DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB

dustyk · July 2003

I have NEVER heard of any engine in a Dakota going south. That one is pure myth, in my opinion. I smell a Dodge hater!

Brakes. Well, there are a number of people who were or have been unsatisfied with the length of service they got from the OEM pads, and especially rotors. The guy who does our service work seems to agree that earlier Dakota rotors were not of stellar quality.

However, he also says that MOST cars during that same period suffered equally. I know people with Ford Explorers and F150s, Toyota Tundras, GM minivans and Suburban's that complain even more. Our '99 Toyota Avalon has not been good in this area, either. And, I've heard from people like the last two posters that have had good results, so I don't know. I'm tempted to believe that use has more of an effect on service life.

Overall the Dakota component and assembly quality has improved. The folks I've talked to with 2000s and up are not reporting much for trouble at all.

Regards,
Dusty

bja4 · July 2003

"I think it all depends on how you drive." This statement is some what true. My 2000 CC 4x4 developed the bad pulsating virus @ 18K. I drive my 98 Corrola ten times harder than my truck, and it has no brake problems at all after 75K. My 92 4x4 Dakota never had a brake problem with over 65K. My 2000 truck's pads looked brand new when I replaced the crappy Mexico rotors. My truck now has 28K on it, and stops better than any new truck will off the lot. I wish I was one of the few who didn't have a brake problem. I on the other hand think it was a material/process problem.

mopar67 · July 2003

I think I got the "iowa" or "kansas" model! Seems the hills of W PA were simply too much for it to handle.
I feel DC erred in the wrong area to see the accountants axe. Brakes are simply the last thing that should see the budget cutters. Plain, pure and simple.
With regard to driving habits, yes, that can be a factor. But normal braking and slowing down, rotors should not lunch out at the frequency mine did. Believe me, I was much harder on brakes as a teenager (weren't we all?) and I never had issues until I purchased my 2000 Club Cab.

How bad was it? Well, the entire service staff at the dealer knew me on a first name basis. I also knew them on a first name basis. They also knew exactly how to get to my workplace and back. They also laughed after the second set (of four) rotors was installed when I replied "see ya'll in 7-8,000 miles."
They ceased to laugh when I returned, right on schedule 8,000 miles later. TO see if I was being a bozo, the tech brought out a dial indicator and again did the setup, spun the rotor and gasped in amazement at the extent of the runout. I was nonchalant about the whole thing....been there done that. He was also amazed at the very visible blue ring close to the "hat" area. To both him and me, that indicated excessive heat.

Lets review for a moment...these are pickup trucks, designed and sold to haul things and to tow (within the specified design limits of course)and I did neither! Imagine that! I shudder to think what would have happened had I actually used the darn thing as a truck.

Too bad too..it was a looker and I got lots of positive comments how nice it looked.

Shame beauty is only skin deep.

dustyk · July 2003

Our service guy just replaced the pads on our '99 Avalon last week. He said something I thought was odd, mostly because this had been my practice for many years and in years past service people seemed to have the opposite opinion.

When we looked at the rotors, I said "....of course you'll resurface them...." and he immediately replied that if the rotors had lots of material left, he wouldn't. When I asked why, he said that "they'll be out if we resurface them and you'll get pulsating."

Well, as it turns out we're getting some anyway, which is another mystery since we did not have and pulsating with the old pads. And I know they didn't touch the rotors. But on my '93 Sentra I replaced four sets of pads in 109K and never touched the rotors. They were still well within the thickness spec the last time I changed them.

Regards,
Dusty

bpeebles · July 2003

(dustyk) Any brake specialist will tell you that even TOUCHING the rotors with your hands will cause 'slippery spots' on the rotor. This can feel like slightly-warped rotors.

The fix? After your new pads are bedded in.... dont foget to "let the smoke out" with some heavy braking down a steep hill.

