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01:11:03 - 12/20/2024
General Dakota Board
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JasonB
Dodge Dakota
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11/17/2004
22:18:52
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 Subject: RE: Door Locks
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Message:
Mary...if its any consolation, in the door lock actuator failures I have seen (on all Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Plymouth vehicles), never once have I had anyone describe being locked out of their vehicle because of it. And by the way, if you will read my posts, I very intentionally and carefully never said or implied there was no problem with the door lock actuators. My empathy stems from how this is making you feel, not from the specific issue.
Here is another way to look at some of this. Some dealerships do not have enough volume of business in their shops to recognize minor recurring issues. Also, dealership service advisors do not last long due to that job being the highest stress position in many dealerships. The new guys do not always know what failures have a higher occurrence rate. AND last, but not least, here is an opinion that I reluctantly share: many service advisors have had experiences with customers that turn from a quick conversation about a higher than average failure to the customer getting on the back of the service advisor and riding him till he spends an hour of his time away from other customers and regular duties to find out something for the customer that he already told him, "There is little or nothing I can do". I know when I can and when I can not get Chrysler to bend the rules. Unfortunately, many customers think those decisions are up to me or the dealership when, in fact, they are not. Many service advisors, when confronted with a no-win circumstance, will choose the shorter path and claim ignorance, I pity those of you with advisors like this. We at the dealership service department did not design your vehicle, build your vehicle, sell it to you or use it for you. We repair them. When I know I can accomplish something (getting Chrysler to bend the rules), outside of my expected job duties, for a customer (my 6+ years have taught me what I can and can not accomplish), I take action. When I can not, I say so and I leave it at that. I am more often accused of being lazy than I am of being ignorant. So be it. I can not change how people choose to respond to facts and truth. My point is, being a punching bag is part of the job, I choose to take the punches up front, others choose to duck them or avoid them by claiming ignorance.
Once again, I tip my hat to you without attacking you or your character, which I know nothing of. (hint...hint)
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fastyz400
Dodge Dakota
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11/17/2004
22:19:54
| RE: Door Locks
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Message:
Mary,
I'm with you on this one. Mine failed at 65k. I listed a thread on how to get OEM parts cheap. Those Actuators run around $59 with jobber discount at a dodge dealer.
As far as replacement. The first time was a little difficult. But, know, i think i'm an expert at replacing it. lol
However, i enjoy working on my vehicle. That's why i buy American. NOT. lol
I don't want to list all of the other problems i had. Because, it would make you sick.
Like $2,400 + for transmission work. Truck has only 65k. :(
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Mary
Dodge Dakota
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11/18/2004
03:16:21
| RE: Door Locks
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Message:
Jason,
Why did we have to go through all those other posts to get to the last one? Reread your first post to me and see if you weren't just a little condesending and aggressive.
I have read your other posts to people on this site, you often put in a little jab to let them know you think they are not as smart as you are.
You do not however, tell them that you work for a Dodge dealership as you eventually did tell me.
Of course you know more about how these procedures work, but don't be snide about it.
How are we supposed to know that there is a difference between the 12mo 12,000 parts/labor warranty? But only on the PARTS section...the dealer doesn't highlight that or make a big deal of it. That's the inside info I was talking about. You have it, we as customers know you do, we feel helpless, then we get angry when it finally comes out, because we have usually been parted with our cash and a good deal of our time and patience.
I could not do your job.
I could not look people in the eye, know that the problem they are having is not necessarily their fault, but you can't fully help them, can't tell them the full story.
Got to go by the D/C policy. Some of these people are shelling out a heck a lot more than I am.
I've learned a lot about how Dodge does business from this experience. I've educated myself on this company.
Dakotas have ball joint problems...Dodge dragging their feet on this one..recalling to follow eventually.
I've learned that Durangos have a huge problems with engine failure due to sludge buildup.
I hope owners are keeping those oil change receipts, because without 5 consecutive receipts as proof, warranty or no, Dodge will not pay for the new engine. The occurrence of this failure is way too high to be attributed to poor owner maintanence and most failures occur under 70,000 miles.
Dodge is shafting its customers, to the tune of 4-6,000.00 each for a new engine.
See all this info I found on the consumer affairs site.But I bet you already knew this right?
