1997 DODGE DAKOTA Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR EMITTING OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V199000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 121,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 00V199000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Mileage: 120,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG FUEL ODOR. THE CONTACT SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND DISCOVERED FUEL LEAKING UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 120,000. UPDATED 02/03/11*LJ UPDATED 03/17/11

Mileage: 120,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE VEHICLE WHICH STARTED IN THE BEGINNING OF JUNE 2006. THERE WAS RECALL #00V199000 REGARDING FUEL LEAKAGE HOWEVER THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THE VIN OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE CONTACT SMELLED GASOLINE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THERE WAS GAS COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK. THERE WAS A CRACK LOCATED AT THE RIGHT REAR TOP CORNER OF THE TANK. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INFORMED.

Mileage: 115,000

BEGAN SMELLING FUEL WHILE AT IDLE OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER SHUTTING ENGINE OFF. IF VEHICLE WAS LEFT SHUT OFF FOR 30 MINUTES OR SO THE SMELL WOULD SUBSIDE AND CEASE. VEHICLE THEN BEGAN TAKING SEVERAL SECONDS OF CRANKING TO START WHICH ADDED TO THE CASE THAT FUEL WAS ESCAPING FROM THE PRESSURIZED FUEL LINE WHILE SITTING. I OBSERVED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDER TRUCK ON DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE IN THE CAB REGION AND UPON CLOSER INSPECTION FOUND THE METAL FUEL LINE SHOWED EVIDENCE OF RUBBING AGAINST UNDER SIDE OF CAB BODY AND WAS SPRAYING FUEL TOWARD CENTER OF TRUCK AND HAD THE UNDER SIDE OF TRUCK CAB WET IN ABOUT A 2 FOOT SQUARE. FUEL LINE SHOWS NO EVIDENCE OF BEING IMPACTED AND IS STILL HELD IN ROUTING AND SECURING CLAMPS UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE ORIGINAL ROUTING OF FUEL LINES.

Mileage: 85,151

MY 1997 DODGE DAKOTA CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, WITH THE ONLY WARNING BEING THE STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE, WHILE BEING DRIVEN DOWN THE ROAD.

NHTSA RECALLS CAMPAIGN 00V199000 AND 00V193000; DAIMLER ISSUED TWO RECALLS ON THE FUEL TANK AND THE BRAKE HOSES. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS DUE TO VIN, BUT IT LEAKED FUEL AND HAD TROUBLE BRAKING. *AK

GASOLINE ODOR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. FOUND FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINE RUNNING UNDER THE BODY ON DRIVER'S SIDE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL.*AK *TC

Mileage: 108,000

WHILE DRIVING A FUEL ODOR EMANATED FROM INSIDE OF THE VENTS. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT VEHICLE WAS LEAKING GASOLINE FROM UNDERNEATH. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL LINE CONNECTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

FUEL LINE LEAKS. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT VEHICLE WILL CATCH ON FIRE. A RECALL WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

Mileage: 84,000

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A STEERING BOX PROBLEM. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS AND IDLER ARM. *AK CONSUMER IS KEEPING AN EYE ON THE FUEL FILLER TUBE BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO BE RUSTED. ALSO, BRAKE LINE IS ALSO RUSTED. *LA

Mileage: 55,000

SECOND RECALL THAT HAS BEEN SERVICED. AFTER EVERY SERVICE PROBLEM GETS WORSE. CONSUMER STATES THIS IS SECOND TIME PROBLEM OCCURS.*AK

FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. DEALER SAID FUEL LINES WERE LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS RECALL 00V199000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED DUE TO VIN. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL (00V-199) NOTICE ON FUEL LINE. REGARDING TO THE RECALL CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALER AND THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED AND HE DO NOT KNOW WHO WOULD EVEN BE CALLED. *YH

