Problems with 2000 Dodge Dakota SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2000 dodge dakota slt. very low mileage 36,300 events leading to failure: driving failure: brake line rusted through to point of failure. first occurrence in this truck. almost hit another vehicle. spilled brake fluid on a 2 mile drive to work. did not know was spilling. warning light came on only after failure (possible during) correction: buying parts to fix broken line. other lines look bad also, may need replaced soon. have to wait another week for another payday. should be a safety recall!!!. this happened to my father in his 1999 dodge dakota,so this is nothing new. *tr

Brake lines totally rusted out all over truck at 70k;have contacted nhtsa before about terrible oem quality vs rust of brake lines. please mandate stainless lines and brass or stainless fittings .~ 5$ per car, save 1000's of lives. the present "protection" coatings on steel are truly useless. nhtsa replied they are "too expensive" last time. i checked costs actual quoted cost difference on 25 feet of tubing was about 8$. far more important than anything else you can do. *tr

Rotors turned and then warped/wore set of pads down to bare metal in less than 20,000 miles. rotors were warped at 32,000 (at time of purchase), 50,000, 63,000, and 80,000. rear brakes replaced at same interval as front brakes, but hardly any wear was present at time of malfunction of front brakes. all other brake components inspected, no other failures noted. failure caused an accident due to the brakes giving out. rwal does not function. no system indication to malfunction. pulled fuse, and system faults as normal. extremely poor brake performance/endurance. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 dodge dakota . the contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the front wheels locked up. the front calipers needed to be replaced the failure mileage was 140,000 and the current mileage was 165,000. updated 04/22/11

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge dakota quad cab. while driving 55-60 mph, the contact smelled hot brake fluid and noticed that the brake pads were grinding into the rotor. the vehicle was towed to his residence. upon further investigation, the contact discovered a defect in the knuckle of the vehicle. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 169,000 and current mileage was 169,015.

No specific crashes that i am personally aware of, but there have surely been many, possibly attributed to other causes. the failure-severely rusted brake fluid lines which have caused loss of braking. it occurs very frequently in the 'rust belt states', ie massachusetts for example. repair involves replacing rusted lines and related parts, usually at substantial cost to vehicle owner. the reason for reporting this problem is that i am a repair shop owner with over 40 years in business, and i am seeing more of this problem every day. it constitutes a substantial percentage of my shop's business. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 dodge dakota. while driving 2 mph, the vehicle failed to stop when the brakes were applied. the contact applied the emergency brake in order to stop the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop and the mechanic stated that the metallic brake line was rusted. the mechanic replaced the brake line. the current and failure mileages were 92,000. the consumer stated had 2 front brake lines plus second line between junction blocks replaced by the dealer and after inspection revealed additional rust. updated 11/20/07 *tr

Rotors and front brake pads wear out prematurly. rotor wear indicates the problem seems to be with the caliper primarily applying preassure from the piston side while the oposing side seems to bind. rear brakes are still original while front have been replaced 3 times.

Tl*- the contact stated that while driving her 2000 dodge dakota (139000 failure mileage) at 50 mph in the light rain, she attempted to go around a slightly sharp curve, but the curve turned out to be sharper than expected. when the contacts applied the brakes heavily the wheels locked, and the contact skidded, hitting the embankment. after the crash, in the process of exiting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the seat belt belt did not tighten to secure the occupant in the seat. as a result, she hit her head on the windshield. *ak

2000 dodge dakota constant mechanical failure due to the type of rotors, brake pads, and ball joints they use. they use inferior products that do not last on a vehicle based on normal wear and tear. have to constantly replace brake pads and rotors about every 20,000 miles. that is not acceptable. dodge products from the earlier years really suck. i am not sure about the newest models such as 2004 and 2005. *nm

When the truck is started the rear drum brakes have a tendency to lock upon first braking. abs does not engage when this happens. brake operation normal afterwards. had an ase mechanic adjust drums problem returned four months later. front rotors have warped twice. first time the rotors were replaced at approximately 2 years/25k mileage. rotors were replaced again 2 years later/50k mileage. rear drums are not adjusting properly. *jb

Brake failure due to rusted brake pipes. *jb

Vibrations during braking at high and low speeds. pulsing while depressing brake pedal. today the right front brake overheated while driving at highway speed on level road. the disc brakes were locked up on the rotor and would not release. appears to be a failure within the caliper??? i have heard several other reports of similar incidents of this type. is this a design flaw or problem that can result in an accident? the truck may have caught fire due to the overheating of the brakes, however it did not during this incident.*ak

