Dodge Dakota: Problems & Solutions

jeepster89 · December 2005

Dusty, another chapter in the on-going saga of the '01 Quad Cab w/4.7. If my Quad was a horse, I would have already put it out of its misery because my patience is gone. To recap - truck began to overheat last summer - numberous trips to dealership where nothing could be found wrong - replaced thermostat (twice), radiator hoses, radiator taken out and flushed/cleaned (shop said it was pretty clean before they worked on it), water pump (tiny leak in bottom of o-ring of old one) and fan clutch. System was flushed and anti-freeze replaced. Pressure check was done and it did not indicate any internal leak such as head gasket, and am not loosing any fluid nor is there any water in the oil. Truck stopped overheating.
Now weather is cold and snow is on the ground. I cannot go out and start vehicle and let it warm up. It will not get warm unless I start to drive the vehicle and then it will warm up nicely. If I go into a store and leave the truck running, my temp gauge starts to go up and the warm/hot heater air will start to go cold. I think this indicates a flow problem but have no idea what else to do. Not sure what to do next except sell as I've sunk enough money into the truck. Thanks

jeepster89 · December 2005

Realizing the heater core might be blocked, that shouldn't make the heat gauge start to rise at idle, should it? Is there a valve somewhere that might not be opening fully to allow coolant to flow? Thanks again

drum2 · December 2005

to mir 1 my 02 dakota wont start in the cold. cranks hard but wont start. i know what you are going through but i dont have no answers. sorry.

nedkelly · December 2005

The engine temp comes up fine. Just running the blower at the 3rd or 4th (highest) setting, the heat cools down.

Whereabouts is the thermostat located?

Well I'm going to look at getting it back-flushed first, then go from there.

Thanks.

jneal · December 2005

The thermostat is located in a housing where the radiator hose connects to the top front of the engine block.

balbro · December 2005

it sounds like you might have a problem with your fuel. have all your gas lines checked change the fuel filter and have the fuel pump checked.

dunn4 · December 2005

this is my cry for help. Help. 93 dakota died with no warning, just quit running. I was thinking bad fuel pump, yet i have heard it pump at least 2x since we have been working on it. So we have ruled that out. We did find that the interrupter inside the distributor was worn heavily, so we replaced the whole distributor, and cap and plugs and wires. No luck. We removed exhaust at manifold, thinking it was clogged, no luck. We have swapped Auto Shut Down Relay with Radiator Fan Relay, no luck. We have tested the coil and plug wires and we are receiving spark. We have sprayed starting fluid into Throttle Body, still no luck. We have added 2 gallons of gas, no luck. Plugs do have gas on them, so we are assuming we are getting fuel. We pulled No. 1 plug and tried to start it we got fuel out of plug hole and plug sparked at the same time. Any one have any clues? :confuse: Looking for Luck.

whook1981 · December 2005

title says it all

How do I get the Spare Tire off the truck ... No owners manual ... and have a flat !!!! I see a turn handle infront of the tire but what do I use to lower it and where do I stick it !!!!

dunn4 · December 2005

hey, on older models you can take off the spare tire with the tire tool or the jack extension tool will go through a hole on rear bumper to lower the tire. I hope this helps. Good Luck

bpeebles · December 2005

Also, It is a very good idea to lower the spare and lubricate the mechanism once a year to ensure it actually works when you need it. I usually do this when I am lubricating the tailgate latches. It takes about 10 minutes. (It actually takes more time to get out the "tool" to do it than it takes to actually do it.)

bpeebles · December 2005

What I dont understand is how anyone could have lost the owners manual?... every vehicle is delivered with one.

