IllustrationTRANSMISSION FAILED WITH VIRTUALLY NO WARNING. TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN VISUALLY INSPECTED AND SERVICED AS PART OF A SERVICE CALL; NO SIGNS OF FAILURE WERE DETECTED.
1990 Dodge Dakota
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Dodge Dakota do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 166.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Dakota years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 63 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Steering. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
63 reportsBEEN WAITING FOR STEERING PARTS; WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT BACK ORDER FOR PARTS HAS BEEN 2 MONTHS OR MORE. 96V094000. *AK
RACK AND PINION FAILURE.
STEERING LOCKS UP WHEN TURNING AFTER RECALL REPAIRS.
WHILE DRIVING, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GO STRAIGHT DUE TO BOLTS HOLDING STEERING COLUMN TO FRAME FRACTURING, CAUSING STEERING COLUMN TO DETACH FROM FRAME, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, NO ACCIDENT, HAS BEEN FIXED, *AK CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 96V094 AFTER REPAIRS WERE COMPLETE. *SLC
TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO PARTS. *AK
TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL AND THE VEHICLE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE READY BY 3 ON DEC.20, 1996,BUT THE DEALERSHIP DOESN'T HAVE THE PARTS.
OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE, CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. RECALL #96V094000. *AK
RECALL NOTICE SENT ON THE STEERING GEAR, HOWEVER WORK DENIED BY LOCAL DEALER.
RACK AND PINION STEERING BOLTS CAME LOOSE AND CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING, THE TWO MOUNTING BOLTS BROKE. *AK CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL96V094 AND TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, DEALER STATED THE RACK AND PINION HAD CRACKED, A MECHANIC STATED IT WAS BROKE IN BETWEEN THE TWO MOUNTING BOLTS, CONSUMER FEELS THE ONLY WAY THE RA…
Read full complaint
RACK AND PINION STEERING BOLTS CAME LOOSE AND CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING, THE TWO MOUNTING BOLTS BROKE. *AK CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL96V094 AND TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, DEALER STATED THE RACK AND PINION HAD CRACKED, A MECHANIC STATED IT WAS BROKE IN BETWEEN THE TWO MOUNTING BOLTS, CONSUMER FEELS THE ONLY WAY THE RACK COULD HAVE BROKEN IN HALF IS FOR ONE OF THE MOUNTING PADS TO HAVE TORN LOOSE FROM THE CROSSMEMBER. *SLC
Official recalls
301V232000 · Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
Jul 6, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4X2 PICKUP TRUCK CONVERTIBLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES (BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 1988 - JUNE 1990) AND 4X2 PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH THE SHELBY PACKAGE (BUILT OCTOBER 1988 - JUNE 1989). THE FRAME CAN CRACK AT THE STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT AND/OR THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLTS CAN FRACTURE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE STEERING GEAR CAN SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE FRAME RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD REINFORCEMENTS TO THE FRAME AND REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLTS. IF THE FRAME IS ALREADY CRACKED, THE STEERING GEAR WELD NUTS WILL ALSO BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 27, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
96V094000 · Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
Jun 13, 1996
THE FRAME CAN CRACK AT THE STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT AND/OR THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLTS CAN FRACTURE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE STEERING GEAR CAN SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE FRAME RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD REINFORCEMENTS TO THE FRAME AND REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLTS. IF THE FRAME IS ALREADY CRACKED, THE STEERING GEAR WELD NUTS WILL ALSO BE REPLACED.
89V237000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Dec 27, 1989
THE ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET MAY DISLOCATE AND ALLOW AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AT THE GASKET.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LEAKAGE OF OIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COULD CAUSEA FIRE.
Remedy: REPLACE GASKET COVER WITH REVISED COVER, AND RTV SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED IN PLACE OF A GASKET.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE96003 · Steer Rck +pinion Mnt Fail
Opened Jan 16, 1996 · Closed Jun 10, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available