Illustration1993 DODGE DAKOTA HIGH BEAM FLASHING ON AND OFF
1993 Dodge Dakota
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1993 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: 11 of 134 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
15 crash reports6 fire reports12 injury reports
What owners actually said
134 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS FAULTY. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
TL*THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNS A 1993 DODGE DAKOTA WITH FIRESTONE FIREHAWK ATX TIRES. HE STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 40 MPH, SHE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE BLOWOUT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FALL INTO A DITCH; IN ADDITION, THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. …
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TL*THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNS A 1993 DODGE DAKOTA WITH FIRESTONE FIREHAWK ATX TIRES. HE STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 40 MPH, SHE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE BLOWOUT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FALL INTO A DITCH; IN ADDITION, THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE PURCHASE DATE AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,618 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,621.
CONSUMER HAD A 1993 DODGE DAKOTA AND A NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE. OWNER HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER BALL JOINTS AFTER 32,000 MI. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE NOISE THAT WAS BEING HEARD WAS NORMAL. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE HOOD BLEW INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED THE CLAIM. *JB
VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED AND CARED FOR. LARGE CHUCKS OF PAINT PEELING FROM HOOD MOMENTARILY DISTRACT OR STARTLE DRIVER AND HAVE CAUSED SITUATIONS WHERE AN ACCIDENT WAS JUST BARELY AVOIDED. THE LAST INCIDENT A LARGE SHEET OF THE PAINT COVERED THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD OBSTRUCTING THE OPERATOR'S VIEW DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC …
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VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED AND CARED FOR. LARGE CHUCKS OF PAINT PEELING FROM HOOD MOMENTARILY DISTRACT OR STARTLE DRIVER AND HAVE CAUSED SITUATIONS WHERE AN ACCIDENT WAS JUST BARELY AVOIDED. THE LAST INCIDENT A LARGE SHEET OF THE PAINT COVERED THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD OBSTRUCTING THE OPERATOR'S VIEW DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO AVOID COLLISION BY HITTING BRAKES AND TURNING ONTO THE ROADSIDE GRASS, AFTER JUMPING CURB AND NARROWLY MISSING A GUARD RAIL DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK WAS A BROKEN BALL JOINT AND A BENT CONTROL ARM. IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE HAD THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED! THE AFFECTED PAINT HAS BEEN SANDED AND PRIMED BUT OTHER SPOTS CONTINUE TO PEEL UP .*AK
THE CONSUMER WORKED FOR A GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND WAS FORCED TO DRIVE A DECOMMISSIONED VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. THE CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE MUFFLER. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED PERMANENT HEARING DAMAGE DO TO THE EXPLOSIO…
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THE CONSUMER WORKED FOR A GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND WAS FORCED TO DRIVE A DECOMMISSIONED VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. THE CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE MUFFLER. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED PERMANENT HEARING DAMAGE DO TO THE EXPLOSION. *LA
I BOUGHT A USED 1993 DODGE DAKATO IN APRIL OF 96, AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THE PAINT WAS ALREADY FLAKING OFF IN LARGE PIECES(BLUE/SILVER), AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REBUILT ONCE(60,000 MILES). SINCE THE TIME OF PURCHASE ALL OF THE PAINT IS GONE OFF THE HOOD AND ROOF, THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REBUILT AGAIN($1803.00…
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I BOUGHT A USED 1993 DODGE DAKATO IN APRIL OF 96, AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THE PAINT WAS ALREADY FLAKING OFF IN LARGE PIECES(BLUE/SILVER), AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REBUILT ONCE(60,000 MILES). SINCE THE TIME OF PURCHASE ALL OF THE PAINT IS GONE OFF THE HOOD AND ROOF, THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REBUILT AGAIN($1803.00), AND I REPLACED THE OVERHEAD CAM SENSOR 2X WITHIN 10 DAYS.I CONTACTED DODGE ABOUT THE PAINT FLAKING AND THEY OFFERED NO HELP.*AK
THE DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE, OPENED THE HOOD AND VIEWED THE ENGINE ON FIRE. *PH *SC
WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE ABS LOCKED UP THE FRONT WHEEL, BUT THE REAR WHEEL KEPT TURNING. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS NORMAL . *AK THE CONSUMER ALMOST WRECKED 4-5 TIMES WHEN SLIPPERY. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS FOUND LEAKING AND THE ABS DIAGNOSTIC MODULE FAILED. *SC *JB
Official recalls
193V082000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip
May 11, 1993
SOME OF THE ABS EQUIPPED VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN UNDERSIZED BRAKE RETURN CHECK VALVE. IN INCIDENTS WHERE HARD BRAKE PEDAL EFFORT IS APPLIED ON LOW FRICTION ROAD SURFACES, LIKE RAIN COVERED STREETS, THE VALVES MAY FAIL, CAUSING THE ABS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. THIS CREATES EXCESS BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL AND MAY CAUSE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LACK OF FRONT WHEEL ABS COULD CAUSE THE FRONT WHEELBRAKES TO LOCK, INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE RETURN CHECK VALVE WITH THE CORRECT VALVE.
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
1DP03002 · Steering Column Separation
Opened May 7, 2003 · Closed Jul 22, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering:column
MR. LARRY A. SACKEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18, 2003, REQUESTING THAT NHTSAFURTHER INVESTIGATE THE DEFECTIVE COLLAPSIBLE STEERING SHAFT SYSTEM ON 1987-1995 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION.IN PART BECAUSE OF 49 CFR ? 30120(G), NHTSA HAS DECIDED TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE PETITION VEHICLES TO 1993-1995 MODELS, EXCLUDING THE 1993 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AND 1994-1995 DODGE RAM SERIES TRUCKS THAT WERE RECALLED (93V210 & 96V230) FOR STEERING COLUMN FAILURE.IF THE ANALYSIS OF THESE VEHICLES HAD IDENTIFIED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM, THE SCOPE COULD HAVE BEEN EXPANDED IN AN INVESTIGATION.A REVIEW OF ODI'S DATA BASE SHOWS NO RECENT COMPLAINTS AND A LACK OF A COMPLAINT TREND CONCERNING THE SUBJECT ISSUE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS A WHOLE OR BY INDIVIDUAL MODELS.THEREFORE, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR DETAILS, SEE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE VOLUME 68, NO. 130, JULY 8, 2003.