So ever since I've had this truck, the AC control has always been sketchy. When I turn the temp **** to max cold, the AC is very cold, however just a few clicks warmer and the cold air stops blowing just about altogether. Even readjusting just just under max cold, does nothing sometimes. I have to max it out to get cold air. Been doing this many years and does not work this way with the heat. Wondering if this is a controller issue or low refrigerant. Been this way many years though.

Anyone else seeing this?

 

No issue here.
Maybe temp controller that **** controls is sticking ...
If it stays fully cold a while on coldest setting its unlikely a freon issue..

 

I would fault either the AC controller or the blend door servo. It could also be a sticking or partially broken blend door. You may want to pull the fan out and look in the box for crap in the box or see a broken blend door hows the cab air filter.

 

Wonder where that temp controller lives?

I pulled the fan out years ago when troubleshooting the low airflow issue. Everything I could see at the time, was working fine. I had pics, but the hosting site went belly up. My truck doesn't have a cabin air filter. Does yours?

 

Try a used controller an see what it does

 

I thought the 2002 and up had cab air filters 98 Dakotas do not.

 

My 01 didn't have an air filter and neither did my 03. Both of them didn't blow very hard compared to most vehicles, but still cooled and heated fine surprisingly.
I would blame the blend door as well. Blending problems seem to come up fairly frequently.
But if it is a controller let us know! I would have to try it on my truck too!

 

Will do. Should be less than 20 bucks at pullapart. Thanks!

Maybe 2005 and up? I know this generation doesn't.

Yeah. It still cools and heats well enough though. Actually, the heat will roast me. Not sure I can get to a blend door without pulling the dash (which I won't be doing, LOL).

Edit: Accord to comments from this guy with a Durango, I might be able to get to the mechanism without pulling it. Just getting to it and effecting any fixes are two different matters though.

 

I think the Dakota is different this pic is out of the 2003 Dakota service manual.

 

Thanks for the pic. I've yet to get a true service manual for the Dak. The ones on the site have turned out to be for the Ram (even though they were named Dakota) and I'm too cheap to pay for one. Funny story.... early on, I used that Ram 1500 service manual for a long time thinking it was actually for the Dak. I sorta wondered why things were different, but was always able to fill in the blanks. It was when I actually looked at the diagrams of the front end, that it finally dawned on me. LOL