IllustrationTRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT FROM PARK INTO REVERSE. STOPPED AT STORE, PUT IT IN PARK AND THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO REVERSE. CONTACTED DEALER, THEY SAID NOTHING WRONG WITH TRANSMISSION. ALSO CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. *AK
1992 Dodge Dakota
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 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: 8 of 216 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 110 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. 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 reports8 fire reports11 injury reports
What owners actually said
216 reportsPAINT IS PEELING DUE TO DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THIS PROBLEM STARTED IN A SMALL AREA ON THE ENGINE HOOD, AND HAS INCREASED IN SIZE. ALSO, THE SAME PROBLEM IS OCCURRING WITH THE ROOF TOP AND LEFT REAR PANEL. MANY OTHER DAKOTAS OF THE SAME YEAR ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE LOCATED OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING PEELIN…
Read full complaint
PAINT IS PEELING DUE TO DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THIS PROBLEM STARTED IN A SMALL AREA ON THE ENGINE HOOD, AND HAS INCREASED IN SIZE. ALSO, THE SAME PROBLEM IS OCCURRING WITH THE ROOF TOP AND LEFT REAR PANEL. MANY OTHER DAKOTAS OF THE SAME YEAR ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE LOCATED OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING PEELING PAINT ON THE WEB.
PAINT PEELED OFF HOOD AND ROOF OF VEHICLE IN LARGE CHUNKS. NOW PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE REAR AREA OF THE TRUCK ALSO.
THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. SHORT BRAKE LINE BROKE OFF. INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE ABS NOT WORKING. HAD IT REPAIRED. THEN THE OTHER BRAKE LINE & LONG FUEL LINE HAD CORRODED. WAS INFORMED BY DEALER & MANUFACTURER IT WAS OWNER'S PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED REAR BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE AT ALL SO THE FRONT BRAKES HAS TO DO ALL THE WORK. THE REAR ADJUSTMENT LEVER IS NOT TOUCHING THE BRAKE SHOES TO KEEP THEM IN PLACE. CONSUMER IS GOING TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN REAR END COLLISION. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). MJS
WHILE COMING TO A STOP AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, MASTER CYLINDER PUSH ROD SNAPPED IN HALF, AND VEHICLE COULDN'T MOVE. *AK
THERE IS A LEAKAGE COMING FROM THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE VALVE SYSTEM IN WHICH THE BRAKE FLUID IS LEAKING FROM AND ONTO THE GROUND. *AK
THE CIRCUIT PANEL ON DASHBOARD HAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. NOTICED BATTERY WAS VERY LOW. VEHICLE WOULD STOP FOR NO REASON. TOOK TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 DIFFERENT TIMES FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. MECHANIC FINALLY DISCOVERED A SHORT IN THE WIRES & HAD IT REPAIRED. *AK
PAINT IS PEELING OFF STARTING ON THE ROOF AND IS NOW STARTING ON THE SIDE OF THE CAB/THE U-JIONT IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AGAIN AT THIS TIME
Official recalls
100V106000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
Apr 11, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A500 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. INADVERTENT PLACEMENT OF THE SHIFT LEVER IN REVERSE CAN OCCUR WHEN THE DRIVER BELIEVES THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN PLACED IN PARK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY WITH THE ENGINE ON AFTER THE DRIVER HAS LEFT THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEEL MANUAL VALVE IN THE TRANSMISSION WITH AN ALUMINUM VERSION.
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
3EA96006 · Rollaway In Reverse When Parked
Opened May 31, 1996 · Closed Aug 10, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
There is no summary currently available
PE95041 · Inadvertent Movement Of Shifter
Opened Jun 23, 1995 · Closed May 31, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
ODI RECEIVED AN INQUIRY REGARDING ALLEGED PARK TO REVERSE PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS ON 1991 AND 1992 DODGE DAKOTA PICUP TRUCKS.THE ODI DATABASE REVEALED 11 COMPLAINTS, SEVERAL OF WHICH HAD BEEN REPORTED IN THE MONTHS JUST PRECEDING THE OPENING OF THE PE.THE CONSUMERS CLAIM THAT THEY MOVE THE VEHICLE, PLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK AND EXIT THE VEHICLE.THEN, ALMOST ALWAYS WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE VEHICLE ALLEGEDLY SHIFTS INTO REVERSETHE VEHICLE THEN BEGINS TO BACK UP, USUALLY STOPPING ONLY WHEN IT HITS SOMETHING.
PE92062 · Brk Pdl Pivot Shaft Diseng
Opened Jul 6, 1992 · Closed Sep 29, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available