NHTSA Complaint #10126064 — 2005 DODGE DAKOTA

DT:CONSUMER BOUGHT NEW VEHICLE, DODGE DAKOTA, CONSUMER FOUND THAT WHEN HE TRIED TO BACK OUT OF A NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY THAT WAS ON AN INCLINE VEHICLE BOGGED. VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD INTO THE ROAD. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE SAME AS PREVIOUS YEAR DODGE INTREPID. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE THE TRANSMISSION AUTOMATICALLY WENT TO SECOND GEAR. VEHICLE DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO CLIME ON INCLINE IN REVERSE BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION BEING IN SECOND GEAR. CONSUMER SAYS THAT WHEN VEHICLE WOULD CLIMB HILL THAT THERE WAS A SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING, THE SMELL CAME FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. DEALER STATES THAT ALL DAKOTAS 2005 WITH 6 CYLINDERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, AND DEALER CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK