NHTSA Complaint #10673069 — 2007 DODGE DAKOTA

ON TWO OCCASIONS THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHEN INTERMITTENTLY THE TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO OPERATE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ALSO STOP WORKING. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME AND IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHILE IN TRAFFIC AND IN A HEAVY RAINSTORM WITHOUT WARNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP. AT THE SAME TIME THE TURN SIGNALS BECOME INOPERABLE SO THE DRIVER IS LEFT WITHOUT VISIBILITY AND THE INABILITY TO NOTIFY FELLOW TRAVELERS THAT HE/SHE MUST IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO THE RIGHT HAND SHOULDER UNTIL THE RAIN STOPS. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ME IN MAY OF 2007. MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS 23,125. THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED BY THE DODGE TECHNICIAN AS A DEFECTIVE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH - PART NUMBER 56049823AB. THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED BY DODGE UNDER WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM RECURRED IN JANUARY OF 2015. MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME WAS 35,242 (12,117 MILES DRIVEN) SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT. THE PROBLEM WAS ONCE AGAIN THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH - PART NUMBER 56049823AB. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SINCE I HAD EXCEEDED THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. I HAD TO PAY $125.95 TO HAVE THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH REMOVED AND REPLACED (AGAIN). EVERYONE (INCLUDING MYSELF) KNEW WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. IT APPEARS THAT DODGE HAS A SERIOUS REPETITIVE PROBLEM WITH THIS INTEGRAL PART. AND WHEN THIS PART FAILS IT REPRESENTS A DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE - ONE IN WHICH DEATH AND/OR SERIOUS INJURY CAN AND WILL OCCUR. *TR