My 2005 2X4 Dakota is a really basic truck.. auto tranny.. crank windows and a v6 engine.

The steering has been.. "strange" for lack of a better description. When going straight down the road is actually pulls one way and then the other.. there is no loss of steering and nor has there been (yet) a loss of power steering. The truck does not excessively wander (like it would with upper ball joint failure). There is no typical whine that one expects with a power steering pump going bad.

It is almost like the truck is trying to steer itself. I can easily steer the truck to correct it.. and I am guessing it is the power steering pump going bad (fluid level is fine). The truck has 76,000 miles on it and this is the first year I have driven it in winter (live in NY so salt on the roads is an issue).

I was planning on using the truck for a 270 mile round trip (interestate) tomorrow.. but would hate like heck to have the steering be unsafe and lose control (especially at interstate speeds). No trip is worth dying on!

Just wondering if any one has experience with this. I did an internet search and see there are reports (NHTSA) of steering issues but most were with 4X4 trucks (intermediate steering shaft failure?).

 

The rack and pinions on the 3rd Gens are known to be a little sloppy. Even if you swap in a new rack the looseness will return after a few months.

A member here does offer a heim joint upgrade that has good reviews.

 

I don't care if this issue is just something to deal with. I am worried about it being unsafe and I don't find any information that it is or is not!

IOW's if it is upper ball joints.. sudden failure can be catastrophic. If it is a power steering issue, and it goes, you can still steer the truck.

There have been reports of intermediate steering shaft failure.. but there is no information as to any sort of warning signals from the truck before that happens.. and those all seem to be on 4X4 trucks and Durangos.

So.. the question is.. IS this just mechanical slop in the machinery OR is it more sinister?

Like my truck. Like driving it. Don't like it enough to die for it...

 

Intermediate Steering shaft has signs of failure, But like anything can break suddenly and its also in Dakotas both 4x4 AND 2wd.
Shaft failure has signs of steering play and more commonly Binding in the joint. Play can come from lots of places, slip joints, U-joints, Steering rack, ect
Ive been driving for over a year with around 1 inch of play, and mine has had binding twice, Once which cause the play, and the 2nd time I noticed it way before it could cause anymore, simply oiling/greasing the joint fixed the binding.
My truck does seem to wander side to side slightly, and go straight other times. Hard to tell if its the Shaft or just not knowing if the tires were turned straight fully because the play.

My old 2000 Dakota had the same issue, except its shaft went more suddenly, only causing massive amounts of play, But no complete failure, and that was a 11 year old shaft, had has seen TONS of salt its entire live, and was a work truck before we bought it.

 

4x2
2 wheel drive

 

First, minor note: a 2x4 is a piece of wood. A 4x2 is a 2WD truck.

Whether these trucks have "sloppy" steering or not, they are nothing compared to the 2nd Gen Rams (1994-2001). I used to own one of them, and mine wasn't that bad, but there were reports (and evidence) of slop all over. This Dakota is far better than the Rams were.

Get it checked out, make sure that everything in the suspension is within tolerances and doesn't need replacing. If it all checks out, then do some research (or read what others type here) and decide what you want to upgrade to reduce the play.

 

Sorry.. 4X2..
I have been considering a repair whereby I unscrew the radiator cap and drive a new vehicle underneath it.... and the vehicles I have been considering would probably offend forum members....

I will have the truck checked out on Monday and find out if there is a safety issue and go from there.

Just wondering if anyone had had this sensation from the steering where it seemed like the truck was actually putting pressure on the wheel and seemingly trying to steer itself.

I have driven a lot of trucks.. loaded and unloaded.. 4X4 and 4X2.. hauling and empty.. diesel and gas. I have also driven tractors (farm) with and without power steering.. with and without steering slop and a few 10 wheel dump trucks back in the day where I learned why they invented power steering. I never had this intermittent feedback sort of feeling from the steering. Slop was usually a regular side to side vibration.. this is not regular or even and is less noticeable at slow speeds.

It probably IS slop OR it is some internal issue with the power steering pump. If it is not unsafe then I will drive it until a make a vehicle repair/replace decision.

thanks.

 

You can always open the hood, put your hand on the intermediate steering shaft, and yank on it and see if you feel play in it.

 

After thinking about this truck some.. and having it looked at.. I made a decision. I traded it in on a Honda CRV.

Ultimately, I decided that a 2WD truck, with only 76k miles on it.. and most of those miles being Interstate miles.. that never saw salt until this winter should NOT develop a steering problem that is, in all likelihood a Rack and Pinion. I have owned vehicles that did real work.. trucks that were mightily abused.. and NEVER had a Rack go. I figure this year it is the Rack.. next it will be the rear end.. or the tranny.. or the brake calipers AGAIN or the Hood Latch spring (that Dodge wanted to sell me an entire hood latch to replace.. so I bought a spring at the hardware store) or some other under designed over priced component.

I have to have something reliable to get back and forth to work.. and this Dakota is the last American (British? Italian? LOL) made car for me. It saddens me to say this but I am done.

And yes, I am saying this in spite of the absolutely WONDERFUL commercial with Paul Harvey Voice over tribute to the American Farmer (I was a farmer full time for 20 years.. and more). If I need a truck I will rent one.. or get a Toyota.. or a trailer for the new CRV.

Thanks for your help on my questions. I really appreciate the time folks took to answer me. I made the right decision for me.