CONSUMER SMELT GAS FUMES. VEHICLE WAS LEAKING GASOLINE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED GAS LINE WAS IMPROPERLY ROUTED. CONTACTED CHRYSLER, AND THEY DID NOTHING. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 00-V-199-000. IN OCT. OF LAST YEAR. DEALER HAS NOT GOTTEN PARTS IN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED A GAS ODOR IN PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. PULLED OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD, AND NOTICED VEHICLE HAD LOST A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER NOTICED FRONT FUEL LINE HAD COME APART, CAUSING PROBLEM, PART NUMBER 52127657. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

AFTER PARKING VEHICLE NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM VEHICLE , FUEL LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK FUEL SPRAYED WHEEL WELL AREA ADJACENT TO THE FUEL FILL AREA, THE LARGE CRACK IN THE LINE ALLOWED LARGE AMOUNTS OF GAS TO SATURATE TRUCK AND GROUND UNDER TRUCK. CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. *SLC

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM DAIMLER-CHRYSLER FOR THE FUEL LINE (RECALL NUMBER 892). THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS CONTACTING THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE, AND COULD EVENTUALLY WEAR THROUGH. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY INSTALLED AN "ISOLATOR" ON THE FUEL LINE. ABOUT A WEEK LATER, I HAPPEND TO BE LOOKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, AND NOTED THAT THE "ISOLATOR" AMOUNTED TO NOTHING MORE THAN A SMALL CYLLINDER OF RUBBER THAT WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE FUEL LINE TO SEPARATE IT FROM THE BODY OF THE TRUCK. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ISOLATOR HAS SLIPPED DOWN AND THE FUEL LINE IS AGAIN CONTACTING THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. I NOTED THAT THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT ABRASION ON THE FUEL LINE, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT LEAKING. I SHOVED THE RUBBER PIECE BACK INTO PLACE. HOWEVER, IT IS UNLIKELY TO STAY THERE. THIS IS A 4X4 PICKUP, AND IT IS USED OFF ROAD ON A REGULAR BASIS. HOWEVER, THE ISOLATOR HAD SLIPPED WHEN THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD BEEN DRIVEN ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. THIS IS AN INADEQUATE FIX. DAIMLER-CHRYSLER SHOULD BE REPLACING THE ENTIRE FUEL LINE WITH A NEW ONE THAT IS PRE-FORMED TO CLEAR THE BODY OF THE TRUCK AT ALL POINTS.*AK

AFTER RECALL REPAIR 00V-199 OF THE FUEL LINE FITTING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN BUCKING LIKE THE FUEL WAS NOT RESPONDING TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OXYGEN SENSORS FAILED, VEHICLE RAN PERFECTLY BEFORE RECALL WORK. NLM

RECALL # OOV199000 DAIMLER CHRYSLER/FUEL LINE/CAB UNDERBODY: DEALERSHIP (OWNER) REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL CAMPAIGN BECAUSE TRUCK WAS NOT PURCHASED FROM DEALERSHIP. OWNER VERY NASTY AND ABRUPT TO CUSTOMERS.*AK

RECALL 00V199000/FUEL LINE / CAB UNDERBODY : DEALER TIED OFF FUEL LINE WITH ELECTRICAL STRAPS INSTEAD OF OF FOLLOWING CORRECTIVE ACTION MENTION IN RECALL. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER; DEALER IS KELLY SALES & SERVICE, SPRINGFIELD, VT PHONE # 802/885-2186. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS:*AK

THIS TRUCK IS A LEMON!!!! HELP! NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD JERK LIKE NOT GETTING ENOUGH FUEL. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED & WATER WAS FOUND IN GASOLINE. *AK

THE FIRST PROBLEM HAPPENED IN ARIZONA ON I-40,I HAD JUST PASSED AN 18 WHEELER AND PULLED BACK IN HIS LANE WHEN I RAN OUT OF FUEL, MY FUEL GAUGE INDICATED I HAD A QUATER OF A TANK LEFT. I NOTIFIED THE DEALER ON MY RETURN HOME. I JUST HAD A SECOND FUEL FAILURE AT HOME.AGAIN THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWS A QUATER OF A TANK OF FUEL . I HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE DEALER TO REPORT THIS FAILURE. *AK

