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Dodge Dakota: Problems & Solutions
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Comments
http://money.cnn.com/2004/12/10/pf/autos/dodge/index.htm?cnn=yes
Man, I feel sorry for those guys and gals in Iraq.
I expected DC to put up more of a fight over the recall. Now I'm just waiting to see if my Dak is one of the "lucky" ones.
It sure would be nice to get rid of the popping and creaking that has been there since about 20K miles (now at 52K).
"Gates said a vehicle owner would hear noise coming from the vehicle well before the upper ball joint failed. Mechanics also will find out if an upper ball joint needs to be repaired during routine maintenance"
So after putting a part they acknowledge is defective on my truck, they want to place the burden on me to diagnose it correctly? Or else they think I should have faith in the technicians at the dealership to just notice it without any prodding from me during a routine oil change and tire rotation? The same technicians who made me come back a total of four times before they correctly diagnosed and fixed my wheel balance problem and my warped rotors?
"Gates said if the upper ball joint fails, it is most likely to happen at low speeds and during turns."
So DC acknowledges there is a problem with the parts, but at first rather than accept responsibility for it they want to place it on the owners and dealerships to catch it before it creates an unsafe situation. And even if it does create one, so what? If it causes your wheels to fall off, it probably won't happen on the highway so why worry about it?
I'm actually pretty pleased with the performance of my truck so far, but I don't think I can buy another one again from a company with this sort of attitude. I bet trial lawyers across the country taped that second quote on their VCRs and are replaying it over and over and over again while giggling like giddy school girls. I'd bet money part of the reason for the sudden reversal is the company realizes how bad this fool made them sound in the press and that there's only one way to save face.
FWIW......ball joints, in days gone by, wore out. Sure. But never has my father nor myself experience a ball joint simply breaking. And believe me, we racked up hundreds of thousands of miles between us on good and bad vehicles.
This so-called response (From DC) is just ludicrious. They make you take drug tests before you HIRE into a company. How about drug test while you STILL work at the company?
I tapped around with a rubber mallet but nothing. Maybe they used some LocTite, I don't know but it ain't movin. I don't see the channel for the sort of half-moon key so that's in there somewhere and could be digging in. I have to move all of that before I can get to the rear snap ring.
New to this forum, but I am hoping that someone can shed some light on Dakota history.
I have a 2001 Quadcab, with the 4.7 V8, with 36,000 miles. Just out of warranty in August, the vehicle has now started to overheat, for now reason. Day time temps have been in the 60's, at most. I had the 30,000 service completed at the dealer, with no problems noted.
Has anybody else had this issue? Is it something with the radiator, fan, hose lines, etc.?
Any info will be appreciated. I had to take it to an independent mechanic for service, as I do not entirely trust the local dealer. BUT, that does not mean I do not intend to at least attempt the get them to pay for it.
Thanks in advance . . .
MCIAD
My first thought is that somone has mixed "normal" antifreeze with the very unique HOAT antifreeze that came with the 4.7L. even a small amount of the wrong antifreeze can cause clogging and plugging of the cooling system. (a "jell" forms that plugs everything all up)
Please tell us WHY you beleive it is overheating. What are the symptoms you are seeing?
Of course if you are CERTAIN that this has not happened with your Dak, the next thing to consider is the thermostat.
It sure would not hurt to have the cooling system flushed and new fluid put in. At 30K miles, you may need it anyway.
My 01 sounds like it is going to take off the first couple miles I drive it. Obviously the fan clutch is locking up. Doesn't happen all the time. Thought maybe the thermal spring had become disconnected, but it is intact. Thinking about just removing the fan till spring or maybe longer. Thinking about a speed control for the electric fan that changes speed with return fluid temperature.
Bean counters do serve a purpose. But they more often than not cause trouble. The problem is that they are motivated by cost only. Bean counters should have their performance evaluated on cost AND quality. Whatever they saved going in on the ball joints they got will probably be lost twenty-times over in warranty replacement cost.
I read the recall, but I didn't pick up on the 4x4 only. Is that what it said?
I'm pretty sure I have a bad ball joint on the right side. New York State inspection is coming up. I'll find out soon.
Bests,
Dusty
Did you get a code or did it exhibit overheating in some other way?
Yes, I'd first suspect the thermostat, too.
Good luck,
Dusty
I recall it was the 4x4.
Now, as to the root of the issue - it turned out not to be the engine at all - so it can still be said that the 4.7 rarely, if ever, has overheat issues.
