Is there an ongoing problem with cracked heads on this vehicle?

2003 Dodge Dakota Truck 3.9 L 239 CID V6 VIN 1D7FL16X63S366457 ODOMETER 64744 They said there was carbon monoxide in the coolant. No smoke. No water in the oil. No engine problems. The engine light code said it was an emissions problem but they told me I didn't need to worry about it, it was fine to drive and 5 minutes later it was overheating again after the second repair

Over heating now at road speed or sitting in traffic?.. 'How hot' did the engine get during all this from the first sign of a problem, just trying to get ALL details for a more accurate answer... Personally do not think it's a combustion (cylinder head) problem!.. It's easy to get a false-positive from CO sensitive liquid test if not performed correctly!

I was driving on the highway at about 60-65 mph The temperature light came on. I slowed down to 55 and it went off. I exited soon after, less than a mile, and it began steaming under the hood while I was waiting for the light to turn. I drove about 1/4 MI to a parking lot and stopped.My husband came out added coolant and drove it around the block then we had it towed to the repair shop. They replaced the water pump and thermostat for $630.00. 5 days later I was on the highway after driving nearly 100 miles and it began to overheat and make a clicking noise. I slowed to about 20mph until I could safely exit the highway, less than a mile. Had it towed back to the same shop. They told me there had been a loose bolt on the water pump which they fixed and replaced some hoses and clamps no charge. I drove home less than 1 mile. The next morning check engine light came on in under a mile of driving. Went straight back to the shop. They said it was an emissions problem and don't worry about it. "It is safe to drive" and they would check it out next week if I wanted. In less than half of a mile the engine light,temp light and the temperature gauge all went red. I stopped and called them and they said to bring it right back. I asked if it was safe to drive over the bridge and they said yes. I took it back to the shop. Now they are saying it is either a gasket or cracked head and I already had the problem before the water pump broke. It will cost between $1500 and $2500.

While it is very possible there is a head//gasket problem, just be sure the shop has checked the cooling fan clutch and radiator for restrictions... I'm assuming ALL air was purged from system before you picked it up the 2nd time... I agree with first answer on 'this engine' no inherent head//gasket problems. .Good luck with it!

I don't know. I assume that the shop does the job they say they are doing. They feel they have no liability for the head/gasket problem even though they left a bolt loose on the water pump after the first repair. Not sure if I want to spend that kind of money or have them repair it and then just have a different problem. Is there any way a repair place can tell me whether what they did or didn't do caused the problem?

That was my thought. They told me I had the problem probably before I brought it in for repair to the water pump. I asked another garage and they told me the Dakota has issues with the heads cracking. They also said they would have fixed the water pump and thermostat and not done a pressure test for head gasket. But when It overheated just 5 days later and they admitted there was a loose bolt that caused a leak I thought they would accept some liability but they don't. They want $2500.00 if it needs new head and $1500.00 if it is just the head gasket

I have a 1996 dodge dakota with 200,000 miles on it and in that time 2 water pumps is all i have needed,these engines are not prone to the head gasket problem,your mech. sounds like he stirred you the wrong way to begin with.If they advised you it was ok to drive it nothing good would come out of it after that and by now you could have a head problem.Don't let your mech. touch the engine anymore.He may have given you some bad and expensive advice.