This will burn off any residual grease/oils on the rotors and may solve your 'problem'.

dustyk · July 2003

Grease is not the problem in this case. The Avalon rotors looked pretty good to my eye, the only exception was a number of deep pits.

It bothers me that we're getting pulsing by just replacing the pads, unless there's some kind of incompatibility problem with materials. But I think that's a stretch.

Another thing my tech. commented about was ceramic pads and Powerslots. According to him the ceramic pads significantly alter the braking characteristics of the system, depending on the vehicle. He had just installed ceramic pads on a new Envoy because the owner hated the rusty dust on the wheels, but now isn't happy with the way it stops.

He also said that some people don't get any more mileage out of Powerslots, especially for the money.

So I don't know. At just over 12,000 miles on my Dakota, I'm judging that I'll get well over 50K on the pads and there's no sign of pulsing.

Regards,
Dusty

spike50 · July 2003

As you know I switched to the PowerSlot rotors and ceramic pads by Raybestos about 1,200 miles ago. This has eliminated all of the significant pulsing that was occurring from the warpped rotors. The change in pads has reduced the amount of brake dust that I was seeing from the OEM's by about 80-90%. I'm happy with the new pads but need to rack up the miles to feel more comfortable that I made the right choice with the rotors. My refurbished OEM rotors were great for the first 5,000 miles. Anybody want the dusty, "never been kissed - touched with a unprotected hand" OEM pads? There appears to be about 75% of the pad left. Just cover the shipping and they are yours.

dustyk · July 2003

Keep us posted on the Powerslots and ceramic pads, would you please.

So far with a little over 12,000 miles on my Dakota, it looks like the pads will last quite a long time. And so far the rotors are looking great. No signs of chatter.

Best regards,
Dusty

bpeebles · July 2003

I have well over 15 months and 20K miles since I did my front brakes.

The Powerslots have actually been thru a Vermont winter with lots of roadsalt and are not the least bit rusted. That plating seems to do a good job of protecting them. Even after sitting overnight in the rain, they do not have the rusty-grindy sound that the OEM rotors always had.

The reason I chose these ceramic pads was the reduced brakedust (just like spike50) They obviously feel 'different' than the OEM organic pads. They seem to work better after they are warmed up a bit. (After using the brakes heavilly once... the brakes feel MUCH more powerful the next time I use them)

The combonation made the brake pedal feel firmer and it is easier to modulate the brakes.

lotech1 · July 2003

My 03 Quad has the 4 wheel discs with rear antilock. So far they've worked flawlessly. Stopping power is excellent. After driving my Quad for several weeks I got into my wife's "like new" sedan (4 wheel discs) and almost didn't get stopped at an intersection.

If these truck brakes give any trouble I'll be surprised. Thought I had a rattle in the passenger side a/c duct louver but it turned out to be my parking garage key card I had stuck in the overhead clip. Had a slight dash rattle at idle but it went away and I have never heard it again. I'm extremely satisfied with my truck. Hopefully this will continue.

dustyk · July 2003

I guess I'm a little unsure of how Dodge provides 4-wheel disc brakes on the Dakota. I've seen a couple of SXT versions that had discs all around, but not on a Sport or SLT. Is there some model/package criterion for getting the 4-wheel discs? I can't seem to find an option code for just 4-wheel disc brakes and I'm a little surprised that I've never observed them on anything but the SXT version.

Best regards,
Dusty

lotech1 · July 2003

I figured they were standard on all Quad cab models. Edmunds shows the 03 regular cab models with rear drums standard and the Club and Quad with 4 wheel discs. I never paid attention to any of the SLT or Sport Quads.

If I remember correctly, the SXT package comes with automatic transmission, tilt, cruise, wheel flares, tire/suspension upgrade, and CD. Only thing priced outside of the package was the fog lights and floor mats. On the other hand I think they did list the automatic trans separately on my sticker. Some of the Dakotas I looked at had every option itemized separately on the sticker. I had a hard time figuring out the various packaged options and I'm not sure if I totally understand them now.

