Truck tries to engage into 4x4 mode while knob is in 2x4 selection and key is not even in ignition. Also while driving truck engages into 4x4 mode while knob is in 2x4 mode. Dodge dealer said they no longer make tipm part to fix this issue and no other parts company make this part.
2005 Dodge Dakota transmission complaints
Page 2 of 4: complaints 11 to 40 of 81, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The transfer case on this vehicle will randomly shift from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive or even to 4 wheel drive low range with no driver input. Shifting to 4 low is very dangerous as it tends to lock up the drive train which could result in loss of control of the vehicle
Dodge durango 2005 transmission was replaced at 100,000. Once that was replaced 4wd service light appeared and switching sounds under the truck started. The truck locked into place and could not move. I went into 4wd automatically and when I went to seach problems online I came across hundreds of the same complaints. Please check out https://www.cargurus.com/cars/discussion-t4148_ds482593 I am speechless and very afraid of driving this car.
Transmission slips to neutral from full stop while moving from stoped ,and bangs into gear while moving
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 dodge dakota. While driving 5 MPH, the vehicle independently shifted gears without warning. The failure recurred randomly. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer stated that there were no reports for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Four wheel drive engages and disengages by itself. It does it sometimes when I unlock the doors with remote and other times when nothing is done. There is no certain thing that I do to make it happen. It does it in drive also but I have only noticed it when I am stopped at a light or in my driveway. Engaging 4 wheel drive while driving or in drive, I believe falls under unsafe conditions. Have done research on different dodge forums and found that 04-05 durangos and dakotas have this problem.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2005 dodge dakota. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign numbers: 15v046000 (power train), 15v313000 (air bags), and 16v352000 (air bags). The parts were not available within a reasonable time frame to schedule the recall repair. The contact called four dealers that could not provide a specific date for when the parts would become available. The contact was unable to determine when the vehicle would be repaired. The manufacturer could not provide an estimated date for when the vehicle would receive the recall repair. The contact was not experiencing a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 dodge dakota. The contact stated that the transmission caught on fire while the vehicle was parked. The wiring harness and alarm system were burned. The contact was able to extinguish the fire. In addition, while the vehicle was in reverse, the gear shifter would shift into park or neutral. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Randomly, the 4 wheel drive will engage when not selected. So far this has only happened at low speed (in parking lots). I can tell it is engaged because I get wheel slippage while turning. After straightening the truck and shifting to neutral, the problem will be resolved. Additionally, the "service 4wd" light or "4lo" lights will illuminate while driving, but the transfer case does not appear to actually shift. No damage to drive train so far. Thirdly, the transfer case will shift while the truck is parked in the driveway, the ignition is off, and the key removed, with no-one in the vehicle. I can hear the shift motor trying to engage.
Transfer case shifting into 4 wheel drive on its own. You can sometimes here it shifting when you open the door no key even in the car yet ? It tries to shift into 4 wheel drive at all speeds . It sometimes goes into 4 wheel drive when turning at low speeds ? I don't have a problem paying to fix the problem but no one seems to have a solution ? Change front control module?, transfer case shift motor?,change wiring from module to transfer case ? Change 4 wheel drive selector switch . Which one, where do you start . Need help! Should be a recall. Seem's very dangerous . Sounds like hundreds with the same issue and no answer's .
Shifting on its own. My truck has 75,186 miles on it and has always been well maintained. For the past 10,000 miles or so, it has been shifting in and out of 4 wheel drive and lo 4x4 randomly by itself without any human interaction. Even sitting parked you could hear it cycling and shifting electronically in and out of 4x4. I recently parked it in a grass field near a pond and left it - was working fine when I pulled in. Came back about an hour later, got in, started it and tried to go... Nothing at all. It had shifted into neutral (red "n" lighted) and it would not shift into any gear forward or reverse. Rolled freely now both directions. Had to get it towed out of the field and up to the roadway and then another company to come load it and tow it to the shop. Searched online - there are many similar instances about this vehicle shifting in and out of gears randomly on its own. Why hasn't this electronic shifting mechanism been recalled before someone gets killed? My truck easily rolled regardless of the shifting position. Just lucky I was on flat land in a field at this time and not on a sloping street - horrible to think what could have happened last week when I parked in the sloping parking lot at teh school above the football crowd at the game below. Too terrible to imagine if it would have shifted into neutral by itself at that time.