crawdad2 · December 2005

I have a 1997 Dakota V-6 2WD, lately I have had this problem with shifting from 2nd to 3rd. To get the truck to shift to 3rd I have been letting up on the throttle and as the RPMs drop below 1500 it shifts to third. If I dont let up on the throttle, the truck will ride in 2nd until red line. Trans fluid was changed using ATF type F awhile back, other than that no fault codes or anything. :confuse:

crawdad2 · December 2005

I have a 1997 Dakota V-6 2WD, lately I have had this problem with shifting from 2nd to 3rd. To get the truck to shift to 3rd I have been letting up on the throttle and as the RPMs drop below 1500 it shifts to third. If I dont let up on the throttle, the truck will ride in 2nd until red line. Trans fluid was changed using ATF type F awhile back, other than that no fault codes or anything.

sunburn · December 2005

Type F ATF is the wrong type for a Dodge transmission. You should have the transmission flushed and the fluid replaced with either ATF+3 or ATF+4. The wrong fluid will cause all sorts of shifting related problems. Hopefully no long term damage was done.

crawdad2 · December 2005

Thanks for the reply, I will have it flushed out and make sure they fill it up with ATF +3. Thanks again.

01quadowner · December 2005

Jody,
I see you never had any replies to your problem. I have the exact same problem with my 2001 Dakota Quad 4.7 Auto, and the dealer (Triangle Dodge in Graniteville, SC) has never been able to solve it yet. They've tried everything. Even a brand new PCM (computer), to the tune of $900.00, has not solved the problem. It has been one big troubleshooting adventure for the dealer, at the expense of my wallet. Now the Power Steering Pump sounds like it's fixing to take a dump.
Do yourself a favor, and trade it on a new Toyota Tundra Quad!

Butch in Aiken, SC

carhelpme2 · December 2005

i have a dodge ram 89 model truck that has the same problem as your truck, can not get truck to fire. did you ever find what your problem was

dakotaman1 · December 2005

Well, it finally did it. Water pump failed on my '97 Dakota Sport (2WD auto). The symptoms came ever so gradually, and I must confess that - like a dope - I never bothered to flush my coolant: My Bad. Last July I noticed that the AC didn't seem to work very well: blamed it on the intense heat of NC. In recent weeks here in NJ, I noticed that the heater didn't work very well: blamed it on ultra cold weather.

One day, I noticed that my temp gauge was a bit erratic - doing excursion to >220F then back down to a normal 190F. Later that evening, things got much worse and the gauge redlined @260F and I pulled it over immediately. Note that this came with no "warnings" such as a noise, etc. though I confess that I didn't check for leaks under engine (never sensed a problem before). At this point, however, the "weep hole" had opened up on the bottom of the water pump and most of you know the rest of the story. The coolant was rather rust-colored.

1) OK, I had the pump replaced and was advised NOT to flush the system now as things had rusted to the point that this may invite more problems, as leaks in the radiator or freeze plugs. I'd like to know if anyone has had this experience and agrees with this position?

2) I was also told that the condition of the coolant over time caused the pump bearing to fail. Any thoughts on this?

3) What is the relationship between a failed pump bearing and the "weep hole" deciding to open up and drain the coolant? I'm very curious about this.

4) Regarding the earlier cooling heating symptoms, I was told that the condition of the coolant over time did a job on the heater core, which I find believable. Is there any magic liquid I could add to the coolant that would help remove the "plaque/cholesterol" from the heater core to help restore it? Then maybe I could simply drain (remove case plug) and replenish the coolant at intervals to rid the gunk ...

5) As I had mentioned in an earlier post, I noticed (as have many other Dodge owners) the elusive "Check Engine" light come and go. I wonder if this could have been somehow related to the impending pump failure - either a sensor of the bearing state, coolant level (mine had probably been falling over time), or some other related variable? I checked the P-codes I have access to and did not see anything obvious.

I realize these are a lot of Qs, and I did research the data base on this forum before posting this. I did not see any similar Qs posted. If anyone could please entertain this, I'm sure we could all learn something.

