Problems with 2000 Dodge Dakota ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab. the contact stated that the vehicle stalls without warning. the vehicle has no power steering or brakes when the failure occurred. the contact also stated that the vehicle does not sputter or hesitate prior to stalling and when the security warning light is flashing, he is not able to start the vehicle. the contact has to play with the remote to get the light to turn off, and stated that all of the gauges on the instrument panel stopped working when the failure occurred. the vehicle had not been inspected. the vin was not available and the failure mileage was 78,000. the current mileage was 78,900.

Heater core in dodge dakotas. the heater core in dodge dakotas seems to be a really big issue with thousands of people complaining about the defective part. with a bad heater core, anti-freeze is expelled through the ac vents as a steam which is inhaled by the drivers and passengers. inhaling antifreeze can have many results: antifreeze fumes can cause eye irritation and upper-respiratory irritation. additionally, inhaled fumes, particularly if from a mist, can cause breathing difficulties, headaches, drowsiness, blurred vision, irregular eye movements, nausea and vomiting. material safety data sheets show that repeated inhalation of antifreeze fumes may affect the central nervous system. coma may occur if the inhaled antifreeze fumes were in mist form. dodge really needs to make a recall on these faulty heater cores. i have read many forums where at least 5 heater cores have been replaced within 50,000 miles. that is way to frequent for just common wear and tear. it is expensive for the consumers to fix and has some bad health related issues from inhaling the antifreeze caused by this faulty part. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge dakota. immediately after purchasing the vehicle and driving approximately 55 mph, all of the instrument panel indicators illuminated. the vehicle then began to shake and the contact placed oil in the vehicle. he restarted the vehicle and it began shaking even worse. he turned off the vehicle and called the dealer. the dealer retrieved the vehicle and gave the contact his original vehicle back, but did not return his money. the current and failure mileages were 130,100.

The truck was being driven at approx 25 mi per hour. there was a loud thump. smoke began to pour out of the hood. i pulled over. flames were visible underneath. the hood blew open and flames poured out. in less than 4 minutes the truck was totaled. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab. while the vehicle was warming up for approximately five minutes, the service cap on the radiator hose ruptured. the vehicle is not able to be driven. the current and failure mileages were 117,000.

Timing cover housing that also houses water pump and thermostat, has poor casting quality where coolant enters housing from lower radiator hose resulting in erosion of material and ultimately leaks out radiator fluid. after speaking with chrysler corporate, they are not willing to furnish pars for repair or labor to complete repairs. even with having information that an average of 24 parts per week across u.s. are being ordered and replaced they are not willing to act upon this problem. i feel that i should not be responsible for repairs that need to be made due to poor product quality for engine components that are essentially non-consumable. *tr

I have a 2000 dodge quadcab 4.7 piece of crap truck that i bought new. it has 59,000 miles on it and has been maintained since new with the regularly scheduled maintenance. in addition, i have replaced two of the computers which cost me about $1800 combined. for the past year or so it has been running like crap. it stalls, the idle speed fluctuates drastically. at times the idle speed will go from 500 to 2500 rpms fluctuating up and down when sitting at a red light. the people next to me must wonder what's going on with my vehicle lunging the way it does. the second computer that was replaced was done in an effort to correct this problem and it failed. im am tired of spending money on a vehicle with so few miles for a problem that many many other dodge owner have experienced. i feel like i was duped. my wife's toyota camry just hit 130,000 miles and we have never had a problem with it. *tr

A design failure in the timing chain cover 4.7 cid 2000 dodge dakota in the housing where the ther. housing bolts to the cover. a pin hole leak occurred. dodge has redesigned this cover 2 times to correct the design error. defect cover is available for inspection. 145,000 miles. *nm

My wife was driving home from work in my 2000 dodge dakota pickup truck. she heard a knocking noise and the engine locked up. fortunately she was able to coast to a stop (she of course lost all power assist to the steering and brakes). the dealership denied my extended warranty claim so i purchased a rebuilt engine block and i am in the process of having it installed. there was excessive sludge buildup in the manifold and a piston rod had broken. *nm

The 2000 4 wd dodge dakota with the 4.7 engine that we own and bought new (last time...) had an oil pump failure at 60k miles. the dealer had the vehicle for a week to repair the problem citing sludge build up and lack of maintenance as the reason for the failure and the reason for the longer than quoted repair time. originally the quote was for 6-8 hours plus the cost of the pump which also came in higher than quoted, we ended up paying more than twice the quoted hours for the replacement of the pump. the "sludge" build up problem bothers me because it is reported all over the internet with other people having this problem in the 4.7 magnum engine. the dealer told me that the pick up tube of the pump was blocked with sludge, hence the oil pump failure. well that in it self is all understandable however, why does it make sludge...? three years prior to the failure while changing the oil i happened to have discovered a slimy sludge build up in the oil fill spout on the engine, asked the service folks at the dealer about this condition and the reply was yes, this is a known condition, come in for the retrofit to cure this "moisture" problem in the 4.7 engine. the service dept did indeed install this baffle and cap and i asked then if there were any other problems associated with this condition. no was the reply. so, my contention is that the aforementioned oil spout sludge problem went hand in hand with the sludge build up in the engine and caused the failure. i feel that the oil pump failure on this vehicle is not acceptable given to miles on this, a well maintained engine and i would like for chrysler to pay for the repair fully and to investigate the reliability and failure trend in this engine and sludge making tendencies leading to these failure. rad. *nm

