NHTSA Complaint #720489 — 1997 DODGE DAKOTA

I HAVE TWO RECURRING PROBLEMS. 1) I HAD THE TRUCK IN 3 SEPARATE TIMES FOR RATTLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER, SO FAR, REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN AND FAN CLUTCH, BOTH UNDER WARRANTY. ONCE AGAIN, THE ENGINE IS MAKING THE SAME RATTLING NOISE. THIS NOISE STARTED AROUND 58,000 MILES. ALSO, MY ENGINE CURRENTLY HAS AN OIL LEAK. THE DEALER CLAIMS IT IS THE FRONT SEAL. THE DEALER BROKE THIS SEAL WHEN THE TIMING CHAIN WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE SEAL REPAIR. 2) I HAD THE TRUCK IN 3 TIMES FOR ANOTHER RATTLING NOISE IN THE A/C (INTERIOR). THE DEALER CLAIMED THE NOISE WAS NORMAL. THE FOURTH VISIT AND CONVERSATION WITH MANAGER PROVED THAT THE NOISE, IN FACT, WAS NOT NORMAL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE COMPRESSOR. AT THE CURRENT MILEAGE, THE A/C IS ONCE AGAIN MAKING THE SAME NOISE. IN SUMMARY, THE ENGINE IS PRODUCING A RATTLING NOISE. THE A/C IS ALSO PRODUCING A RATTLING NOISE (BOTH ITEMS ARE SEPARATE NOISES AS VALIDATED BY THE DEALERSHIP). *AK