Nine problems related to automatic transmission have been reported for the 1997 Dodge Dakota. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
My ball joints and tie rods were going bad at 54,000 miles. Dodge would not do anything about the problem. Also, my transmission started to go bad at 74,000 miles. 2nd gear went out, then it went completely out at 91,000 miles. Obviously Dodge wasn't going to do anything about it. I wont buy another Dodge again.
My two year old successfully placed keys into ignition and turned to on. Then without the requirement of depressing the brake he was able to place transmission into neutral. My truck rolled backward approximately 150 yards and crashed into tree. Total damage of $3500, luckily no one seriously injured.
Unable to shift into any gear at highway speed on freeway.
Vehicle shows rpms but doesn't accelerate as far as moving up to speed. Dealer was contacted & it may be the transmission. Transmission repairs are not not covered under the warranty.
The transmission will not engauge after being in reverse for a period of a miniute or more this has happened 14 + times. The dealer said they could find nothing wrong. I took a vidio tape to the service manager at gurley leep that clearly shows it in drive with the shift in drive with the tackometer rising and falling then slaming into gear. The service manager said it was out of his hands because Chrysler would not pay for it . It was between me and Chrysler. I personally wonder if the district representitive isnt waiting for it to fail under the extended warrenty so someone else can pick up the repair tab. It violently slams into gear when put in drive throwing you back in the seat and slamming the powertrain in engaugement. A certified letter was sent to Chrysler# z257635146 4/14/199 signed for by kyle c and the dealer gurley leep atten mike leep z257635147 4/12/1999 signed for by kristy roberts both letters were ignored with no telephone call or letter returned. This has been the worst vechicle I have ever owned with the highest number of repairs the factory has been totally indifferent to my problem as well as the dealer.
Truck was in park, with the parking brake engaged, and refused to start. After twenty minutes it finally started. I stepped out too close the hood, and the vehicle started moving in reverse. It struck a part of the parking stucture, bending the hinges and missaligning the drivers door. From that point on the truck will not start in park, and you must "find the neutral starting point, somewhere between neutral and reverse. Today, 12-15-98 I had to have it towed to the dealer to be repaired because apparently the problem has gotten worse, and now there is no neutral to start the truck in !.
Vehicle jerks forward, with a clunking sound, when shifting from first to second gear.
Design of vehicle is shifting very hard, found pieces of metal in the transmission fluid.
Was driving when transmission became hard to shift into gears. Would down shift into 3rd from overdrive on its own. Took to transmission mechanic. Was informed that gears were made of plastic and were stripped, breaking gear teeth off.