IllustrationCONSUMERS HEARING IS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED AND CANNOT HEAR THE BUZZER THAT IS INSTALLED TO WARN THAT THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN LEFT ON, THIS HAS RESULTED IN THE TRUCK BATTERY BEING TOTALLY DISCHARGED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, DEALER HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL IN THE SITUATION. NLM
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
What owners actually said
208 reportsWHEN DRIVING GAS GAUGE BECAME INOPEATIVE, AND CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL GAS READING. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL SENDING UNIT ON THREE OCCASIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
GAS GUAGE MISREADS THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE . DEALER HAS REPLACED THE SENDING UNIT PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. *AK THE FAULTY SENDING UNIT, WHICH IS CONSIDERED TO HAVE CAUSED THE FUEL GUAGE PROBLEM FAILED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER REPLACING IT.. *YH
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
ALL FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE BROKEN ,PLASTIC BODIES BRAKE APART,LEAVING NO SEAT BELTS. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
DOOR LOCK INOPERABLE. YH
NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DURING COLLISION. YH
THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED ON SUCH A YOUNG TRUCK. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRMAN STATED THAT HE HAS REPAIRED AT LEAST 2 OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ONLY 40,0000 MILES. THEY WERE JUST FAR ENOUGH TO BE OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN THE TORQUE CONVERTERS BLEW UP THROWING SHRAPNEL THROUGH THE TRANSMISSI…
Read full complaint
THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED ON SUCH A YOUNG TRUCK. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRMAN STATED THAT HE HAS REPAIRED AT LEAST 2 OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ONLY 40,0000 MILES. THEY WERE JUST FAR ENOUGH TO BE OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN THE TORQUE CONVERTERS BLEW UP THROWING SHRAPNEL THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION WARRANTING A COMPLETE REBUILD. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN SERVICED ROUTINELY SINCE I HAVE HAD IT, GETTING THE TRANSMISSSION SERVICE DONE EVERY 15000 MILES TO PREVENT IT FROM TEARING UP. FAT CHANCE. *AK
DRIVER'S SEATBELT BECAME STUCK ,WILL NOT UNLATCH, CAUSING DRIVER TO BECOME TRAPPED, COULD NOT GET OUT OF SEAT. *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.