Dodge Dakota complaints by model year
6,629 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Red numbers above the columns are recall campaigns for that model year.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 44 | 8 | 0 | 6 |
| 2010 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| 2009 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 2008 | 91 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2007 | 145 | 11 | 2 | 4 |
| 2006 | 285 | 23 | 7 | 5 |
| 2005 | 470 | 30 | 27 | 6 |
| 2004 | 206 | 11 | 6 | 1 |
| 2003 | 296 | 16 | 5 | 4 |
| 2002 | 678 | 55 | 18 | 5 |
| 2001 | 678 | 44 | 11 | 7 |
| 2000 | 806 | 60 | 14 | 5 |
| 1999 | 641 | 49 | 6 | 4 |
| 1998 | 545 | 43 | 1 | 5 |
| 1997 | 446 | 42 | 7 | 5 |
| 1996 | 189 | 20 | 6 | 1 |
| 1995 | 208 | 38 | 6 | 0 |
| 1994 | 166 | 33 | 4 | 3 |
| 1993 | 134 | 15 | 6 | 1 |
| 1992 | 216 | 21 | 8 | 1 |
| 1991 | 128 | 11 | 5 | 4 |
| 1990 | 63 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 1989 | 63 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 1988 | 55 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 1987 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Among the last 15 model years at least five years old; newer years are left out because owners are still filing reports. Every year compared →
Problem areas by model year
Complaints that name each component, 2002–2011. Darker cells mean more reports. One complaint can name several components.
| Component | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 226 | 100 | 45 | 51 | 25 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Air bags | 28 | 13 | 15 | 143 | 126 | 59 | 29 | 5 | 16 | 18 |
| Service brakes | 210 | 48 | 23 | 82 | 24 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Power train | 89 | 38 | 19 | 81 | 36 | 24 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Steering | 44 | 14 | 74 | 47 | 47 | 12 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 52 | 34 | 21 | 32 | 30 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 34 | 34 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 21 | 22 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Dodge Dakota recalls (49)
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for at least one Dakota model year, newest first.
| Campaign | Filed | What | Model years | Repaired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19V018000 | Jan 15, 2019 | Do Not Drive - Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode | 2010, 2011 | 63.9% |
| 18V021000 | Jan 9, 2018 | Do Not Drive - Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode | 2009, 2010, 2011 | 53.7% |
| 17V820000 | Dec 20, 2017 | Seat Heaters May Overheat | 2005 | 24.6% |
| 16V352000 | May 24, 2016 | Do Not Drive - Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture | 2005–2011 | 43.5% |
| 15V313000 | May 26, 2015 | Do Not Drive - Driver Side Frontal Air Bag May Rupture | 2005–2011 | 47.1% |
| 14V795000 | Dec 16, 2014 | Clutch Ignition Interlock Switch | 2006, 2007 | 31.7% |
| 14V770000 | Dec 3, 2014 | Passenger Air Bag Inflator May Rupture | 2005 | 23% |
| 13V038000 | Feb 6, 2013 | Rear Axle Pinion Nut May Loosen at Differential | 2009, 2010, 2011 | 74.6% |
| 12V474000 | Oct 2, 2012 | Rear Axle pinion Nut May Loosen at Differential | 2009, 2010 | — |
| 12V420000 | Aug 28, 2012 | BATTERY SEPARATOR | 2010, 2011 | — |
| 07V555000 | Dec 4, 2007 | PARK SHIFT INTERLOCK | 2001, 2002 | — |
| 06V341000 | Sep 7, 2006 | POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE | 2007 | — |
| 06V039000 | Feb 9, 2006 | ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE EVENT | 2006 | — |
| 06V038000 | Feb 9, 2006 | ABS ECU | 2006 | — |
| 05V460000 | Oct 6, 2005 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CUP PLUG | 2005 | — |
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. Open a model-year page for each campaign's official text, or check your VIN on NHTSA.
Check on NHTSA ↗Where to next
Dodge Dakota FAQ
How many recalls has the Dodge Dakota had?
NHTSA lists 49 recall campaigns that cover at least one Dodge Dakota model year from 1985 to 2011. Each campaign card on the model-year pages has NHTSA's official text and the repair completion rate. Only NHTSA's VIN lookup can tell you whether a specific car was repaired.
Which Dodge Dakota year has the most complaints?
Among the last 15 model years with settled counts, the 2000 drew the most owner complaints filed with NHTSA (806) and the 2009 the fewest (18). Counts are owner reports, not failure rates, and sales volume affects them.
What are the most common Dodge Dakota problems?
Across the 2002–2011 model years, owners most often name the suspension, air bags, service brakes in complaints filed with NHTSA.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.