The consumer was driving 15 mph coming out of a drive- thru and the brakes locked up. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer on three separate occasions within the last 6,000 mi. the dealer was supposed to have fixed the problem. however, within the last 7 miles, all four brakes have locked up again. provide further details. *jb

I have a '2000 dodge dakota, quad cab 4x4 that has reoccuring break warpage problems. i drive about 12000 miles a year, mostly highway, and need to replace my rotors atleast every 18 months. durring normal breaking durring wet or icy conditions there is excessive pulsing that leads to individual tires locking up and skidding and activation of the antilock breaking system. ive replaced the rotors with dealer puchased parts and equivilant aftermarket parts and both warp within 1-1.5 year.*ak

2000 dodge dakota developed a brake problem.***no answer required***.*mr the brake would pulsate when braking and cause severe problems with the abs which almost took the vehicle off of the road. the brakes were replaced a year prior. *sc

Braking system on this vehicle is sub standard for stoping, on a emergency stop the brake pedal goes to the floor, but will not stop as it should. was in an accident the other day, that could have been prevented it the brakes worked as they should, i have a (2002) darango and the braking sysem is like night a day virs the dakoda.*ak

1-grabbing & squeaky brakes; 2-front rotors & disc pads; 3-replaced front rotors & disc pads. dealership kept old parts. ak

Two months ago consumer experienced suspension problems. the front end jerked, especially while making turns. he took vehicle to dealer to get it serviced, and mechanic determined that the problem was caused by the rotors. they needed to be shaved. *ak

Vehicle vibrated severely when braking from 5-65 mph. vehicle was driven to the dealer for inspection, and dealer determined that front pads broke, and both front rotors were warped.*ak

The brake disc steel is faulty, and pits. this causes very jerky, difficult, and unreliable braking. as if one was braking on top of logs. two years ago we had the disc(s) machined, and that fixed the problem temporarily. but it returned. today we are having the discs replaced. i think dodge should be made aware of this problem, and recall it.*ak

While driving abs braking light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic replaced a sensor inside of the abs unit. *ak

At approx. 8k miles, pulsing and shimmy started in front end. had to resurface rotors. had to do again later at about 35k. not normal. at 15k reported front end creaks/groans dealer found no problem. at 35k more of the same, dealer replaced front stabilizer/sway bushing. at 38k miles, replaced lower steering column. helped some but still creaking when steering at low speed. at 53k asked again about steering groan. dealer says he could fix for about $1000 (of course out of warranty now! and i've been asking about this since 15k miles). also at 53k, replaced lower ball joints left side and fuel pump. at 59k back in the shop today to replace right ball joints which cause vehicle steering to "wander" and have badly worn inside right tire. quality of vehicle is lousy and they won't admit it or stand behind it. the rotor and front end problems could be very dangerous because they impair the drivers control of the vehicle. *jb

The brake rotors on my 200 dodge dakota warp, causing inefficient braking and vibrations after only 15k miles. dodge won't acknowledge the defect, in my opinion because they are making too much money on replacement parts. it's dangerous!!

When braking consumer heard a loud popping noise. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

Brakes, out of round or warped rotors and drums, prevents smooth stopping and locks-up individual wheels. front rotors and rear drums replaced twice in 50k miles, and worn out again. *jb

Premature wear on front end components. upper ball joints and brakes.*ak

I have been having brake problems with my dodge dakota 4x4 club cab truck since the first 6,000 miles. warped rotors have been replaced at least 5 times and i have also complained about poor stopping power of back brakes. dodge dealership "checked" them and found nothing wrong. also having lots of problems with noises from front suspension and am suspecting ball joint problems now because of all the news coming out regarding this problem recently on cbs news. *ak

Brakes on my 2000 dodge dokota have been replaced three times. they continue to pulse when applied. the rotors have been turned or replaced three times. there seems to be no answer from the dodge people. *ak

While driving at 25 mph consumer was following another vehicle, and upon stepping on the brakes consumer's vehicle did not slow down and collided with the other vehicle. consumer was wearing seat belts, but the air bags did not deploy. when driving at any speed the brakes usually locked up, causing the vehicle to slide to the right through intersections. *ak

While braking, the brakes were warped, and vehicle jerked forward. this problem was causing extended stopping distance. dealership mechanic tried to repair the problem 4 times but the problem recurred. *ak

Shuddering and vibration in brakes when stopping at all speeds. have replaced pads, and rotors twice. had rotors turned once in between changes. have seen many other complaints and service bulletins issued on this. why is no one doing a defect investigation?*ak

