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Dodge Dakota: Problems & Solutions
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Comments
A bad TPS will usually cause a rough idle, stalling, stumble, or irratic shifting (automatic).
My first inclination is a bad alternator, especially if its a high mileage truck.
Bests,
Dusty
I did try unhooking the battery again after I installed the refurbished PCM, but to no avail. I will go and have the alternator tested today after work. Thanks for the advice. Hope it works. I'll let the forum know what happens...
No load test - Try accelerating engine while in park up to around 2000 RPMS - does engine respond normally and accelerate smoothly? Hold throttle at 1500 RPMS while monitoring tachometer - does engine run smooth?
Electrical Load test - monitor voltage gauge while in park at idle turn on lights, ac compressor, blower, wipers, roll window up and down - does voltage gauge stay close to 14?
Load test - when driving down the road and engine begins to surge , if driving conditions allow, put the engine in neutral and try and simulate erratic behavior with no load - does engine still surge ?
Greg
It sounds as if the synchronizers for 3rd and 4th are getting whimpy. Have you tried changing the xmission fluid. (I recommend RedLine MTL which is specially formulated to help synchronizers do their thing)
The typical causes of hard shifting and gear crashing (grinding) on that series is usually a low transmission lubricant level or the incorrect lubricant. As mentioned, a dragging clutch or one not releasing all of the way can cause gear crashing.
However, when they get up to that kind of mileage there are other likely causes. Worn sychros and cones, shift levers, shift forks, and shift shafts can cause hard shifting and gear crash. There's a two-piece thrust washer on the second gear shaft that has been known to cause hard shifting from 1st to 2nd.
But, I've seen a couple of these New Venture 5-speeeds apart and from what I can tell from others that work on them they are not prone to see excessive wear on gears or bearings, even at high mileage as long as the lubricant level has always been maintained and the correct lubricant used.
If the transmission lubricant is low, check for leaks at both ends. If it's been quite low for some time I think the problem may be in the transmission. If the fluid level is where it should be, I'd suspect the clutch is causing your problem, especially if the clutch has been in there a while.
Good luck,
Dusty
However, check this out. Before I left his shop, he "cleared" the PCM (erased the memory?) with his instrument, unhooked the battery, waited about fifteen minutes, and then re-hooked the battery. Believe it or not, the damn thing ran as good as it ever has for about 40 miles, I mean perfectly. At all speeds. No sign of any trouble. Then after about 40 miles, the same surging problem began all over again. It got so bad that the CE lamp illuminated again.
So I did "bite the bullet" and took it back to the dealer yesterday for a new factory computer (5-Star Status, by the way). I really do need my truck back.
I'll let you know how it goes.
Greg,
Pretty much tried all the thing you suggested, and the surging gets to the point where it seems to be happening all the time, except at idle (1500 RPM). Any time I accelerate, and especially under any load (pulling even the slightest hill).
I'll let you know how this thing turns-out after the dealer puts in their new PCM....
Thanks
Hopefully this isn't the case. Please get back to us and let us know.
Best regards,
Dusty
However, if it always starts out in second gear I suspect a stuck shift solenoid valve, or the shifter cable is out of adjustment.
Regards,
Dusty
But before you start doing some serious troubleshooting, have you verified with a known good bulb that the lamps are good?
Regards,
Dusty
It's another one of those bad feelings I've got, but because of the year of your Dak I'm suspicious that the CTM is the culprit.
Best regards,
Dusty
YEAR (MY) 2004 AND 2005 DODGE DURANGO SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND MY 2005 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCKS. A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN OPENED TO ASSESS THE SCOPE AND FREQUENCY OF THE CONDITION.
