1995 Dodge Dakota

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1995 Dodge Dakota do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 166.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

208Owner complaints

Model-year median: 166

0Recall campaigns

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2Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1995 Dodge Dakota

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 208 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 2 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Power Train: 27 reports
Air Bags: 26 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 26 reports
Seat Belts: 25 reports
Structure: 20 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Dakota years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train

27 Air Bags

26 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

26 Seat Belts

25 Structure

All reported categories

Steering

19 Engine And Engine Cooling

18 Suspension

17 Fuel System, Gasoline

13 Electrical System

12 Latches/locks/linkages

9 Seats

9 Visibility

7 Vehicle Speed Control

2 Service Brakes, Air

2 Trailer Hitches

1 Visibility/wiper

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 208 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 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

38 crash reports6 fire reports22 injury reports

Parking Brake complaints

2 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Oct 8, 2002

Fuel System, GasolineParking BrakeService Brakes, Hydraulic

Read full complaint

THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKE CABLES HAD TO BE REPLACED IN JULY. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED FROM THE HANDLE DOWN ABOUT 12 INCHES, WHICH MADE THE BATTERY FAIL. CONSUEMR CALLED SEARS, WHO DID THE BRAKE JOB, AND THEY ARE NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CABLE FIRE. THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID LEAKING ONTO CONSUMERS DRIVEWAY AND THE VEHICLE WAS PUT BACK IN THE SHOP FOR REPLACEMENT OF ALL THE BRAKE CABLES. *JG

NHTSA ODI #567749

Mileage unknown · Jun 14, 1999

Parking Brake

EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE CABLE IS TOUCHING THE CATALYIC CONVERTER WHICH CAUSED THE CABLE TO BURN AND BREAK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #837727

Recall campaigns

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

DP03002 · Steering Column Separation

Opened May 7, 2003 · Closed Jul 22, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering:column

MR. LARRY A. SACKEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18, 2003, REQUESTING THAT NHTSAFURTHER INVESTIGATE THE DEFECTIVE COLLAPSIBLE STEERING SHAFT SYSTEM ON 1987-1995 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION.IN PART BECAUSE OF 49 CFR ? 30120(G), NHTSA HAS DECIDED TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE PETITION VEHICLES TO 1993-1995 MODELS, EXCLUDING THE 1993 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AND 1994-1995 DODGE RAM SERIES TRUCKS THAT WERE RECALLED (93V210 & 96V230) FOR STEERING COLUMN FAILURE.IF THE ANALYSIS OF THESE VEHICLES HAD IDENTIFIED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM, THE SCOPE COULD HAVE BEEN EXPANDED IN AN INVESTIGATION.A REVIEW OF ODI'S DATA BASE SHOWS NO RECENT COMPLAINTS AND A LACK OF A COMPLAINT TREND CONCERNING THE SUBJECT ISSUE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS A WHOLE OR BY INDIVIDUAL MODELS.THEREFORE, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR DETAILS, SEE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE VOLUME 68, NO. 130, JULY 8, 2003.

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.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.