4 wheel drive is trying to engage on it's own even if it is not running. I am not going to go into detail because there are several complaints for the same problem. I am kind of curious as to why, with so many complaints, something hasn't been done about this problem.
Driving down the road in motion the transmission slams and the vehicle struggles to move it comes up with 2 codes which are p2706 and p0700 and when it sets this code off check engine light comes on.it has caused us to almost accidents as vehicle wont move.I am scared to drive with kids in vehicle in fear of an accident.
Transmission slips in and out of 4 wheel drive on its own. When I hit a bump in the road the service 4 wheel drive light comes on, hit another bump and it goes off. While sitting in my driveway truck has been shifting in and out of 4 lo by its self, this has happened while the truck was off, and while the truck was running. This has happened now about 10 times in the last week. Then on saturday, 06/11/2016 when pulling into my driveway, making a left hand turn, truck went into 4 lo by itself, I had to put the truck in reverse to get it out of 4 lo. After doing some research on this issue on the internet I hit the reset button on the 4 wheel drive switch, truck ran fine for 1/2 day, when I stopped to check my mail the truck went in and out of 4 lo by its self 3 times.
Truck is going into 4wd by itself. I almost crashed going at a high speed. Truck steering wheel locked up, tires locked up, truck lost all power and turned off. The 4x4 light turns on and off. When using the keyless entry button on remote I can hear a clicking and grinding noise under truck. The 4wd engages without me even being in the truck it happens sometimes when I ise the remote to unlock truck. I jad the 4wd engage also while making a turn. The wheels ceased up and couldnt get truck to advance. This has been happening since 2 weeks ago. Started with the 4wd light turning on amd off and progressively getting worse.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 dodge dakota. While driving various speeds, the vehicle switched into 4 wheel drive without warning. When attempting to make a left or right turn, the wheels locked and prevented the vehicle from making a complete turn. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that there were no recalls that related to the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,093.
Shifts into 4 wheel drive by itself. Svc 4 wheel light comes on sometimes. Becomes difficult to drive.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 dodge dakota. While driving 45 to 70 MPH, there was an abnormal noise. The accelerator pedal was applied, but did not respond. The contact had to apply force to the accelerator pedal. The vehicle randomly shifted from 2 to 4 wheel drive without warning. The vehicle was diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 54,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 dodge dakota. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the gear shifted into four wheel drive independently. The four wheel drive warning indicator illuminated. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2005 dodge dakota. The contact stated that the four wheel drive function was activating and deactivating without warning while the vehicle was in motion. The vehicle was taken to two different independent mechanics who were not able to replicate and diagnose the failure. The vehicle was to be taken to a dealer to inspect and diagnose the failure. The vehicle was also included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v313000 (air bags) and was waiting for the dealer to schedule the repair. They indicated that they would schedule an appointment when the part was available, but did not follow up for weeks. The contact was unable to determine when the recall repair would be completed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The 4wd transfer case motor sometimes operates while the vehicle is off, after doors are unlocked with the key fob. The 4wd randomly & spontaneously attempts to engage at highway speeds without any 4wd-related indicator lights. There is a moment of resistance - like an extreme headwind, then a violent thud in the drivetrain when it disengages. At times there is a rolling pulsation in the drivetrain, as if the 4wd is attempting to engage over longer distances. Engaging 4wd unexpectedly at highway speed could cause catastrophic failure of the drivetrain, loss of vehicle control, and potentially serious accidents. This complaint is posted literally thousands of times on internet forums and should be investigated.
