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Dealer, TSB's and Recalls
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kl
Dodge Dakota
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1/26/2004
00:51:15

Subject: RE: Heater Core Puked!
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I have a 2001 dodge dakota 4.7 2wd quad cab and my heater core just died. Sounds like a common problem. I am going to talk to dodge. Has anyone been successful getting dodge to pay for this. 59000 Miles on truck.



SG
Dodge Dakota
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1/27/2004
14:37:28

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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For sure. on my '02 Dakota , is was covered under warranty



wiz181
Dodge Dakota
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2/19/2004
22:39:16

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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98 V6 has been cold in the cab, I thought it was from going to a colder thermostat. Read the post and gave it a try, works like a CHAMP ! Lots of heat. Cheapest fix for a lingering problem.

Thanks a BUNCH..

rc



Corey Simon
Dodge Dakota
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2/20/2004
10:57:04

Heater Core Leak
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2000 3.9L 4x4 Dakota 85,000 KM

Heater core is leaking, it's strange that this would leak so soon! They quoted 7 hr labor
and they also have to discharge A/C.

I’m not happy!

Has anyone been successful getting dodge to pay for this problem, It seems common!




josh lawyer
Dodge Dakota
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2/23/2004
22:34:57

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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I have heater core for sale from 99 dak bout 45k miles joshlawyer@hotmail.com



Timberwolf
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2/24/2004
17:48:01

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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I just replaced mine about 3 mos ago. It's a big time pain in the arse, but it only cost $39 at Napa. Yes, the AC has to be discharged because the evaporator is inside the heater box and you cannot get the heater box away from the firewall unless it's disconnected.



RolandGS
Dodge Dakota
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3/06/2004
20:17:26

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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Well, well... Just let me into the club guys. I have a 2001 DK, 4.7 Quad 4x4. Love the truck to death and I put it to work often on the weekends. Other then that its 35 miles each way to work five days a week for 350 miles per week - every bit of it Expressway at 75 mph. Needless to say I average exactly 15.0 miles to the gallon. I bought the truck used (off a lease) about 6 months ago and have put 11k miles on it without incident. Just turned 43k and I get the smell of anitfreeze from the vents. Knew it was heater core right away as my bro had a POS ford a few years ago that leaked constantly. Did some quick searching and found my way here. Let me just say that this site in amazing! A gold mine of information.

The quotes from the dealer were all $1,000+ and the they quoted me $174 for the core alone. Started to get mad when I found out AutoZone and/or Napa does not even stock this part yet, therefore I must get it from the dealer.

I assume the core is the same on the 00 and late 90's DK's... Is this ture? If so I can just get one of those I guess.

I was quite surprised at how many ppl are having this problem - I think Dodge really needs to own up to somethimg here and issue a recall.

Anyway, I'm pretty proficient in my garage and since I'm a used owner and quite past the 36k mark I'm screwed on any haggling with Dodge, so I'm doing this one myself. Any advice? The pit falls I've seen so far here are:

--The Dash is pain in the butt to get off/apart (I have most of that off already)
--I will need to discharge the AC (no prob there - I have a licensed friend that can recharge for me once this is done)
--make sure to ground the core on the frame once I'm done to prevent this ever happening again.

As there seems to be alot on knowlegable ppl here with a ton of experience in this matter please let me know of any other headaches I'll be running into.

I'll also be doing this:
http://www.dodgedakota.net/boards/per/8957.html

--excellent Idea!

Hopefully this can even keep my truck drivable while I wait for the part to get in. The leak seems minor now, but I'm sure the puke is just down the road a bit.

One other note: My airbag light came on a few weeks ago and hasn't gone off. I read some posts on that problem as well, but it seems that the recall for this issue was only for 2000's and before. Any word on this for 01's

Steven Jent
Louisville, Ky.



BBrown
Dodge Dakota
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3/09/2004
11:10:30

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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Well you won't believe this --number four just blew--9000 miles on this one. Dealer still states that I am just unlucky,. Says there is absolutly no overall issue at dodge--no reports, nothing.
Suggest I trade it in--basically to get me off his back.
Any news on the current flow solution posted earlier?



GAbe
Dodge Dakota
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3/09/2004
19:41:27

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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If you can be without your truck for a while and have a back up vehicle. Take out your bad heater core and take it to napa and try to have them match it to something similar by comparing what you have to what they have available. Somettimes the manufacturer doesn't change specific parts between years but the oems don't update their lists as 3 years hasn't passed yet and it takes about 5 years before a truck has all the aftermarket parts available to it.



