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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 →
189Owner complaints

Model-year median: 166

1Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
134
1993166
1994208
1995189
1996446
1997545
1998641
1999
Compare all Dakota years →

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

What owners reported most

Power Train
28Engine And Engine Cooling
27Service Brakes, Hydraulic
23Electrical System
19Structure
18
All reported categories
Air Bags
12Seat Belts
12Suspension
12Fuel System, Gasoline
10Vehicle Speed Control
10Seats
9Latches/locks/linkages
8Tires
8Wheels
8Steering
7Visibility
7Exterior Lighting
6Parking Brake
5Equipment
4Interior Lighting
1Unknown Or Other
1

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

23 reports
Clear category filter
235,000 miles · Jan 19, 2014
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicStructure

AT IDLE/PARK MY 1996 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4 V8 5.2L SLT WILL SPUTTER AND SOMETIMES KILL THE ENGINE. NOW I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S A SAFETY FEATURE SO THE ENGINE DOESN'T OVER FLOOD ITSELF, BUT I'VE REPLACED THE IAC VALVE, PCV VALVE, DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR/CAP, AND SPARK PLUGS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. I RECENT HAD A PROBLEM WHERE THE CONDITIONS OUT…

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AT IDLE/PARK MY 1996 DODGE DAKOTA 4X4 V8 5.2L SLT WILL SPUTTER AND SOMETIMES KILL THE ENGINE. NOW I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S A SAFETY FEATURE SO THE ENGINE DOESN'T OVER FLOOD ITSELF, BUT I'VE REPLACED THE IAC VALVE, PCV VALVE, DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR/CAP, AND SPARK PLUGS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. I RECENT HAD A PROBLEM WHERE THE CONDITIONS OUT WE'RE SOMEWHAT ICY AND MID TURN INTO A PARKING LOT I TOOK A BLOW TO A FIRE HYDRANT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE KILLED ITSELF, MEANING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. I WAS FINE, BUT MY VEHICLES BODY TOOK THE DAMAGE. LUCKILY THE AIRBAG SYSTEM DIDN'T DEPLOY BUT THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP A LOT WITH THE 1995-1996 DAKOTAS. AND HONESTLY I'M SCARED THAT THE VEHICLE MIGHT DO THIS WHILE ON THE FREE WAY. ALSO, OF 3 O2 SENSORS THAT'S JUST ABOVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, ALL THREE HAVE LEFT THE VEHICLES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND HAVE TESTED FAULTY. I HAVE YET TO RETURN TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEMS SHOP TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIX IT DUE TO IT BEING UNDER WARRANTY, BUT MY MECHANIC SAID THAT IT MOSTLY BECAUSE THERE'S AN UNNEEDED AMOUNT OF EXTRA POWER GOING TO THE O2 SENSOR WHICH IS CAUSING IT TO FAULT. ANYHOW, I APPRECIATE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT INTO THIS, BECAUSE I DO LIVE ON A HILLY SUBURB AND I RATHER NOT TAKE THE FAULT OF MY VEHICLE FAILING AND DAMAGING STATE, NEIGHBORS OR EVEN MY OWN PROPERTY, LET ALONE MYSELF GETTING HURT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10560574

Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE FUSE IN THE RELAY SWITCH WAS MISSING FROM ANTI LOCK BRAKES. HE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY THE FUSE WAS MISSING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10144807

Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE ROTORS WILL LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO STOP. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8013749

Mileage unknown · May 17, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST BECAUSE IT WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL, AND VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #888508

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2001
Electrical SystemFuel System, GasolineService Brakes, Hydraulic

FUEL PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. *AK THE BRAKES FAIED COMPLETELY AT 16,000, 19,000 AND 20,000 MILES. ALSO, THE BATTERY FAILED AT 28,000 MILES. *YH

NHTSA ODI #884966

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 1999
Air BagsExterior LightingService Brakes, Hydraulic

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

NHTSA ODI #848855

Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY PULSATE, CAUSING EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR. THE DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #846619

Mileage unknown · Dec 16, 1998
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

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

NHTSA ODI #832367

Mileage unknown · Nov 6, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKING SYSTEM THE VEHICLE MOVES TO LEFT, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALER CLAIMES IT A ROTOR PROBLEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #830331

Mileage unknown · Oct 23, 1998
Service Brakes, HydraulicWheels

FRONT HUB BOLTED TO WHEEL- 7 BOLTS ATTACHING BRAKES, STRIPPED OUT. 2ND TIME IT HAPPENED HAD BRAKES & BOLTS REPLACED. BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP CALIPERS ON DISC BRAKES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #829398

Official recalls

1

95V199000 · 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

1

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.