Thanks,
DakotaMan

jneal · December 2005

1. No, I do not agree with this. Thoroughly flush the system with a good cleaner and find the weak points now unless you had rather drive down the road knowing that rust and sludge may be all that is keeping the system from dumping coolant all over the road and leaving you stranded within the next mile.

2. Yes, coolant also has a lubricant in it and in time will cause the pump to fail if not maintained.

3. See #2. Seals will fail of their own accord but slack in the bearings will take the seals out in a heartbeat.

4. Again, have the system professionally flushed if you don't have the equipment to properly back-flush it, this will also take care of the heater core.

5. Possibly related to the coolant level but doubtful.

hoosier1bucki · December 2005

My '03 Dakota Quad (V6) has approx. 41k miles. Noticed yesterday that during idle the heater did not work, actually blew cold air. As I drove it started pumping out warmer air and the more I drove it seemed to get hotter. However, the minute I would slow down or stop the air would cool. Based on what I read on this site it seems like a coolant issue. But since I'm not a "car guy" I thought I run it past the experts. Thanks and have a good holiday season (PC).

dakotaman1 · December 2005

Thanks for your comments, JNeal. You are in the same camp as my dad, who says that the only thing TO do is flush it. I guess the mechanic's thought was that - with all the pressurization of the flush - you'd "break something loose". Maybe so, but as you say - better to do it on my terms than out in the middle of nowhere at the worst time, huh?

As for (2), are you saying that the lubricant in my coolant eventually dimished, and that may have led to the bearing failure?

As for (5), it'll be interesting to see if my intermittent Check Engine light now goes away ...

I forgot to mention that my Dakota has only 57K miles on her.

I wonder if Dusty is still out there? Penny for his thoughts ...

bpeebles · December 2005

Obviously, the antifreeze is not not flowing thru the heatercore at low engin speeds. This is most often caused by low coolant....but can also be caused by;

*) Air trapped in the system
*) Thermostat problem
*) waterpump not pumping
*) Use of incorrect antifreeze that will "GELL" when mixed with HOAT antifreeze....thus plugging the system.

mtrialsm · December 2005

I can't keep new blades from squeaking after 3 months!
Seems like the wiper arm blade spring is very strong and
causes the new blades to deform while just sitting in the rest position. Then when it rains the blades start sqeaking in a few months,,,I've tried just about all the brands and they all do this. The blades on my 2005 Highlander are over a year old and are not squeaking!
Oh, well,,,,MERRY CHRISTMAS to all,,,,,,

P.S.
I've decide to buy Yokohama Geolander tires.

Mick
2001 QUAD, 2WD. 64k miles.

jneal · December 2005

I fully agree with bpeebles on the causes. Does your engine temp gauge come up to normal mark during running at normal speeds?

jneal · December 2005

As to the coolant lubrication issue, failure to drain and refill with fresh coolant on a regular basis may not cause the bearings and seals to fail but it certainly doesn't contribute to longevity either.
Water pumps should last more than 57K but it isn't unusual for one to fail at that mileage. I replaced the original water pump on my '93 Dak at 117K but I have replaced many others at a lot less mileage than that.

bpeebles · December 2005

There are different "composition" of rubber used in different wiper blades.

Basiclly;
**Natural rubber will "wipe" the best... but tends to degrade the fastest in sunlight. Also tends to deform faster when parked. (not being used)
**Synthetic rubber is tougher and can resist UV light... but does not "wipe" nearly as well.

(some are a composite of natural/synthetic... these tend to be a good compromize) I recommend BOSCH as perhaps the best wiper blades.

Since you have tried several different brands/types of wipers...lets take another approach at your problem.

First, make CERTAIN that the glass is squeeky-clean. You may have gotten some type of silicone or other oil on the glass which is VERY difficult to remove. (There are not many chemicals that will remove silicone from glass) I am guessing that you must have used some kind of wax containing silicone and it "bled" down on to the glass when it rained. Use plenty of muscle to scrub the glass and scrub in at least 2 different directions.

