Hi all. I'm new here and I'm looking at getting a Dakota (my 05 GMC Canyon is dying already). Has anyone heard of any reports of problems with the 6sp. manuals and the 4.7 V-8s? I heard a report that people had problems with them popping out of reverse. Please, kindly, let me know if this has been a problem for anyone, or if there's any other issues with the 06 Dakota Club Cabs that I should know about before I make my purchase.

Thanks again!

 

I'm sorry dude, but you say that it pops out of reverse (I haven't heard of this)........

Like how long do you need to drive in reverse for that it would actually be a problem??? LOL

If it popped out of drive on the freeway, that could be a problem......but reverse??? lol

 

yeah, i been poking around here for the past day or so and hadn't read another thing either, but hey, the only stupid question is the one not asked.

Any other problems with this model?

 

If you don't mind the asking...what type of problems are you having with your '05 Canyon? How many miles you got on it?

 

the main prob that seems to pop up over and over is the brakes shuddering...but usually all it takes is a trip back to the dealer to turn the roatars and your all good again
The other problem ive seen is the airbag light coming on and not going off. all it takes again is a trip back to the dealer and a simple swap of components
other than that havent seen any major issues popping up yet except for the occasional random thing that comes down the line that no one ever experiences (like your "popping" out of reverse). Overall its been one of the most problem free vehicles i have ever seen brand new. I've not had to take mine back to the dealership except for the oil changes they gave me

 

I think the answer he is looking for may be the same thing I'm having a problem with in mine.

I have a v8 6spd manual, and while mine doesn't pop outta reverse, there have been times where the shifter won't let me get all the way into reverse, but doesn't grind, like, it's just barely gripping, and then slide outta gear.

Or so I think. I just double clutch and get it into reverse.

 

Like almost all manual transmissions. Shift to 1st before shifting in to reverse. Less chance of having problem shifting into reverse.

 

I used to have a '94 Ford Ranger 4.0L - I had the same problem shifting into reverse. I was told the very same thing too by the dealer - you should shift into 1st before shifting into reverse. Something within the tranny needs to be spinning at the same speed as the motor before being engaged into gear, and for some reason that something isn't there when you shift into reverse. I can't remember what they called it, but sure enough, every time I shifted into 1st FIRST, then reverse, I never had the problem again.

 

My problems...let's see....some are minor...the CD player won't accept some CDs (even a brand new one I got) but if you keep fussing, it'll take 'em eventually (that one's a bugger to replicate, so I can't get the dealer to fix it) and the radio speakers tend to blow pretty easily (one blew, replaced under warranty, and the new one blew on the way home--and, being a sound tech, I really try to take care of my hearing, so it's not b/c of the volume).

The major problem I've been having is a lack of power. A month ago I had a check engine light flashing (it would flash anytime I'd hit a good hill) and then it eventually began to stay on steady. Took it in twice, they finally found the problem to be an O2 sensor. My dealer replaced it for free (even though I was 1700 out of warranty at the time) and gave it back. Since then, I have no power...I'm running it up to the red line and barely can get up to highway speeds sometimes and spending a lot of time with my foot on the floor, just to keep it going. I'm fairly confident that the exhaust valve springs are bad (there'a TSB on this), but my dealer can't find any problems, despite a week of trying, and, since I am now 4000 miles out of warranty, I'd have to pay to replace them (and quite possibly the head, which is generally replaced as part of another TSB. I've been researching this problem on the Colorado/Canyon message board and my symptoms match exactly to what other guys have had, but my dealer can't find the problem. Most of the other problems are fairly common to Canyon/Colorado owners, too...I might be one of the few to have all of them though.

I really liked the truck--it's been a great vehicle up until recently--but I just don't have the money to drop on those kind of repairs and it's such a struggle to drive now with the lack of power problem (plus I can't do any truck stuff with it--it barely has the power to drag the 130 pounds of me around).

So I'm taking a look at Dakotas...

My buddy's a mechanic at a Dodge dealer, and he mentioned these probs, but I just wanted to see how widespread they are and how they were handled before I bought.

 

Yeah, my buddy, the Dodge mechanic, mentioned this. Said the engine is rock solid, the tranny has problems with reverse (at least he's seen a few in with those problems) and the brakes shudder.

Not real worried about the brakes, seems like they're an easy fix, but the tranny worries me some, so I wanted to ask if anyone else had experienced it. It might not be as bad as he indicated, though, too...Frenchy's seems OK.

I'm very, very glad to hear that you're having no problems outside of brakes, and, as I read through the forums here, it seems like you're not alone...there's many happy Dak owners.