IllustrationWHILE 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
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
21 reportsTHE VEHICLE DIDN'T HAVE REAR BRAKES. *PH THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING. *SC
BRAKE ROTOR AND DRUM WARPED DUE TO HEAT UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.*JB
ABS MALFUCTION IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ABS MODULE, CAUSING T PEDAL TO GO TO FLOOR, AND A DELAYED IN STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
APPROACHED A SIGNAL LIGHT AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. HAD A HARD PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ENTERED THE INTERSECTION AGAINST THE LIGHT AND WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE THAT HAD THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
FRONT END SQUEAKED WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT FRONT CALIPER TREADS WERE STRIPPED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REAR BRAKE BACKING PLATES WERE POORLY ENGINEERED AND WERE MADE WITH UNSUITABLE METAL, THEY ARE RUSTED AND CORRODED. *JB
REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WORK LIKE ANTI-LIKE BRAKES SHOULD..THEY ARE NOT ACTIVE AT ANY TIME OR SPEED .I HAVE HAD DEALERS AND MECHANICS CHECK THEM AND CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG.BUT WHEN I AN STOPPED, I COULD STAND ON THE BRAKES AND LIGHTLY TOUCH THE GAS PEDAL,) AND SPIN THE REAR TIRES EVEN WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DISABLED. THANK YOU. MY …
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REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WORK LIKE ANTI-LIKE BRAKES SHOULD..THEY ARE NOT ACTIVE AT ANY TIME OR SPEED .I HAVE HAD DEALERS AND MECHANICS CHECK THEM AND CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG.BUT WHEN I AN STOPPED, I COULD STAND ON THE BRAKES AND LIGHTLY TOUCH THE GAS PEDAL,) AND SPIN THE REAR TIRES EVEN WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DISABLED. THANK YOU. MY E MAIL IS BOBDEB4@JUNO.COM. *AK
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE RUSTED/PITTED AND WORE THE BRAKE PADS DOWN TO AN UNUSEABLE AND UNSAFE CONDITION. I STILL HAVE THE OLD ROTORS, AND I CALLED CHRYSLER AND ALL THEY SAID WAS THAT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE ROTORS FROM ANY JUNK YARD, AND WAS JUST TRYING TO RIP THEM OFF. I DID NOT TAKE MY TRUCK TO A CHRYSLER REPAIR SHOP, BUTI DI…
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FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE RUSTED/PITTED AND WORE THE BRAKE PADS DOWN TO AN UNUSEABLE AND UNSAFE CONDITION. I STILL HAVE THE OLD ROTORS, AND I CALLED CHRYSLER AND ALL THEY SAID WAS THAT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE ROTORS FROM ANY JUNK YARD, AND WAS JUST TRYING TO RIP THEM OFF. I DID NOT TAKE MY TRUCK TO A CHRYSLER REPAIR SHOP, BUTI DID TAKE IT TO A VERY GOOD REPAIR SHOP OF MY CHOISE. WHEN THEY GOT DONE THEY SAID THAT CHRYSLER WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE ROTORS ON SOME VANS, AND THAT THE ONES ON MY TRUCK WERE OF THE SAME SIZE AND STYLE USED ON THE VANS WITH THE PROBLEM. ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS IF THERE IS A RECALL OR A FIX THAT I GET SOME PAY BACK FOR MY PROBLEM. I DON'T LIKE TO BE TOLD THAT I AM JUST TRYING TO RIP THEM OFF. THANK YOU, SINCERELY YOURS MAX A. HOOL SR. *AK
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS PITTED ON BOTH SIDES. ALSO FRONT BRAKE PADS WORE OUT.
WHEN DRIVING AND BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, TWO STUDS THAT HOLD THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER AND ONE OTHER STUD SNAPPED AND SHEARED OFF, CAUSE BRAKES TO BECOME LOOSE INSTANTLY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED, MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND NO RESPONSE. CONSUMER STATED IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT. *AK
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.