The cause of the problem was a $0.98 hose clamp that "disintegrated" and fell off the bottom radiator hose, causing the hose to eventually come off the radiator all together, thereby causing the radiator to lose all of the coolant.
All is well now.
MCIAD
YOE (years of experience) working w/ civil, electrical, mechanical, industrial engineers, finance, lawyers, production people, and politicians has taught me to "follow the money" when trying to figure out business behaviors.
And no, I'm not a bean counter but I did stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.
Also, does anyone know when reall notices will be mailed? I've read where the Dodge spokesmen said notices will be mailed at the end of the month (I assume they are referring to December/04). Can anyone confirm that. It would be nice for Dakotas owners to have ball joints replace early January, versus some way off date. I hope this thing does not drag out.
BTW: I am glad to hear that you pinpointed the fanclutch as the issue.... there have been MANY folks that thought their automatic transmissoin was sticking in gear. (Although the tachometer told them it was not.)
This was done on Friday but nothing was said about a front-end allignment and there is nothing in the paperwork. Is a front-end allignment something that absolutely should be done if the ball joints are replaced?
BTW, the upper ball joint recall was listed as recall #D47 on the receipt.
If your tires are old (1/2 life), don't worry about it. When you get new tires at about 50K+ down the road on the OEMs, you probably need an alignment anyway. I've banged into a few things on the trail (4x4), so I'll pay for my own alignment after I get a free Mopar ball-joint replacement (hopefully). It seems I ought to make a call to see if my dealer is as accommodating as yours.
Ron
has anyone else had this problem and is there a fix???
The dealer changed the inside window "gasket" in the driver's door. What I'm calling a gasket is the long narrow rubber inserts that are attached to the door and sit on either side of the glass as in comes up out of the door. It took 2 minutes or less and the noise was gone.
Kind of interesting that that little rubber window gasket is the only thing between you and the road noise. My point is that there are many potential sources of whistling noises but you may not be annoyed / concerned about them if that little gasket is working.
I also start playing the radio louder.
regards cookie
Bookitty
Thanks,
Dave
My truck was built in late March of 03 and is not part of the ball joint recall. Dealer says trucks built in late 02 pop up on their computer. No mention of 2wd vs. 4wd from them.
Bookitty
My guess is they will not have a grease fitting since they are factory replacements.
You could easily drill a hole in the cover plate of the ball joint and install a zerk that has self-tapping threads. I probably should have done it on my. I think I've got a bad upper on the right side. I'll find out soon after the New York State vehicle inspection.
Bests,
Dusty
Possible causes: Evap Canister Obstructed
LDP Pressure Hose Obstructed
Leak Detection Pump
Intermittent LDP Monitor
Failure
Obstruction in Evap System
Between Evap Canister and
Fuel Tank
Obstruction in Hose/Tube
between Evap Canister and
Purge Solenoid
Good luck, Dick
Has anyone had any luck with bosch +4 plugs?
I also have the notorious ball joint failure that my dealer (Christophers dodge in Golden,CO) had no idea what that noise could be especially since I was the only one that could hear it! Bad case of selective hearing, I since go elsewhere for repairs and getting the ball joints replaced at another dealer.
I am getting ready to do a brake job and wondered what was working best as far as rotors and pads are concerned or any other tips for removal and installation. I need all the help I can get.
Does anyone know a good source for ARB bull bars?
I hit a deer this past fall and trashed my front end pretty good and since the deer are not moving anytime soon thought I could use a little protection.
The newer Daks have the 3.7L V6 which is the 4.7L V8 with 2 cylinders lopped off. (A significantly better engine)
The pinging you are hearing under load is not unusuall. Especially at hight altitudes using winter-blended fuel. Also, todays gasoline is the VERY LEAST qulaity they can sell and still legally call it gasoline. Pinging, or more accurately, PRE-IGNITION, is caused by too LOW an octane fuel. Lets not forget that lower octane fuel ignites at a LOWER tempature (Before the spark ignites it)
The next time the fuel tank is nearly empty, put some of the HIGHEST OCTANE YOU CAN FIND in it. I would put money on the ping will be magically gone.
If that does not do it for you, suspect that the combustion chambers have a build-up of carbon in them.
It is unlikely that changing the sparkplugs will affect pre-ignition... because the fuel is igniting before the sparkplugs fire.
A leaking seal in the intake manifold can cause the fuel-injection to run a tad lean. It may cause pinging... but I would try other things first.
Bookitty
I did hear the same about blended winter fuels the only remedy I heard was keeping the fuel system clean by throttle body cleaning and injector cleaning done by a dealer.