While driving, the amber service 4wd light comes on followed by a tone. The dash switch(2wd, 4lock, 4lo) is rendered inoperable. The vehicle will put itself into 4lo when you slow and try to turn. In many situations, this can be very hazardous to the driver and dangerous to the drivetrain. Sometimes the 4lock or 4lo lights will blink randomly while driving, then lead to the service 4wd light coming on. Checking online, many owners of dakotas are having similar pro- blems, wondering why there hasn't been service bulletins, warnings on this de- fect, safety recalls, or acknowledge by the manufacturer of this situation.
The "check 4wd" indicator light comes on at random times and the 4wd engages on it's own. Even parked with no key in the ignition you can here the electronic hubs engage and disengage. This makes driving the vehicle a real hazard, since the handling characteristics change dramatically when in 4wd on dry pavement. I have done much research and found many people that have had or do have this exact symptom, including several on you complaints page.
Truck shifted into 4 wheel drive by itself. Event occurred without any warning lights or indication it was 4 wheel drive. I noticed truck was in 4 wheel drive when I was slowing to make a left hand turn at about 20 MPH and the steering was difficult and front tires were hopping and jerking until I stopped. I think this is an unsafe condition and that the truck should failsafe and never allow the truck to go into four wheel drive if some component in system fails. A warning light should come on and the system should block any attempt to engage 4 wheel drive. Luckily this event occurred at low speed and without a vehicle in front of me.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 dodge dakota. The contact parked the vehicle and removed the key from the ignition. The gear then shifted to reverse independently. The contact was unable to start the engine until the gear was shifted to neutral. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but the mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. The transmission and brackets were replaced, however the failure recurred. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced for a manufacturer's transmission recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000. Updated 09/10/15
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 dodge dakota. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle forward drive activated independently and unknown warning lights illuminated. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transfer case connection motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
I'm left with a dilemma. I own a 2005 dodge dakota 4x4. This vehicle has a problem where the transmission electronically switches from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive without the driver's consent. This is a well documented problem across the internet with other owners of this vehicle. We've known the transmission has had issues for a while, but (warranty company) has a theory of can't replicate it, won't fix it .and that is what occurred. On 3/23 while driving at 70mph, the vehicle attempted to electronically shift into 4lo from 2wd, a system that should only function under 20mph. It failed to engage, causing grinding noises from the transaxle case and a slow stop on side of interstate. Upon later inspection by a in network repair facility, the vehicle failed to produce a PCM code and mechanically could not be replicated in the 2 hrs at the shop. We were charged a $112.51 and sent on our way. Today 3/28, it happened again but in worse format, the transmission did engage 4lo at 70mph and it caused rear wheels to lock up and freeze. We were forced to swerve under control to a stop in the median of the interstate again. We immediately had a local automotive parts store drive to us where he was once again unable to pull any PCM codes. He tested the vehicle in the median and was able to immediately replicate the problem.
Vehicle switched into 4wd by itself at high speeds occasionally. When the 4wd is engaged on dry pavement handling is reduced.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 dodge dakota. While driving various speeds and while the vehicle was turned off, the vehicle would shift into different gears without warning. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Vehicle while on highway would flash 4lo on dash or illuminate svc 4wd. Vehicle at highway speeds would attempt to engage 4lo as well. While engaging, vehicle would lose acceleration and rpms would immediately increase. This would cause loss of control of the vehicle. With vehicle off and key removed, transfer case motor would try to change transfer case position. None of these symptoms occurred while 4wd was engaged using selector switch. Vehicle was taken to dealer for service. Codes recorded in computer were for transfer case position sensor being out of range. (both high and low values were recorded simultaneously) dealer originally found leads on fcm connector between wiring harness and pcb had corroded due to faulty sealant and were possibly shorting out. Manufacturer was made aware of fault. Manufacturer replaced fcm at no cost. After fcm was replaced vehicle would still exhibit symptoms. Vehicle was taken back to same dealer. After several days of testing, tech was able to get vehicle to exhibit symptoms in shop. Tech found that the range position sensor was failing. It was found that vibration would cause the sensor to short out or go open. Manufacturer was made aware but would not cover repair. Transfer case motor assembly was replaced at cost to customer. Vehicle has since been driven over 2000 miles without further issues.
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