Hi Everyone,
This is my first post on the forum and I am looking forward to getting to know you.
I will start out asking some questions as I become familiar with my Dakota but I hope in time I will be able to contribute knowledge as well.

I purchased a 2004 Dakota Quad 4x4 a couple months ago. It is the first truck I have ever owned. So far I am quite happy with it.

I am hoping someone will be able to tell me if this is a transmission cooler installed on my truck. If it is...is it factory or aftermarket?
It's a little hard to see down in the bottom of the pics but I hope you can see it well enough to know what it might be.
I appreciate any help you can provide. Thank you.

 

I would venture to guess so.

 

Thanks. I was thinking it was as well. It is my only guess as to what it could be to be honest.
I don't know trucks though so it is very possible that I could be way off.

It looks like a factory unit to me. Would you agree?

The only thing that made me ask to be sure though was that my truck does not have a factory tow package so I thought it very odd that it would have the cooler on it. Any thoughts?

 

Trace the lines. The stock radiator has a transmission cooler on the driver side, with the radiator element on the passenger side. This auxiliary cooler is either for power steering or transmission. A quick trace of the lines should tell you. The transmission lines come out the driver side of the transmission and go up the d/s frame rail, going straight up to the 2 ports on the radiator.

 

The location is correct for it being an OEM cooler. It's part of the heavy duty service group or trailer tow package.

 

thanks for the info so far.
I will trace the lines when it stops raining. Looks like that will be a few days away though.
I tried finding some pics online of the installed OEM unit but can't find anything. I did find some pics of the unit un-installed and it looks very similar if not exactly the same.

 

Somebody else may have the link but you can go to the Dodge website and request a build sheet for your truck using the VIN. It will tell you what groups and packages your truck came with from the factory.
and if you have an owners manual sometimes people will fold the original window sticker and put it with it. My window sticker was with my owners manual.
I believe the majority of the 4.7( you don't mention which engine you have)QC 4X4 trucks came with the tow package and heavy duty group.
Do you also have a Power Steering cooler?
The cooler in the pic looks just like mine (2003 QC 4X4 4.7 Auto with towing package and heavy duty group).
The build sheet is pretty cool to have. It will tell you everything including paint codes, axle ratios,Oem tire size etc.

 

if it turns out to be a factory trans cooler you probably have a tow package on your dakota. this also will mean you should have a plug under driver side dash to plug in an electric brake controller.

 

yes sorry. It is the 4.7
I didn't know there was a web site like that. I would like to find it. I asked for a build sheet on my vin number at my dealer and they gave me one. It is not what I wanted though. It shows everything that COULD be on my truck and not what actually is on it.

I def do not have the tow package. No plug under the dash, no hitch, and no 7pin. I added everything I need to tow but now need to work out a cooler.
I don't know if I have a steering cooler....how can I tell? I still can't trace lines yet as we are getting some ridiculous rain.

 

There was a guy on here going by "DodgeCares". You could look up the username and send him a message and your VIN. He is the one who got me mine. But I have seen it posted before but cant remember the site but there is a Chrysler Customer Service site that will send you one too.