1994 DODGE DAKOTA Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

FRONT LEFT DOOR SNAPPED OFF. I CAN'T OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. ALSO, BOTH SEAT BELTS SNAPPED, THE AIR AND HEAT DOESN'T WORK, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, WHICH AFFECTED THE STEERING. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THREE TIMED, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE POWER AND THE ENGINE WOULD DIE. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER RATTLED. THERE WAS A ROUGH IDLE AND THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE, THE TIRES WORE OUT PREMATURELY. ALSO, I HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. THE IDLER ARM IS IN THE PROCESS OF BREAKING, THE IGNITION BROKE AFTER THE KEYS BECAME STUCK, THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND THE BEARING AND BUSHING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

SUDDEN NEAR-COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO DEFECTIVE BOLT HOLDING MASTER CYLINDER IN PLACE TO HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR. ON 05-14-2005, MY 18 YEAR OLD SON COMPLETED HIS SHIFT AT WORK. HE WENT OUT TO OUR 1994 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP AND STARTED THE ENGINE. AS HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL HE HEARD A METALLIC NOISE AS IF SOMETHING HAD BROKEN. HE DROVE TO OUR NEARBY RESIDENCE AT VERY LOW SPEED. THERE WAS NO COLLISION, BUT HE REPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BRAKE PERFORMANCE. AT OUR RESIDENCE, MY MECHANIC AND I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. I AM A 21-YEAR EXPERIENCED POLICE COLLISION INVESTIGATOR. WE FOUND THAT THE LEFT (DRIVER SIDE) BOLT HOLDING THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER TO THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR (AKA: HYDROBOOST) HAD BROKEN OFF. THE BOLT APPEARS TO BE A LOW GRADE STUD THAT IS PRESSED INTO THE FORWARD COVER OF THE HYDROBOOST UNIT. THE BOLT / STUD IS OF SMALL DIAMETER FOR SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT. IT APPEARED TO BE OVER-TIGHTENED AT THE FACTORY (MOST LIKELY), OR WORE OUT DUE TO METAL FATIGUE (LESS LIKELY AS THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 51,000 MILES ON IT). THERE IS A SECOND BOLT HOLDING THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE HYDROBOOST. THE SECOND BOLT HELD IN PLACE, ALLOWING REDUCED BRAKING ABILITY. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS FALLING DOWN AND TO THE RIGHT AT ABOUT A 35 DEGREE ANGLE. HAD THIS DEFECT OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, OR WHEN PULLING A LOAD, A CATASTROPHIC COLLISION WOULD HAVE LIKELY OCCURRED. THE TWO BOLTS APPEAR TO BE TOO SMALL IN DIAMETER FOR ANY VEHICLE, PARTICULARLY A LIGHT PICKUP TRUCK. ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE IS A 1994 MODEL YEAR, IT IS STILL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. I LIVE IN A SEMI-ARID AREA, SO THERE IS NO RUST. THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO NEVER BEEN IN A COLLISION AND IS PARKED IN A GARAGE WHEN NOT IN USE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW AND HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OTHERWISE EXTREMELY RELIABLE.

Mileage: 51,000

CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20MPH COMING OFF A RAMP INTO SURFACE STREET, ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF CONSUMERS VEHICLE HAD TO STOP, BUT CONSUMERS VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, AND HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. *AK *SLC

BOTH FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS ARE PITTED, APPEARS TO BE CORROSION, SUCH AS FROM ROAD SALTS, ETC. PREVIOUSLY OWNED FORD TAURUS WHICH WAS RECALLED. ALSO LEARNED THE CHRYSLER RECALLED OTHER MODELS (NHTSA RECALL NO 98V005/CHRYSLER RECALL #747. NOT CERTAIN OF EXACT DATE WHEN CORROSION WOULD HAVE FIRST BEEN EVIDENT. HAVE OBSERVED A PULSING BRAKING SENSATION (NOT ABS PROBLEM).

FRONT DISC BRAKE CALIPERS DON'T RELEASE PROPERLY CAUSING BRAKE OVERHEATING, REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY, VIOLENT SHAKING UPON BRAKE APPLICATION AND A NEAR FIRE. BRAKE SERVICE HAS BEEN NEEDED EVERY 20,000 TO 25,000 MILES.

PROPORTIONAL VALVE IS DEFECTIVE. UNABLE TO GET PARTS ON A TIMELY BASIS, DEALER. *AK

TRUCK PULLED TO RIGHT WHEN BRAKING AND GRADUALLY BECAME A GRINDING NOISE. ALSO, FRONT CALIPER LOCKED UP, CAUSING PADS/ROTORS TO WEAR OUT.

TRUCK PULLED TO RIGHT WHEN BRAKING AND GRADUALLY BECAME A GRINDING NOISE. ALSO, FRONT CALIPER LOCKED UP, CAUSING PADS/ROTORS TO WEAR OUT.

PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTORS.

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED.

