Just not right
Just not right
I took my '08 Dakota wheeling tonight, nothing major just a light trail ride that lots of stock trucks can do without any issues.
I baby my Dakota with regular oil changes and only lighly modded it up. I came out feeling like my truck was 100 years old and ready for the scrap yard.
Here are the problems:
1. Tie Rod broke off right in the middle of the trail, it was rocky, and I took it slow, but she is pooched, I heard the ball joints are weak, but did not expect anything from the tie rod (it was the driver's side) A quick trail fix and I was able to limp it off the trail onto a paved road.
2. As I was driving off, the motor had a miss to it intermittently and the engine light flashed from time to time. I checked everything out and it appeared to be oaky, I was not in any deep water and nothing under the hood got wet or muddy.
3. The last few months the tranny seems to shift hard, even after getting re-flashed form the dealer under a re-call warranty?
Is my truck a lemmon? or are Dakota's just not built that tough? I baby it all the time and wax, wash and look after it, but this one trip is giving me second thoughts about its build quality?
Any info will be great!
I baby my Dakota with regular oil changes and only lighly modded it up. I came out feeling like my truck was 100 years old and ready for the scrap yard.
Here are the problems:
1. Tie Rod broke off right in the middle of the trail, it was rocky, and I took it slow, but she is pooched, I heard the ball joints are weak, but did not expect anything from the tie rod (it was the driver's side) A quick trail fix and I was able to limp it off the trail onto a paved road.
2. As I was driving off, the motor had a miss to it intermittently and the engine light flashed from time to time. I checked everything out and it appeared to be oaky, I was not in any deep water and nothing under the hood got wet or muddy.
3. The last few months the tranny seems to shift hard, even after getting re-flashed form the dealer under a re-call warranty?
Is my truck a lemmon? or are Dakota's just not built that tough? I baby it all the time and wax, wash and look after it, but this one trip is giving me second thoughts about its build quality?
Any info will be great!
Record Breaker
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 1
From: Nova Scotia, CANADA
I dont baby my truck. V6 2wd, Ive had it off-road in deep mud and ruts onces (got it stuck) ive had it down logging road without issues (nothing ever broke, except when I caused the wheel bearing to go)
I clean it and make sure its clean and nothing is damage regularly. I havnt had it off road other then dirt roads with some pot holes since I got my ATV tho.
Ive replaced Both Wheel Bearings, Both Tie-rods, Both Lower Ball Joints, Both Calipers, Rotors and Pads, Both Sway Bar End Links, Both Struts (they were ok, but didnt want them to go so replaced when I had my leveling kit installed)
Other then the Bearing I broke by turning the tires hard when it was stuck. The other stuff broke over times and since nothing was ever replaced before I got it.
I clean it and make sure its clean and nothing is damage regularly. I havnt had it off road other then dirt roads with some pot holes since I got my ATV tho.
Ive replaced Both Wheel Bearings, Both Tie-rods, Both Lower Ball Joints, Both Calipers, Rotors and Pads, Both Sway Bar End Links, Both Struts (they were ok, but didnt want them to go so replaced when I had my leveling kit installed)
Other then the Bearing I broke by turning the tires hard when it was stuck. The other stuff broke over times and since nothing was ever replaced before I got it.