Dodge Dakota: Problems & Solutions

slickwilliedj · July 2001

did you get your truck back yet from dealer?

larrylee33 · July 2001

Just bought a Dakota LE 2 WD with a 5.2 318. When I start the truck, it goes to about 800 RPM...fine. After a few minutes, it drops to between 200 and 300 RPM. I have done almost all of the maintence required for the 70000 miles it has on it. New EGR, PCV, Plugs, Wires, Cap and Rotor, tranny powerflush etc. Even with the low idle, it has plenty of power and never acts like it will die. What could be the problem???

gator72 · July 2001

Hey Slickwilliedj (and others that are interested). Dealer said the noises are caused by bad bushings on the torsion (anti-sway) bars. He's ordered them and will call when they come in. He said it would take about 2 hours to put them on. I'll update again after they're installed.

FYI: I have an'01 QC SLT-Plus, 4.7L, auto., T&H package (16" wheels).

GATOR72

slickwilliedj · July 2001

thanks for the update. however dont you have a 2wd? if so no torsion bars. ... a swaybar is a totally different thing.. did dealer happen to explain why this popping noise is only present while braking?.

namfflow · July 2001

It sounds like you have a vacuum leak somewhere. Possibly one of the hoses or gaskets. The intake manifold gasket tends to leak when they old on the 318. Easy to check with a spray can od carb cleaner. With the engine running spray c;eaner aronfds the base of the manifold. If the idle drops or the engine dies you have a gasket leak. Check all the hoses and connections. If you replaced hoses or if they have been replaced make sure new clamps were used. Sometimes the old ones get distorted enough to cause a small leak and it just doesn't take much on a modern enginew.

cbacres1 · July 2001

Just following up on the rearend housing being hot to touch rather than warm, just as gtownguy had posted. I talked with the dealer service manager & the only thing I could get out of him was to bring it in & let them look at it. He also said no TSB's on it & not to worry, I had a while to go before it was out of warranty. Much as I hate to take it in for nothing I was thinking it might be good to a least document it. Anyone else notice this? I have a 01' QC, 4.7, auto,4x2,limited slip,3.55.

I thought I seen a posting on where to get a BTB, other than the place listed in my owners manual. Would appreciate any info.

Also, dealer put 10w30 instead of 5w30, seems like my mileage dropped off some, about 1.5-2 mpg. Think that would make a diff? I'm in S. Fl..

slickwilliedj · July 2001

i also live in sfla(miami) so were both aware of how hot things can around here. i run 10w-40 in mine. keeping in mind that the first number indicates the degree in which the oil will flow in cold weather and the second number is for flow in warm..... so 5w -30 and 10w-30 carry the same flow rate for warm weather will not make a difference here in sfla.

bpeebles · July 2001

(larrylee33)

The 318 has some known "problems" that can be diagnosed/fixed once one knows what to look for.

Please review this URL;

http://www.fast4x4.net/

Pay special attention to the instructions about how to diagnose a leaking bellypan gasket and to clean the IAC motor. (Idle Air Compensator) Each step has a digital photo to show you EXACTLY what to do 8-)

Your rig will run much better after perfoming these important procedures.

willywill · July 2001

does any one else have tires on there dakota that have defects??? i have had three of my four have stress cracks in them.All goodyear said was it happens. They also told me that they wont blow out. Wrong was he. On my way home tonight the front right blew out. Just wondering if anyone has problems with these tires. they said they are on backorder???

Thanx Will

urban3 · July 2001

Check out a series of posts in the Quad Cab topic starting at #3310. Sounds like the same problem bobs5 was having.

shawnh2 · July 2001

Just a question...I noticed in the owners manual, DC recommends to replace the rear axle oil with either a heavier duty oil or a synthetic if the vehicle is used for towing. I do some light towing and was considering having this completed by the dealer at the next oil change. My question is this: is this a big job? what should I expect in the way of cost?

Thanks,
Shawn

mvito1 · July 2001

I purchased a brand new 2001 Quad Cab 4x4 Sport with the 5.9L v8. It's got 17,000 miles and I have never towed anything with it.
There was a recall on the 4x4 switch, which was re programmed 2 months ago..No problems!

Got motor oil change last week and as soon as I got home and put the transmission on reverse. I heard this loud "CHUG" then metal grind.

Had it towed back to dealership 2 hours later.

