NHTSA Complaint #10242935 — 2003 DODGE DAKOTA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE BRAKES WOULD PULSATE, OVERHEAT, AND LOCK UP. THE STOPPING DISTANCE WOULD ALSO INCREASE. THE DEALER STATED THAT WET CONDITIONS AND HIGH SPEED BRAKING CAUSED THE ROTORS TO WARP. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE IDLES HIGH AND ROUGHLY WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE ROUGHLY. THERE WAS NO THROTTLE RESPONSE FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 20 SECONDS, BUT THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES FOR THESE ISSUES, BUT THE FAILURES STILL PERSIST. ALL THE SENSORS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE IS BECOMING WORSE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS THREE TIMES AND THE CONTACT REPLACED THEM FOUR TIMES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,655 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. UPDATED 11/06/08. *LJ THE ROTORS AND BRAKES WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY MASTER CYLINDER THAT WAS NOT LETTING THE REAR BRAKES EVER WORK. THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS BUILT TO DRAIN INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR. THE COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCEPT UPDATES. THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 11/06/08. *JB