Comments: 1-15, 16-23
Drivers side door armrest had to be replaced due to lack of foam for support - 10,000kms.
Both fog lamp covers broken from stone chips on regular highway driving - 11,000kms.
Noisy brake pedal during cold winter months - dealer only oiled this and that is not the problem - noticed at 12,000kms, but still continues during cold days.
Same noise in steering column - won't even bother the dealer with this as I know what their response would be.
Rear fender moldings have all paint missing on front bottom portion of moldings due to stone chips - 35,000kms.
Engine light came on at 40,000kms - needed new gas cap.
Fan motor switch toasted - happened at 60,400kms which was 400kms past the warranty period - dealer wouldn't cover this.
Front brake rotors gone at 60,000kms.
Paint chipped on cab where rearmost corner of the doors touches the cab and is starting to rust - due to excessive movement as frame is not rigid in Quad Cab models.
Rear differential making horrible noises during tight radius turns - still waiting to take this to the dealer - 75,000kms.
Spark knock is excessive under load - this is noted in the owners manual that a slight noise may be heard. Didn't realize that I had the Cumins diesel in my truck.
Box is not lined up correctly on frame - noted this to dealer and they didn't adjust this. The box sits outboard on the passenger side by about 3/4".
Although I didn't want to purchase a full size Chev as I thought the gas mileage would be poor, I opted to purchase my first Dodge/Chrysler product. Now I know that the gas mileage is the same between this Dakota and a full size Chev - stupid me as I receive a GM discount as well which would have been a difference of about $2000 CDN.
Truck is sluggish - no power with the V6 at all. Transmission is even worse - it shifts into overdrive at the worse times and also upshifts sometimes at will. Can't wait till it craps out which it eventually will as this is what Dodge is notorious for. I bought this truck as it was the only 4 door model available in 2001.
One other note about the transmission - if the temperature is below -19 Celcius or 0 F, then it will not shift into overdrive. I drove to work one day on the highway without my O/D which was about a 35 minute drive at 110kph or 65mph. Called the dealer and they told me about this "safety" feature on the transmission. I've never heard of this in my life and if this is true then why is this information not disclosed to the public, especially where winter temperatures below 0 F are quite common?
Speaking about the 4 doors, the rearmost top portion of the door contacts the cab which removes the paint which leads to rust as our streets are covered in salt during the winter months. One can only touch this up so often without forgetting. Try taking your Quad Cab out on a field and place your finger between the door and the cab. Don't apply too much pressure as your finger will get pinched.
I'd love to get rid of this truck, but since the resale is so poor, I have to hold onto it for at least another 2 years. Heck, I'd even trade this truck even for a Pontiac Aztec!!!
I'd wish I knew about this website before I purchased this truck as I surely wouldn't have purchased this.
Dodge dealerships also should learn to respect the owners of their vehicles. All the dealerships I've dealt with were always less than pleasing - I didn't realize that I am the one who is judged when I bring my truck in for legitimate issues. As I am employed at a Quality Engineer in the automotive realm, I know from first hand experience what the assembly plants request from their suppliers. I've been involved in numerous Quality reviews on vehicles and I know what they critique. If I were that picky about things, then I know they'd have a reason to be nasty towards me however I turn a blind eye on many issues that I find displeasing. Spark knock identified as normal in the owners manual?? Seems like Daimler Chrysler identifies some of the flaws up front so that they wouldn't be hit with warranty issues. Too bad the salesmen do not pony this info up front - once they have the sale, you get a swift kick in the rear and they turn a blind eye to your comments.
I guess they do not want repeat business and it shows. They are no longer part of the Big 3 and will likely slip behind Honda and Nissan this year as well. Who knows, maybe they will fall below the likes of Kia...
Hello,
i have had 3 dodge dakota pickups since 97', and I love them, all you have to do is take care of like any other investment. I have never had any problems whatsoever with them. well there was the time that my box got swiped by a snowplow, gee should the dealer have to fix that too???
All of these problems that you have explained are either an easy fix for yourself to do, or from mistreating your baby. I do agree that they are much harder on fuel than any chev, but that's the price you pay for quality... I don't know maybe some people just don't like quality, and therefore should just buy a chev or even a ford for that matter...
Thank you for taking the time to read this message...
3 Dakota's since 97 doesn't speak volumes as you obviously haven't had each vehicle long enough to possibly feel the pains.
Regarding taking care of the vehicle, I doubt anyone is as meticulous as myself when it comes to maintenance, detailing, and general cleaning. It is oiled twice each year and rust proofed annually.