2000 dodge dakota- sport w/ ex-cab. i just purchased this vehicle through automax in melbourne, fl and overall am quite happy with the vehicle. but, the front brakes are singing a high shrill song to me. i went to www.dodgedakotas.com, and was even more surprised to see the number of complaints on the dakota braking system. please, i know from reading the complaints that you have heard about this situation... please act on this! *la

When driving it feels like vehicle has a mind of its own. driver will attempt to drive straight, yet it feels like vehicle is alternately pulling towards left and right. dealer replaced front brake pads and rotors three times. this did not remedy the problem. vehicle had been examined by dealer five times, and stated no problem could be found with the way vehicle performed.*ak

Brake rotor on my 2000 dodge dakota have been turned down twice and replace once in 30,000 miles. the was due to excessive pulsating and degradation of stopping ability. i am concerned that this problem is a safety issue due to the occurrence of reduced braking power. this problem is occuring once again and needs to be remedied. i have been told by dodge that is is normal wear and will happen. a warped brake rotor is not considered normal wear. the pulsation of the brakes can easily cause someone to lose control on a slippery surface. it is also concievable that the abs system may not work properly when the rotor is warped. please look further into this, thank you. *ak

Front rotors warped causing violent pulsations under normal braking conditions. rotors were turned and then finally replaced at 30k miles. new rotors lasted 5000 miles before shimmy returned. chrysler needs to step up and take responsibility for this ongoing problem.*ak

Brake rotors on dodge dakotas. mine have been replaced 4 times in 50,000 miles. the originals were replaced under warantee in 2000 miles. i can't keep a set of rotors on the truck without them warping.

Front brake rotors on the 2000 dodge dakota truck are of inadequate designed, they warp too often..no support from the dealer or manufacturer.*ak

Consumer complains about brake problems. the rotors warped at 10309 and 15,000 miles the consumer eventually replaced the brake system with an aftermarket system. on one occasion the front brakes started smoking. it was later determined that the caliper had stuck and overheated. brakes lock up/ smoke, and have even caught on fire. no one seems able to repair them. while driving and wanting to stop, cannot stop. this is a serious problem. consumer has not been able to drive vehicle for a while. *ak *nlm

I have a 2000 dodge dakota r/t. it only has 25k on it. i first noticed the problem at probably 20000. the problem is the rotors. whenever i slowing down to stop at a light/intersection the whole truck shakes.*ak

My 2000 dodge dakota has has front rotor problems continually. dealer temporarly cured the problem by changing front pads, turning down front rotors and rear drums. warranty ran out and i had same problem. warped front rotors. i had heavy duty rotors installed and ceramic pads installed at different times. nothing has helped the problem. when i step on the breaks the front end shimmys until i take it to a repair facility to have more work done. okay for about 5,000 or less miles. what are my options besides setting the thing on fire and getting a new one?*ak

I currently have a heavy surging sensation while braking. i was told my rotors were warped. my dodge dakota 4x2 quad cab has 40000 miles. i feel that i should be able to rely on my vehicle to stop without shaking me or my family like a rag doll. the heavy shaking may lead to my ability to control my truck while stopping, which constitutes a serious safey issue.*ak

Brake rotors warp prematurely and there is shaking and vibration inside of the vehicle. *ak

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

While driving home from work i needed to slow down to make a turn. i pressed the brake and it went completely to the floor. luckily i do not have an automatic because i had to power shift down and i barely made the turn not to mention almost hitting a telephone pole. i was just about home so i proceeded driving slowly because i knew i had no brakes ,and i then i saw smoke coming out of the hood. i quickly then got to the house and sprayed it down with the hose. i am in the process of figuring out what happened and the last that i heard was the main switch went out, which should have never happened. i am just thankful that nobody got hurt. (luckily it did not happen where there were people).*ak

Truck shakes when braking at slow or moderate speed. replaced front rotors and pads three months ago at 38,000 miles. now with 43,000 miles the shaking has returned. *la

Noticed pulsating of brakes at approximately 20,000 miles. the pulsating has become increasingly worse now at 30,000 miles. i feel that the brakes need to be replaced for safe, predictable stopping. *nlm

Front rotors warped after 6 mo./11,000 miles, replaced rotors and pads. warped again at 15 months, 33,000, but used for additional year+. replaced again at 32 months/60,000. again warped after 40 mo/73,000, but used 5 months. replacing again with high performance slotted/drilled and keeping my fingers crossed.*ak

Front brake disks have warped twice in 30,000 miles. i do mostly highway driving. this should not be happening. have had them turned twice, the dealer says there is no problem they know of with the rotors. *jb

Brake rotors are wearing and when applying the brakes vehicle will have a heavy vibration, and extended stopping distance. dealer notified. *ak