Service Adviser said the "tranny" went out!
Is this common on all 2001 Dakotas Quab Cabs 4x4
Or Was I sold a LEMON?
Signed,
Very Upset Dakota Owner

samse5 · July 2001

Hi, I hear the squeeling noise usually after the engine has been running for some time and especially on hot days. It seems to come and go which is why I haven't brought it in again yet. I need to have it be consistent so that the tech is able to pinpoint the problem.
Samse5

skylerk · July 2001

I really appreciate the collective wisdom and experience of those who post here in the Town Hall Dakota forums, so I am looking forward to your feedback on these questions:

Do you recommend or not recommend including the spare tire in the rotation? Why? If recommended, what should the rotation pattern be?

My Dakota is at 7700 miles and overdue for its first rotation. Just in case it makes any difference in your recommendation, I have a 2001 QuadCab 4x2 with the tire and handling package (255/65/R16) and the spare is identical except for the lack of tread wear.

bmwjoe · July 2001

Read the owner's manual. Follow those directions.

Drive Safe,

Joe

bpeebles · July 2001

It is your choice to include the spare or not.

If you do choose to include it, by all means follow the owners manual for the recommended "pattern" of rotation.

I have chosen to INCLUDE the spare tire in the rotation schedule for the following reasons.
1) My spare is a FULL SIZE spare on an aluminium wheel just like the rest of the truck.
2) Since I have the optional "handling" option, I have HUGE wheels and the big 31" tires.
3) NOT including the spare in the rotation is wasting well over $100 of tire/wheel that I paid for.
4) The overall "wear time" of 5 tires will give me over a year more of driving time before the tires fail state inspection and have to be replaced.

bobs5 · July 2001

I do question the durability of those goodyear tires. My truck has the T&H package. The tires themselves seem to be of good construction. My problem has been getting flats due to road debris and rocks. 2 flats in 2 months. Of course the punctures were on the sidewall on one and a rock near the egde on the other...not repairable. I went to goodyear and got all the tires covered with the road hazard protection. Those big tires are not cheap in price. The replacement tires are blackwalls now, because goodyear discontinued the white letter tires.
Sounds like your experience is bad manufacturing of the tires themselves. Goodyear should replace them for you at no cost.

bobs5 · July 2001

When I read the owners manual, it seems to indicate that towing up to 2000 lbs, that there is no need for fluid change.

I may have to help a friend out and tow his boat to my house. It may be over the 2k lbs.

Would it hurt to tow it one way less than 15 miles without the fluid change? I will definately take it easy on this trip.

Also, should a person get the front axle fluid changed as well, if it is a 4x4?

Thank you for any input.
Bob

spike50 · July 2001

I chose to include the spare because:
1. I'm doing the work myself and I have to incorporate to spare while I work my way around the truck. It seems silly not to bolt the spare up tight and get the task over with ASAP.
2. I've heard that its not good to mix different tire treads on a 4x4. Because I have a 4x4, I want all five tires to basically wear out at the same time. That will give me a clean decision point in the future to determine if I want to continue with the Goodyear RT/S or try something else.
3. By incorporating the spare in the rotation, I'll be able to go more miles prior to having to buy those 5 new tires when the time comes.

bpeebles · July 2001

(bobs5) You will not damage your rear diff. in any measurable way by towing 15 miles. Assuming you have all of the approprate hitch and load-stabilizer bars (if needed).
If you accellerate REAL SLOW... the load on the differential will be minimised (your final roadspeed is almost irrelevent.) Keep in mind that the BEARINGS take the bulk of the weight of the load... the Differential only PULLS the load.

Everyone should know that there have been reports of moisture (ie water) damage in some Dodge truck differentials. Apparently the factory-fill was found to be contaminated in several Dodge/Jeep trucks as of late.

Towing or not... We all should consider changing the differential(s) lube.

decentman4you · July 2001

In my QC 4x4 4.7L AWD, is there a way to change the FRONT differential gear oil? Or what or how is that differential lubricated?

