I just bought a '97 Dakota with the 5.2L, extended cab and 4WD. Driving home from the dealership the AC went out. Then the first cold morning the heater kicked off after just a few minutes. The AC still works occasionally (and really well at that) but always dies out after about5 minutes no matter what the outside temperature or driving conditions are. The heater doesn't work at all.

So this weekend I took it to Midas to get fixed. They filled up the R134a and happily charged me $120 (including $70 in labor????) 5 minutes into my drive it kicked off again. They said they tested the heater core and that it worked but they couldn't figure out what the problem was.

Looking all over the www, it seems that this is a very common problem with Dodges and could be anything from the radiator to a little tube coming out of the condensor. I'm already regretting my purchase. I should have learned my lesson after buying a '96 Neon and going through multiple head gaskets (or main seals, don't remember.) But I thought I'd buck my intuition and buy American even though I knew it would be wise to get a Toyota.

I'm going to buy a Chilton's today and try to find the problem myself because I don't really have the money to replace things that don't need replacing in hopes of possibly fixing the problem. I'll take pictures and will reply to this post with updates so that perhaps someone at a later date will be able to skip the troubles I and many other Dodge guinea pigs have been having.

 

check the simple things first, compressor clutch pressure switches also go buy a gauge to check ur refergrant level..

 

Thanks, I'll look at the compressor clutch. Midas took 5 hours to fill the refrigerant, called it fixed and charged me 3 times what I could have done myself in 15 minutes. I'm going to take it back to them on Saturday to try try again as well as to get my first of surely many brake jobs. I'll still do as above after they fail to fix the problem.

 

Is your floor wet? I had a '99 that the AC drain was plugged, so it would fill with water then cut out. It eventually cracked the case spilled water all out over the floor.

Of course that wouldn't explain no heat... hmm...

 

Check your blower motor and resistor.

 

The shop determined that it was in fact the compressor clutch. I'm going to attempt to repair it myself.

No water in the cab. Still can't figure out the heat thing but as soon as I'm able to locate a Haynie manual I'll get it checked out.

 

yea they go out alot, the clutches that is...not hard to replace tho.. sounds like ur next project is the heater core, another glitch in the dakota..

 

just got haynes manual for my 2004 from advance auto for about 17.00.