I wish you luck in your job Jason.
I'm sure you are good at it.
I just wish it didn't require you to tell only part of the story.
I am not required to abide by a company policy. If something is inferior, I can say so, and I do.
If I feel I am being cheated I say so. If I have information that may help other people, I share it.
I don't jump on people when they stand up when they see something wrong happening.
Still not sure why this thread seems to be attracting so many angry posters trying to tell me why I am wrong, when its my door actuators that failed not theirs.
Go post on the guy who thinks the 05's are ugly or the one who thinks his Dakota is a POS or even the one who's brakes failed!
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JasonB
Dodge Dakota
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11/18/2004
12:02:45
| RE: Door Locks
IP: Logged
Message:
I had another long response to points in your post prepared to send, but I decided against it. This is one of those no-win circumstances that I spoke of previously.
I realize there is spite in some of the public for anybody who chooses to work at a car dealership, so be it. I don't really want to drink beer with my dentist either. He makes my stomach turn when he puts that high-speed rotary cleaner in my mouth. BUT, when he chooses to give me facts about my oral hygiene care and habits, I don't blast him for holding back information on previous visits (which I am convinced out of spite that it must be a conspiracy spearheaded by the ADA [sorry about the sarcasm, but I thought it was funny]) that could have helped me avoid another filling. I thank him, tease him about the annoying tools he puts in my mouth, tell him to stop asking me questions while he has those tools in my mouth, THEN I show him appreciation by scheduling a future appointment with his office.
Mary...thanks again for not describing me with negative terms, for respecting my knowledge, experience and training, and the appreciation you showed of what I did have to offer based on my experience. I am certain you offer this same respect to everyone you feel is conspiring against you.
I wish you a good day...if that's possible considering the anger you exhibit due to the contempt and spite you choose to maintain that would drive most people to a psychiatrist.
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Mary
Dodge Dakota
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11/18/2004
15:09:14
| RE: Door Locks
IP: Logged
Message:
Jason,
I agress that we will never agree. We are on the proverbial two opposite sides of the fence here.
You work for a large corporation that ties your hands with policy and legalities and that is frustrating.
Consumers take a chance everytime we get our cars repaired at a dealership that we are being told the truth, not just what is being allowed to be said. For us the difference can means thousands of dollars. This is also very frustrating.
There are just too many examples, reports, and recalls for anyone to deny that people are not getting taken advantage of out there. Dodge's customer satifaction rating has been in decline for the last 5 years and is now lower than everyone except Jeep.
I found this out because I do my research. I don't think one spiteful, irrational, paranoid person with bad door locks such as myself could have caused that drop in customer satisfaction.
I took a chance on this forum looking for more information on a real problem I was having with door actuators failing.
The most responses I got were not helpful, and not directed at my problem, but instead directed at what the posters saw as my poor judgement, trivial nature or anger issues.
Interestingly, two people did post here who had the same problem and none of my critics ever addressed them, their issues or called into question the validity of their door actuator failure.
I see now this forum is meant to discuss Dodge vehicles, how to fix them, modify them or even put in the passing criticism, but not to attempt any improvement in the status quo on how "things just are."
I have contacted Consumer Affairs. Interestingly, I'm not the only person in California with a Dodge Dakota who has complained about multiple door actuator failures!
The gentleman I spoke to was very interested to hear details about the door actuators. He said he had many such complaints on file, he also asked if my windows worked well as these have drawn many complaints too. Guess there are just a lot of spiteful, conspiracy-filled, psychiatric patients calling the Consumer Affairs Dept complaining about those poor Dodge Dakotas.
I hope anyone who reads these posts and actually wants any help for any equipment failure they may have, will seeK help through an agency such as NHSTA or Consumer Affairs.
Otherwise if you want to throw out the odd gripe, or compare the size of your "gear shifts"
then this is the place to do it.
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Bobby_M
Dodge Dakota
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11/18/2004
15:18:02
| RE: Door Locks
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Message:
Mary,
Your extreme number of failures DO seem out of the ordinary to me. I have a 2000 with 47k miles on it. I had one side fail at about 28k, I took it apart, greased it up, and superglued the motor case where it had cracked. It's still working fine today. The other side recently stopped working as well but I haven't had a chance to monkey with it. For both failures, the key still works so the failures haven't been catastrophic. Remember back in the old days when you had to use the key all the time?
