NHTSA Complaint #768926 — 1998 DODGE DAKOTA

THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ON MY DAKOTA KEEPS FALLING APART. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT 4 OR 5 TIMES NOW (THE FIRST TIME WAS NOT LONG AFTER I HAD BOUGHT THE VEHICLE). EACH TIME THEY PUT A NEW CONVERTER ON, IT FALLS APART WITHIN A YEARS TIME. I ASKED THEM ABOUT IT AND THEY BLAME IT ON FAULTY MANUFACTURING OF THE CONVERTER. I KNOW OTHER DAKOTA OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND ARE GIVEN THE SAME STORY (JUST FAULTY MANUFACTURING). I E-MAILED DODGE, BUT THEY DIRECTED ME TO THE DEALER. IS ANYONE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS? MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, I AM A SINGLE PARENT AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR A NEW CONVERTER WHEN THIS NEW ONE FALLS APART. I SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS IS ANYTHING BEING DONE??? MY BRAKES ALSO MAKE A TERRIBLE NOISE WHEN IT IS COLD AND/OR RAINS OR IF IT IS FOGGY. THE DEALER SAID "OH, ITS JUST MOISTURE" BUT THERE IS REALLY NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR BRAKES. WHEN IT IS RAINING, IT SEEMS THAT THE BRAKES DON'T WORK AS THEY SHOULD AND THE ANTI-LOCK DOES NOT SEEM TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. ONE OTHER PROBLEM IS THE ENGINE RACES AFTER THE TRUCK HAS SAT OVERNIGHT OR WHILE I AM AT WORK, AND IT TAKES AWHILE BEFORE IT IDLES AT THE NORMAL RPM. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, IT IS JUST THE COLD AIR SOLENOID. WHAT HAS NHTSA CONCLUDED IN REGARD TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER? OR ARE YOU THE WRONG CONTACT? DT