DML FW: Personal_Inquiry

From: Bernd D. Ratsch (bernd@texas.net)
Date: Fri Feb 11 2000 - 19:09:30 EST


YES!!! We have a start on the pinging problem.

-----Original Message-----
From: Pat Anderson @Agoura [mailto:Pat.Anderson@jdpa.com]
Subject: RE: Personal_Inquiry

Dear Mr. Ratsch:

We appreciate your taking the time to share your comments regarding Dodge
products with us.

We are always disappointed when we learn about consumers who have had bad
experiences with their vehicles and service. However, we are not able to
contact the manufacturer on your behalf. Let me explain why. J.D. Power and
Associates conducts independent customer satisfaction studies, which is to
say that our firm designs and funds its own studies. By doing so, our firm
maintains an unbiased status since companies in the industries we survey do
not pay us to conduct the studies. Because we must retain this independent,
unbiased status, we are not able to act as a consumer advocate or intercede
on your behalf.

I am forwarding your letter to our automotive research staff for their
reference. If there are any suggestions they can provide, I will forward
them on to you.

Once again, we appreciate you sharing your experiences with J.D. Power and
Associates, and hope that you receive better customer satisfaction in the
future.

Sincerely,
Patricia Anderson
Senior Executive Assistant
Corporate Communications Department
J.D. Power and Associates

-----Original Message-----
From: Bernd D. Ratsch [mailto:bernd@texas.net]
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2000 9:51 PM
To: J.D. Power Webmaster
Subject: Personal_Inquiry

Feedback Form - J.D. Power and Associates

name: Bernd D. Ratsch
message:

I am seeking some help from J.D.Power in the quest to some
answers on the "Knocking Dakota" problem. If you look in most Auto/Truck
Magazines, you'll notice the "Knock, Knock, Knock...Who's there" ad for the
new Dodge Dakota. The Knock, Knock, Knock part it completely true. The
"pinging" problem with these trucks seems to be a cover-up that Dodge (nor
Dailmler) can give us a straight answer on the fix.

How they ever received an award is beyond me. You may rate them...but try
owning one!

I am a member of the DML (Dakota Mailing List) that has well over 700 users
nation-wide and we have started to take a poll on who's Dakota pings and
what might be the cause. Computers have been re-flashed by the dealers on
some, others have had to resort to higher octane fuel, colder spark-plugs
and/or 180 degree thermostats. None of these are true fixes and sometimes
they work, other times they don't.

If you would like to take a look at the preliminary (2-day collection)
results, you'll find them rather shocking.

http://lonestar.texas.net/~bernd/DakotaPingReport.htm

Please help with contacting your sources at Dodge to find out if they even
plan on fixing the problem or just ignoring us. They've had three years to
come up with a fix and nothing is working.

Sincerely,

Bernd D. Ratsch



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