THE FILLER NECK ASSEMBLY FELL UNDER MY TRUCK WHILE I WAS PUTTING GASOLINE IN THE TANK. IT IS ONLY HELD BY 4 SCREWS WHICH HAD FALLEN OUT AND THERE IS NO FLANGE TO KEEP THE FILLER LINE FROM FALLING BENEATH THE TRUCK. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IF IT HAD HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND IT COULD HAVE CAUSED MY TRUCK TO CATCH ON FIRE. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY HAD NO "FIX" FOR IT OTHER THAN TO PUT NEW SHEET-METAL SCREWS BACK ON IT. *AK

THERE IS A FUEL LEAKAGE UNDER THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE CAB DUE TO THE FUEL LINE RUBBING AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE CAB. *AK

FACTORY FUEL LINES RUBBED AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUCK CAB, RESULTING IN WEARING THROUGH OF FUEL LINES AND MASSIVE LOSS OF FUEL NEAR HOT EXHAUST COMPONENTS. CLEARLY A FACTORY DEFECT. LINES WERE RESTRAINED IN THEIR ORIGINAL BRACKETS IN ORIGINAL POSITIONS ALONG THE FRAME OF TRUCK. YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE LINES RUBBED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK AS WELL AS THE FAILED LINE THEMSELVES. THESE WERE METAL LINES. TRUCK WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO DEALER. THEY SAY THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS FOR THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE AGREED TO PAY FOR PARTS BUT I MUST PAY FOR LABOR. TRUCK IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND I WILL BE OUT OF POCKET OVER $130 DOLLARS. I FEEL THIS REALLY IS A FACTORY PROBLEM, A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND THEY SHOULD NOT ONLY TAKE CARE OF THE FULL COST OF REPAIR, BUT SHOULD INSPECT OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES AS WELL.. TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT CARLIN DODGE IN COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. SERVICE ADVISOR KIRK CRIST, CLAIM CHECK NUMBER 989. PHONE # IS (719)475-8550. IT IS AN EXTENDED CAB MODEL USED PRIMARILY FOR HIGHWAY COMMUTING (HENCE THE HI MILEAGE FOR THE YEAR). THIS PARTICULAR DEALER WAS VERY HELPFUL AS THEY WERE THE 2ND ONE I WENT TO. THE FIRST ONE, PERKINS DODGE IN COLO. SPGS, WOULDN'T EVEN SEE US AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE, EVEN THOUGH THE TRUCK WAS POURING FUEL OUT OF IT. TRUCK WAS PURCHASED (LEASED) UNDER THE NAME REBECCA KESSLER (MY WIFE) FROM CASTLE DODGE IN CASTLE ROCK, COLORADO. I CAN GIVE YOU THE VIN AT A LATER TIME AS I DO NOT HAVE IT WITH ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP, I HOPE TO HELP OTHERS AVOID A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. AS A QUICK SIDE NOTE, I DID SEE ANOTHER COMPLAINT THAT I THOUGH MIGHT BE THE SAME PROBLEM, ODI#836892, THANK YOU. RYAN AND BECKY KERCHER

I FEEL THAT WHEEL BEARING/ FUEL PUMPS AND BRAKE ROTORS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ALL BE REPLACED AT COST TO ME IN THE FIRST 2 YEARS/38,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. SEVERAL OF THESE PARTS COULD CAUSE A SAFETY HAZARD SUCH AS A CRASH. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT 35 MPH FUEL FROM THE FUEL LINE IS SPRAYING ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SYSTEM, AND CONSUMER CAN SMELL THE FUEL BURNING. *AK

FUEL PUMP FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE VAPOR LOCK MALFUNCTIONS AND THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT, THE MANUFACTURER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

FUEL QUANTITY/ SENDING UNIT FAILED.