2003 DODGE DAKOTA Electrical System Problems

2003 DODGE DAKOTA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE ROAD INTO SHRUBS. THE CONSUMER SLEPT IN THE VEHICLE OVER NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED.

I HAVE HAD ELECTRICAL ISSUES SINCE LAST YEAR. FIRST TIME THE WIPERS, LIGHTS AND BLINKERS QUIT WORKING LATE IN THE EVENING, ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE AUTO SHOP. TOLD ME THE COMPUTER WAS THE ISSUE BUT THEY GOT THE TRUCK WORKING AGAIN. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN BUT I KNEW TO TRY THE DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TRICK AND THAT WORKED. YESTERDAY I WAS IN LINE TO PICK UP A FOOD BOX, IDLING AND THE TRUCK JUST QUIT, I TRIED TO GET IT TO RESTART WITH NO LUCK. THANKFULLY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE I WAS ACTUALLY DRIVING SO I WAS SAFE WHERE IT HAPPENED. I GOT IT TOWED AND AM PRETTY SURE IT IS THE TIPM BASED ON THE STEPS I TOOK, SWITCHING OUT THE WORKING RELAYS WITH THE ONE FOR THE FUEL PUMP. STILL WOULDN'T START SO PRETTY SURE IT IS A BAD TIPM. *TR

1. WHILE SITTING IN PARK ON A AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IN A STILL POSITION ROLLED FRONT OR BACK MORE THAN A COUPLE INCHES. HAD TO STEP ON BRAKE WHILE IN PARK AND HAD TO BLOCK WHEELS WHEN ENGINE WAS OFF TO KEEP FROM ROLLING. EMERGENCY BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD OR WORK PROPERLY EITHER. 2. THE HEATER HAS ONLY HIGH POSITION WORKING NOW. THE DASH GETS TO HOT TO EVEN KEEP HEAT ON VERY LONG. FUEL CAP WITH KEY. WHEN GETTING FUEL TRUCK HAS TO BE TURNED OFF BEFORE PUMPING OTHERWISE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THE DASH AND NEEDS TO BE RESET OR DRIVEN MILES BEFORE ENGINE LIGHTOR GOES BACK OFF.3. THE UPPER BALL JOINTS HAD TO REPLACE TWICE NOW. BREAKS HAD TO REPLACE TWICE ALSO DUE TO SUSPENSION BEING OUT OF WHACK AND PROBLEM ABOVE. NOW THERE IS NOISE IN FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL AREA. 4. PUT ALL NEW BREAK LINES...

WIRING HARNESS CONNECTED TO A/C AND HATER BLOWER MOTOR MELTS AND CAUSES THE BLOWER MOTOR TO FAIL. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN 2 YEARS. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER PUT IN A NEW HARNESS AT MY EXPENSE, AROUND 400 DOLLARS. BOTH TIMES THE BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CITY DRIVING CONDITIONS. THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THIS NTSB WEBSITE, AND THEY DESCRIBE THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS AND CONDITIONS BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER HARNESS FAILURE. MY FEAR IS THE HARNESS MELTING AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE UNDER THE DASH LEADING TO A CRASH OR VEHICLE FIRE.

VEHICLE WILL SHIFT GEAR MECHANICALLY, BUT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND/OR PARK ON THE DASH. VEHICLE ALSO WILL NOT START AS A RESULT.

LOST EXTERIOR LIGHTS (PARKING LIGHTS, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, TAIL LIGHTS, AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS) WHILE DRIVING. HEADLIGHTS, TURN LIGHTS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS FUNCTIONING. CTM WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE, HOWEVER SAFETY CONCERNS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE UNUSED IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS UNTIL PROBLEM DIAGNOSED. REPETITIVE POSTINGS ABOUT THIS MODELS CTM FAILURES ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND ADJOINING SAFETY CONSIDERATION WITH ONLY A LIMITED RECALL, WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE. NO AFTER MARKET PARTS WERE FOUND AND REPLACED WITH A ITEM FOR A LOCAL JUNK YARD WHICH MAY SIMPLY FAIL AGAIN.

THE FAN IN MY TRUCK RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF SO IN TURN, MY AC DOES NOT WORK NOR DOES THE HEAT WHEN THIS OCCURS. THIS HAPPENS EVERY THREE MONTHS. IT IS NOT WORKING AGAIN THIS WEEK AND THERE HAS BEEN A HEAT WAVE ALL WEEK OF COURSE. IT HAPPENS AT ALL DIFFERENT TIMES. IT STARTS OUT SHUTTING OFF THEN IT WILL WORK FOR A DAY AGAIN THEN IT WILL GO OUT PERMANENTLY. THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIFTH TIME IN TWO YEARS

HEAD LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY START BLINKING AND EVENTUALLY GO OUT ALL TOGETHER ALONG WITH DASH AND DOME LIGHTS. ONLINE FORUMS SAY IT'S THE CTM. THE NEXT DAY IT'S FINE THEN OUT OF THE BLUE IT STARTS ACTING UP AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TRAVELING AT NIGHT. ANY RECALLS FOR THIS? SEEMS TO BE QUITE COMMON FOR THIS YEAR DAKOTA

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A USED 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE TRUCK WAS GREAT EXCEPT THAT AT NIGHT WHEN I WOULD TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS ALL OF THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD FLASH OFF THEN BACK ON APPROXIMATELY EVERY TWO SECONDS TO 30 SECONDS. AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR WITH THIS HAPPENING I BECAME VERY FRUSTRATED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I NARROWED DOWN MY PROBLEM TO THE DAKOTA CENTRAL TIMING MODULE. IT APPEARS AS IF MANY DODGE CUSTOMERS HAVE THIS EXACT ISSUE WITH THESE DODGE MODEL TRUCKS. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO OPERATE A VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. THIS ISSUE DID NOT DEPEND ON WHETHER I WAS DRIVING IN ROUGH TERRAIN AT NIGHT OR DURING THE DAY. NO MATTER WHERE I DRIVE THE TRUCK, IF THE LIGHTS ARE ON IT WILL BEGIN TO START BLINKING OFF AND THEN ON INTERMITTENTLY. PLEASE FIX THIS PROBLEM! I HAVE...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 10/06/16*LJ *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLAMPS, INTERIOR LIGHTING, GAUGES, AND INSTRUMENT PANEL RANDOMLY FAILED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V322000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

PIG TAIL CONNECTION TO CONTROL BLOWER MOTOR FOR A/C AND HEAT WILL MELT. THE FEAR IS THAT IT WILL CAUSE A FIRE IN THE CAB. THERE SEEMS TO BE A HISTORY OF THIS SAME PROBLEM AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS HAZARD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED AND THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING SPORADICALLY MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO, THE SIDE CAP TO THE MAIN RADIATOR SPEWED ANTIFREEZE APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET IN THE AIR. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, A LOUD POPPING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BALL JOINT FRACTURED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V596000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE HE PERFORMED THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP OR MAKING A TURN AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT COULD HEAR AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CENTRAL TIMING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO STATED THAT THE BALL JOINT WAS RUSTED AND CORRODED AND MIGHT FRACTURE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE UNDERBODY WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V596000 (SUSPENSION) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E064000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

WIRING HARNESS GOING TO BLOWER FAN RESISTOR SHORTED OUT DUE TO CORROSION INSIDE THE CONNECTOR AND MELTED THE WIRE INSULATION FROM THE WIRING CLOSE TO THE HARNESS. I BELIEVE THIS COULD UNDER CERTAIN SITUATIONS CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FOB FAILED TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE DRIVER'S SIDE MASTER WINDOW CONTROL WAS ALSO INOPERABLE AND THE DOORS COULD NOT BE LOCKED OR UNLOCKED. THE CONTACT THEN STARTED THE ENGINE AND THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS HAD ALSO FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V322000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL WAS THE SAME FAILURE THAT HAD BEEN EXPERIENCED WITH HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BODY POWER MODULE AND THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

DURING OCTOBER OF 2007 THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE ON MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA WENT BAD. ALL LIGHTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WOULD GO ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER A LOT OF ONLINE SEARCHING AND READING FORUMS IT SEEMED THAT A LOT OF OTHER OWNERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR CTM'S. MY TRUCK WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AT THE TIME AND THE COST FOR A NEW CTM WAS $253.00 PLUS COST TO GET THE AUTO KEYS RESET. THE DEALER SAID NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, SO I HAD TO PAY. I PUT IT IN MYSELF. I CALLED CHRYSLER CORP. AND THEY WERE NO HELP AT ALL. MY MAIN QUESTION WAS AND STILL IS, THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. TRAVELING AT NIGHT WITH ALL LIGHTS GOING ON AND OFF COULD VERY WELL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. A RECALL SHOULD BE MADE BY CHRYSLER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DRIVES THE VEHICLE, THE CENTRAL TIMING MODULE FAILS AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS DIM. THE HEADLIGHTS, DOME LIGHT, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND DOOR LOCKS FAILED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. CHRYSLER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V322000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH) AND WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 33,000.

TRUCK WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY AND CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT FIREWALL AND WINDSHIELD.IT HADNOT BEEN DRIVEN IN ABOUT 36 HOURS.

2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB SPORT PLUS IS HAVING MULTIPLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WARNINGS. THIS HAS HAPPENED UPWARDS OF 4 TIMES. IN ADDITION, ONE OF THESE WAS SUPPOSEDLY CAUSED BY CRACKED HOSES. CRACKED HOSES ON A CAR WITH 16K MILES ON IT! ALSO, THE DEALER REPLACED MY BREAKS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND THE REASON WHY THE TRUCK MAKES A CERTAIN NOISE WHILE BACKING IN REVERSE...THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

TOWING PACKAGE 7 PIN TO 4 PIN ADAPTOR FOR TRAILER LIGHTS FREQUENTLY SHORT OR FAIL TO MAKE CONTACT WHICH CAUSES A EXTREME SAFETY SITUATION WHEN PULLING A TRAILER. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WHICH HAS KEPT ME FROM PULLING MY BOAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *JB

I KEEP HEARING A LOUD "BANG" AND LOUDING CREAKING NOISES IN THE FRONT END OF MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DODGE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING. I KEEP TELLING THEM IT SOUNDS LIKE A CRACKED COIL SPRING OR BODY MOUNT. THEY SAID IF I BRING IT IN AGAIN AS WARRANTY WORK, THEN THEY'LL CHARGE ME FOR THE TIME. ALSO, THE TURN SIGNALS KEEP SHORTING OUT AND WHEN YOU TURN THE LEFT ONE ON, THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS COME ON. FINALLY, THE LEFT POWER WINDOW SLOWS DOWN EXCESSIVELY WHEN I ATTEMPT TO PUT THE WINDOW UP. IT GOES DOWN FINE, BUT IT WON'T GO UP AT NORMAL SPEED.*AK

UPON PARKING TRUCK OWNER NOTICED A GLOWING UNDER CAB. A TECHNICIAN SERVICED VEHICLE AND NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK