Repair And Fix it

Locate the retaining screws on the instrument panel of your Dakota, remove them with a Phillips screwdriver and set them aside. Pop the bezel off the instrument panel using a flat-blade screwdriver. Set the bezel aside for safekeeping.

Locate the three retaining bolts on the face of the headlight switch assembly---two on the outboard edge and one on the inboard side---then remove them using a socket and ratchet. Set the bolts aside for reuse during installation.

Slide the headlight switch assembly forward until you can reach the electrical connector on the rear of the assembly. Press the locking tab in on the connector, and separate the connector from the rear of the headlight switch. Pull the headlight switch out of the dash, and discard it.

Slide the new headlight switch assembly into the dash far enough to allow the electrical connector to reach it. Push the connector onto the back of the switch, ensuring that the locking tab engages completely.

Push the switch in place, and install the three retaining bolts. Tighten the bolts with a socket and ratchet until they are just snug enough to hold the switch securely but wont crack its plastic casing.

Position the instrument panel bezel in place, snapping it into the retaining clips. Install the retaining screws and tighten them with a Phillips screwdriver only until they are just snug enough not hold the bezel in place without damaging it.

Turn on the headlight switch, and cycle the headlights through the high- and low-beam positions several times to ensure a successful repair.

Locate the diagram on the underside of your hood that depicts the drive belt routing. Use this diagram to help locate your idler pulley. This will be the lower of the two pulleys on the far right.

On the left-hand side of the idler pulley assembly, locate the tension adjusting bolt. Using a wrench, loosen the bolt until you can move the idler pulley assembly enough to relieve tension on the drive belt.

Locate the power steering pump pulley. This is the uppermost of the two pulleys on the far right, located above the idler pulley. Remove the drive belt from around the pulley.

Place the pulley puller on the power steering pulley. Place the arms of the puller behind the pulley and align the threaded end with the center of the pulley. Turn the nut on the shaft by hand until it is tight.

Place a socket and ratchet on the bolt head end of the pulley puller. Hold the ratchet in place and place a wrench on the nut you hand-tightened in Step 4. Turn the wrench counterclockwise to move the threaded shaft into the power steering pulley.

Continue to turn the nut until the pulley comes loose from the power steering pump. Remove the pulley from the engine compartment and turn the nut clockwise until the puller shaft comes free of the pulley.

Park the Dakota, and let the engine cool for no less than 20 minutes. Raise the front of the Dakota by driving it onto vehicle ramps. Raise the front of the Dakota with a 1-ton jack if the ramps are not available. Place jack stands beneath the front lower subframe, just inside the bottom of either wheel well. Lower the jack to rest the Dakota onto the jack stands. Do not attempt this project with the vehicle resting on a jack.

Lie beneath the front bumper of the Dakota, and slide your body into position to access the oil filter. Set a drain pan beneath the location of the oil filter, with the filter aligned as close to the center of the pan as possible.

Install an oil filter claw onto the end of the 6-inch extension. Push the claw up and onto the oil filter, twisting the claw clockwise slightly to expand the claw around your filter. Snap the ratchet onto the other end of your extension, once you have the claw set on the filter. Turn the entire assembly counterclockwise, until the oil filter loosens. Remove the ratchet and claw from the filter, and remove the filter by hand the rest of the way. Ensure that your face and body are clear of the oil pan, to avoid draining oil.

Set the old oil filter into the drain pan. Lubricate the O-ring gasket on the new oil filter, by dipping your finger into a fresh quart of oil, then rubbing oil onto the new gasket. This helps the initial seal of the new gasket, and eliminates the chances of the gasket drying out prior to your next oil change.

Visually inspect the oil filter mounting area, to ensure the old filter gasket is not stuck to the engine. Hold the new oil against the protruding threaded rod on the engines mounting surface. Spin the oil filter on by hand, ensuring proper threading of the new filter. Tighten the oil filter by hand only, applying as much force as possible. Do not use tools to tighten any oil filter, as you may damage the gasket with too much torque pressure, or damage the oil filter itself. The maximum torque specification for the filter is 25 foot-pounds.

Step to the drivers side of the Dakota, and start the engine of the truck. If you only removed and replaced the oil filter, then you only will have lost 1/2-quart of oil at most. Look beneath the truck while it is still elevated, to ensure that the new oil filter is not leaking. If you hear a hissing or dripping noise from the truck, shut the truck off immediately, and recheck your oil filter for leaks. Shut the truck off after 30 seconds if you do not see any leaks.

Remove the drain pan from beneath the truck. Drive the truck off the vehicle ramps. Raise the truck off the jack stands with a jack, if you used them instead. Remove the jack stands and lower the truck to the ground.