NHTSA Complaint #750704 — 2000 DODGE DAKOTA

AT APPROXIMATELY 7000 MILES I STARTED EXPERIENCING AN ENGINE RPM SURGE AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN GEAR AFTER A COLD START. ENGINE RPM WOULD INSTANTLY RISE TO 1400 - 1500 RPM WITHOUT ANY THROTTLE INPUT CAUSING THE TRUCK TO LUNGE FORWARD OR BACKWARD DEPENDING ON THE GEAR IT WAS IN. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE SINCE THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED ONCE THE ENGINE HAD BEEN STARTED AND HAD WENT THROUGH THIS CYCLE. I FINALLY GOT A SERVICE ADVISOR TO LISTEN AFTER LIVING WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS. AT THAT TIME, THE IDLE AIR CONTROL MOTOR WAS CHANGED WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 6000 - 9000 MILES, THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED. THE DEALER AGAIN CHANGED THE IDLE CONTROL MOTOR WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER WAS THEN RAN THROUGH THE VEHICLE AND THE SPARK PLUGS WERE CHANGED WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK. ANY TIME I START THIS VEHICLE AFTER IT HAS SET OVER NIGHT WITH TEMPERATURES UNDER 60 DEGREES THE ENGINE STARTS AND IDLES DOWN TO NORMAL IDLE OF APPROXIMATELY 600 -700 RPM. WHEN I PUT THE TRUCK IN GEAR, THE IDLE RPM DROPS TO APPROXIMATELY 400 AND WILL THEN SURGE TO 1200 - 1400 BEFORE IDLING BACK DOWN TO NORMAL. I AM STILL WORKING WITH THE DEALER TO GET THIS RESOLVED HOWEVER AM MAKING LITTLE PROGRESS SINCE THEY HAVE SO FAR NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH THE VEHICLE LONG ENOUGH TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES. THE PROBLEM OCCURS FOR ME EVERY DAY I START THE VEHICLE AND THE WEATHER IS COOL. ON HOT DAYS, IT IS FINE. I AM STILL WORKING WITH THE DEALER AND WILL BE MEETING WITH THEM ON 8/21/2001. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE.*AK