This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2001 Dodge Dakota. The contact had the vehicle repaired under NHTSA recall campaign id number: 03V389000 (electrical system: Wiring). Afterward, the windshield wipers, turn signals, horn, and lighting systems were not operating abnormally. The dealer advised having a diagnostic test performed on the vehicle at her expense. The manufacturer would not assist. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 83,000.
The contact owns a 2001 Dodge Dakota. The headlights flicker on and then back off. Also all gauges on the instrument control panel have failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. He was awaiting the conclusion of the testing. The failure mileage was 94,000.
My husband was driving his 2001 Dodge Dakota home at night, on a country road, around August 5, 2008 and the headlights flickered on and off. When he got home, the windshield wipers went haywire, the horn continued to honk, the door locks began locking and unlocking, and the air bag light came on. We found out the central timer module (cmt) and clock spring had failed and was told the truck was unsafe to drive. We had both repaired for $530. I was told that recalls existed on several Dodge vehicles but not one of them specified our truck. I contacted Dodge and they just said it was not my truck so I was out of luck. I then did some research on this on-line and found several forums with this same problem on this year of truck, plus several others, and they could not find any help from Dodge either. This is a really serious malfunction and could of cause a very bad accident. I just need Dodge to own up to the problem and reimburse us for the repairs we had. Also admit there is a problem on all Dodge vehicles, before someone get seriously injured or killed.
Lights flicker on and off, interior light go out, door alarm goes off at 70 mph, wipers go off by themselves, horn beeps, truck wont start. Quick fix, discount the battery at reset the system, permanent fix to replace the central timing module.
All lights start turning on and off in a random pattern. Must hold driver door open while driving to have a consistent headlight. Every light is affected. Dash lights, tail lights, head lights, 4 wheel drive transfer case lights, horn, windshield wipers, interior lights, brake lights, and several other lighting related issues. This issue is dangerous at night since there are no headlights unless the driver door is held open while traveling. I was informed about the prohibitive cost of correcting this problem by a Dodge service garage. Unable to locate source of problem due to the randomness of the various light systems turning on and off. Also, it is necessary to remove the ground lead on the battery when vehicle is left unattended.
- Mosinee, WI, USA
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I have a 2001 durango that has a recall for a wiring connector under the front seat. I want to fix it myself do to my last exprience at a dealer. I called them and they said it had to go to the dealer and no repair kit could be provided to me. This is wrong! maybe the dealer could let me have his car for a day. I could do a lot that they would never know. Please help!
Problem started with horn intermittently beeping while driving, then over a few weeks progressed to horn beeping almost continuously, driving lights flashing, and door locks actuating. Problem was the body control module or sometimes called the central timer module. It was replaced and all issues have ceased.
My truck has 31000 miles and has been having mysterious intermittent electrical problems since I bought it in Aug 2001. Originally it was limited to the door locks locking and unlocking by themselves at all times - when the vehicle is running, and when it is not. Also had problems with the tail lights working erratically. I took the vehicle in at least two times, and both times the dealer said they could not "duplicate" the problem, and they could find nothing wrong. The problem continued intermittently over the next two years until this month the electrical system went completely haywire - the lights, locks, wipers, dash lights all quit working, and the 4WD service light came on and it would not go into 4WD (all of this conveniently after the warranty period expired 4 months ago). I took the truck in and they said the "control module" was bad and that it would cost $500 to fix. When I explained that this is just another in a series of electrical problems that have been occurring throughout the warranty period, and that I thought it should be covered under the warranty, I was told there was no way to determine if it was the same problem, and that I had to pay for the repair. My problems seem to be very similar to some of the probelms in defect investigation #S 10072859, 10018654, and 10106547.
My 2001 Dodge Dakota truck has experienced the failure of its power control module (PCM) not once but twice in 2004. The original unit failed 57,500 miles and the second unit failed at just 7,000 miles. PCM failure means that electric power is cut unexpectedly to the engine leading to engine failure. In my case this happened once on a narrow hilly roadway and the second time in the fast lane of a freeway. Such failure do not provide warnings and happen suddenly and unexpectedly. In both cases loosing power also meant loosing braking and power steering. While neither incident resulting in accidents for me, they could easily have (part luck & part skill). Yet I have seen little regarding this matter. What is so sinister about this is that the "bug" is difficult to trace because it re-appears only randomly (initially I thought that I needed a tune-up or had received bad batch of fuel). There is no maintenance required of this unit and it has a warranty of 8/80,000. I have written to Dodge regarding this matter requesting, among other things, an explanation of why these units failed and the hazards such failures place the driver and fellow motorists into. The manufacturer has responded but only in regard to the matter of reimbursement for car rental related to the second incident above where I was on a trip. Nothing has been responded to with regard to the "reliabilty" of the units. The incident date below is the initial situation.
I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota club cab 4.7L V8 4X4 with an electrical issue. After the vehicle is running for about 20 minutes, all lights begin to flash. It starts out a few times a minute, then they proceed to flash continuously. After about 30 minutes of driving at night, they are flashing to a point that makes it extremely difficult to drive. This includes the headlights, interior lights, and dash lights. Once the vehicle is turned off, the lights continue to flash. If the vehicle is off for an extended period of time, the problem will go away, then return after driving for another 20 minutes. I have researched the issue and found that there are others with this type of issue.
While driving, the consumer pulled the headlight switch, and discovered the did not work. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and it was diagnosed the central timer module had to be replaced.
Currently my Dodge Dakota is being serviced at town and country Dodge for the 12th time for the blower motor going out since I purchased it in September 2000. I have had other possibly related issues-HVAC control lights going out, headlight accessory panel going out, door alarm malfunctioning, and cigarette lighter inoperable. The truck has been in the shop for approximately 56 cumulative days for the above listed issues. Cannot defrost / defog windows without blower motor. No heat in the winter. No air-conditioning in the summer - not even the fan works to circulate air. At times the problem is intermittent - leaving me stranded when its raining/snowing. Vehicle is completely unpredictable even though the dealership has "fixed" it (for sure this time) 11 times prior to me dropping it off today.
Service 4WD light became illuminated, however vehicle is not equipped with 4WD, after the light became illuminated, the vehicle started to stall at idle, Chrysler is supposed to be releasing a flash for the problem, vehicle has been in the shop since 1-5-01 to try and repair problem, possible engine or electrical problem.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Tavares, FL, USA