05 Dakota- Major problem.

[Ken_CT]

I have an 05 Dodge Dakota SLT 4wd, V8, auto trans purchased new, that is at the dealers for the 6th time for the same MAJOR problem. The truck shuts off for no reason. This has happened at highways speed where the truck bucks horribly because I think it is trying to re-start because it is moving quickly. At slower speeds it just shuts off. I throw it into neutral and can sometimes do a re-start, sometimes it won't. When the truck shuts off you lose power steering Sometimes it will start right up, sometimes it is hard starting- running very rough until it clears itself. Here is a list of what has happened at the dealer.


1. The first time it happened it was during a torrential rain on the highway. It bucked horribly and ran very rough until I got off the exit. It stalled as soon I stopped at the bottom of the exit. Re-started and turned around and went home with the bucking coming and going. The engine light came on after a while. It was a pretty scary ride. The next day the truck ran fine and the engine light went off after a couple of short trips. This was on a weekend so I couldn't take it to the dealer right away. The dealer and I thought something got wet. They kept the truck and tried to duplicate it by spraying the engine with a hose. The computer didn稚 tell them anything. Everything was fine and I got the truck back. OK for a couple of months.


2. 3/15 (Sat) truck bucks & stalled (while in motion no power steering) numerous times. Engine light stayed on, took in Monday. Bad crank shaft sensor, picked up next day.


3. 4/22 (Tues) Bucking & stalled again, people honking at traffic light. Took back to dealer, made appt for next day. Stalled in front of dealer when I brought it in. Check engine light not on. Service person took home to see if he could repeat problem. It happened to him & they had the reader on it when he was driving. They changed the crankshaft sensor & EGR valve, got back next Monday. They used over 1/4 tank of gas.


4. 4/30 (Wed) After leaving Dealer a couple of miles later engine light came on but truck was running fine. Took back & was told to drive it for a couple of days to see if it would stall.


5. 5/1 (Thurs) Stalled within a couple of miles while driving. Pulled over started hard w/ cloud of white smoke from exhaust. Took back. Engine light was on. Replace EGR valve again, said new one was stuck open.


6. 5/2 (Fri) Picked up truck drove less than a mile, stalled while driving on winding road, no power steering. Put in neutral, re-started while moving. Took directly back to dealer. They now have truck.


I would appreciate any advice as to how to proceed with this problem. Unfortunately, the Dodge dealership where I purchased the truck closed. They were a reputable dealer. Even if they fix the truck my wife won稚 drive it. It is a nice truck and I spent almost $500 for Rhino lining in it. If I trade it in I will lose a lot of money. The truck now has less than 25,000 miles on it. Thanks in advance.
Ken

 

[Bird]

Sure sounds like a bad computer, but I don't know much about those. My brother-in-law had a similar problem with a Nissan sedan about 3 years ago; just shut off driving along a busy freeway, but the dealer promptly had it towed in and fixed.

 

[BillyP]

Sounds like that truck would qualify for a buy-back.

 

[Ken_CT]

Sounds like that truck would qualify for a buy-back.

How would I go about doing that? Who do I contact. I like the truck, but this is getting ridiculous. Even if it gets fixed my wife will not drive it, and I can't blame her.

Ken

 

[LMTC]

How would I go about doing that? Who do I contact. I like the truck, but this is getting ridiculous. Even if it gets fixed my wife will not drive it, and I can't blame her.

Ken

Contact your state's Attorney General's office to see what lemon laws, etc. apply in your state. If you have legitimate recourse under any of those laws, I would immediately bypass the dealer and seek contact with a zone or regional office.

 

[BillyP]

How would I go about doing that? Who do I contact. I like the truck, but this is getting ridiculous. Even if it gets fixed my wife will not drive it, and I can't blame her.

Ken

What LMTC said.

Below is something you can read through concerning the Lemon Law in your state.

AUTOPEDIA&#174: Connecticut (CT) Lemon Law Information - AUTOPEDIA&#174 - The AUTOmotive encycloPEDIA

This is the part that might get you...

(b) If a new motor vehicle does not conform to all applicable express warranties, and the consumer reports the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer during the period of two years following the date of original delivery of the motor vehicle to a consumer or during the period of the first twenty-four thousand miles of operation, whichever period ends first, the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer shall make such repairs as are necessary to conform the vehicle to such express warranties, notwithstanding the fact that such repairs are made after the expiration of the applicable period.

Good luck and fight like heck

 

[BillyP]

By the way, you need to contact Dodge ASAP to get the ball rolling.

 

[bigshovel]

Back in 1988 I bought a 2wd long bed Dakota with the 3.9 litre v6 plain jane air only vinyl interior truck. 321,000 miles and oil change, brakes, joints no other maintenance its now 1996 and the body is rough and the truck is tired. It served me well so I'll buy another one and try to get a decade out of this new one. Extended cab, short bed v8 all the creature comforts available and 4wd. 6 months in I hopped in and and the truck would'nt start, they came and towed it, said the fuel pump was backbleeding when parked? New fuel pump again 2 weeks later same problem. 7 months later I had enough and they took it back and made things right after I told the service manager "AS SURE AS I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU IF THIS @#$%#$! THING FAILS TO START ONE MORE TIME I WILL DRIVE IT STRAIGHT THROUGH YOUR NICE CLEAN SHOWROOM WINDOW WALL AND WRING YOUR NECK IN FRONT OF GOD AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT CHOOSES TO WATCH". I had one great Dakota and one Lemon. I went to Ford diesels after that. Good luck with your dilema.

Brad