1988 DODGE DAKOTA Steering Problems

RE: STEERING RECALL AS ISSUED... NHTSA ACTION # PE96003 FOR DODGE DAKOTA VEHICLE. RECALL WAS FOR STEERING BOX "OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION" STEERING. I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD A ISSUE WITH A WANDERING VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR MANY YEARS. DEALER COULD NEVER FIND A PROBLEM. I FOUND THE STEERING RACK AND PINION MOUNTING POINTS STRESS FRACTURED, WELD NUT MOUNTS PULLED AWAY. VISUAL CRACKING AROUND AREA AT THE BACK OF THE CROSS MEMBER. DODGE SAID RECALL WAS ONLY FOR THE STEERING GEAR BOX MOUNTS. WHY WAS THE RACK AND PINION MOUNTS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL? ENTIRE RACK ASSEMBLY WAS LOOSE ALL THESE YEARS BECAUSE OF A "DEFECT IN WELDING" FROM THE FACTORY. *TR

Mileage: 118,100

VEHICLE ON RECALL. ACCORDING TO DEALER, WAS TOLD TO BRING VEHICLE IN & LEAVE IT. WOULD TAKE ONE DAY TO FIX. TOOK VEHICLE & LEFT IT. RETURNED TO PICK IT UP & WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS REPAIRED ON RACK & PINION DUE TO A BROKEN PART UNDER VEHICLE. *AK

STEERING COUPLING BROKE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AFTER RECALL REPAIR.

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#96V094000) RACK AND PINION STEERING. CALLED DEALER & TOOK VEHICLE IN TO THE MECHANIC. WAS TOLD NEEDED TO WAIT FOR SPECIAL WELDER & WOULD NOTIFY OWNER. RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE. CALLED BACK TO DEALER. MECHANIC AGAIN SAID NEEDED TO WAIT WITH OTHER VEHICLES FOR WELDER SPECIALIST TO DO THE REPAIRS ON STEERING. *AK

RACK AND PINION BOLTS BROKE LOOSE AND CAUSED RACK AND PINION TO GO BAD, BUSHING FAILED CAUSING FRONT END TO BE OUT OF LINE, REPLACE RACK AND PINION.

BOLTS TO RACK AND PINION BROKE LOOSE CAUSING DAMAGE TO RACK AND PINION AND BUSHINGS DUE TO CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT, REPLACEMENT IS FAILING DUE TO BOLT LOOSENING.

RECALL 96V094000. DLR REFUSES TO SERVE RECALL BECAUSE TRUCK WAS DIRTY. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN A RECALL ON THE RACK AND PINION MOUNT; MANUFACTURER RECALL # 688, NHTSA RECALL#96V094. THE RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS DAMAGED DURING RECALL REPAIR, SO HE NOTIFIED THE SERVICE MANANGER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED HIM THAT THE LOWER STEERING COUPLER HAD GONE BAD. OWNER HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A ANOTHER MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PART THAT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T NEED REPLACING. OWNER THEN CONTACTED THAT MANUFACTURER'S CUSTOMER SEVRICE LINE . *AK

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

WAS DRIVING AND THE STEERING RACK AND PINION FELL OFF . *AK

RACK AND PINION DEFECTIVE.

RACK AND PINION/FRAM CROSSMEMBER BUILT STURDY, RESULTING IN A SEPARATION.

RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE.

OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR RACK&PINION SYSTEM HE NOTES THAT REPAIRS WERE MADE BUT THE PROBLEM BECAME WORST

CONSUMER BELIEVES POWER STEERING UNIT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ON STEERING/GEAR ATTACHMENT, INCOMPLETE REMEDY.

RACK AND PINION STEERING MOUNT RECALL; HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET RECALL WORK DONE ON HIS VEHICLE. DEALER CONTINUES TO SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS. *AK

DEALERSHIP WILL NOT MAKE APPOINTMENT, KEEPS PUTTING OFF, CONSUMER BACK; SAID RECALL WAS NOT HIGH PRIORITY FOR REPAIRS. RECALL #96V094000. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS. (96V-094). *AK

RECALL RELATED, 96V094000, STEERING GEAR ATTACHEMENT, IN FOR REPAIR IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER 1996 AND JANUARY, 1997, PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND OTHER DEALERSHIPS. *AK

STEERING GEAR DEFECTIVE.

RECALL WORK ON THE STEERING RACK AND PINION MOUNT IS UNABLE TO BE DONE DUE TO A LACK OF PARTS.

HAD RECALL WORK DONE ON DEC. 17 AND ON DEC.18 MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN HEARD NOISE UNDERNEATH AND THEN VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO STEER. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER AND SAID HE NEEDED TO CALL CHRYSLER, RACK & PINON WAS WORN OUT. *AK CHRYSLER STATED THAT THIS FAILURE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH RECALL REPAIRS. *SLC *JB

RECALL FOR RACK AND PINION STEERING MOUNT ON BACK ORDER QUOTED BY REIGLER DODGE IN SUMMIT NJ. OWNER HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CALL CHRYSLER MANUFACTURER AND WAS PUT ON HOLD FOR OVER AN HOUR EVERY TIME. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

RECALL ON RACK AND PINION--REFUND REQUESTED FOR REPAIRS PREVIOUSLY DONE.

THE DEALER SAID HE HAS NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECALL CONCERNING RACK AND PINION STEERING AND THE DEALER WILL NOT PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIRS UNTIL THE MANUFACTURER GIVES WORD. 96V094000.

VEHICLE ON RECALL FOR RACK AND PINION GEAR , HAS TAKEN INTO DEALER AND HE SAID THAT WILL NOT HAVE PARTS UNTIL FEBRUARY. CONSUMER FEELS THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION. 96V094000. *AK

SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT FOR (1) HOUR ON 11/19/96, DEALER STATED THAT VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE KEPT ALL DAY AFTER ARRIVING FOR APPOINTMENT, WOULD NOT PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE. TERMS NOT MET ACCORDING TO RECALL NOTICE 96V094000. *AK

DEALER STATED THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CERTIFIED WELDER AND IT WOULD TAKE (6) MONTHS BEFORE THEY COULD GET A WELDER TO PERFORM RECALL WORK. *AK

STEERING WHEEL LOOSE DUE TO MISSING PIN.

RACK PINION STEERING BROKE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING. *AK