IllustrationTHE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE ON 1996 DODGE DAKOTA. UPON IMPACT THE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *BF *SC *JB
1996 Dodge Dakota
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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 189 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 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 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 reports6 fire reports8 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
12 reportsWAS PULLING INTO INTERSECTION WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME AROUND CORNER AND HIT DAKOTA HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT WITH OTHER VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. VEHICLE HAD SPUN AROUND, AND WAS HIT AGAIN BY SAME VEHICLE. DRIVER SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND INTERNAL BLEEDING. WAS HOSPITALIZED. *AK
WHILE AT A STOP A VEHICLE COMING FROM THE REAR AND TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH REAR ENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO FORWARD AND SLAM INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT CONSUMER IN CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TILTED UP OR DOWN THE VARIOUS LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, SUCH AS, BRAKE LIGHT/POWER STEERING LIGHT AND AIR BAG LIGHT LIGHT UP. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS/TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT QUIT WORKNG. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
WAS GOING 50MP WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO HYDROPLANE, HIT AN 18 WHEELER. TIRE BLEWOUT, AND FRONT END OF TRUCK HIT GROUND. RAN INTO CULBRECHT AT 50MPH. UPON IMPACT NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONER DID NOT WORK. AIR BAG LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. INSURANCE INSPECTOR CHECKED VEHICLE. CHRYSLER INSPECTOR INFORMED OWNER NOT …
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WAS GOING 50MP WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO HYDROPLANE, HIT AN 18 WHEELER. TIRE BLEWOUT, AND FRONT END OF TRUCK HIT GROUND. RAN INTO CULBRECHT AT 50MPH. UPON IMPACT NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONER DID NOT WORK. AIR BAG LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. INSURANCE INSPECTOR CHECKED VEHICLE. CHRYSLER INSPECTOR INFORMED OWNER NOT ENOUGH FORCE FOR AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED THE FOLLOWING INJURIES, FRACTURED NOSE/DISORIENTATION AND BRUISES.*AK
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH AIR BAG SENSOR AND T ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. WHEN CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES THEY LOCKED UP CAUSING VEHICLE TO COLLIDE WITH OTHE R VEHICLES IN AN INTERSECTION. IN ADDITION, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT 45 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
OWNER WAS INVOLVED IN AN DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG. OWNER WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MPH AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK
VEHICLE HIT A STONE WALL HEAD ON AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
THE VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER CAR HEAD-ON AT 30MPH AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Official recalls
195V199000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist
Oct 20, 1995
THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE COULD BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AND NOT CLAMPED TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM NIPPLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A DISCONNECTED VACUUM HOSE CAN CAUSE AN INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED AND LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST DURING BRAKE APPLICATION WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES TO INSURE THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE CONNECTION IS FULLY SEATED AND CLAMPED TO THE VACUUM CHECK VALVE NIPPLE AT THE BRAKE BOOSTER.
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
1DP02009 · 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.