service Bulletin applies to Club Cab and Standard Cab Dakotas Built on or before Sept 12, 2000. It also applies to Quad Cab trucks built on or before Sept 5, 2000. It only applies to vehicles with 4 wheel antilock brake option. The solution is to replace the antilock brake controller. Go figure!!!! It is good to have a subscription with ALLDATA. (^-^)

    Dick
  • ken1776ken1776 Member Posts: 41
    Driving my 98 Dakota the other night, I switched from high to low beams and all my lights went off for about 2 or 3 seconds. This repeated several times till the truck heated up. This has happened several times now, only on cold starts. Is there a relay under the hood that could be causing this problem, or should I have the multi switch on the steering column checked?
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    My son (also named Ken) has a'91 Dakota. A couple of years ago coming back from hunting his did something similar. It turned out to be a faulty headlight switch.

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • datagurudataguru Member Posts: 95
    Dick, thanks for the info...

    My 2001 QC was built in early June 2001 (just before 2001 build cut-offs) but, it has the same auto trans surge problems when the cruise control is engaged at those speeds as documented. My QC does not have 4-wheel anti-lock ABS. It has the standard rear-only anti-lock braking system.

    Has anyone else come across this sudden surge situation with the cruise control engaged while travelling around 80km/h or 50mph? As the tranny kicks down, the engine revs up from cruising in O/D @1500rpm to approx 4300rpm in about 2-3 secs. It's actually quite scary when not expecting it.

    Bill
  • dyadincdyadinc Member Posts: 21
    Went to a local auction last week looking for a small pickup truck and ended up with a '98 standard-cab, short bed Dakota Sport with the 318, er ah I mean 5.2L and the 5speed with a 3.92 rear. This little truck is a lot of fun!
    After working out some bugs ( replaced speed/abs sensor, ais motor, and lower ball joints) I'm already thinking about making some modifications. Can anyone here refer me to a good source for aftermarket parts? Im also looking for some feedback on mods anyone has done like exhaust systems and wheels and such. Thanks for any help
    Mike
  • billb54billb54 Member Posts: 2
    Anybody experience the following, and if so, how'd you fix it? Every day, every first start, summer, winter, dry, wet, warm, cold, or in the middle, my '99 5.2L, 5-spd Club Cab Dakota will (aggressively) buck you right out of your seat with erratic, uncommanded engine accel/decel at low RPM's (idle - 2500), and low (residential) speeds (5 - 25 mph) in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd gear, etc.

    I've dealt with this ugly discrepancy for more than two years and many dealership visits that have lasted as long as a full week (twice).

    I suspect one/some of many sensors that eventually determine the fuel/air mix, causing erratic engine speeds akin to the old manual chokes that used to stick from time to time.

    Two different dealerships have run the diagnostics numerous times and similarly told me a) "there's nothing wrong", and b) no discrepancy is identified by their (or my onboard) computer. [Technicians apparently don't "fly by the seat of their pants" anymore, and when required to do so ('cause their computers don't provide the answers they require), they "crash and burn".]

    Generally, within about 5 minutes, the "bucking" discrepancy smoothes out, not to be felt again until the first start of the next day. [Most recently, I've experienced a "stutter" at highway speeds during deceleration and re-acceleration, ie., the cancer may be spreading.]

    Hope I'm not the only one in the universe with this problem - it's driving me to consider disposing of the Dakota I otherwise love - I need a solution, and I'm convinced the dealerships are not likely or inclined to help.

    Bill
  • mopar67mopar67 Member Posts: 728
    I had one go bad in a Reliant and although we're talking totally different vehicles, the result was the same. I was lucky enough to have a garage that went "beyond" the DRB and actually delved into some TSBs on this.
    GOod luck.....this can be a hard one to track down.
  • jackhilljackhill Member Posts: 1
    Have a 2001 Quad Cab. Check engine lite recently came on. Took it to Autozone for them to read the PCM code, and it indeed was diagnosing a problem with the speed distance sensor (codes 725 and 320).

    Have not taken it back to dealer to get fixed.
    Believe it or not, bookitty, I will be taking it to Hawley Motors in Batavia, N.Y.
  • bookittybookitty Member Posts: 1,303
    Jack, quick get it there before Old Man Winter attacks Western, NY. Whoops, too late!

    Bookitty
This discussion has been closed.