Regular highway driving on 8 lane highways should produce results on the exterior of the truck as I have noted. Why is only one side of the flares missing paint and yet the other is fine?? Why are both the foglamp lenses cracked when the highway driving that it has seen minimal? As I do not drive on non-paved roads, why would this occur? I'll tell you why - Dodge manufactures cheap products and they annually request a minimum 5% reduction in piece price. Suppliers are either subcontracting out their components or changing their process/materials to a cheaper version which just either barely passes the minimum requirements or gets buy-off by Chrysler Engineering. I've seen this first hand working with Chrysler.
Keep the vehicle for a few years and then you'll notice all those little issues which I've never had an issue with on imports. Yes imports from Japan. The new Nissan's sure look nice and their reliability is known world-wide.
Update at 120,000kms (4 years of ownership). Just to clarify, I am the original owner and purchased it with 48kms.
109,000kms - limited slip clutch plates binding once I come off the highway to where it sounded like a machine shop. The differential had been serviced per recommended service schedule in owners manual to a "T". Took into the dealership and they just wanted to add synthetic to it which would mask the issue since it kept reappearing within 2000kms after each service period. Dealer replaced the entire rear differential (since they damaged a portion of it during replacement of the limited slip). Works great now.
112,000kms - left front wheel bearing replaced.
112,500kms - right front wheel bearing replaced.
Front lower ball joints will require replacement again (thank goodness that Chrysler finally admitted they had an issue with these ball joints) which this time will be under warranty. They were originally replaced at 80,000kms not under warranty however I still have to file my claim to get repaid for that. Don't listen to your dealership if they say that it is not covered under warranty - one dealer told me it wasn't covered and when I stated that I received a letter from DCX, he started to back peddle. Be very weary and make sure you check all TSB's (Technical Safety Bulletins) on the internet.
Tires finally replaced at 104,000kms - problem is that the dealership installed them backwards!!! You may even get a chuckle out of this - I contacted the Chrysler dealership for quotes on tires when they had the buy 3 and get the 4th for free deal going on. They quoted me about $80 more for the 3 tires than the Canadian Tire about 3kms down the road for 4 tires!!! That is pathetic.
Rear brakes still good at 120,000kms.
Truck is developing a oil leak in the front seal and also the rear seal. Just starting so I'll keep an eye on this.
Overall, it hasn't give me too many problems, but the engine is quite underpowered. I still will not buy another Dodge once this one dies.
HA! So I'm not the only one who had a Chrysler dealer put the tires on backwards!
I purchased a new Dakota Sport regular cab in October of 2000 and drove it until it was totalled in January of 2006.
It had the fuel efficient 4, which got 22mpg and delivered ample power. I never had one single problem with ANYTHING on this truck. It rode and handled great, looked brand new after 5 years and if Dodge hadn't dropped the fuel efficient 4 and the light, well-balanced regular cab I would have bought another Dakota in a heartbeat. As it was, I was forced to buy a regular cab Ranger instead. I miss my Dakota.
I love these people who say lack of maintenance is the reason for any problem vehicles. I know from experience that a lemon vehicle has nothing to do with maintenance. I have had terrible GM/Ford vehicles that developed problems even before a maintenance interval had occurred. Don't assume people are to blame for lemons--you sound like a Dodge dealer!
I bought a used 2001 dakota 4X4 V6 with 57,000 miles on it. I have had two previous Dakotas (1992 and 1995), both of which went over 170K. This is by far the worst Dakota ever made. It may appear to be a nice ride, but the transmission is junk. It shifts into overdrive too early and up-shifts into second gear after downshifting to third! It also does not want to run after it rains out for some strange reason. Brake problems, ball joints, check engine lights, and front end issues have made me really upset.
After having a horrible Ranger and now this Dakota, I will definitely look into a Tacoma or a used S-10 when I get some of this truck paid off. The resale is horrible too, so I must double up on the payments for six months. Maybe I can find a rare 1992-96 Dakota with low miles, but I will never buy a recent model ever again.
Why does my neighbor's 1994 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 with 230,000 miles run better than my 2001 Dakota?!
POOR RESALE VALUE??? DODGE TRUCKS??? I bought my 2001 Dakota Sport brand new in October of 2000 and sold it in January of 2006 for $1000 less than I PAID FOR IT BRAND NEW!!
Try that with a Toyota or Nissan (which are grossly overpriced to begin with). Granted, I took immaculate care of the truck (which is why I never had any problems with it) and it was mint with only 50,000 miles, but still, driving ANY new vehicle 5 years for $1000 is hard to beat.
People who bought the V-6 and V-8 Dakotas with tons of options seem to have a lot more problems with them than those who bought the basic trucks with the 4. I bought a new 2001 Dakota Sport in October of 2000 and paid $10,899 for it. It had the 4, and only had power steering, power brakes and A/C, so it was a pretty basic truck. It did have the alloy wheels and White letter Goodyear Wrangler tires.
I drove the truck 50,000 miles, kept it in absolutely immaculate condition and sold it in January of 2006 for $9900. I'd call that pretty good resale value. I never had one single problem of any kind with it.