I know I got the 24X package, but I read somewhere that the auto transmission is included in the 24x deal but I know my transmission was priced separately. Who knows?

traumagas · July 2003

Hello all, I have 52k on my 01 quad 4.7 4x4 loaded truck, I need to put brakes and shocks on.

1) whats the best place to get powerslot rotors?

2) Ceramic pads or compound ?

3) Edlebrock Shocks Good or is something better

4) Gibson exhaust good or is something better ?

PS my goodyears have been rotated q 6000 miles
  and are just now getting to wear bar indicator
  should I put the full size spare on the ground and buy three more of the same ? I would have bought Michelins but FRENCH owned
                          Jon

bpeebles · July 2003

Questions answered below;

1) whats the best place to get powerslot rotors?
A 'group buy' from truckperformance.com. It consists of a phone call to 'Leon'. (that is all I recall)

2) Ceramic pads or compound ?
I got from local parts store. Ceramic-based pads do not cover the wheels with black dust.

3) Edlebrock Shocks Good or is something better There is noting 'better' than the Edelbrock IAS performer monotube shox. If you cannot afford them, consider the DUAL tube version.
The price for these seems to be very consistant.... so get them from anywhere you wish.

4) Gibson exhaust good or is something better ? I have BORLA because it is 100% Satinless Steel and has a "million mile warrantee"

dustyk · July 2003

The Powerslot rotors are described as having a "anti-corrosion finish."

Do you know what this finish material is, and/or can you describe it?

Thanks in advance,
Dusty

spike50 · July 2003

I went through the truckperformance (tp) company too but they didn't have a "group buy" going on. Leon isn't doing it anymore, either. The way the group buy was described to me by the tp person is that someone in the group had to collect all of the money and then place the mega-order with tp. Needless to say, I went solo and paid $89 ea.

They were really pushed the HAWK brand semi-metallic pads but I went with the Raybestos ceramic pads purchased locally for $84.

Rotor finish: everything starts out with a silver finish. After miles of use, the surface in contact with the pad is "silver-ish" but the rest has a thin patina of rust, even the slots. They don't look bad at all but they haven't gone through a "salty" Pennsylvania winter yet.

dustyk · July 2003

Well, I went onto the Dodge site and I'm only a little less confused about this issue than before. If you go into the model selection from the main html pages it appears that the they all have 4-wheel discs except the Sport and Sport Plus models regardless if they're conventional, club, or quad cab.

However, if you use the little selection box down in the lower right portion of the main screen, select by model group, and pull up the spec sheets, all of the Dakota models are listed with having front discs/rear drum.

Dusty

kingquad1 · July 2003

42,500 miles, original rotors and pads. had to replace them all. back brakes were good, just had them adjusted.
I had a warning light that indicated the power steering. Took it in and they replaced thre sensor at the pump.

lotech1 · July 2003

Just got back from a trip. Took my Quad and had an enjoyable time... except for a short stretch of the trip. As I was driving along at a reasonable speed (65 mph) a caravan of new Dodge trucks passes me like I'm standing still. In the caravan were Rams, Dakotas, Durangos, and vans. About 15 in all. Most of the drivers were over 60 years old. Well, they turn off at the next rest stop so I pull in behind them as I have some questions I want to ask them along with needing to use the facilities myself. I walk over to the vehicles and read the stickers, etc., and make some small talk about how far their going and all. Asked one guy about the speeds they are traveling and how the vehicles are new, etc. Well, he basically tells me that they were instructed to deliver the vehicles to the dealership (+100 miles away) asap and not to worry about driving speed as the new vehicles don't need breakin time and they're covered by warranty if something should happen. Now mind you, these trucks all have less than 100 miles on them. The Dakota's all have the 4.7 V8 and one Ram was the Hemi model. Next time I buy a new vehicle I will insist on one with less than 10 miles on the odometer.

jimt · July 2003

Hi, Back in April I wrote asking about changing a leaking pinion seal on my 01 Quad 4x4 with 3.92 limited slip. Dusty and Dick responded giving me very good information. I elected to have the dealer replace it as the need for specialized tools put me off a little. Now, at about 5,000 miles laatter including a recent trip into N. Carolina mountains, rear-end is whining noticably. Haven't had it back to dealer yet, but it seems like they might not have followed proper install. procedure either. How destructive might this be and how ugly can the solution be? Any thoughts on this will be appreciated. (72000 miles total on truck) Thanks, Jim

dustyk · July 2003

Jim,

It depends on what is causing the whine. My first suspect is that the ring & pinion setup was not completed correctly. If the backlash is off, it depends on the degree. I have seen noisy rear ends go a ways without ever developing a problem. But, when correctly set up there is absolutely no reason for a noise. The thing that must be remembered is that if there is abnormally high noise from the differential, there will be a corresponding loss of differential life.

Low pinion height can cause you to loose a ring tooth. That's bad. High pinion height will cause excessive load, increase ring and pinion wear and may cause differential overheating. That's bad, too.

If the backlash is off, the contact point of the pinion-to-ring gear teeth shifts and you'll get noise and premature tooth wear. How long will it go? It depends, but I don't think its easy to predict.

I've given this advice to one other person on the boards about this. Because these problems are few and far between at any given dealership, the average technician is not exposed to doing many ring & pinion replacements and differential set ups. If this repair didn't work out, I would press very hard for a complete rear axle replacement, meaning the differential assembly, axle shafts, and rear axle housing out-of-the-box from Chrysler. Unless the person doing the work is truly a specialist and done a lot of these, I would trust a factory set-up over something done in the field.

Good luck,
Dusty

jimt · July 2003

Dusty, In April when I had Dodge change that pinion shaft seal; if not performed properly, could that be cause? I know things can happen unrelated, but it was a very quiet rear before seal change. My 92 Dakota developed a whine at about 60,000 and still was doing well at 195,000 when I bought the 01. I believe you are right about Dealer techs not having a lot of experience performing this type service. If I have to pull apart for repair I will use an outside shop. If ring and pinion are necessary, would you use factory or after market, like Richmond Gear, etc. Thanks for your opinions. You and a few other of the regulars provide many of us with great info. Jim

jimt · July 2003

While my diff. problem is frustrating the truck overall is great. I installed Stillen cross- drilled rotors and their metal matrix pads last December. Stopping is smooth, quiet, and minimal brake dust. Original Goodyear RTS's still on with 72,000 miles. Edelbrock IAS shocks on about a year ago or longer and they are great! Firestone airbags on rear help also. Mileage on trip from Jupiter, FL. to western N. Carolina 17-18 mpg with highway speeds about 70-72. A/C compressor failed before the trip and repair was a little pricey at $900.00 (Drier replaced also). Still think the Dakota Quad is a fine truck. Jim

dustyk · July 2003

>>In April when I had Dodge change that pinion shaft seal; if not performed properly, could that be cause?<<

Yes. Replacing only the pinion seal requires recording what's called the "pinion preload." This basically is the amount of torque the pinion has against the front and rear pinion bearings.

This pinion torque is adjusted by tightening the companion flange (the component that holds the rear U-joint to the pinion shaft). There is a collapsible spacer which maintains a zero tolerance between the pinion bearings after the companion flange is tightened to specification.

When replacing just a pinion seal, you must take the preload measurement before you remove the companion flange. This is so the original bearing tolerance is maintained after you install a new bearing. If not returned to the original setting, there will be a change in backlash because you changed the pinion depth.

I would bet that they overtightened the companion flange upon reinstallation of the pinion seal. A common mistake made in the field. Oovertightening means that the collapsible spacer was compressed a little more, and the pinion teeth are slightly away (increased backlash) from the ring gear teeth.

In the field, this is a job for trained, extemely knowledgeable, patient, and fussy technicians.

Best of luck,
Dusty

bpeebles · July 2003

To answer your question about powerslot rotors "Do you know what this finish material is, and/or can you describe it?"

All I can say is that spike50 is about right. The finish wears off of the brake-contact area within 50 miles. The rest of the rotor remains 'silvery colored'. I have been thru a very salty winter and my rotors are virtually rust-free.

Even standing over a weekend in the rain... these rotors do not get that surface-rust that seems to invade other rotors. I guess this can be attributed to higher-quality steel used for the powerslots.

dustyk · July 2003

Thanks.

I talked to another fellow that used another manufacturer's rotor on his Avalanche, but now I can't remember the company name.

Was there something about the PowerSlots that you thought made them worthy of your selection?

I think the Avalanche owner sdaid the rotors he bought were $160 a piece. Does that sound right?

Best regards,
Dusty

sunburn · July 2003

Dusty - another rotor manufacturer is Brembo. They make regular, slotted, and drilled rotors for the Dakota. Check them out at www.tirerack.com. The Tire Rack also has PowerSlots for $116 each.

bpeebles · July 2003

(dustyk) I went with PowerSlot because there was a group buy going on and they seemed a step above what I could get from the local parts place.

READ THIS==> http://www.thebrakeman.com/rotortech

You may be thinking SSBC (Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation. ) As the name suggests, their rotors are 100% stainless steel. They wont rust.... but are VERY expensive.
Here is the URL;
http://www.ssbrakes.com/

I have almost 40 links to various brakes websites. Here is a sampling.
http://www.wilwood.com/
http://www.thebrakeman.com/
http://www.hardracing.com/Brakes/Ferodo.htm
https://www.olyonline.com/Autospec.htm

peiscooter · July 2003

At work we have purchased both a 3.9 sport and a 4.7 sport plus - both were delivered with discs all around

dustyk · July 2003

Peiscooter, thanks for the info.

Maybe Dodge made a running change since mine was made (late July '02 build). My 2003 Club Cab Sport Plus has drums on the rear.

Regards,
Dusty

traumagas · July 2003

Hello all
  I have a 2001 quad 4.7 4x4 with the higher speed rear end 3.55. I have documented rear end work from 9k-50k the last repair lasted 8k and they fixed it with me paying a 250 deductable, Since it was out of warranty. I B&M about it but paid it to get my truck fixed. WeLL it is doing it (Whinning) again after you drive for a while interstate, Then when you turn right or left it pops as if the clutches on the limited slip are stuck. Sounds like I GOING TO LEAVE THE REAR END ON THE GROUND !! I WANT A COMPLETE new rear end Not just the guts but whole assembly, the problem is always the same it has been repaired six times in 52k I do not tow a trailer !! or off road
Who do I call to get this taken care of for GOOD.
  I have read many post about this the dealer says this is isolated and my truck is the first he has seen (BS)
    Thanks for any info in advance
                             Jon

bookitty · July 2003

Dusty, I noticed that Scott (peiscooter) lives in Canada. Could this be a Canadian market thing?

Bookitty

mtrialsm · July 2003

I hate to say this but I know that my 4.7 Quad
will not go over 95. Hits the limit and cuts off,
well it's just limited. Didn't know that or probably didn't need to know,,,,,,,,
MM

dataguru · July 2003

This is what I understand to be available in Canada regarding 4-wheel disc brakes...

The general guideline is that all Dakotas with the GVW rating of at least 6010 lbs comes with disc brakes in all 4 corners and rear wheel only anti-lock as a standard feature. This guideline applies to all models (Regular Cab, Club Cab, Quad Cab) regardless of Trim (SXT, Sport, Sport Plus, SLT, SLT Plus, R/T). There is only 1 exception to this guideline...all R/T models(RC@5000lbs and CC@5350lbs)comes with 4-wheel disc brakes as a standard feature.

Thanks
Bill

dustyk · August 2003

Upon closer inspection of the window invoice of my truck the Club Cab Sport Plus comes with the 6010 GVW package as standard equipment. However -- and I just noticed this -- it lists "Emissions - California" and then indented directly underneath this entry, "Brakes - Pwr Disc/Drum, Rr Anti-Lock" and "GVW Rating - 5350#." For this entry there is -$75 subtracted from the price.

What dataguru stated now makes sense. So, I guess I have the 5350 GVW rating instead of 6010 lb. and that's why I have drums at the rear.

I have looked at the window invoices on various Dakota's at my dealership and I guess I never picked up on this. The last few I looked at (two SXTs and a Sport Plus) had rear disc brakes. I just never made the connection to the GVW rating. And, I suspect, those same three did not have the California emissions package.

Regards,
Dusty

dataguru · August 2003

Dusty, I am surprised to hear your CC Sport Plus does not have disc brakes all around. I thought all CCs (exception of R/T 5.9 CC) were GVW rated at 6010 lbs with the 8.25 inch rear axle. I'm starting to wonder if, perhaps, you have the larger R/T 5.9 rear axle installed? I believe it's listed as 9.25 inch? This may account for WHY you have drums in the rear (only because it's not a R/T model). This combination is perplexing...would suggest to ask the dealership for clarification just to be sure. If it's a factory error, you might seek to have the disc brakes installed for FREE.

Bill

jimt · August 2003

I was at dealer today having truck checked for dif. whine ( Dodge had replaced pinion shaft seal 5,000 miles ago). Mechanic says it is bearings and not ring and pinion making noise. The noise (whine), exists on acceleration and deceleration(coasting), only the pitch changes with change in speed. He says pinion bearings were probably failing before seal leak,causing the leak and now are worse and making noise. It is possible, but the rear-end was quiet before the repair and for a couple of thousand after. They want $1300.00 to change out all bearings if necessary and that doesn't include changing ring and pinion. I can't see it not making noise after setting up used ring and pinion. Dusty, your thoughts would be appreciated again! About the disc brakes, while I was wandering the showroom, I looked in the salesman's manual and it showed 5400lb GVW as threshold for disc brakes. It was listed by model as well, but any configuration =or> 5400lb GVW gets disc! This was under the 2003Dakota section. Thanks again for your thoughts and input. Jim

dustyk · August 2003

First, I guess I need to understand your situation.

Is your vehicle still under warranty? If not, have you talked to Chrysler about at least subsidizing some of the repair cost?

I would wonder why this differential needed pinion bearings within 5000 of the last repair. Pinion bearings, especially both, just don't fail that quickly in my opinion unless the gear oil was incorrect, insufficient or contaminated with water.

I would argue that perhaps the previous technician did not adequately check this differential out or did not diagnois the problem correctly the first time. Doesn't the dealer guarantee their work after repair?

I've been away from auto repair for a while, but $1300 seems a little high for just pinion bearings and seals. What's the price of a whole new rear axle assembly? I had our Chevy done about six years ago and the bill was around $800, and that included all new bearings and spider gears.

(That worked for about two years, then the axle puked its guts again. I had a used axle assembly installed for less than $500.)

You might consider getting a third opinion, or at that price, consider a specialist. Around here we have one establishment that does manual transmissions and differential repairs. I've been told they are the best at setting a diff. up and they guarantee their work for 12,000 miles.b Maybe you have such a shop in your area.

