Seven problems related to brake hoses, lines/piping, and fittings have been reported for the 2002 Dodge Dakota. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
16 year old son was driving my truck to a school function, stepped on the brakes to make the turn off the highway into the school and brake pedal went to the floor. I went to get the vehicle and the brake line that runs along the frame rail to the rear axle had corroded through in several places causing him to lose brake fluid. I've had a lot of cars much older than this truck (my family had a car dealership) and this is the first time I've ever seen a hard brake line go bad. Looking online for a replacement part it quickly became apparent that this is a very common problem with the Dodge Dakotas and they all corrode in the same place. Behind the fuel tank. Definitely a safety issue that chysler should correct.
Brake line to the left rear tire rusted out and leaked. Lost all brake functions. Location of the leak was next to the gas tank. Repetitive problem with other Dodge trucks. Lucky I was going down the highway or needed a sudden stop.
Rear brake line failed (leaked) due to rust and corrosion. The rusted part of line runs between fuel tank and inside frame. Luckily the line failed in my driveway. My wife and daughter were in the vehicle earlier and it could have been disastrous! I have been reading online of case after case of similar experiences by other Dodge owners. The line should be stainless steel or change the routing so that it can't have a chance to corrode as quickly. There should also be switch/stop valve in-line to avoid total loss of braking (control). Should definitely be a recall item.
The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Dakota. While driving approximately between 40-50 mph, the brakes began to lock without warning when pressure was applied. The contact drove onto the emergency lane for a few minutes and was able to continue driving in spite of the brake malfunction. The failure occurred on three occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic twice. The front brakes, brake pads and brake hose were replaced at different times. The failure persisted after the vehicle was repaired. The recent vehicle failure was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 84,200.
2002 Dodge Dakota consumer is concerned about brake line the consumer stated the vehicle was manufactured with inferior materials. The gas tank straps broke and the transmission and brake lines had rusted and were leaking. The repair shop replaced the brake line and brake hose.
Front brake disc were cast in layers, and they came apart. Manufacturer recommended that consumer call this office.
The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that the front rotors and brakes overheated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer numerous times for the failure. Where the dealer replaced the front brake pads, rotors, hoses and the brake lines, but the failure was not corrected. The vehicle continued to overheat and the vehicle was not further repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 10,000 and the current mileage was 45,000. Updated 11/16/11.