2002 Dodge Dakota Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2002 Dodge Dakota, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 50,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “automatic transmission” (18% of reports).
- 89power train complaints
- 50,000median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 18%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Automatic transmission: mentioned in 16 of 89 complaints (18%)
- Lever linkage column: mentioned in 10 of 89 complaints (11%)
- Shift gear: mentioned in 5 of 89 complaints (6%)
- Ball joints: mentioned in 5 of 89 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 63 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 89 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 6 an injury.
Dodge Dakota power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Dakota | 8 | 18% | 28,455 |
| 2010 Dakota | 7 | 20% | 65,000 |
| 2009 Dakota | 6 | 33% | 50,000 |
| 2008 Dakota | 10 | 11% | 57,000 |
| 2007 Dakota | 24 | 17% | 39,000 |
| 2006 Dakota | 36 | 13% | 50,000 |
| 2005 Dakota | 81 | 17% | 85,000 |
| 2004 Dakota | 19 | 9% | 34,000 |
| 2003 Dakota | 38 | 13% | 12,500 |
| 2002 Dakota | 89 | 13% | 50,000 |
| 2001 Dakota | 93 | 14% | 56,982 |
| 2000 Dakota | 74 | 9% | 60,000 |
| 1999 Dakota | 56 | 9% | 92,000 |
| 1998 Dakota | 74 | 14% | 79,000 |
| 1997 Dakota | 46 | 10% | 53,990 |
| 1996 Dakota | 28 | 15% | — |
| 1995 Dakota | 27 | 13% | 49,330 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift
Problem: On certain van and pickup trucks equipped with automatic transmissions, the ignition/park shift interlock system may become inoperative. This can allow the shifter to be moved out of the "park" position with the ignition key removed (or in the "lock" position). This can also allow the ignition key to be removed when the shifter has not been placed in the "park" position.
Risk: Either of these conditions could allow the vehicle to roll away causing a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will replace the gearshift blocker and bracket assembly free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during january 2008. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My 2002 Dodge Dakota sometime will not go into park. other times it will jump out and go into reverse. this has caused my vehicle to roll backwards and destroyed neighbors mailbox. to get it into park takes several tries. I now must use my parking brake anytime I am parked.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF GEAR. WHEN THE SHIFTER FINALLY SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR AND INTO DRIVE, IT WOULD SHIFT BACK INTO PARK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KEFFER…
The car goes into park, but park does not engage. I'm able to remove the key. The column shows park but the car continues to roll. I see that 2002 dakotas have a recall for this problem but my vin # doesn't show a recall for this problem.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Dodge Dakotas have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 89 owner complaints about power train for the 2002 Dodge Dakota (13% of the 678 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Dodge Dakota power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 50,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2002 Dodge Dakota?
The most frequent phrase is “automatic transmission”, in 16 of 89 complaints, followed by “lever linkage column” (10).
Other 2002 Dodge Dakota problems
See all 2002 Dodge Dakota problems or power train problems across all Dakota years.