Best regards,
Dusty

jimt · August 2003

Yes, I am out of warranty with 72,000+ on vehicle. Dealer mechanic is stating bearing were probably failing prior to seal replacement.( Though they made no mention of problem at that time). They performed the fluid change at 30,000 miles with me specifying synthetic. (Did front and rear at that time with cost at $300.00) I won't use them for repair as I not very confident that they will perform quality set-up after seal replacement questionable. We do have a couple of quality shops around and will use one of these. I am going to run it for a while and see how much it changes/worsens and set aside some$$$ for repair. Thanks, Jim

dataguru · August 2003

I recently had the opportunity to very briefly scan a "Dealer Only" media pre-release booklet from DaimlerChrysler (DC).

Not too much is changing for 2004 Dakotas. The document only lists two engines for the Dakota next year, a new 3.7L and 4.7L. The LA series 3.9L and 5.9L engines are no longer available. There was no mention of the new 5.7L Hemi nor any info on the R/T model. However, for Durangos, the 5.7L Hemi is standard on the R/T models. There is also speculation that a feature called, UCONNECT, (a Bluetooth technology) will be available later in the 2004 model year for a number of different DC vehicles (Dakota being one). This option allows one (among other things) to connect up to 5 telephone numbers to the unit for single accessibility.

Hope this info is useful.
dataguru

dustyk · August 2003

Does this mean the AN body for Dakota is unchanged from 2003?

Thanks in advance,
Dusty

bookitty · August 2003

Bill, that information applies only to the Canadian market. The U.S. version will offer a 5.7 Hemi with dual exhaust, racing cam, 6 speed manual, and a Cummins 5.9 turbo diesel no cost option. This along with ability to group 10 phone numbers and a rock band to boot.

Bookitty

gregp5 · August 2003

Yes, but you forgot to mention the free summer rental on L.B.I.

bpeebles · August 2003

A fuel-efficent turbodiesel engine that would get 45MPG. (Just like the one in the Jeep that has the same engine-mounts as the Dakota)

I know I would SERIOUSLY consider a 45 MPG turbodiesel Dakota.

dakowner · August 2003

Was an 03 Sport Quad Cab with the 3.9 six. What I would have preferred was the 3.7 or 4.7 as offered on the 04's. Necessity dictated that I buy prior to the 04 model rollout. Finances dictated that I not buy the 4.7 as the dealership was desparately wanting to clear out the 03 3.9 models. They wanted to sell a special order 03 4.7 at a premium price. All the 4.7's had more options than I could afford. They dangled the carrot and I had no other choice.

dataguru · August 2003

Dusty,

yes, this is what I understand to be from the document. The AN platform remains unchanged for 2004.

dataguru

dataguru · August 2003

Norm,

I wouldn't be surprised about the 5.7 Hemi availability; yes, I've noticed that packaging of the Options are done differently between the two countries. Even within the USA, California, has stricter emission standards.

dataguru

dataguru · August 2003

Bruce,

I'm with you re a 45mpg turbodiesel Dakota.

dataguru

dataguru · August 2003

A few additional 2004 Dakota updates were related to me today:

1. Bucket seats are now standard on Quad Cabs
2. A new colour added, Molten Red
3. The Dakota R/T model has been discontinued
4. The new 3.7L V6 is rated 210HP vs Jeep's 215HP
5. No confirmation regarding the 5.7L Hemi option

Please note, the document (which I quickly browsed) made no references to what features are available in Canada versus what's available in the USA. Unfortunately, I won't have access to it again to confirm. Let's hope the new 2004 brochures will be available soon.

dataguru

dustyk · August 2003

I think you will find that if your dealer is Canadian they got the Canadian information release. Likewise the US dealers got US release information.

I'm a little surprised that they dropped the R/T version, unless this is a Canadian market decision only. Or it might be that the production of 5.7 engines has to be phased in on the Dakota due to supply issues. I think I remember reading that the 5.7 Hemi engine production was limited since Chrysler only wanted to run one shift, but demand forced them to two.

Maybe the 5.7 won't be cut-in right away on the Dakota, and when it does they will announce the R/T availability.

Regards,
Dusty

DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB

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