Final review of the vehicle;
Traded this POS in for a Nissan Maxima. Enough said about that as there is no comparison between any DCX vehicle compared to a Nissan.
Before I traded it in, I replaced the water pump and also had the front seal replaced. Mind you my truck looked like it only had about 30000kms when I traded it in (135000kms at time of trade in).
Those people who claim that their trucks are trouble free made their statements because they never had too many miles on their trucks. I doubt that most provided the same care that I did on this truck as I wanted to keep it till it died, but that lack of power, constant spark knock, and poor gas mileage were the deciding factors on the trade.
I will never purchase a DCX vehicle again. Never. Looks do not make a vehicle last - good parts do.
I am another owner of a 2001 Dakota four door pickup.
I have kept up all the required maintenance on schedule and still this truck requires more and more attention. At 73,00km I have had three engine service lights come on. The first required a new gas cap, the second an Oxygen sensor and the third a new vaccum hose. Now the rear differential gears all need replacing. If you need a work truck, these are not the ones to buy.
I bought a 2001 Dodge Dakota 3.9 standard cab 2WD, with 11,000 miles on it. It was like new and I have changed the oil faithfully every 3,000 miles or less without fail. I have sludge build-up very bad. I had to replace the rotors at 36,000 miles and now have to replace the water pump at 48,000 miles. My husband now tells me I need to get rid of the truck while it is still running. I love the truck and hate to think it is dying.
I have a 2002 dodge ram slt it isn't that bad a truck, but I am tired of only getting 12 mpg on the highway and cityAt a little over 200 miles a tank I cannot keep it it is paid for and I would rather have anohter toyota again! Doge needs to get it straight no wonder nissans and toyota trucks sell so well!Btw the tranny on mine up shifts and down shifts way too much my second ram truck I don't think I will buy another. And the dashes are cheap as hell twon in the 02 and up models.
I own a 2002 Dakota Quad cab, which I am the second owner of. I bought with only 35k miles on the odo. I have since put 35k miles on it myself, highway miles mostly, as I live in phoenix az. I have performed regular oil changes, and maint.
I drive on primitive roads fairly frequently, and to my estimation, if your having any problems with your dakota, its likely is the way you drive.
ANY vehicle, driven at highway speed, will see a broken light or such from road debris. This has nothing to do with quality of materials, it has everything to do with physics. a rock thrown by the wheels of another vehicle, is travelling at the same velocity as the vehicle.
I have had ZERO major problems with my dakota, in the 2 years I've driven it. 35k miles in 2 years should CERTAINLY reveal limitations of the vehicle. I have had no mechanical breakdowns, and am still on the same spark plugs that were in it when I bought it. Getting those changed in january when I take it in for its full 70k tune up.
The only issue I've had is where, when the oil gets down to time for replacement, my fuel mileage plummets. minor issue, so no worries.
I have nothing, but high things to say about this truck, as its been reliable, strong, powerful and comfortable even in arizona summer heat.
If paint gets chipped, and you drive where there is salt, that's likely to happen.
Sounds like your expecting a bullet proof vehicle, where the paint and glass are impervious to rocks. No vehicle can provide that.
As for resale value, I paid 15k for mine, with low jack and an extended warranty (to 85k) and its current resale value is estimated at 11k. that's pretty decent by my ears.
Yea a lot of those things such as rotors will occur with any vehicle you buy new, its like expecting that the tires from the factory from any model will last 80,000+ miles. Every vehicle has been equiped with an oxygen sensor in the gas tank, if you don't tighten your cap the light will come off... that's just a bad dealership for conning you into that, i had the same problem... they just told me to tighten it and let the oxygen burn out of the tank. I've had mine since 2001 and the only problem I've had is the pin in my ignition system broke, and the factory paid for that. Depending on your model, mine being a V8, I wouldn't expect the best gas mileage. Getting a V6 in a truck that offers a V8 is a waste of money and time, especially if it has 4X4... and if you thought that it wasnt going to be sluggish... you obviously don't know much about cars, or took the time to consider the weight factor. Another factor you must consider, this truck is a midsize truck, it has many componets of a full sized truck etc. Mine is getting about 22 miles per gallon on the highway. I guess you could go buy a chevy or Gm and spend twice the money and get the same offerings as a dakota. I bought mine when I was 19 years old, and if someone as young as myself can maintain this vehicle I don't understand what most of the problems are, I have no rust, no chips on the fender moldings.. the only 2 flaws is my burnt mudflap where I bent the tail pipe into it, and a scratch from moving appliances. When I say no rust, this is impressive in my area... getting loads of snow, and streets salted to no ends, my dakota looks about the same as the day I took it off the lot.. the only regret I made was not getting four doors.