& --> 92,000 miles -- ALL transmission places, used car dealer, and
& --> junkyard that I have talked to have said that MANY of these
& --> transmissions are failing. Junkyards in Nashville just laughed when
& --> I called. One satellite locator service junkyard actually said
& --> "Your transmission is a piece of sh...t"
&
& Again, is this the automatic trannies, that have such a bad record?
&
& This is important to me because I'm about to buy a new Dakota and don't
& know whether to go with the standard or auto.
>I think all the transmission stories were automatics. They didn't even
>offer the V8/5-speed combination until '94. I believe they upgraded
>the automatic by '94, if not earlier. Maybe it's too early to tell, but
>has anyone heard of any trans failures on '94/'95s?
My FSM for '95 says that the trannys are similiar in appearance only. There
is a laundry list of changes, including some "running changes". I hope they
help in their quest for a long-lived trans. Anybody remember the ChryCo
commercials from years gone by where the driver repeatedly shifted from
drive to reverse, smoking the tires the whole time?? THOSE trannys are
probably still around!
I have noticed a shudder, like a warped clutch, between 2-5 mph. I mentioned
this earlier. I figure that I'll wait till something breaks or I HAVE to go
to the dealer.
>As for low fuel lights-they are useless. I have a gas gauge, and the
>low fuel light comes on much too early to do any good. I drive around
>with the low fuel light on for at least 50 miles.
My '95 has the low fuel light, too, and I have only seen it on twice. I
generaly fillup around 1/4 tank. I guess that I got scared with horror
stories about dealer only repairs, stupidity not covered under warranty,
$$$$$$$, etc.... ;) My low washer fluid light seems to come on too often. I
get better mileage driving in the city ;)
BTW- Have any of the newer model owners tried to check their air filter yet?
I just tried yesterday and the top seems to be GLUED ON!! $#%&$%*$*!!! Or do
I just replace the entire metal assembly? ;)
I still love my truck, tho..
-Buddy
________________________________________________________________
Harold W. Borders (Buddy)
& Amy E. Laub
Buddy: Instrumentation Specialist
U of PA, Physics Department
209 South 33rd Street, Phila., PA 19104
(215) 898-8591, work phone, VoiceMail
Job: http://dept.physics.upenn.edu/~www/shop/
Hobby: http://dept.physics.upenn.edu/~www/shop/darn.html
Amy: President, Philadelphia Calligraphers' Society
(610) 975-5210, business phone, VoiceMail
_________________________________________________________________
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