IllustrationVEHICLE STALLED AND DID NOT RE-START. VEHICLE STALLED AT LEAST 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS.*AK
1996 Dodge Dakota
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 24 of 189 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.
- Power Train. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports6 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
189 reportsHEADLIGHT SWITCH AN WIRING HARNESS SHORTED OUT. TOOK TO DEALER AN HAD REPAIRED, MECHANIC SAID ALL 1995 AN 1996 DAKATAS AN RAMS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING, DO TO TO TOWING IT PUT TO MUCH OF AN OVER LOAD ON THE WIRING WHICH SHORTED IT OUT THE WIRES AN SWITCH NO WOULDN'T THIS BE A SAFETY HAZARD AN DODGE SHOULD REMEDY THIS. *AK
THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. MECHANIC RFEPLACED SHOCK ABSORBERS. *AK
1996 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP FRONT BALL JOINT FAILURES. BOTH BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED DURING INSPECTIONS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINER BOLT BROKE, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK TO FALL BACKWARDS. DRIVER LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE TEMPORARILY. *AK *MR
THE WELD ON THE LOWER, DRIVER'S SIDE, DOOR HINGE COMPLETELY SEPARATED. IN MY ATTEMPT TO GET IT REPAIRED, THE LOCAL WELDERS AND BODY SHOP GUYS TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE ON THE DAKOTAS AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY HOW TO REPAIR IT. THE FAILURE OF THAT HINGE MAKES IT DIFICULT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE-I BENT THE FRONT QUART…
Read full complaint
THE WELD ON THE LOWER, DRIVER'S SIDE, DOOR HINGE COMPLETELY SEPARATED. IN MY ATTEMPT TO GET IT REPAIRED, THE LOCAL WELDERS AND BODY SHOP GUYS TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE ON THE DAKOTAS AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY HOW TO REPAIR IT. THE FAILURE OF THAT HINGE MAKES IT DIFICULT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE-I BENT THE FRONT QUARTER PANEL WHERE THE DOOR MEETS IT WHEN IT FAILED.
ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK LATER THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE BATTERY WAS BAD, THE TRANSMISSION WAS BLOWN OUT DUE TO FLAT BEARING ALSO, THE CHECK LIGHT ENGINE KEPT FLASHING. THE CONSUMER MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIND AN ADEQUATE DEALERSHIP TO FIX PR…
Read full complaint
ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK LATER THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE BATTERY WAS BAD, THE TRANSMISSION WAS BLOWN OUT DUE TO FLAT BEARING ALSO, THE CHECK LIGHT ENGINE KEPT FLASHING. THE CONSUMER MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIND AN ADEQUATE DEALERSHIP TO FIX PROBLEMS. *CB THE VEHICLE WOBBLED BACK AND FORTH, THE CONSUMER LATER DISCOVERED THE WHEELS WERE FLAWED. THE GAS TANK LEVEL WAS NOT OPERATIONAL. *JB
THE RIDER'S SIDE SEAT BACK IS LOCKED IN PLACE AND WILL NOT FOLD FORWARD. THIS HAMPERS GETTING PEOPLE OR MATERIALS OUT OF THE BACK SEAT OF THIS EXTENDED CAB PICKUP. IT IS ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD AS A PERSON IN THE BACK COULD NOT EASILY ESCAPE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THERE ARE 57 OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE REQUESTED REPLACEMENT PART…
Read full complaint
THE RIDER'S SIDE SEAT BACK IS LOCKED IN PLACE AND WILL NOT FOLD FORWARD. THIS HAMPERS GETTING PEOPLE OR MATERIALS OUT OF THE BACK SEAT OF THIS EXTENDED CAB PICKUP. IT IS ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD AS A PERSON IN THE BACK COULD NOT EASILY ESCAPE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THERE ARE 57 OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE REQUESTED REPLACEMENT PARTS WHICH ARE NOT BEING PROVIDED. *LA
PAINT ON HOOD AND TOP OF TRUCK HAVE BEEN PEELING OFF. ALSO, THE HINGE ON THE DRIVERS DOOR HAS BROKEN OFF OF THE METAL. IN HEARING FROM OTHERS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT ON EITHER ISSUE LISTED ABOVE. *AK
THE CONSUMER RAN OVER A SMALL PIECE OF GRAVEL WHICH CAUSED THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE TO BLOW OUT. *JB
Official recalls
195V199000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist
Oct 20, 1995
THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE COULD BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AND NOT CLAMPED TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM NIPPLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A DISCONNECTED VACUUM HOSE CAN CAUSE AN INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED AND LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST DURING BRAKE APPLICATION WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES TO INSURE THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE CONNECTION IS FULLY SEATED AND CLAMPED TO THE VACUUM CHECK VALVE NIPPLE AT THE BRAKE BOOSTER.
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
1DP02009 · Frame Cracks
Opened Sep 30, 2002 · Closed Jan 8, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
MR. EDWARD W. BAILEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION BY LETTER, UNDATED, REQUESTING THAT AN INVESTIGATION BE CONDUCTED INTO THE MATTER OF A FRAME CRACK IN HIS 1995 DODGE DAKOTA TRUCK.THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT THE FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE IS CRACKED, THROUGH NO FAULT OR RESPONSIBILITY OF HIS OWN, AND BELIEVES THAT THIS DEFICIENCY CONSTITUTES A SAFETY DEFECT, WHICH HE ALLEGES MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR A CRASH.FOR THE 1993 THROUGH 2003 MODEL YEAR DAKOTA TRUCKS, THEONLY COMPLAINTS OF FRAME CRACKING WERE ON THE 1995 AND 1996 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. A REVIEW OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS OF FRAME CRACKING ON THE DAKOTA, AND PEER VEHICLES, DID NOT REVEAL ANY LOSS OF CONTROL, CRASHES, INJURIES OR FATALITIES.FRAME CRACKING ON THE DAKOTA TRUCKS OCCURED AT AN AVERAGE MILEAGE OF93,000. FOR THE REASONS STATED IN THEFEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE (VOL. 68, NO. 3, MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2003) THE PETITION IS DENIED.