NHTSA Action Number : PE05056 NHTSA Recall Campaign Number : N/A Make : DODGE Model: DAKOTA Manufacturer : DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION Year : 2005 Component : STEERING:WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR Date Investigation Opened : October 26, 2005 Date Investigation Closed : Open Summary:
ODI HAS IDENTIFIED SEVERAL FIELD REPORTS RELATED TO STEERING SHAFT LOOSENESS OR SEPARATION DUE TO LOOSE OR MISSING COUPLING BOLTS IN MODEL
If you have been charging your low battery using the alternator, that can also hurt it. You can take it off and Autozone will bench test it for you, which is the only good way....or you can charge your battery, start the car, and then put a voltmeter across your battery terminals....if the voltmeter rises up to about 14 volts from 12 volts, then your alternator is charging.
Your problem could be 50 things....one idea would be a large vacuum leak somewhere.
I've checked all the fluids, and the truck seems to be running fine, and the temperature gage doen't always show that the engine is over heating. Furhtermore, once the temperature gage shows that the engine is over heating, it will then back off and fall back to normal.
What's the problem, and is it serious enough to get it fixed immediately?
Thanks,
Rodger
Indianapolis, IN.
:confuse:
If the engine is indeed over-heating I would be first inclined to suspect that the thermostat is sticking and this is indeed serious enough to have it repaired asap.
If it is the gauge malfunctioning there are several things that could cause it but it still would really need to be repaired without delay in order that you know if you did later have a over-heating problem
jneal
jneal
RESET THEN LITTLE PARTS OF THE DISPLAY LITE UP GIVING THE APPERANCE OF LITTLE BUGS SPINIING IN CIRCLES THEN THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND THEN GO OFF,TWO TONES, GAGES ALL JUMP TO APROX.
20%, 80%, 100% BACK TO ZERO. THEN TWO MORE TONES AND ODO GOES TO MILAGE READING AND THAT SEEMS TO BE IT. I AM THINKING OF TRYING TO DRIVE IT TO LOCAL AUTO PARTS THEY WILL HOOK IT UP TO OBDM CODE READER FOR FREE. AND MY ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS JUST THE TURN SIGNALS AND 4 WAY FLASHERS DON'T WORK EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMS OK NOW. OOPS DIDN'T MEAN TO POST A NEW MESSAGE I AM USING THIS STUFF FOR THE FIRST TIME. ANY IDEAS OUT THERE?
Regards,
Dusty
If the engine is not actually overheating, then I would suspect the temperature gauge sending unit.
Best regards,
Dusty
Something appears to be common to both the 1st gear shift and the electrical system. If the battery is fairly new, I'd suspect a shorted 1st or 2nd gear shift solenoid.
Regards,
Dusty
Bookitty
If done properly, the heli-coil solution will make threads that are STRONGER than the original cast metal. Some airplanes use heli-coil-like steel threads on EVERY SINGLE fastener.
Dont trust your life to anything less than a good-solid repair.
I am a 16 year old high school student thinking about buying a 1998 Dodge Dakota from a friend for 3000 dollars. Sounded like an excellent deal, the only problem is theres a whopping 170,000 miles on it. Right now it's running great for him, no problems. Just wondering if it would be a good deal to buy it, and if so then how long can I count on it for, and what can I do to make it last longer.
Thanks much,
Andrew :shades:
Now if I turn everything off and let it cool down a bit I can then start and use the headlights again untill it gets hot enough to start doing it again. Does anyone have any idea what is going on with my truck? Could it be that CTM thing I read about ? Has anyone else had this problem?
If you only bleed the 4 corners, then you are likely leaving water-infested fluid inside the ABS components.
If you want a complete system flush then you really have no alternative.
BTW: The ABS components are the most expensive parts of the braking system. Is it logical to "skip over" bleeding the most expensive parts?
Has anyone had a similar situation? Any advice?
http://www.hillcliff-tools.com/helicoil.html
http://www.timesert.com/
http://www.newmantools.com/recoil1.htm
Many auto-parts stores will "rent out" a heli-coil kit for you to use. When you return it, you only pay for the parts you used.