It sounds like you should fix all the non working locks, and put the truck in the classifieds or trade it in to a Toyota dealer. But then again, the Tundra and Tacoma are having severe driveline issues on a grand scale.
I guess it's a tradeoff, dead on the side of the road or using the key instead of the button? So... Dodge isn't standing behind their product by doing a mass recall of all vehicles and replacing the locks with a new system. Vote with your wallet on your next vehicle purchase.
Bobby
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mikec041
Dodge Dakota
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11/18/2004
16:45:01
| RE: Door Locks
IP: Logged
Message:
To Verde SAR Dog
Exactly what parts did you buy from the auto stereo store for $25 that gave you electric locks?
If you’re correct why would anyone pay several hundred dollars for electric locks?
To all
I am a LONG time Chrysler owner (30 years) be it Plymouths, Dodges or Jeeps, not including the Chrysler vehicles I used at work
I find that for the most part they work well.
But when problems do occur they seem to be wide spread. I also find Chrysler refuses to help their customers.
I've found over the years that cooperation by dealers/service writers vary widely sometimes even among service writers at the same dealership (parts not covered by one dealership/service writer but covered by another dealership/service writer.)And it makes a difference if you purchased the truck from the servicing dealership or not.
I understand Mary's frustration in purchasing a $30,000 (plus?) truck that has defects, then to be abused/lied to by the dealership that she purchased it from (been there)
Jason
you’re correct any vehicle is prone to problems but if I came to your dealership for service and you lied to me next time I’ll purchase a truck from your competitor and sooner or later your Dodge dealership will become a KIA dealership.
(By the way Jason I was not attacking you just asking a question :))
Mary
you have to ignore the comments by the knuckleheads no matter where you go they always seem to pop up (I’m not referring to Jason he’s voicing his opinion and we have learned from him)
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Bobby_M
Dodge Dakota
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11/18/2004
17:05:34
| RE: Door Locks
IP: Logged
Message:
He rigged power doorlocks on his older Dak using cheapy actuators. New Daks use an integrated motor/latch system. The metal piece you see on your door that grabs onto the post in the door jamb is actually the same unit as the door locking motor. That's why it's so expensive and why it's a crappy design. It uses plastic gears and a plastic housing. I've found that the housing cracks and it allows the motor and gears to bind.
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Jimmer
Dodge Dakota
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11/18/2004
22:50:40
|  RE: Door Locks
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Message:
I, like Mary, have had an assortment of early use failures on my 2000 Dak R/T.
The truck has 50,000 miles on it and I have replaced every latch including the tailgate and the glove box. In addition I have replaced the tires twice. And the brakes once, the second time comes this weekend. I have always had a pull to the left.
I am in the process of upgrading the brakes to Hi-Pro non-oem (SP Performance +) and replacing both upper ball joints(Moog) and front shocks(Edelbrock). I have cycled the tranny fluid out 3 times, based on the general feedback on the internet I think I'm 1 time short.
When the dealership turned the rotors the last time in an attempt to repair the vibration and shaking on braking, the front right caliper FELL OFF, let me repeat that FELL OFF!! 2 days later.
The fan relay smoked and melted the relay/fuse block.
Did I mention that the AC Evaporator lost vacuum?
The speakers blew. The speakers blowing (Infinity Chrysler Crap) can't be because my levels where too high because I listen to Boortz on AM. Just try to crank him up.
Forget the bucking and kicking, the water pump squeaking and the "yeah right" attitude from the service writers at the local D/C Dealership.
Must be my driving style or failure to do the proper maintenance. "Yeah Right"
Jason you are fighting a loosing battle here. I, and others, have seen way too much slick crap from the Dodge dealerships and are sick of it. The techs are under trained and unable to repair a broken paperclip. The service writers are illiterate boobs or at worst failed D/C salesmen.
If this piece of steel crap wasn't paid off I'd sell/trade it in a heartbeat. Never again. I shouldn't be making a car payment in the form of parts and labor on a truck with 50k miles on it.
Oh yeah, Lemon Law? Yeah, right!
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