There is a little-known "adjustment" that can make a HUGE difference in wiper performance. The angle at which they contact the glass can be "tweaked" by slightly twisting the wiper-arm. This is most easilly done using a cresent-wrench clamped down on the arm near the wiper end and applying some "twist" in the desired direction.

Also, in reference to your comment on the wipers taking on a "set" while at rest.... I usually slide out the rubbers and re-install in the other direction to compensate for that phenomenon. I have been able to DOUBLE the useful life of wiper blades in this mannor.

Also, DO NOT get rid of the original wipers from your Dakota... if you look closely at them and count the number of "holders" for the rubbers, you will see that the originals are "special" because they have additional holders for the rubbers. (A very good measure of a windsheild-wiper quality is the number of holders for the rubbers....more is better)

Besides, it is better to replace JUST THE RUBBER and not the entire thing. It is a HUGE waste of money to replace a perfectly good part.

mtrialsm · December 2005

Thanks for reply. I just reversed the blades, now they squeak
on the down stroke. I'll clean the windshield and replace the blades again. I've used Bosch blades with same result.
I'm still enjoying my 2001 Quad! It's a keeper for a few more years!!

dodgetrukn · December 2005

Help... Looks like blower resistor gone..
30F outside. Start truck, turn on radio, drive 2 short blocks for a newspaper, shut off engine, go inside store.
Come out, start truck, have no radio, no blinkers, no heater blower fan on any low-med-high setting. Do not know if blower was working in that 2 block drive. Pull over, shut down, wait 10 secs, restart engine, same.. shut down everything. Check inside fuses, ok. Reseat fuses and relays in engine compartment elect box. Restart engine, radio, blinkers work. Blower fan still does not work on low-med-high/full settings. Wiggled blower resistor connector on ductwork. Same. I drove to work (45 mins) and heard clicking noises near ashtray sounding like a relay also. I searched the "blower resistor" posts, and many say resistor used for low/med settings, and one post said blower fan did not work at all.. looks like I may pull the resistor today and measure for any resistance, then head off to the dealer for a replacement resistor. Crap, and this is my last day at work to return my badge as I got layed off! Mr. Loser..

bpeebles · December 2005

What your describe does NOT sound like blower resister. If the blower resistor opens up, the blower will WORK ONLY ON HIGH. (because HIGH setting bypasses the blower-ressitor)

You are describing a different scenerio. Look for a blown fuse first.

ALso -- I am sorry for you getting layed off. It is hard to have a merry Christmas under those circomstances.

dodgetrukn · December 2005

Thanks for the reply bruce. I had swapped out the 10amp fuse at the drivers side fuse panel and basically just "looked" for blown fuses.. Swapping out that fuse did not correct the fan problem.I'll break out the dvm this afternoon and confirm if any fuses are "open". I wasn't sure if the blower resistor had any effect at the High setting. Any idea on what I hear as a clicking sound..sometimes rapid as click-click, then sometimes only 1 click.. that sounds like a relay opening/closing..Do you know of any relays underneath the heat/cool control knobs - nearly behind the ashtray possibly related to the blower?? thx, Ger.

two8pts · December 2005

about 2 weeks ago the check engine light came on. i stopped at advance and had them hook up and tell me what it was. gave me p1391...needs tune-up they said. i put plugs, wires dist cap, rotor and pcv on it. light still comes on and it runs really rough every morning. after about 5 or 10 miles it runs so bad i have to pull over and cut it off, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes and it will run fine until next morning.....any ideas????

dodgetrukn · December 2005

two8pts.. Try a google search on obd II codes.. I looked around and seen a few sites.. I had deleted the 1 good site link related to dodge...
Or search on this forum.. seen this..http://autorepair.about.com/cs/troubleshooting/l/bl_obd_13.htm

I also saw this..
"P1391 Sometimes, I can't see the crank or cam sensor signal." I can't 100% confirm that this is your description of your error..again check on the web..