RolandGS
Dodge Dakota
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3/16/2004
23:22:51

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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Pit falls! - yea right!!! This is a monster Job! I will be taking pix and writing this one up when I finish for the next poor guy who attempts this. I have my dash out, the sub-dash as well, and three days ago got out the sub-frame that the wiring harness is integrated into. As if that was not enough it looks like the A/C & heat system is one big unit that needs to be unbolted from the other side of the fire-wall (engine-side) and then removed as a whole! Dischaged my A/C tonight and I have the canister out and I'm working on the lines and bolts. WOW! But its still worth $1,000 so far, beside the fun I'm having and the knowledge of my truck that I'm gaining. I just thank God that the A/C is HFC-134a (i.e. inert and available over the counter - Did a little research on the Clean Air Act before I moved ahead with that one). More to come...



Timberwolf
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3/18/2004
15:30:59

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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The only thing you need to do to the AC lines besides discharge it first is to get a AC tool from Autozone or whoever. The lines are held together with spring clips. The tool is just a round piece of plastic you push in to the joint and it pops right off. There are two of them that need to be disconnected. It took me a total of about 7 hours to do the entire job. Oh, at least I can tell you that it's easier to put together than it was to take apart. I have a '99 and Napa does carry the heater cores for that year. I agree to take your old one in and see if it's the same.



kevin corbin
Dodge Dakota
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3/18/2004
21:07:15

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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here you go one more for the dodge's I'm begining
to believe these dakota's are a peace of junk forshore. my truck is a 99' with 58,000 miles and
my heater core is good for the scrap yard,ok I'm
going to start pulling this thing apart,wish me luck.




Denekim
Dodge Dakota
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3/20/2004
14:19:56

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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Ok, just turned 42,100 miles, and my third heater core with this truck will be installed on Monday.. This is getting old, and very inconvenient. What is going on?!!! Does anyone know of a class action suit against Dodge for this problem? I will be damned if I am going to have to pay for this repair for their failure to correct this problem. I bought this truck in good faith, and in good faith I expect an issue like this to be dealt with and taken care of the first time around, not the 3rd or 4th. If there is a complaint site for this issue, please let all of us know who to write or call.

Thanks.



Gabe
Dodge Dakota
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3/20/2004
23:31:05

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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If those 3 or 4 failures have been with a specified amount of time your truck may qualify as a lemon in your state and you can make the dealer buy your truck back from you. You might also want to start or file an investigation/compaint with nhtsa.gov. And if you don't mind ruining your credit don't pay the bills after seven years the dealer ships can do nothing to you; this works best if you move a lot and switch to jobs that pay in cash only, but I digress.



bbrown
Dodge Dakota
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3/22/2004
08:38:53

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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Just an update on the fifth heater core situation--I was out of town Fridayand my next door neighbor was good enough to pick up the truck(after 10 days). The turn signals wont stay engaged, pop back to center, the windshield washers don't work and the heater switch is messed up. No flor heat. Send it back tomorrow. Dodges are my worst nightmare.



Ryan
Dodge Dakota
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3/22/2004
11:34:49

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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I'm in the process of trying to fix this myself. I have the dash removed. I can't seem to get the heater/air unit out. I've removed two bolts from the firewall and unhooked the hoses and ac. That unit seems to be hung up on something in the middle towards the bottom. Is there a hose or something I'm missing. I can't see anything. Any help would be great.



Jaybird
Dodge Dakota
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3/22/2004
22:19:06

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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It's good 2 see i'm not the only one. 2001 ext. cab 4.7 4x4 had 2 heater core's go in 8 months. One under manufactuar waranty. I went over the 12k miles on the second, and had to fight for them 2 fix it for free. (enough yelling and they will do anything u want) They told me after the fact is was not the heater core itself but the pipes leading to it through the firewall. They talked to chrysler and told me it was do to electrolisis. The dealer grounded the pipe and no problems since. I think they did something 2 my radiator fluid when the swapped it out. But u can't get them 2 admit that.



T-Bone
Dodge Dakota
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5/03/2004
13:46:49

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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I have been completely satisfied with my 2001 dakota, until today...
My mechanic is too far to get to and the part for the 01 is not available for me to fix myself. Dodge service dept has finally got me for something. I hate dealer service depts. and I agree if there are this many cases, where is the recall? It got me just after crossing 50K.



bbrown
Dodge Dakota
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5/03/2004
14:43:03

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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Well after 5 by 63,000 and nothing from dodge in the way of a fix I dumped the truck.
I am very pleased with the 2004 GMC. Hope you all the luck in the world.



Doug4.7
Dodge Dakota
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5/03/2004
20:10:47

RE: Heater Core Puked!
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Heater cores seem to be the cheapest things on a truck. I have buddies with Fords & Chevys that swear they will never buy a Ford/Chevy again because of the poor heater core quality. A friend showed me one that he got that LEAKED RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX (he got it from NAPA).

The bottom line is I think this is not a Dodge problem but a heater core manufacturer problem. I don't think any of the domestics make their own cores.




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