NHTSA Complaint #10147155 — 1999 DODGE DAKOTA

MY SON ESCAPED DANGER WHEN THE TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER OF HIS 1999 DODGE DAKOTA WENT OUT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. AFTER REPLACING THAT AND HEADING BACK HOME, HIS U JOINTS AND WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT ALMOST CAUSING ANOTHER WRECK. THESE WERE ALL REPAIRED. SO FAR $3000 IN REPAIRS IN A MONTH. THEN THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AS HE WAS DRIVING. NOW THE OIL PUMP NEEDS REPLACED. ALONG WITH THE TIE END RODS, THE TIMING CHAIN, AND THE SERPENTINE. HE'D ALREADY HAD THE TOTAL BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACED THIS SUMMER. HAVING ALL THE RECEIPTS SHOWING REGULAR OIL CHANGES, THE WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE OIL PUMP BECAUSE OF SOME SLUDGE IN THE PUMP. NOW I FIND FROM RESEARCHING ON THE COMPUTER THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN DURANGOS AND DAKOTAS. WE'VE PUT $5000 IN THIS TRUCK IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO ADMIT THE FLAWS IN THIS VEHICLE. THEY HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY HERE. WE ARE JUST GLAD HE WAS NOT INJURED OR KILLED. BUT WE'VE PUT OVER $5000 IN A '99 VEHICLE - WHICH IS UNFAIR WHEN THE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED TO THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF THE VEHICLE. *NM