Good luck..

two8pts · December 2005

thanks....will give both a try

dakotaman1 · December 2005

Thanks again, JNeal. Everything you say mekes sense - sorta resonates w/ my gut. I could kick myself. Something now haunts me about the intermittent Check Engine lights over the past half a year or so. I'm now really wondering whether the sensor system (in the '97 Dakota) is "smart enough" to know that coolant level is dropping (w/o trigging an overheating condition). Again, I checked the list of P-codes I have and see nothing about this. And I only a few weeks ago obtained the ElmScan tool for pulling such codes, and didn't quite manage to set it ip on my laptop in time ...

This was serious mismanagement. But I am determined to get the system flushed ASAP.

dodgetrukn · December 2005

Stuck Now... Pulled and tested with a dvm all fuses in drivers side inside panel and under the hood electrical panel. Even swapped like fuses. Also pulled out resistor block which is a 5 min operation, Measured NO opens on any combination of 5 pins. That resistor block looks like a big thick film resistor with 5 connections. Some pins have direct shorts, ,some others have values a little over 2000 ohms.
Stuck Now..any and all help greatly appreciated.
2001 quad,4.7l, 3.92lsd,5 speed. I still wonder what a slight clicking sound is of which comes from behind the heater controls area. Glad the blinkers and radio is still back working!Ger

jagster · December 2005

Sinking $ into this dakota left & Right. Need help. After new spark plug wires, brakes and tires, I get this message:
PO152, R-UPSTRN O2S(2/1) Shorted high.
The truck was in for tranny flush and guy ran diagnostics when he saw chek engine light. 2001 club cab, 3,9 v6. Symptoms also include, loss of feul economy, jumping out of O/D, loss of pulling power.
What does this code mean and can I do myself?

bpeebles · December 2005

PO152, R-UPSTRN O2S(2/1) Shorted high. is pretty obvious....let me "decode" it for you

The Oxygen sensor #1 in Bank2 has been detected as shorted high". (Each side of the engine is considerd a "bank" of cylinders.) There are 2 O2 sensors for each bank of cylinders. The one BEFOERE the catalyst is #1 and the one AFTER the catalyst is #2.

SO...what exactly does this mean? It does NOT necessarrly mean that the O2 sensor is bad. (although it may mean that) It could be a wiring problem (insulation on a wire has worn thru.)

Most mechanics would blindly replace the O2 sensor and charge you for it wether it fixes the problem or not. I will let you chose what to do with this newfound knowledge.

bpeebles · December 2005

Mr. dodgetrukn

Ahhh, you know how to use a DVM... this is good 8-) I just ready your bio. ... you are experienced in electronic test.
(I am trained in electronics myself) That explains why you were so specicic when you originally described the problem 8-)

I have the BOB (Big Orange Book.... aka factory service manual) for my 2000 Dakota. I have access to all the schematic diagrams. Unfortunately, the schematics do not tell WHERE the components are. Thus I cannot tell you what components behind the heater-controls would "click".

I know there is a component on the FIREWALL under the hood. (just below the drivers-side windsheild wiper) that is EXPECTED to click when it is performing the diagnostics for the EVAP system. I wonder if this is what you are hearing?

It sounds as if you have covered all the bases related to fuses, fusable links and the blower-resistor.

If it were me, I would next look to the relays. The schematics show several relays that are used to "power up" parts of the electrical system. Many of the relays are "swappable" which should aid in troubleshooting. Also, check if there is power available at the ciggerete lighter and other "power outlets"

Keep us informaed about what you find.

