NHTSA Complaint #709894 — 1999 DODGE DAKOTA

WHEN I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK (JAN. 99) THE TOW RATING WAS 6400 LBS. RECENTLY, DIAMLER CHRYSLER CORP. SENT ME A CARD TO INSERT INTO MY OWNERS MANUAL THAT SAYS 2000# IS ALL THIS VEHICLE WILL TOW SAFELY. WHAT THEY DON'T EXPLAIN IS WHY THE TOW RATING IS DECREASED! IT SEEMS TO ME IF DC IS CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THIS ISSUE THAN THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED DURING THEIR OWN TESTING BEFORE RELEASE TO THE CONSUMER. THIS IS THE SECOND MODEL YEAR THAT THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION AND THEY JUST NOW REALIZED THERE IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THERE ORIGINAL ADVERTISED TOWING FIGURE? WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS TRUCK THAT DC DOESN'T WANT TO TELL IT'S LOYAL CUSTOMERS ABOUT? I HAVEN'T TRIED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER BUT SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MODEL TRUCK HAVE AND DC IS BEING VERY TIGHT LIPPED CONCERNING THE REDUCED TOWING ISSUE, BASICALLY THEY WOULD RATHER "BUYBACK" THE VEHICLE THAN SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE CAUSE FOR THE WEIGHT REDUCTION.