What is the best way to include the spare into a tire rotation scheme? that is ( X ) the tires and place the spare Where? or it doent matter?
Presently I simply rotate front to back, 2 times sofar with 10,200 miles, Without including the spare!

taki3 · July 2001

i recently was on a 200 mile trip, and on the way back, my 97 Dakota v6 5 spd started stalling while stopped at an intersection, and then the check engine light went on....i was able to start the truck again without any problem, but everytime i stopped and tried to get started again, the engine had a difficult time with it....there was no noticable problem at higher speeds....

anybody have any ideas? its possible that i got lower quality gas, so im hoping once this tank is gone the problem goes away....

ive already reset the computer by disconnecting the battery, and the light has gone away, but the engine symptoms still exist....

anybody have any ideas?

bobs5 · July 2001

Thank you for the response. I thought it would not hurt for the short trip. I will eventually get the rear axle fluid changed though.
This is the first I heard about contaminated rear axle fluid out of the factory.
Do you know which build dates are affected?
Thanks,
Bob

mopar67 · July 2001

somewhere that the milky axle fluid was due to gear marking compound used at the factory.

bpeebles · July 2001

Yes... I have attached the TSB summary below;

Service Bulletin Number: 030200
Bulletin Sequence Number: 105
Date of Bulletin: 0003
NHTSA Item Number: SB610618
Make: DODGE TRUCK
Model: DAKOTA
Year: 2000
Component: SUSPENSION:SINGLE AXLE:REAR
Summary: SUBJECT PERTAINS TO 9.25 AXLE GEAR MARKING COMPOUND CAUSING A MILKY-LIKE APPEARANCE TO THE AXLE FLUID. *TT

spike50 · July 2001

I just start by putting the spare on the passenger side rear (p-s-r). Move the old p-s-r to the p-s-front. Move the old p-s-f to the driver-s-f. Then the old d-s-f goes to the d-s-r. The former d-s-r then becomes the new spare. Right or wrong, that's what I've been doing.

ford_bii · July 2001

Follow the recommended rotation pattern in the owner's manual, and just stick the spare in anywhere you like. Just make sure every time you rotate from there on you always put the spare back in the same position. Everything will wear as normal.

I rotated the spare in at the passenger rear position and removed the driver front to become the new spare.

It's not rocket science...

On another note:
What is with the synthetic-in-the-rear thing? Do rear ends suck so bad nowadays that they force you to put in synthetic oil if you're going to tow at all?? What about all the years were there was no synthetic, those rears did just fine. Really makes you think about the quality of manufacturing these days. Synthetic, albeit better, sounds like a band-aid for a cheaply manufactured differential - another way for manufacturers to cut costs.

Just a thought.

dagobran · July 2001

Hello,
Any hints for my local body shop on how to mount 31x10.5 tires on my new Aluminum wheel without scratching the finish on the wheel about two inches out from the center cap? They have wrecked two new wheels in a row for my 2000 4x4 Quad after a January encounter with a parking lot snow plow gouged the original wheel.
On their second try they baked the wheel in their curing oven because they thought maybe the finish was too soft and put cardboard between the mounting tool and the wheel. (Maybe the cardboard makes things worse?)
Thanks,
Dave

fvracer · July 2001

Dagobran, your body shop does not have the correct tire machine for mounting these rims. You need to take it to a shop that has a "touchless" tire machine. These will clamp the wheel from behind (not through the center) and the tire tool works from a machine mounted arm, not cantilevered off the center post.

-fvracer

shawnh2 · July 2001

So, what type of cost should I expect if I have the dealer change the rear axle fluid to the recommended synthetic. Much labor involved? Might be a silly question, I just don't know whats involved in the work.

Shawn

slickwilliedj · July 2001

did you get your truck back for the dealer yet reagarding the front end popping noise yet whats the status?

bpeebles · July 2001

(shawnh2) Do you have LSD? An LSD diff requires the addition of special "FRICTION MODIFIER" which increases the cost of the procedure.

Consider that without a drain plug, the entire differential cover must be removed to properly drain the oil. Then, the inside of the diff. (the gears and yoke) should be "hosed down" with the proper cleaning fluid. Only then can the cover be re-installed with silicone gasket maker and re-filled with the new synthetic fluid. (And friction modifier if this is an LSD)

The above "hosing off" procedure is only needed when switching from dyno to synth lube to avoid mixing of incompatablies. After that, one could use a "suction hose" to remove the the lube for replacement.

larrylee33 · July 2001

I took the '92 dakota to a garage for the low idle and found it was idling fine, there is an electrical problem in the dash (imagine that) and they have had it 3 days and counting trying to fix the problems. Thanks for the responses!

alex4x4 · July 2001

Has anyone found a cheaper after market source for a CD changer that works with the factory head unit for a 2001 QC? The Mopar ones are really pricy!

