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 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 6, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentPower Train
5 TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 5 YEAR VEHICLE WILL SPUTTER AND WILL DIE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ALSO COME ON AT THE SAME TIME AND 4 TIMES VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHO KEEPS TELLING CONSUMER BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE 5TH TIME DEALER CLAIMS THROTTLE HOUSING NEEDED TO BE CLEANED BUT 2 MONTHS LATER DEFECT HAS REOCCURED.*AK CON…
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5 TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 5 YEAR VEHICLE WILL SPUTTER AND WILL DIE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ALSO COME ON AT THE SAME TIME AND 4 TIMES VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHO KEEPS TELLING CONSUMER BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE 5TH TIME DEALER CLAIMS THROTTLE HOUSING NEEDED TO BE CLEANED BUT 2 MONTHS LATER DEFECT HAS REOCCURED.*AK CONSUMER STATES TIRESHAVE BEEN REBALANCED ON NUMEROUSE OCCASSIONS, DURING INSTALLATION OF THE LAST SET OF TIRES, MECHANIC FOUND THAT ALL FOUR WHEELS/RIMS WERE BENT, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT NUMEROUS WHEELS HAD BEEN REPLACED DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, ALSO THE ID PLATE THAT IS SUPPOSE TO BE LOCATED ON THE DOOR JAM HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE.*JB
NHTSA ODI #893510
Mileage unknown · Aug 6, 2001
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control
WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK IT WILL JUMP OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. ALSO, WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A DOWN HILL INCLINE VEHICLE WILL ROLL FORWARD, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *SLC
NHTSA ODI #893451
Mileage unknown · Jul 20, 2001
TiresCrash
I LOST CONTROL WITH THE FIRST TIRE SEPARATION AND RAN OVER TWO SIGNS ENDING UP IN A DITCH.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HFAT5287 TIRESIZE: P215/75R15)
NHTSA ODI #748812
Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2001
Structure
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HINGE CAME OFF BODY OF TRUCK. THERE WAS ONLY ONE HINGE ON DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #891538
Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling
I HAVE A 1996 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUUP TRUCK THAT EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE AT LESS THAN 60,000 MILES. THE CAUSE FOR THIS ENGINE FAILURE WAS INADEQUATE OILING BECAUSE OF SLUDGE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE OIL PAN. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED FROM A CAR DEALER WITH APPROXIMATELY 33,000 MILES ON IT AND HAVE MAINTINED IT PROPERLY SINCE THAT …
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I HAVE A 1996 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUUP TRUCK THAT EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE AT LESS THAN 60,000 MILES. THE CAUSE FOR THIS ENGINE FAILURE WAS INADEQUATE OILING BECAUSE OF SLUDGE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE OIL PAN. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED FROM A CAR DEALER WITH APPROXIMATELY 33,000 MILES ON IT AND HAVE MAINTINED IT PROPERLY SINCE THAT TIME. I AND THE MECHANIC I TOOK IT TO BELIEVE THAT PART OF THE REASON FOR SLUDGE ACCUMULATION IN THE OIL PAN IS POOR OIL PAN DESIGN. THE WAY THE DRAIN PLUB IS SITUATED IT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR COMPLETE DRAINAGE OF THE OIL DURING AN OIL CHANGE. THIS PROBLEM IS PROBABLY AGGRAVATED BY THE FACT THAT THIS VEHICLE IS 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND THE SLUDGE GETS RESUSPENDED WITH OFF-ROAD USE ON STEEP TERRAIN OR ROUGH ROADS. ON CONFERRING WITH AN ATTORNEY, SHE SUGGESTED ABOUT THE ONLY LEGAL RECOURSE IS IF IT OCCURRED IN A NUMBER OF SITUATIONS SO I AM LOOKING FOR RECORDS OF RELATED INCIDENTS. MY MECHANIC INDICATED HE HAD ONE OTHER SIMILAR CASE. ALTHOUGH THIS DID NOT CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, IT COULD HAVE IF I HADN'T CAUGHT THE PROBLEM IN TIME.*AK
NHTSA ODI #747118
Mileage unknown · Jun 19, 2001
Air BagsCrashInjury
WAS PULLING INTO INTERSECTION WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME AROUND CORNER AND HIT DAKOTA HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT WITH OTHER VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. VEHICLE HAD SPUN AROUND, AND WAS HIT AGAIN BY SAME VEHICLE. DRIVER SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND INTERNAL BLEEDING. WAS HOSPITALIZED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #890695
Mileage unknown · Jun 13, 2001
Suspension
WELD SPLITTING AT RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM. DEALER SAID NOT UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE WELD SHOULD BE THE STRONGEST PART.I WAS ASLO TOLD THEY HAD SEEN ONE OR TWO OTHER TRUCKS WITH THIS PROBLEM.THIS ALSO CAUSED RIGHT FRONT BRAKE PAD/ROTOR TO FREEZE UP AS IN METAL TO METAL WITH NO WARNING REQUIRING ME TO REPLACE ROTOR AND PADS…
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WELD SPLITTING AT RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM. DEALER SAID NOT UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE WELD SHOULD BE THE STRONGEST PART.I WAS ASLO TOLD THEY HAD SEEN ONE OR TWO OTHER TRUCKS WITH THIS PROBLEM.THIS ALSO CAUSED RIGHT FRONT BRAKE PAD/ROTOR TO FREEZE UP AS IN METAL TO METAL WITH NO WARNING REQUIRING ME TO REPLACE ROTOR AND PADS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #746777
Mileage unknown · Jun 6, 2001
Seat Belts
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILLNOT HOLD TOGETHER WHEN PRESSURE PUT ON, IT WILL LOCK. SEATBELT WILLNOT HOLD TOGETHER.*AK
NHTSA ODI #889929
Mileage unknown · May 17, 2001
Electrical SystemVisibility
POWER WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY AND NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *AK CONSUMER STATES WIRE IN COLUM IGNITION SWITCH WAS BROKEN, THIS WIRE WAS HOT TO THE FUSE BLOCK AND POWERED, AIRBAG,BLOWER FAN, WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS. *JB
NHTSA ODI #888510
Mileage unknown · May 17, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
ABS AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST BECAUSE IT WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL, AND VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK
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
1
DP02009 · 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.
1996 Dodge Dakota Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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