NHTSA Complaint #10153505 — 2001 DODGE DAKOTA

AT 32,000 MILES FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BREAKING. PROBLEM-WARPED ROTORS. CORRECTED BY 'TURNING' ROTORS (RESURFACING). AT 58,000 MILES FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BREAKING. PROBLEM-WARPED ROTORS. CORRECTED BY 'TURNING' ROTORS. AT 70,000 MILES FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BREAKING. PROBLEM-WARPED ROTORS. CORRECTED BY REPLACING ROTORS. AT 90,000 MILES FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BREAKING. PROBLEM-WARPED ROTORS. CORRECTED BY 'TURNING' ROTORS. AT 100,200 MILES FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN BREAKING. PROBLEM-WARPED ROTORS. DEALER SUGGESTS REPLACING ROTORS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. THE SAME THING OCCURRED ON MY 1997 DAKOTA. THE DEALER TOLD ME THEN THAT THE ROTORS WARP WHEN THEY ARE HOT(FROM USE) AND THEN GET WET. (SO I GUESS I SHOULDN'T USE THE BRAKES IN WET/RAINY CONDITIONS) THE WARPED ROTORS ARE CAUSED BY A DESIGN FLAW, EITHER THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS NOT 'SIZED' PROPERLY (IE INSUFFICIENT STOPPING POWER CAUSING EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD-UP) OR THE ROTORS ARE INFERIOR(METAL GRADE). I BELIEVE MOST OWNERS DO NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DODGE DEALERS CONVINCE THEM THAT THIS IS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE TRUCK IS GREAT OTHERWISE. *NM