TIA,
-----Alex-----

dagobran · July 2001

fvracer,
Thanks for the mounting info. I will pass it on.
Dave

billarf · July 2001

Would like input from those here on the interval

between Mobile 1 oil changes. Made the switch

to Mobile 1 and Mobile 1 filter yesterday at 4,600 miles on QC's odometer. Appreciate your input. Bill in NY

http://www.auffarth.com/dodge.html

bpeebles · July 2001

(billarf) The factory-recommended 7500 is just fine even with dyno oils.
You may opt to go with "schedule B" of you wish. (ref documents in glovebox)
How may thousand miles are you expecting to get from your truck... 100K 200K...more?

The common 3000-mile oil change is only suggested by people that get PAID to change your oil. It is a waste of your time and $$ to cange your oil that often.

If you WANT to change engine oil more often than 7500miles... every 5000 is a good chioce and will not cost nearly as much as every 3Kmiles.

HERE IS A GOOD QUESTION... HOW MANY FOLKS HAVE EVER WORN OUT AN ENGINE?...anyone?

(I have racked up over 100K miles on many vehicles and NEVER wore out any engines )

mopar67 · July 2001

in fact, every car I've owned/leased has gone over 100K (all on dino oil, Havoline, until recently)
ALl my engines were running fine, even that old Mercury (351W)
The rest of the vehicles certainly needed work, but engine wise, they were all running fine.
Only engine I recall getting worn out was the 71 Olds 98 my pop drove for years, it had 312K on the clock when he parked it (a little rod knock and very burnt valves) and a badly slipping turbo hyramatic 400 tranny.

shawnh2 · July 2001

Thanks for the info. regarding the axle fluid change. The service advisor quoted me $99. (in Ohio) to change to the synthetic recommended fluid. This seemed a little high, but it does seem that their is some work involved. BTW, no I do not have the LSD, wish I did, but the selection was thinning at all the Dealers that I checked.

I am having the fluid changed tomorrow. Should I expect any differences with the Synthetic or will this be largely transparent to the operating of the truck?

Shawn

bobsyvee · July 2001

$99 seems reasonable. I believe others have posted prices near $120-$130.
You may notice the slightest improvement in MPG, but that's about it.

Jim H

bpeebles · July 2001

(shawnh2) The LSD components can be installed in to your rear differential. There are several choices available to select from.

Too bad you did not cordinate this with the switch to synth lube. Much of the cost is just opening the unit up to install the parts.

Check out this URL;

http://www.ring-pinion.com/index.html

urban3 · July 2001

Took my Dak in today for new rear leaf springs to correct "problem" of ~1/2+ lower on right side vs. left.

There's no clear answer on whether this is really a problem or just within tolerances. No definitive answer from DC customer service e-mail as to specs and different wheel sizes, etc. It looks more level from the rear, but doesn't measure out even. Nothing done to front torsion bars.

After much discussion, I like it as is. Leaning, not leaning, whatever. ahasher, how did you manage not driving your QC for so long?

Mine was in for 1 day and it was too much.

Advice: Don't bother about leaning unless cause and solution are clear.

victx · July 2001

What would be the downside of having some dino oil left in the differential when you convert over to synthetic? I can understand a possible problem with engine oil due to pumps, filters, tiny oil veins, etc. But for the differential, the oil just sits there bathing the gears. All it has to do is lubricate. I could believe the oils possibly wouldn't mix, but they shouldn't loose their lubricating properties.

ahasher · July 2001

2 weeks took alot of self control. I even drove past the dealership a couple of times to "check" on her. I, like most of us here have had several vehicles in the past, and this one (IMHO) is my best one so far for power and handling, and just "love to drive it" quality. The durango loaner was ok, but had the 6 banger (while it had adequate power for light driving, the weight of the durango was too much for it overall) so I constantly missed my 4.7 power.
I hope you get your leveling issue resolved to your satisfaction. While i dont have the "leaning" problem and other underside problems (popping suspension, punpkin whine) discussed here lately, my idle and fusebox transplant issues were enough for me to understand the frustration of havign an ongoing problem you are trying to resolve.

bpeebles · July 2001

(victx) Do not forget that the rear axle oil also lubricates the rear bearings at each wheel. It "sloshes" out to the ends of the axle housing around corners and such.

The main concerns about compatability are more with the additive package that the differing oil brands contain. Many use sulpher-based additives...(this is why many gear oils are so STINKY smelling)

As for possible problems if there is some mixing? I am not sure of the concequences.

One way to reduce the possibility of mixing without doing a complete "rinse down" of the guts is to allow PLENTY of time for the old oil to drain out. Being very viscous... overnight would not be too long to really drain it well.

mopar67 · July 2001

Back in the heart of the midwest again at parents home. Had the joy of trying to change an oil sending unit on a 78 D-200 318...(my fathers)gave up after the beer got warm waiting for me to drink it.
Anyway, the Dakota did just fine. Returned 18.2 this time on Amoco 87 gas from PA. AC on and running about 70 or so on I70.
Even the 45RFE shifted well on this trip, hard or soft; am I finally seeing the light here? Is it learning? Or am I learning? Bpeebles? Ahasher?
Bueller? Biglucy? Bookitty please join in, I am getting lonely here!

For kicks and grins, I pulled #1 plug, looked at it, marvelled at how clean it was and put it back. Electrode wear looks mimimal to the naked eye. No oil used since the last oil change at 16,567 (18,209 on it now) and the mobil 1 still looks clean.

All in all a good trip although I have been drafted into a labor camp of sorts. Oh what the heck, dad needed help.

ron35 · July 2001

I am looking for some advice from someone who has replaced their front bumper. Mine is a 2K Dak CC SLT (chrome) and the bumper has been pushed up so that the gap between the bumper and body from the side view is larger on one side than the other. The plastic fascia does not appear to be damaged and can be reused. I have 2 questions: some of the after market bumpers are half the price or less than a new one from Dodge are any of these any good or are they really thin and of inferior quality. Second question is there appears to be 2 brackets holding the bumper in place on each side, from what I can see in my Factory Service Manual - will I have to replace these brackets or is there enough leeway to adjust the bumper to the correct position without replacing the brackets. Appreciate any advice that anyone can offer.

iowabigguy · July 2001

In response to your question, I can answer part of it based on personal experience. First I would check Ebay, do a search under dodge Dakota. I always see grills and to a lesser extent bumpers. I bought an after market chromed piece to replace the lower plastic piece on my 2000 SLT Quad. The metal on it was very thin and it did not fit well enough for me to keep it on my truck. Removing the bumper requires a 18mm socket, and a 4" or longer extension on your ratchet wrench. You will probably need a 1/2" as the bolts are torqued to 70 foot pounds if I recall. There are two on either side of the radiator and can be accessed from the front of the truck with the hood up. There are then two more on either side of the frame forward of the tires and these are removed from under the truck. You have to disconnect the fog light connectors (if you have them) and there are 5 or 6 plastic fasteners along the underside of the radiator support. I found these plastic fasteners the most difficult to remove. I ended up cutting off the top part of the fastener with a sharp knife and once the bumper was removed I used pliers to extract the remainder of the fastener. I don't know how much adjustment there might be in the brackets attached to the bumper but there wasn't too much adjustment where the brackets attach to the frame. The bumper will have to be removed as an assembly to get to the fasteners that hold the lower piece to the bumper. Be especially careful removing the outermost fasteners on either side as they will tear out of the plastic as it is very thin here. This is as far as I went so beyond this point you are on your own. Hope this helps! Rick

PS I just checked Ebay, check this item out, 1997 - 2001 Dodge Dakota Lower Valance, Item # 593295269. You can contact this guy and see if he can help. His sale sheet says chrome or painted upper bar also available. Rick

mopar67 · July 2001

here is what 2000 and above use.
9606 for 2000 and up vehicles

namfflow · July 2001

Some of you have experienced a rattling noise in the front end of your Dakotas without a resolution. Well, I had to take my 01 Dakota in to the dealer because the inner fender well was coming out. It turns out it is a part that just snaps in place. Once it was snapped back into place I noticed that when going over speed bumps and the like there was more noise in the front. Apparently there is a slight amount of movement in the inner fender well and this is making the noise. So for me at least it isn't something to worry about.

It may be the case for some of you. You can probably check it by playing around with it.

Dodge Dakota: Problems & Solutions

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Dodge Dakota: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Dodge Dakota: Problems & Solutions