ABS BRAKE/BRAKE WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ON WHEN IGNITION IS ON. *SD

OUT OF ROUND ROTORS, CAUSING PULSATION. *AK

FAILURE ON THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. TT

208-772-1261: ABS: FRONT BRAKES SEEM TO BE STOPPING VEHICLE; BACK BRAKES NOT BEING USED; PULSATES; TIRES WORN ON FRONT;FRONT WHEEL LOCK UP;BRAKES WORN HEAVILY.

208-772-1261: ABS: FRONT BRAKES SEEM TO BE STOPPING VEHICLE; BACK BRAKES NOT BEING USED; PULSATES; TIRES WORN ON FRONT;FRONT WHEEL LOCK UP;BRAKES WORN HEAVILY.

208-772-1261: ABS: FRONT BRAKES SEEM TO BE STOPPING VEHICLE; BACK BRAKES NOT BEING USED; PULSATES; TIRES WORN ON FRONT;FRONT WHEEL LOCK UP;BRAKES WORN HEAVILY.

W/ABS BRAKES, REAR BRAKES DON'T APPEAR TO ACTIVATE RESULTING IN SKIDDING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

ABS: NOTICED NOISE IN BRAKE SYSTEM, FOLLOWING DAY, APPLIED BRAKES; BRAKE CALIPER STUCK RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT; DISC WORN DOWN TO METAL, DAMAGED INSIDE ROTOR.

ABS: NOTICED NOISE IN BRAKE SYSTEM, FOLLOWING DAY, APPLIED BRAKES; BRAKE CALIPER STUCK RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT; DISC WORN DOWN TO METAL, DAMAGED INSIDE ROTOR.

ABS: NOTICED NOISE IN BRAKE SYSTEM, FOLLOWING DAY, APPLIED BRAKES; BRAKE CALIPER STUCK RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT; DISC WORN DOWN TO METAL, DAMAGED INSIDE ROTOR.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND THE ABS ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LOCKED UP AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT . TT

ANTILOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *SD

ANTILOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *SD

ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING, SYSTEM FAILS TO STOP. BRAKES REPLACED TWICE. TT CONSUMER STATES BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS FELT SPONGY, IN JUNE THE SHOES AND PADS WERE REPLACED, ONE MONTH LATER A ROTOR WAS FOUND CRAKCED AND WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE PADS, IN SEPTEMBER THE SHOES AND MASTER CYLINDER WERE REPLACED, IN OCTOBER BRAKES DID NOT WORK AT ALL WHEN TRYING TO STOP, THE VERY NEXT THE SAME THING OCCURRED. IDLER ARM FELL OFF, BOTH TIE ARMS WERE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR, THE FRONT END FELL OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING CAUSING VEHICLE TO A DITCH, EVEN AFTER REPAIRS THERE IS A POPPING NOISE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO IN FORWARD WHEN PUT IN DRIVE, A SINGLE WIRE IN THE WIRING ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN BURNT BY RUBBING AGAINST THE ENGINE, DEALER REPLACED THE WHOLE WIRING HARNESS. *SLC

ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING, SYSTEM FAILS TO STOP. BRAKES REPLACED TWICE. TT CONSUMER STATES BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS FELT SPONGY, IN JUNE THE SHOES AND PADS WERE REPLACED, ONE MONTH LATER A ROTOR WAS FOUND CRAKCED AND WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE PADS, IN SEPTEMBER THE SHOES AND MASTER CYLINDER WERE REPLACED, IN OCTOBER BRAKES DID NOT WORK AT ALL WHEN TRYING TO STOP, THE VERY NEXT THE SAME THING OCCURRED. IDLER ARM FELL OFF, BOTH TIE ARMS WERE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR, THE FRONT END FELL OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING CAUSING VEHICLE TO A DITCH, EVEN AFTER REPAIRS THERE IS A POPPING NOISE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO IN FORWARD WHEN PUT IN DRIVE, A SINGLE WIRE IN THE WIRING ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN BURNT BY RUBBING AGAINST THE ENGINE, DEALER REPLACED THE WHOLE WIRING HARNESS. *SLC

VEHICLES FRONT DISC BRAKES GET HOT TOO QUICKLY AND WHEN BRAKING THE CAR DRIVES TO THE RIGHT.ROTORS WARPED AND CHANGED 2 TIMES. TT

ABS, BRAKE FAILURE, ABS LIGHT STAYS ON AND CONTINUES BRAKE FAILURE LOSS OF EFFECTIVENESS. TT

FRONT BRAKES FAILURE, EXCESSIVE WEAR OF ROTORS AND PADS IN THE FRONT. TT

FRONT BRAKES FAILURE, EXCESSIVE WEAR OF ROTORS AND PADS IN THE FRONT. TT

STEERING WHEEL LOCKUP WHILE DRIVING NO RESPONSE FROM THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. TT

REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTORS. *AK

REPLACED BRAKE PADS/ROTORS. *AK

REPLACED BRAKE SHOES DUE TO VEHICLE WHINNING. *AK

THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING FRONT BRAKES TO FAIL, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK