NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Defect Petition DP02-009: FRAME CRACKS

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Defect Petition DP02-009 on September 30, 2002 and closed it on January 8, 2003. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1995–1996 Dodge Dakota for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: DP02-009 (also written DP02009)
Investigation type: Defect Petition A petition asking NHTSA to open a defect investigation; NHTSA grants or denies it, and granting one opens an investigation.
Status: Closed January 8, 2003
Opened: September 30, 2002
Closed: January 8, 2003
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component: Structure
Vehicles and equipment: 1995–1996 Dodge Dakota

A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Defect Petition DP02-009.

MR. EDWARD W. BAILEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION BY LETTER, UNDATED, REQUESTING THAT AN INVESTIGATION BE CONDUCTED INTO THE MATTER OF A FRAME CRACK IN HIS 1995 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK.THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT THE FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE IS CRACKED, THROUGH NO FAULT OR RESPONSIBILITY OF HIS OWN, AND BELIEVES THAT THIS DEFICIENCY CONSTITUTES A SAFETY DEFECT, WHICH HE ALLEGES MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR A CRASH.FOR THE 1993 THROUGH 2003 MODEL YEAR DAKOTA TRUCKS, THEONLY COMPLAINTS OF FRAME CRACKING WERE ON THE 1995 AND 1996 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. A REVIEW OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS OF FRAME CRACKING ON THE DAKOTA, AND PEER VEHICLES, DID NOT REVEAL ANY LOSS OF CONTROL, CRASHES, INJURIES OR FATALITIES.FRAME CRACKING ON THE DAKOTA TRUCKS OCCURED AT AN AVERAGE MILEAGE OF93,000. FOR THE REASONS STATED IN THEFEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE (VOL. 68, NO. 3, MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2003) THE PETITION IS DENIED.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Defect Petition DP02-009. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Dodge

Dodge Dakota
- 1995, 1996

All Dodge recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Dodge VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for DP02-009

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.