Also, I have read thru your posts and see that you have the blinkers working now. Please describe the current problems you are now seeing.

dodgetrukn · December 2005

Bpeebles,,yepper have 30 yrs background,with electronics..at my wits end. Common sense says connector did not fall off of heater switch....as u could pull cover off located under steering column and look...... also I can cut 1 wire on blower motor wires and force 12v.. to see if blower fan blew out..but i really dont think that is the failure..All of this is totally suspicious...
I really hear clicking behind or near the left hand side of the ash tray like a relay......... i cant figure it out...as i had said..pulled every fuse and seen ok..unless something underneath/behind that area.... got the days off tomorrow,, and will be pulling that apart to see.. ..again.appreciate any and all suggestions.... i really dont think my fan motor is blown.. but i can force some voltage on that in the next phase of diagnosis..! thx.,,,,ger

dustyk · December 2005

Jagster,

Your Dak is old enough to have developed an electrical wiring problem as well. Check the connector and the wiring harness. In this case "shorted high" I think means the PCM is not detecting a O2 state change from cold. (Do you agree, Bpeebles?) The O2 coil could be open and you should be able to measure that with a DVOM.

Good luck & Merry Christmas.

Dusty

two8pts · December 2005

it appears i have the problem corrected. i changed out the crankshaft position detector yesterday......has not done the same thing since.

macgyverdb · December 2005

Hey there everyone...this is a new one on me.
Sometimes my 1998 Dakota has tantrums. Sometimes I start it when leaving work and it stalls outright. When it does this if I re-start, and immediately go for the gas peddle it will stay running. I then have to power brake it (one foot on the gas one on the brake) to keep it running so I can go home. About 10 minutes into the drive I no longer have to power brake it at stops. However when I get home (it's a 15 minute drive to get home)I noticed that the sound of the fuel pump was uneven. This does not happen all the time. Remarkably every morning I start it in the garage it has never done this. Only when it's at work. I used to think it was distributor cap related..moisture...because of heavy rains etc. However it's just been very cold and sometimes snowing in the past 3 weeks and it's doing it again. Reason for thinking distributor cap related because it never did this before the tune up I gave it....any thoughts? Did I find the bullseye or should I keep looking?

cbolton · December 2005

I purchased a new 2005 Dodge Dakata last year (November 2004). Every time the outside temperature drops to 25 degrees and colder, my truck has major problems starting. All othe times it starts fine. Has anyone heard of this problem?

jneal · December 2005

Please elaborate a bit on "major problems starting" That doesn't really give anyone much to go on.......
Does it seem the starter isn't turning the engine over very fast...does the starter just click and not turn the engine at all for a few tries...Does everything seem to work well and the engine just doesn't crank??

dodgetrukn · December 2005

Fantastic on your fix! I am still having trouble with my fan blower as it still does not run at any speed.. looks like today I'll swap out some relays then see what if anything happens! Ger

bookitty · December 2005

Just my wishes for a very happy holiday season to you and yours. Thank you everyone for your help and information; always delivered with kindness and consideration.

Bookitty (Norm)

batke · December 2005

I have a 1998 Dakota V8 5.2L and can't get the heat to blow on the floor. Plenty of hot air in the vent and defrost. Maybe a Vacuum leak, but I'm not sure where to look. I'd appreciate any help.

enfuego34 · December 2005

My grandfather has a dakota and the steering is to easy. You can spin the steering wheel around with just one push of the finger, it will spin all the way around turning the wheels all by themselves till they are pointing the other direction while it is setting still. Ive never seen this before but he say it is getting hard to drive being so easy to turn.

dustyk · December 2005

I've seen this problem before. Is this Dakota a '96 or older with a Saginaw (GM) rack-and-pinion assembly?

What has happened is the pressure valve in the steering gear rack has stuck in the full open position. The only solution is to replace the rack-and-pinion steering gear assembly.

Regards,
Dusty

nedkelly · December 2005

My mechanic took a look, believes it's a clogged heater core. Which is under the dash.

I've taken dashes apart before, anyone know if it's difficult to replace a heater core?

From the diagrams I've seen it's not difficult to swap it out, just to get to it.

Dodge Dakota: Problems & Solutions

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Dodge Dakota: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Dodge Dakota: Problems & Solutions