Illustration4 WHEEL DRIVE WONT WORK, MAKES POUNDING NOISE . *AK
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.
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: 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
Power Train complaints
27 reportsTRANSMISION DOESN'T LIKE TO UP SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR UNLES I LET OFF THE THROTEL. ALSO TRUCK HAS ROLED WHEN IN PARK 5 TIMES.I CONTACTED DEALOR ABOUT THIS4 TO8 TIMES. DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROB. DEALER CHANGED TRANS FLUID/FILTER 2 TIMES THIS DID NOT WORK.I HAVE ONLY HADE MY DAKOTA SENCE 02/17/03.I TALKED TO DODGE CUST …
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TRANSMISION DOESN'T LIKE TO UP SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR UNLES I LET OFF THE THROTEL. ALSO TRUCK HAS ROLED WHEN IN PARK 5 TIMES.I CONTACTED DEALOR ABOUT THIS4 TO8 TIMES. DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROB. DEALER CHANGED TRANS FLUID/FILTER 2 TIMES THIS DID NOT WORK.I HAVE ONLY HADE MY DAKOTA SENCE 02/17/03.I TALKED TO DODGE CUST SERV THEY SAID THEY HAD NO COMPLANTS ON THIS TRUCK.UNLES DODGE HAS A RECAL I WILL LOOK AT OTHER BRANDS OF TRUCK.INCIDENT IS ON GOING.*AK
THIS IS JUST A RUN DOWN ON REPAIRS I MADE TO MY VEHICLE, BUT THEY ARE PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AT THE FACTORY. FIRST OF ALL, THE BRAKE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE THAT I KNOW OF THAT HAS TO HAVE AIR IN THE FRONT CALIPHERS TO WORK. I HAD TO PUT BEARINGS IN BOTH FRONT AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL AS…
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THIS IS JUST A RUN DOWN ON REPAIRS I MADE TO MY VEHICLE, BUT THEY ARE PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AT THE FACTORY. FIRST OF ALL, THE BRAKE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE THAT I KNOW OF THAT HAS TO HAVE AIR IN THE FRONT CALIPHERS TO WORK. I HAD TO PUT BEARINGS IN BOTH FRONT AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLIES. THE FRONT ONE CAME FROM THE FACTORY WITHOUT A BEARING IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY.
WHEN I DRIVE 50 + MILES, TRANSMISSION WON'T UP SHIFT UNLESS I TAKE FOOT OFF GAS, IT HAS DONE THIS ABOUT 12 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE IN FEB . ALSO TRUCK HAS ROLLED AHEAD WHEN IN PARK 6 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE IN FEB.
WHEN TRYING TO USE HEADLIGHTS HIGH BEAM, THE HEAD LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT ALL TOGETHER. BILL LUKE DODGE REPLACED A COMPONENT AND THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. A VIBRATION WAS NOTED AT AROUD 27 MPH WHEN THE TRUCK HAD LESS THAT 5,000 MILES. IT TOOK TWO TRIPS TO GET THEM TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AN FIX IT BY REPLACING THE DRIVE SHAFT UNDE…
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WHEN TRYING TO USE HEADLIGHTS HIGH BEAM, THE HEAD LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT ALL TOGETHER. BILL LUKE DODGE REPLACED A COMPONENT AND THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. A VIBRATION WAS NOTED AT AROUD 27 MPH WHEN THE TRUCK HAD LESS THAT 5,000 MILES. IT TOOK TWO TRIPS TO GET THEM TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AN FIX IT BY REPLACING THE DRIVE SHAFT UNDER WARRENTY. YOU ASKED THE QUESTION IF THE TRUCK HAD BEEN IN A CRASH. IT WAS A LESS THAN 10 MPH FENDER BENDER WHEN A VAN PULLED INTO THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK. THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE ROOF AND SOME ON THE SIDE OF THE BOX.
CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH WARPED ROTORS, CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT WHEN HE CALLED MANUFACTURER HE WAS ADVISED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON ROTORS. *JB
TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. DEALER HAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM, BUT WHEN CONUSMER ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE AROUND CORNER, VEHICLE WOULD SLIP AND DISENGAGE FROM TRANSMISSION.*AK
THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED BY THE DEALER AT 42000 THE FIRST TIME. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEAR, AND SHIFTS VERY HARD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
VENICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE WARRANTOR (GE ) HAS DENIED THE CLAIM AND REFUSES TO HONOR IT. WE PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR AN EXPENSIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR BUMPER TO BUMPER COVERAGE AND THEY DON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT.NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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 ↗
NHTSA investigations
2DP03002 · 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.