GVWR: Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)
Make: DODGE
Manufacturer: FCA US LLC
Manufacturer Id: 994
Model: Dakota
Model Year: 2002
Other Engine Info: Sales Code:EHC
Plant City: Detroit
Plant Company Name: Dodge City Assembly
Plant Country: United States (USA)
Plant State: Miami
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: AN
Series2: E Series
Trim: Base/SXT
Vehicle Type: TRUCK
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2001
AIR BAGS
UNIT ONE WAS TRAVELING EAST ON GREENBRIER ROAD IN THE INSIDE LANE. THE DRIVER OF UNIT 1 STATED IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY AND HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS VEHICLE. DUE TO VEHICLE HYDROPLAINING UNIT 1 CROSSED THE CENTER LINE AND ENTERED THE WEST BOUND TRAFFIC LANES UNIT 2 WAS COMING WEST ON GREENBRIER IN THE INSIDE LANE UNIT3 WAS TRAVELING WEST ON GREENBRIER IN THE OUTSIDE LANE UNIT1 CROSSED IN FRONT OF UNIT2 COLLIDED WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE OF UNIT1 UNIT1 FISHTAILED COUNTER CLOCKWISE AND CAME TO REST ON THE WEST BOUND SIDE OF GREENBRIER UNIT2 FISHTAILED CLOCKWISE AND WAS STRUCK BY UNIT 3 THE DRIVER OF UNIT3 STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO AVOID UNIT 1 BY SWERVING TO THE LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH UNIT 2 AS IT SPUN TOWARDS HIS VEHICLE THE AIR BAGS IN UNIT ONE BEING MY VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY AND PASSENGER WAS BADLY INJURED. *TR
2002
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I HAD JUST FILLED THE GAS TANK IN MY 2002 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK AND WAS DRIVING NORTH AT 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE 93 IN NEW HAMPSHIRE THIS PAST FRIDAY WHEN THE STRAPS HOLDING THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE UNDER THE TRUCK BROKE AND THE GAS TANK LITERALLY FELL OFF THE TRUCK. I PULLED OVER AND SAW THAT THE TANK WAS BEING SUSPENDED ONLY BY THE HOSES CONNECTING THE TANK TO THE FUEL FILLER OPENING. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK WHICH LOADED THE TRUCK ONTO ITS TILT BODY. BY THE TIME WE HAD GONE 10 MILES TO A GARAGE, THE GAS TANK HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE HOSES AND HAD FALLEN TO THE FLOOR OF THE TOW TRUCK BED, SLOSHING GAS EVERYWHERE. THANKFULLY, WE WERE ABLE TO UNLOAD THE DAKOTA WITHOUT SETTING OFF THE FUEL, BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE ACCIDENT. THE TWO STRAPS HOLDING THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE WERE MADE OUT OF METAL AND HAD RUSTED THROUGH. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE DESIGN FLAW. MY VEHICLE COULD HAVE LOST ITS GAS TANK AT FULL SPEED. THE GAS COULD HAVE IGNITED, BLOWN UP ME AND MY TRUCK AND CAUSED COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. *TR