NHTSA Complaint #755393 — 2001 DODGE DAKOTA

I WAS IN IOWA BUYING CATTLE, PULLING 24FT TRAILOR ON INTERSTATE HWY IN PROCESS OF PASSING 18 WHEELER WHEN ENGINE QUIT. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP IN IOWA NOV. 17, 2001. THE NAME OF DEALERSHIP, HARLAN AUTO PLEX. SHOP FOREMAN SUGGESTED WIRING HARNESS REPLACEMENT. REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER IN KANSAS INSISTED THE PROBLEM WAS DEFECTIVE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. 17 DAYS LATER AND 3 DIFFERENT THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS PLUS OTHER PARTS TRIED THE REGINAL MANAGER ALLOWED THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE WIRING HARNESS. DODGE SENT TO THEM THE WRONG WIRING HARNESS AND TRUCK MOTOR HAD TO BE TORN DOWN AGAIN TO INSTALL CORRECT WIRING HARNESS. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN IN IOWA IN SHOPT 19 DAYS AND I LIVE IN TX. ON 12-3 I WAS NOTIFIED THE TRUCK WAS FIXED AS DODGE TOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO GET THE TRUCK OUT OF THEIR SHOP. I DROVE OVER 1,000 MILES AGAIN TO PICK THE TRUCK UP TO FIND IT TORN DOWN AGAIN. THEY HAVE NOW NOTIFIED ME THE TRUCK IS FIXED, BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW IF IT IS REEALLY FIXED AND WON'T KNOW UNTIL BACK ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. DODGE WILL NOT PAY FOR ANY OF THESE TRAVEL EXPENSES INCURRED NOR HELP IN ANYWAY GETTING THE TRUCK BACK TO TEXAS. *AK