NHTSA Complaint #10229848 — 2007 DODGE DAKOTA

I PURCHASED A 2007 USED DODGE DAKOTA STILL UNDER FACTORY BASIC WARRANTY. THE TEST DRIVE WAS FINE AND WE DID NOT HEAR ANY NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHILE THE WINDOWS WERE UP. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME AND I HAD TURNED OFF THE RADIO AND ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW TO PUT THE TRUCK IN REVERSE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I EXPERIENCED A LOUD BANG, AND GRIND NOISE. I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT AND THE NEXT DAY I HEARD THE SAME BUT THEN ALSO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR RIGHT AWAY AND STARTED HESITATING WHILE GOING FORM PARK TO REVERSE AND VISE VERSA (REVERSE TO PARK). I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DODGE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS COMMON FORM THE TRANSMISSION TO DO THAT AND DID NOT BOTHER TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE TRUCK. THEY JUST PUT THE CAR THROUGH ITS GEARS AND HEARD THE NOISES AND EXPERIENCED THE HESITATION IN THE TRANSMISSION AND SAID IT WAS NORMAL. THE TRUCK HAS 16,500 MILES ON IT AND IS A 2007 MODEL. I WANTED TO REGISTER THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I FEEL THE PROBLEM IS GOING TO GET WORSE AND COULD PUT SOMEONE'S LIFE IN DANGER IF THE TRANSMISSION DELAY AND HESITATION BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED AND THE DODGE DEALER CONTINUES TO SAYS THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DELAY AND HESITATION IS NORMAL. *TR