IllustrationAIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT ABOUT 70 MPH IMPACT, YOU THINK THERE WOULD BE SOME KIND OF PROTECTION. *JB
2004 Dodge Dakota
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 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
530–25K
2625–50K
4450–75K
1675–100K
20100–150K
9150K+
168 reports with mileage · 38 unknown
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 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports6 fire reports6 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
15 reportsWAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON 4/22/06. I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH AND A DELIVERY TRUCK PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT THE TRUCK ON HIS DRIVER SIDE AND SMASHED MY HOLE FRONT END IN. TRUCK WAS ALMOST TOTALED. MY AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE SEAT BELT MY INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE THEN WHIP LASH. MY TRUCK IS IN…
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WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON 4/22/06. I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH AND A DELIVERY TRUCK PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT THE TRUCK ON HIS DRIVER SIDE AND SMASHED MY HOLE FRONT END IN. TRUCK WAS ALMOST TOTALED. MY AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE SEAT BELT MY INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE THEN WHIP LASH. MY TRUCK IS IN THE PROCESS NOW OF BEING FIXED. NO ONE IS GIVING ME ANSWERS TO WHY THE BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. I CALLED THE DODGE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. NEVER HEARD A THING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS NOT TO HAVE THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY. MY MAIN WORRY IS THAT WHEN MY TRUCK IS FIXED AND IF I EVER HAVE ANOTHER ACCIDENT WILL THE AIR BAGS WORK? PLEASE HELP! *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AROUND A CURVE AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND DOWN INTO A DITCH. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER, GRILL, AND DRIVER SIDE TURN SIGNAL. THERE WAS PRIOR BRAKING. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEATBELT, BUT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES WHEN HITTING THE STEER…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AROUND A CURVE AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD AND DOWN INTO A DITCH. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER, GRILL, AND DRIVER SIDE TURN SIGNAL. THERE WAS PRIOR BRAKING. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEATBELT, BUT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES WHEN HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THERE HAS BEEN NO INSPECTION TO THE AIRBAGS.
DT: 2004 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP - THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING ON US HIGHWAY 27 AT 55 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS CUT OFF FROM THE NORTH BOUND LANE TO THE SOUTH BOUND LANE. DID NOT STOP IN THE FAST LANE AND CAME OVER INTO TO THE SLOW LANE WHERE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING. FRONT END CLIPPED OTHER …
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DT: 2004 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP - THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING ON US HIGHWAY 27 AT 55 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS CUT OFF FROM THE NORTH BOUND LANE TO THE SOUTH BOUND LANE. DID NOT STOP IN THE FAST LANE AND CAME OVER INTO TO THE SLOW LANE WHERE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING. FRONT END CLIPPED OTHER VEHICLE'S REAR END. UPON IMPACT. THE MAN THAT VEHICLE HIT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. DID NOT KNOW THE OUTCOME OF HIS CONDITION THE VEHICLE IS IN AN AUTO BODY SHOP. INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT COME ON BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS ONE INJURY, AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. *AK.
CONSUMER WENT OFF THE ROAD. THE FACTS WERE UNKNOWN. CONSUMER HIT AN EMBANKMENT AND VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. CONSUMER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED DEPLOYED. INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT CAUSE OF CONSUMER'S DEATH WAS SUFFOCATION BY EITHER THE SEAT BELT OR THE AIR BAG.*AK
Official recalls
104V216000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
May 5, 2004
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE MOTOR MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER INTRUSION THAT COULD CAUSE INTERNAL CORROSION AND RESULT IN PARTIAL OR COMPLETE LOSS OF FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPING CAPABILITY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.