Dodge Dakota Problems by Year
NHTSA has 5,781 owner complaints and 34 safety recalls on file for the Dodge Dakota, across 17 model years (1995–2011). The 2000 model year has the most complaints (806). The most reported problem area overall is suspension.
Dodge Dakota years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Dakota year: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2000 Dakota: 806 complaints, 5 recalls
- 2002 Dakota: 678 complaints, 5 recalls
- 2001 Dakota: 678 complaints, 7 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2009 Dakota: 18 complaints, 5 recalls
- 2010 Dakota: 35 complaints, 7 recalls
- 2011 Dakota: 44 complaints, 6 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Dodge Dakota problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension problems | 1,716 | 16 | 40 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 969 | 15 | 85 |
| Power Train problems | 716 | 17 | 56 |
| Air Bags problems | 659 | 17 | 223 |
| Steering problems | 555 | 15 | 33 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 432 | 14 | 10 |
| Electrical System problems | 376 | 17 | 4 |
| Visibility problems | 179 | 15 | 8 |
| Tires problems | 169 | 16 | 11 |
| Structure problems | 163 | 15 | 10 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 139 | 16 | 3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 134 | 14 | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 128 | 17 | 7 |
| Seat Belts problems | 111 | 14 | 25 |
| Seats problems | 106 | 12 | 10 |
| Service Brakes | 97 | 15 | 10 |
| Equipment | 87 | 14 | 2 |
| Wheels | 70 | 15 | 3 |
| Engine | 57 | 14 | 2 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 52 | 11 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 34 | 10 | 2 |
| Parking Brake | 26 | 12 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 21 | 10 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 21 | 8 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 19 | 9 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 12 | 6 | 1 |
| Interior Lighting | 11 | 5 | 1 |
| Trailer Hitches | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Dodge Dakota problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2007: air bags (59)
- 2006: air bags (126)
- 2005: air bags (143) · power train (81) · service brakes, hydraulic (67) · suspension (51)
- 2004: steering (74)
- 2003: suspension (100)
- 2002: suspension (226) · service brakes, hydraulic (177) · power train (89) · electrical system (52)
- 2001: suspension (236) · service brakes, hydraulic (118) · power train (93) · electrical system (58) · engine and engine cooling (53)
- 2000: suspension (282) · service brakes, hydraulic (248) · power train (74) · steering (68) · engine and engine cooling (50)
- 1999: suspension (342) · service brakes, hydraulic (85) · steering (72) · engine and engine cooling (70) · power train (56)
- 1998: suspension (217) · power train (74) · service brakes, hydraulic (68) · engine and engine cooling (60)
- 1997: suspension (142) · service brakes, hydraulic (68)
All Dodge Dakota model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Dakota | 44 | 6 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 Dakota | 35 | 7 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 Dakota | 18 | 5 | — | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Dakota | 91 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2007 Dakota | 145 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2006 Dakota | 285 | 5 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2005 Dakota | 470 | 6 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2004 Dakota | 206 | 1 | — | Steering | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2003 Dakota | 296 | 4 | — | Suspension | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2002 Dakota | 678 | 5 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 Dakota | 678 | 7 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 Dakota | 806 | 5 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Dakota | 641 | 4 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 Dakota | 545 | 5 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Dakota | 446 | 5 | — | Suspension | More complaints than other years |
| 1996 Dakota | 189 | 1 | — | Power Train | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 1995 Dakota | 208 | 0 | — | Power Train | Fewer complaints than other years |
More from Dodge: all Dodge models · Dodge VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Dakota years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1998 (545), 1999 (641), 2000 (806), 2001 (678), 2002 (678) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Dakota year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Dodge Dakota?
Suspension, with 1,716 complaints across 16 model years.
How many recalls does the Dodge Dakota have?
34 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.