2000 DODGE DAKOTA Steering Problems

"TAKATA RECALL" THE POWER STEERING CONTINUES TO LEAK EVEN AFTER SEVERAL REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.

IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED. I HAVE RECEIVED A SECOND OPINION AND HAVE BEEN TOLD INTERMEDIATE DRIVE SHAFT NEEDS TO REPLACED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND AM TOTALLY CONFUSED AS TO WHY CHRYSTAL HAS NOT YET ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS FAULTY PART, IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR MANY DODGE OWNERS. ALL NHTSA NEEDS TO DO IS SEARCH IT ONLINE. SO MANY COMPLAINTS AND YET NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN. I HAVE WRITTEN/ EMAILED TO DODGE CORP. AND WAS TOLD THAT RECALLS NEED TO BE PROCESSED THROUGH NHTSA. PLEASE ANYONE ELSE HAVING THIS PROBLEM FILE A COMPLAINT SO DODGE WILL FINALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

STEERING LOCKING UP DUE TO FAULTY STEERING SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT. *TR

UNIVERSAL IN THE SHAFT WEARS OUT AND CAUSES EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL,AND COULD BREAK. HAD TO BUY A NEW SHAFT OFF EBAY,THAT DODGE HAS SINCE IMPROVED. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTIONED ON A WORSENING BASIS WHILE TRYING TO TURN IN ANY DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT OF THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. NO REPLACEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE. THE CONTACT ENCOUNTERED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE # 10120725 REGARDING THE STEERING COLUMN.

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING ALSO FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A GUARD RAIL. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK

HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE FROM FRONT END. VEHICLE ALSO SHAKES WHEN APPLY BRAKES. *BF WHILE DRIVING OVER 65 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK AS THOUGH IT WAS MISALIGNED OR UNBALANCED. IT ALSO SHOOK WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH OR HIGHER. THE VEHICLE'S WHEELS HAVE BEEN BALANCED, THE STEERING ALIGNED, THE BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED YET THE PROBLEM RECURS. *NM

PURCHASED 2000 DODGE DAKOTA. QUAD CAB SUMMER 2002, APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES AT TIME OF PURCHASE. VEHICLE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AT THAT TIME. HAD PROBLEMS WITH STEERING. THE WHEEL WOULD JERK FROM SIDE TO SIDE AS IF THE POWER STEERING WOULD ENGAGE AND THEN DISENGAGE DURING A TURN. BROUGHT TO DEALER. THEY SAID THEY FIXED PROBLEM BY REPLACING STEERING COLUMN. PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. RETURNED TO DEALER. REPLACED BEARINGS IN COLUMN DURING SECOND REPAIR. DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. RETURNED AGAIN, DEALER(FORMERLY COURTESY DODGE, NORWICH, CT) STATED THAT THEY SOLD THERE WARRANTY TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT MAKE REPAIR. I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE TO OTHER DEALERSHIP. TAKEN TO OTHER DEALER SHIP BUT AT THIS TIME PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN FIXED AND VEHICLE WAS OVER 36,000 MILES. DEALER SAID I WOULD HAVE TO FILL OUT FORMS AND THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY THE REPAIR WOULD BE AUTHORIZED. HOW IS IT IF...

POWER STEERING FAILS. LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AFTER ABOUT 1.25 HOURS. FIRST OCCURANCE IN AUGUST 2002, THEN OCTOBER, 2002. DID NOT DRIVE ON HIGHWAY FOR EXTENDED PERIOD UNTIL AUGUST 2003 - FAILED AGAIN AND AGAIN ON MOUNTAIN ROADS, EXITS, STRAIGHTAWAYS WHILE PASSING, GENTLE CURVES. NOVEMBER 2002 DEALER REPLACES RACK AND PINION AND BUSHINGS AT 23,997 MILES. AUGUST 18, 2003, 31424 MILES, DEALER REPLACES COLUMN, INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND BOLT PER STARLINE. SEP 3, 2003, 31904 MILES, DEALER REPLACES ALL FOUR CONTROL ARMS - CANNOT REPLICATE PROBLEM AS THEY WILL NOT DRIVE THE REQUIRED MILES, I'M THEIR TEST DUMMY. THE KNOBS FOR AIR CONDITIONING ALSO BROKE AT THIS TIME - CHARGED TO FIX THIS. MANUFACTURER SAYS TO CONTACT DEALER, DEALER WON'T DRIVE NECESSARY MILES - I STILL HAVE TO CHECK THE SEP 3 REPAIR TO SEE IF IT REALLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. EACH TIME THE ALIGNMENT IS OUT AND...

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *PH WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN 3RD GEAR IT WENT TO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE RPM'S INCREASED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD HAVE CHANGED TO 4TH GEAR. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER 6 TIMES FOR REPAIRS. THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO WARPED ROTORS. FAULTY WHEEL BEARINGS CAUSED A POPPING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE LEFT TURNS. *SCC *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THE SHAFT UNDER THE HOOD FELL APART AT THE GEAR BOX, THIS CAUSED CONSUMER COMPLETE STEERING LOSS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB