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Kdarmy
Dodge Dakota
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8/18/2002
19:28:58
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 Subject: Returned to Dealer
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Only had my Dakota for 3 weeks and I just dropped it off at my Dodge Dealership for a front end alignment.
You could lay your money down that if you let the wheel go, it WILL drift to the right. Driving down a straight patch of road required a constant finger pressure to keep the wheel level and the truck going straight.
No big deal...Im sure it will be good to go when I pick it up after work Monday. Just couldnt believe that I had to take a brand new vehicle in for this.
Anyone else have this problem? Is this a common problem of a new vehicle?
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crown
Dodge Dakota
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8/18/2002
19:55:14
| RE: Returned to Dealer
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Was the road crowned? If you drove on the left side would it drift to the left?
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Drew
Dodge Dakota
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8/18/2002
20:26:07
| RE: Returned to Dealer
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Dude, i haev the exacy same problem. Except mine's older than your truck. Mine's a 98 and i have the EXACT same prob as you do. I'm gonna try to get the alignment right or something.
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Pistolero
Dodge Dakota
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8/18/2002
22:53:21
| RE: Returned to Dealer
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This is not just a problem exclusive to your Dakota. I have heard of more than one brand new, factory fresh vehicle on which the alignment was off...from several manufacturers.
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Kdarmy
Dodge Dakota
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8/19/2002
21:57:15
| RE: Returned to Dealer
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No matter what it would drift to the right. If I did drive on the left side of the road where you can see how it leans to the left also...all this did was to help it go straight, even then not all the time.
I just picked it up this evening, only drove it a few miles, seemed to be better anyway...Will know for sure when I drive in the 20mi to work in the morning, will let y'all know if its been fixed or not.
They had put 20mi on it when I picked it up tonight...It better be right!
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Buggy-Bumpers
Dodge Dakota
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8/19/2002
23:22:58
|  RE: Returned to Dealer
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Hers a little info for you. They truck in most of cars and trucks to the dealers on those car haulers. When they chain them down it has a tendacy to put stress on the suspension. This can somtimes cause them to get out of alignment straight from the factory. It is reccomended that you get a complete alignment on a new vehicle just for this reason alone. Also check the the truck to ensure that it is level, all that torque they put on those tie down chains can change this also.
2001 QC SLT PLUS
4.7ltr LSD FT4WD
HD TT
Access Tannuea cover
PIAA Fogs
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Kdarmy
Dodge Dakota
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8/20/2002
19:12:08
| RE: Returned to Dealer
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Good Info!...Never thought of that.
Well I drove it to work today and after work I drove it back to the dealer.
They didnt fix a thing! All they did was go for a 20mi joy ride it seems.
This time I took the service guy for a ride and showed him personally what they dont seem to be able to see, Its really not that hard....Let go the wheel and watch as you drift to the right...EVERYTIME!
I also mentioned that I do NOT want to see that they took it out for another 20 ride for no damn reason.
Will follow up after I pick it up again tomorrow. Sorry for the rant... Im just a little 'ticked off' right now.
Keith
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azdakquad
Dodge Dakota
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8/20/2002
20:24:58
|  RE: Returned to Dealer
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Hey Keith,
I had the same problem with my 2002 Quad
Cab, right after I bought the truck on the way
home from the dealer I felt it pull to the right. I
took it back a few days later and told them as
wellas a few other problems. When I picked
up the truck the tech had written on the paper
work "test drove could not duplicate"
Well I must be imagining the pulling so after I
left I went down the road and sure enough it
pulled to the right. Now I am pissed I turn
around and take right back to the dealer and
make the service manager go for a ride with
me and wow the front end pulls to the right!
Well its amazing I think the techs dont take the
time to do a quality inspection! (also after I left
it at the dealer to fix a trailer rolled into the
back of my truck, so new bumper time.)
Just remember just because they work for the
dealer it doesnt mean they are quality
mechanics.
Mike
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dodgedakotaqc
GenIII
8/20/2002
20:59:21
|  RE: Returned to Dealer
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Hey all
I have the pulling to the right problem also.
I took it to the dealer and they did an alignment and rotated the tires when I got it. It helped a little but it still is not perfect. I just got used to it. I have a 2001 QC
MyDakotaPage
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JonnyO
Dodge Dakota
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8/21/2002
02:21:12
| RE: Returned to Dealer
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Unfortunately aligning a vehicle seems to be a difficult task for people that don't do it all the time. If the dealer can't get it right, take it to a shop that specializes in alignments and have it done right... then give the receipt to the dealer and tell them you expect to be re-imbursed since they were not competent enough to do it for you.
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boon
Dodge Dakota
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8/21/2002
09:04:12
| RE: Returned to Dealer
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that is by design. It keeps you out of on comming traffic if you decide to doze off..... be sure your tire pressure is where you want it. maybe a couple more lbs. of pressure on the right. Or realigned by a independent
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Kdarmy
Dodge Dakota
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8/21/2002
17:57:01
| RE: Returned to Dealer
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Update:
Boon, your first comment about it being a design...Thats what I was told today when they called. I called to other dealerships, one in a round about way, told me this may be true, the second dealer said no, it should not do this...??? who knows for sure huh?
Well, they also rotated the tires around and this seemed to help quite a bit. I have only drove it home so far (2mi), tomorrow I will know for sure. It seems to still pull slightly, but I think I can live with it now.
Will post back again later.
Thanks for the help all. These formus are a great help for things like this.
Keith
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Bill Smith
Dodge Dakota
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8/22/2002
00:57:18
| RE: Returned to Dealer
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maybe you should start fussin at the guys at the factory that built your truck. has anybody ever gone through an assembly plant and watched cars being built? pretty scary, its a wonder they make it to the dealers at all sometimes. now to answer your alignment question, your truck may have been IN SPECS. could it still pull? yes,it may actually need alittle EXTRA camber dialed in to the left side. this will help compinsate for the road crown as stated above.I've had to " fix" more than one car this way. will it wear the tires out? no as long as its not too drastic. most cars/trucks will track straight with a 1/2 degree side to side camber difference with the more positive on the left side.the new daks may need a little more side difference,who knows,i'll state again, I was a dealer tech for 26 years. if any body wants to e-mail me direct, call jsbs@sssnet.com I'll try and answer anything I can. sorry for soapboxin again Mark... just get fussy about the dealers allways bein the bad guys,when they had no control over the sloppy workmanship of the American auto workers.... they need to wake up,there is more than one reason people are drivin imports...one is quality! Bill
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boon
Dodge Dakota
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8/22/2002
10:50:00
| RE: Returned to Dealer
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not get off on a tangent about quality but I've been in parts sales and or service for 16 years. the ranks of good techs, as well as any other employees are shrinking. I've learned that most the time it isn't necessary to sweat the small stuff. If you go looking for a problem someone will help you find one. I trust almost NO ONE
If the pull isn't bad a couple of extra lbs on that side would be better than a dreadded day at the service dept. You did say you WERE a tech. and I'm sure a great one, but you never know the luck of the draw when you go in. Poor 'ole KD got a yes, a no, and a maybe. What the heck, pick one and hope for the best. No one or any process is
perfect, but I would never buy an imported vehicle. They ain't all that.
peace.
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