Should have bought Toyota

[hikingff77]

I have a 2004 Dakota and I was very excited to get the thing since I was in car there for a little while and I had a Dodge Ram which I loved and never had a problem with. I bought this used with 20 some thousand miles on it and thought everything was fine but now I'm having some serious problems. I'm hoping someone here can help me diagnose these things and the solutions since two repair shops couldn't do crap.

First problem is that when I drive down the highway or even a regular street where the speed limit is at least 45 mph, the truck really walks when it goes over expansion joints. Is this the norm for the truck? I am in the process of replacing all four shocks and hoping that helps. Very scary to go down the highway and hit a bump on a turn and the truck go airborne and rotate in the air.

Second problem, when I go to reverse up a hill, even a slight one, the truck has to work like mad to go anywhere and there's a real hopping feeling when I hit the gas to force her up the hill. Any thoughts? I'm in the process of replacing the tranny fluid. BTW: V6, auto, 54,000 miles.

Third problem, the newest one, while driving down the highway yesterday I noticed the steering wheel become very difficult to turn after it is kept in a strait position for a few minutes. And then it's a very jerky and have to use two hands to move. It's like manual steering. I have what appears to be a full power steering reservoir.

I want to drive the thing off a cliff and get a Tundra Double Cab, which is what I wanted in the beginning but didn't want to spend the extra five grand they wanted for it. My mistake.

Any thoughts?

 

[rambrush]

I am biased as I have a 06 Tundra double cab but you can not go wrong with one. Very dependable

 

[spencyg]

Sounds like some pretty unsafe things going on. I'd highly recommend bringing it to your mechanic before putting any more miles on. You could have some broken leaf spring stuff going on from the sounds of it along with possibly a failed/failing steering pump or rack. No idea on the transmission....get the other two problems fixed first and then worry about the fact that the only good transmission Dodge has ever had is the 5 speed NV4500 in a full size....Get that thing fixed before it kills ya.

Spence

 

[hikingff77]

I am biased as I have a 06 Tundra double cab but you can not go wrong with one. Very dependable

I know. My dad had an extended cab one that I liked a lot, minus the space in the back seat. Just didn't think the money was worth it and the V8 was worth it. I won't make that mistake ever again.

spency,

I plan on getting it looked at again. I actually hoping the wheels fall off the thing so they total it or something, obviously NOT at highway speeds or anything.

It's been checked out twice in the past month and told there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. I think they need newer glasses.

 

[BlueBomber]

One of the guys I grew up with is big into MOPAR. He owns a newer (98 or so) Dakoda V8. He hates it! He has done all kinda things to it. I has needed a head, some injector work and it still isnt perfect. He swears now, if it doesnt have a Hemi (older Hemi, not the new one) he'll never buy it.

I would find a Cummins 4bt and swap it in.

 

[Rot Box]

I'm asuming that the later Dodges wen with rack and pinion steering. There are many pieces to that front end, and I would take it to a reputable alignment shop to have them look it over. Could be a simple ball joint or worse a steering rack.

Typically later model domestic mid size trucks have a taller--numerically lower--axle gear that is used to gain the best fuel economy. This is fine on the street, but when combined with a low range of ~ 2:1 the overall ratio is still a little tall for any serious offroading. Its good to match your axle gear ratio to the tire size you plan one running IF you plan on running larger ones. It goes a lot farther in depth, but you get the idea :elkgrin:

Now for the off road part: If you are in low range, and feel like you are working you truck too hard then you need a lower low. I don't think there are any simple/cheap solutions for the Dakota's, but I'm sure there is something out there. Having too tall of a gear will also cause you automatic to produce a lot of heat. The stock transmission coolers are not designed to handle anything more than stop and go traffic or mild offroad driving. Summit racing offers a wide variety of coolers and tempurature guage if you think you might need all that.

Last but not least :coffeedrink: I have two Dodges that have recently had that problem. After a full power steering flush and replacing the old with a good synthetic fluid the problem was resolved. I'm pretty sure the recomended fluid change calls for every 30K in normal driving conditions.

Anyway I hope that all makes sense and good luck!

Andrew

 

[chnlisle]

Have you checked the warranty info? l googled it and came up with this;

Basic: 3 Years / 36,000 Miles
Drivetrain: 7 Years / 70,000 Miles
Corrosion: 5 Years / 100,000 Miles
Roadside Assistance: 3 Years / 36,000 Miles

Sounds like a freebie at your local dealer.

 

[hidesertwheelin]

I remember there being a recall on ball joints I think, but I don't remember what years they covered.



Check here: http://www.dodge.com/en/owners/

 

[dzzz]

Yeah, it's something in the suspension. A mechanic can probably find the problem quickly.
I've owned all the pickups except Nissan. I liked my Ram, especially the ride. But it had the most problems. For quality its Toyota or Ford. I would buy either without hesitation. There's a huge number of used trucks available now.

