a mechanic has had my 2004 Dakota for almost 5 weeks now. It began as a head gasket needing to be replaced. Fluids were seeping in to cylinder #1 overnight and causing misfires when started. Once started, the drips would evaporate in the cylinder and cause no further issues. To be prudent, I had the heads removed and inspected (both were fine) and now the mechanic says everything is working but the truck wont go over 2000 RPMS. He says that the truck is stuck in a 'fail safe' mode.

He told me a week ago he needed to order "a card" so that the computer could be reset. 2 days ago, he tells me the card didn't work because the computer on my particular Dakota is 'not programmable' and once its screwy, it has to be completely replaced. He says he has been calling dealers for 3 days trying to locate a computer that is correct for my specific VIN number.

Im starting to doubt his expertise, but dont know how to verify what he's saying. Does anyone know anything about there being a computer for certain 2004 Dakotas that is "Read Only" and once it is 'locked down', cannot be reset and must be replaced?

Is it possible the mechanic broke something? Seems to me a head gasket replacement, while not a 'simple' operation, should not be taking over a month.

EDIT: something I forgot to mention - he says the problem now is that the timing is off just slightly, causing misfires - and that it is the computer that is causing this. Thus the need to buy 'a card' to fix the computer, and now he's telling me my particular computer is not "resetable" once its in a fail safe condition.

 

Honestly, it sounds like your mechanic is a dumba** If the timing is off at all it will set a "cam-crank misalignment" code and it will go into limp in which will prevent it from going over 2000rpms. Base timing problems can't be fixed by a computer period. Being an 04, I will assume its a 3.7/4.7 and these engines are very sensitive to base timing errors. If the chain is installed a tooth off, it will set a code and go into limp in. That sounds like the likely cause of your problem. Or I should say, his problem.

 

4.7 and after calling two Dodge Dealerships, I was told the following:

1. sometimes when you send heads off to a machine shop, they'll spot problems with the Cam shafts and just take it upon themselves to replace them - and that unlike all other models of Dakota, the 04 uses a 32 tooth reluctor ring. If the machine shop put the incorrect ring in, it will cause the problem I am having. both Dealer mechanics seemed to think I had either damaged or incorrect Cam Shaft Reluctor Ring.

I called my mechanic this morning @ 10:30am to tell him I had a really good lead on what was going on with my truck. He says "tell you what Im at a tire shop right now buying tires for a customer - let me call you right back."

5 hours later, no call and I've tried to call him back about 20 times - he's not picking up. Because Im @ work, I've sent a friend to his shop to put eyeballs on my truck. If its indeed assembled, Im going to take it tomorrow to a Dodge dealer and tell my mechanic that if he attempts to bill me or issue a lien, I most assuredly will take him to court.

My truck has been to this mechanic 6 times this summer over a check engine light - i've paid over $300 each visit for repairs that did not fix anything. This time, he's had the truck a full month and from all signs, he doesn't know what he's doing. I think I just need to take the truck to a dealer and make sure this guy knows he's better off walking away (its a VERY small town.)

 

It is true that the 04 does have a different reluctor ring due to the fact that it uses a NGC controller as opposed to a JTEC. If that was the case the truck would not crank.
If I were you, I would take it to a dealer, see if the problems you are having are in fact caused by the other mechanic, and if so, I would stick him with the repair bill from the dealer.

 

Wow you have a lot more patience then I do. I would of had my truck out of there along time ago. And yeah, take it to a dealer and have them fix it. If it is anything due to the mechanic that has it now, send him the bill and if he refuses take him to court and report him to the BBB. That is rediculous. If you hade CEL and he fixed several things and none of them fixed the original problem you should not have to pay for that. You payed to have a certain problem fixed and he failed therefore it is his fault and he should have to pay.

 

Financially Im in a bind because this mechanic is a 'pay me when you can pay me' kind of guy. I give him $50.00 if I see him at the grocery store, etc. That tends to make one a bit more lenient and patient if you can understand that.

update: my friend arrived @ his shop around 3pm and the mechanic was immediately on the phone with me. He wrote down everything I posted above and he says, "well I suppose I can run home and grab a timing light and see what I can come up with."

They hadn't even put a timing light to the thing in 4 and a half weeks!

Im giving him 48 hours and if its not resolved, it goes to the dealer. Im going to pay the dealer and tell this mechanic "just walk away from it."

If he DOES fix it in 48 hours, Im going to insist that all the $$ spent so far be credited to this problem (they replaced sparkplugs, two head gaskets, two sets of 'coils' (what are those?! kinda like a 'mini-distributor' for each plug?!) and countless hours of labor replacing the wrong things.

If Im not happy, I have no apprehensions about posting his name and business in this thread. Naturally, if he makes me happy, I probably wont. Thanks for the advice and support. I may still have lingering issues with Dodge itself as a corporate monster, but one thing is certain: Dodge OWNERS are the best.

 

Yeah Dodge owners are awesome, too bad Dodge screwed us all over in the reliability deptarment...

 

okay - got the mechanic to take the truck to a dodge dealer (Tri-Lakes Motors in Branson, MO). They also concluded that the "PCM" had to be replaced - over $600 in parts and labor. I drove it 1000 yards past their lot and it shut down and would not restart - had to walk back to the dealer and they had to tow it back.

What dealer works on a vehicle and then doesn't bother to drive it around the block before declaring it fixed? I was beyond shocked that I left work at noon, drove 1 hour to the dealer, only to discover that I was the first person to take it off the lot after work was done on it.

Haven't heard back yet - no idea what could be wrong now.

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UPDATE: dealer suspects that something is damaged or came off of one of the cams - he mentioned that the best case scenario was that a 'timing ring' (my term) may have been damaged, and the erratic results may have forced the computer to shut the engine down to prevent severe damage. Worst case would be that the cam itself could have been poorly bolted, and parts could have flown all over the engine and completely wrecked it. Said the couldn't know for sure unless they had permission to break the engine down and look inside - whatever is wrong, he says its a mechanical issue inside the engine.

called the 1st mechanic and he says he has a concern about 'ownership of the work' if another shop breaks apart the engine (i.e. he is backing away from being responsible for it). He insists that the dealer should never have released the truck to me, but to him, and that HE should be the one to take it apart (for a 3rd time now). He says the machine shop that inspected the heads would not like having a 3rd party looking at their work.

I went ahead and told the dealer to break down the engine and to deal with me directly instead of the other mechanic (or his machine shop that worked on the heads). Im no laywer, but it would seem to me that Im not under any legal obligation to have the original mechanic (whose work is now in question) continue to work on the truck - and that he cannot abandon any responsibility for it as a result

anyone have any experience with this?

 

get with your attorney I would say...I see a case forming.

 

Wow there is so much bull in the this whole deal it is not even funny. First off you should not have to pay for the new PCM seeing it only made it around the block before shutting down. Which means they obviously didn't fix the problem. I don't even know where to go from there lol. All I know is that there is a lot wrong with this whole things.