There has been a failure of the oil pump in my 2000 dodge dakota sle with the 3.8 liter engine.... 60k miles, out of warranty...!! 60000 miles !! the dealer service dept claims that it was due to sludge build up of the pick up tube of the oil pump. i changed the oil often and use a good quality synthetic oil... no way "sludge" could be built up due to the oil. i have seen other instances of this engine having been known to make sludge on the internet... great...!! in a related matter, i had the oil filler tube replaced about two years ago as it was sludge up... the service fellow replaced a baffle and cap on the filler tube.. there was a considerable amount of sludge build up on the inside of the tube assembly. are the two related..? i would like for dodge to pay for the oil pump replacement if they knew before hand that this engine indeed makes sludge. *jb

While driving down the road at approximately 40 mph, the engine of my 2000 dodge dakota truck, 4.7 liter v8, just quit. the result was a complete loss of power steering. power assist for the brakes quit after two attemps at brakeing. i coasted to the side of road and stopped. i restarted the truck and check engine light came on. the next day, the check engine was not on. a week prior to this occurrence, the power train control module was replaced under warranty. at that time, only the check engine light was coming on. it would go out in the next day or so.

Have a dodge dakota-it had a leaky head gasket; when brought in for repairs chrysler warranty will not cover because they say there is sludge in engine due to lack of oil changes; i have changed oil and i don't see how a lack of oil changes would cause a leaky head gasket anyway. paid extra for extended warranty; chrysler people very rude. i bought this truck used and have had it for 2 years, 30000 miles. had engine oil tested and anti freeze was in the oil, explained this to warranty people and they still refuse. i called them twice and they told me not to call again. i want my money back for the extended warranty and i want chrysler to know that they have rotten products and i will never own another one. *ak

The vehicle would make a whining noise while driving 30 mph or more. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop. the mechanic informed the consumer that the differential unit needed to be replaced. the consumer stated this would be the forth replacement within a year. the dealer and the manufacturer were notified. *jb dealer however. there is vibration at 40 mph. tires and suspension inspected, no problem found. engine hard to start following overheating. dealer found no condition that merits a repair. *tt

I've had my oil changed at the dealer the day i got it..and for the next few times, i changed mine twice and have one of the reciepts...but it still covers the duration of the two according to the owners manual. my 4.7l equipped dakota blew up....i purchased a warranty for over $1k at purchase, but they will not honor it now because they say its lack of maintenance...how i dont know!!! now they expect me to pay for a new motor....what a load of crap!!*ak

Failure of upper ball joint. 2000 dodge dakota. discovered during a tire purchase. having fixed at dealership. wear is premature.*ak

While driving at 45 mph vehicle stalled. vehicle was towed to the dealership, and technician determined vehicle overheated, as result, the head gasket cracked. engine needed to be replaced. *ak

Problems regarding 2000 dodge dakota. *mr the consumer thought this was an isolated incident. the consumer found that this was a widespread problem. the #5 cylinder misfired due to a cracked cylinder head. the left head and gasket was replaced along with a blown belly pan gasket. the consumer requested his money back. *sc *jb

Exhaust manifold bolts snapping off. this is a common problem with 3.9 liter engines in the dodge trucks. exhaust fumes then escape and get sucked into the cabin area and there is also a fire hazard as more bolts snap and the manifold separates from the head.

Bolts broke on exhaust manifold shield and shield fell between steering shaft and motor, causing steering to jam in straight ahead position on highway. could not pull over to breakdown lane to avoid other traffic. bolts broke from heat stress i imagine, not too good a thing to happen on a highway but would have been worst in city if i could not steer away from pedistrians. just cheap undersized bolts that break. checked the other side and found one broke there too. bolts are too small to hold the manifolds in place after they wear with age. *ak

While driving 60 mph engine light illuminated. then, the motor blew out. consumer had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

Defective oil pump on the 4.7l dodge dakota engine causes engine to seize without warning and need replacement.

After following all manufacturer suggested servicing and oil changes, my husbands '00 dodge dakota started making rattling noises in the engine. the vehicle has never been off road and has been very well taken care of. so we took it to the dealer for a diagnostic and repair. apparently the engine needs to be replaced! it only has 60,000 miles on it! i am baffled that this could even happen as most of today's engines last roughly 150,000 to 200,000 miles! none of the repairs fall under the warranty and the lemon law time period has lapsed. we are furious about this! i will write every possible source and enter complaints. we would be thrilled if others would like to join us in a class action law suit. i cannot believe that dodge does not stand behind their product. but then from what i have read, i am finding their product is not worthy of being stood behind. what a rip off!

Vehicle lost power and stalled out.*mr on five different occasions. dealer notified. *cb

While driving the vehicle overheated. the driver pulled to the side of the road and opened the hood. the hot liquid blew out onto the consumers face, chest, arm and hand. the dealer was notified but said there was nothing they could do. *ak *nlm

Fax fm sarah m. pendleton(fl) re her son, dr. wizard pendleton's 2000 dodge dakota truck,defective engine had to be replaced. *mr it's the opinion of the technician who looked at the car that the engine suffered a mechanical defect in the #4 piston wrist pin. that wrist pin crack and caused the piston to buckle, ruin the cylinder bore and broke the other pistons. the engine was replaced once prior to this failure at 3500 miles because it burned a quart of oil every 300 miles. *nm

While driving the engine shut off. the dealer stated the entire engine needed to be replaced. *jb

Engine coolant temperature sensor housing gasket leaking. factory installed. bolts found loose.*jb

2000 dodge dakota / motor locked up at 52,000 miles / having to replace motor

I bought a 2000 dodge dakota brand new from nelson auto group in marysville, ohio. the truck is less than 3yrs old and only has 55,000 miles on it, which 95% of them are highway, and the engine went bad. i took it back to nelson's and they said the motor might need to be replaced due to some things they found when it was hooked up to a machine. they are not really sure what exactly is going on until they tear it apart and really looks inside. they say it will cost a couple of hundred dollars to do that, and probably a couple hundred more to fix. if i just wanted to replace the engine on a truck that is less than 3yrs old, it will cost $4,624.00 the service department said they contacted the diamler-chrysler representative and they are not willing to cover the repair or even help with the cost. i contacted the diamler-chrysler corporation myself and was told that a decision was made and they won't discuss it any further. the customer service person i spoke with (sandy norris), said she wouldn't let me speak to anyone else regarding the issue and disconnected the call. it is very troubling that we as consumer allow this type of inferior product to be sold to us, then be told that unless we buy more of a warranty they won't back anything.

Consumer states that vehicle's computer is defective. dealer notified. *mr the vehicle failed state emission test and the dealer replaced spark plugs and serviced the fuel injection. but the vehicle failed the emission test again. another mechanic stated that the catalytic converter could possibly be the cause. yh

Engine partially stalled once and then again - engine trouble light came on. upon stopping vehicle, noted that auxillary fan continued to run even though engine was cool. noted a smell of burning plastic and discoverd fan relay in fuse box was smoking and extremely hot. upon removal of fan relay, the fan stopped, and smell of burned plastic stopped. returned vehicle to dealer for repairs on 8/3/02.*ak

While at dealer for transmission problem, mechanic determined engine head was cracked. please add further information.*ak

As of 10/22/00 until 01/14/01 i have had 18 problems with vehicle. wont start at different times, but will restart after several minutes. transmission stays in 3rd gear or slips in & out of gear. brakes make growling noise & shutter. truck will die with no warning. has spark knock with 87 or 89 octane fuel. many problems.*ak

Front rotors are warping on a regular basis. rotors were replaced at 18000/40000/47000/57000. currently at 59000 miles, rotors need replacement again. *ak consumer states the front and rear brakes were replaced this time, vehicle has 68000 miles and it feels as if the front brakes are hanging up, there is a lot of brake dust on the rims and rotors, in the winter time the brakes would lock up and cause the vehicle to skid. *jb

Vehicle dies in middle of traffic and backing up intermittently, causing a safety hazard. also, there is a clicking noise coming from left front suspension.*ak *slc

Vehicle experiencing shutdowns / stalling. dealer unable to fix

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

When turning very sharp corner vehicle dies. vehicle could easily be rear ended. also, gears do not engage properly. when shifting into drive it reads that it was in a different gear. please provide any further information.*ak

Vehicle experiencing ongoing shutdown/stalling problem. vehicle been in / out of dealer's repair shop on three occasions, and dealer was unable to correct the problem. also, informed consumer that they refused to look at the vehicle any longer until manufacturer would forward a correction to the problem. *ak

When vehicle is shut off, the auxiliary fan keeps running, dealer replaced fan and found the relay was sticking. *slc

Engine shut off at 75mph,no warning,had to wait 10min to re-start. truck pulls to right dealer algn to factory specs,still pulls and at low speed 10-15mph pulls hard when apply brakes,dealer say's it's road crown,pulls on all roads and with different tires and wheel setup(wb on right is 130 3/16 and on left 131 5/15)