 

[hikingff77]

Thanks for the responses. Here's the deal. On my lunch break I went to go out and the steering was so bad I took it right to the dealer, the same dealer that two weeks ago said there was nothing wrong with the truck. Well now apparently they say I might need anything from a steering pump to a new steering rack. Add to that that I need a new u-joint in the rear. When I mentioned the trouble the truck has backing up the technician said he didn't notice it. I noticed it when he was testing it but since he wasn't on a steeper hill, like I told him, he never felt it.

I got a baby on the way in two months and as of right now I'm not really comfortable with the reliability of my truck. Even if I get it fixed, could their be other problems?

The part that really grinds me is I took the thing to two repair shops, neither one of them found anything wrong with the vehicle. How is that possible?

I had a Tacoma with almost 200k on the ticker, I bought it used, found out the rear lead springs were broken and took it in for service and Toyota covered it, free of cost, no warranty, etc.

Now I have a 2004 Dakota with 56k on it and there's a list of things wrong with it. Great.

 

[hikingff77]

Have you checked the warranty info? l googled it and came up with this;

Basic: 3 Years / 36,000 Miles
Drivetrain: 7 Years / 70,000 Miles
Corrosion: 5 Years / 100,000 Miles
Roadside Assistance: 3 Years / 36,000 Miles

Sounds like a freebie at your local dealer.

No such luck with the warranty. Freebie? Who do you know... haha.

The power train warranty doesn't cover the rack. Only the water pump back.

Thanks for the idea.

 

[Rot Box]

Unless your steering box or pump is leaking fluid my money is on it needing a simple flush... I would really get a second opinion from a different mechanic. Aside from my two trucks I have seen several other Dodges with the same symptoms and a flush fixed the problem.

I have several friends with Dakota's and all of them do not like their trucks because of costly repairs. I'm not saying anything for their reliability or costomer satisfaction, but I will say in my experience it is nicer to spend a little extra and own a more reliable vehicle (Ahem.. Toyota) than one that will nickle and dime you to death. There is a reason the Toyota's have a higher resale value. That being said I don't think that your problem is too major, and I would make a decision on a Toyota after the problem is fixed and all is well :elkgrin:

EDIT: If you have some basic hand tools and a catch pan flushing the power steering is very easy. I could give you exact instructions if you would like or Google it for a step by step procedure.

 

[BlueBomber]

I would recomend a flush. My G/F's 1993 Jeep GC was having some power steering pump issues along with a small leak. I fixed the leak and put some new fluid and some Lucas power steering fix. The Lucas really works. The pump is on its last legs but the Lucas seems to keep it going.......for now.

 

[Capt Sport]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your truck has considerably more miles on it than indicated. Based on what you've stated about your truck my guess is that you got taken by an unscrupulous seller.

the truck really walks when it goes over expansion joints.

You've got bad ball joints and/or tie rod ends which indicates considerably more miles on the truck. Take it in to an alignment shop for verification.

he truck has to work like mad to go anywhere and there's a real hopping feeling when I hit the gas to force her up the hill.

This tells me the transmission is starting to go out and is beginning to slip. The clutch's sound like they are worn out and beginning to fail and the hopping is caused by the clutch plates intermittently grabbing which is causing the hopping/jerking motion. When you change the fluid drop a magnet in the pan of old fluid, I'll bet it's full of metal shavings. Indicating a worn out transmission.

The steering wheel being hard to turn sounds like a bad power steering pump, or as others have said in need of a flush with new fluid. However, this sounds like a temporary fix to a bigger problem to me.

All that being said if I were you I'd get that truck running as good as you can or when it's having a good day trade it in on your truck of choice. IMO I'd skip the Toyota and get a slightly used diesel truck. If you do any towing/hauling, and lets face it that's really why you buy a bigger truck. Once you have a diesel you'll never go back to those silly little gas trucks!

 

[hikingff77]

Capt.,
To be honest I think some of the things are just inherit to a Dakota. My friend has the same one and had his rack replaced do to steering issues and now his problems are gone. he also did the ball joints, which I think probably should be replaced, but who knows.

I know there's a bad u-joint in the rear, the Dodge Mechanic said that, I've noticed a slipping when going from reverse to drive. He checked the tranny fluid and said it was fine, he didn't do a full on inspection though.

No diesel here, have no need for it, I don't tow anything but a very small snowmobile trailer. Someday I might get a small travel trailer, but I doubt that'll happen soon.

What's really dissapointing is that I was planning on this being a truck I wanted to keep for 10 years. I don't think that's an option.

My wife is not one for thinking about me changing vehicles, again, just cause of a few problems. Esp. since I owe on it still. She wants to be sans car payments, her's is paid for and she plans on keeping it forever.

I had a Tacoma and beat the piss out of that thing and never had a failure, except a starter and routine maintanence. It had 200,000 on the ticker of a four-cylinder. My brother had the same truck, way more mileage. He had a tie rod fail, covered by Toyota. My dad had a Tundra through work and he is a terrible driver and the thing was a champ through him with over 60k on it in two years.

I also love the size of a Tundra and the rear slider. Should have just ponied up the extra dough.

That being said, I found the one I would buy if I could. HAHAA.