Author Topic: Dakota Trannys?  (Read 573 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline KeepTryin

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 131
Dakota Trannys?
« on: July 21, 2010, 08:07:02 AM »
Same issues as the big trucks I'm guessing? Truck in question is a '97... lotta miles but looks clean. First one (any brand) I've seen in a year+ of looking that has a realistic price.

Dunno, these Dodges just keep popping up! Thanks for any insight. I'm sure it's cheap for a reason...

KT




Offline HogFan

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 375
  • Gender: Male
Re: Dakota Trannys?
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2010, 10:03:49 AM »
I had a  1997 Dakota, with only about 40,000 miles on it. Transmission went out, around 46,000 miles. It took the dealership for ever to fix the darn thing. Made me late reporting to my next duty station. What I was told would be no longer than a 1 week job took three. Once I got to MT, darn transmission went out again, and Dodge refused to cover it under warranty. This was with less than 50,000 miles total. I ended up trading it off, and have sworn off Chrysler products since then. I called corporate HQ, told them and pretty much was laughed at. Todl them I would make sure noone I knew bought a Chrysler product and that one day with practices like that they would be bankrupt. Well, that was in 2001.  ;D

Offline KeepTryin

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 131
Re: Dakota Trannys?
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2010, 10:40:44 AM »
HogFan-Oh great. I kinda figured. :D I am going to go try the thing just for giggles and to feel like I'm doing something. It's so rare I see anything that is truck shaped, not obviously ruined, and priced realistically. But I'll be careful.

What did yours do, start slipping and then fail? This one has waaaay more than 50k on it...

Thanks,
KT

Offline 30-30man

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (3)
  • A Real Regular
  • *****
  • Posts: 933
  • Gender: Male
Re: Dakota Trannys?
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2010, 07:00:16 AM »
The Dodge Dakotas are generally stout trucks. The 3.9 is a turd but it will run forever. They are heavier than a Ford Ranger or Chevy s-10, but the bumpers are made out of paper...GET A HITCH.  They all have their issues and the Dodge tranny thing is old and really doesn't hold water anymore.  They got the reputation when the redesigned the 46r to the electronic version 46re.  There were all kinds of problems but they were fixed.  I would buy one without a second thougth if it were a good enough deal.  The only truck I've ever had that I hated was a GMC sonoma, but then I love my S-10....All of them have put out crap at one time or another.

Offline HogFan

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 375
  • Gender: Male
Re: Dakota Trannys?
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2010, 02:14:32 PM »
Keeptryin,

  I really had no problem with it until it went out. I guess it started slipping for about 5 miles, before it locked up. Second time it went out, it would not shift out of gear into the next gear. I think Dodge may have finally fixed the problems, as I have two friends with Dodge trucks that are under 6 years old with no problems.

Online Lloyd Smale

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18257
Re: Dakota Trannys?
« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2010, 02:54:31 AM »
had a v6 auto dakota. like was said it was a slug but i sold it at a 140000 miles and that was 4 years ago and its still been trouble free for the new owner. Only problem i had with it was a fuel pump and what i felt was to much brake problems. Motor and tranny were solid as a rock though.
blue lives matter