IllustrationNO SUMMARY
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.
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 →189Owner complaints
Model-year median: 166
1Recall campaignsView recall details →
1InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1996 Dodge Dakota
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 189 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 1 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: 28 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 27 reports
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 23 reports
- Electrical System: 19 reports
- Structure: 18 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
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
Compare all Dakota years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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
What owners actually said
189 reportsTHIS TIRE WAS THE REPLACEMENT FOR THE FIRST FIRESTONE TIRE THAT BLEW OUT. TIRE SHOWS SIGNS OF TREAD TO SIDEWALL SEPARATION & DRIVER STATED THAT SIDEWALL OF TIRE "BUBBLED OUT" ALONG THE ENTIRE SIDEWALL OF TIRE APPROXIMATELY 4-5 INCHES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDW81XL TIRE SIZE: 265/75R16 )
WHILE CHANGING THE TIRE JACK BROKE, AND VEHICLE FELL OFF THE AXLE. ALSO, BUMPER WAS DAMAGED WHILE TOWING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
LOCKS ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE GET STUCK. THIS PROBLEM STARTED A YEAR AGO. CONSUMER CANNOT NOT GET OUT OF VEHICLE UNLESS THERE IS ANOTHER PERSON TO HELP FROM THE OUTSIDE. LATCHES WERE RUSTED. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK *ML
VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK POSITION ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, UPON EXITING FOR A BRIEF SECOND, VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS, INJURING THE CONSUMER. ALSO, AFTER THE INCIDENT VEHICLE WAS STILL IN THE PARK POSITION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *ML
THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS HAVE RUSTED, CONSUMER COULD NOT OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR DUE TO PROBLEM. *MJS
CORROSION/RUST DEVELOPED INSIDE THE INNER LOCKING MECHANISM UNDER DOOR PANEL. DOOR PANEL HAD TO BE REMOVED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN ORDER TO OIL THE INNER LOCKING MECHANISM ON EITHER SIDE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACT. *AK
SECOND FAILURE ON EXHAUST STUD ALLOWING EXHAUST GASES TO ENTER CAB. *AK
CRANK BROKE AND BROKE BLOCK OF THE ENGINE. *AK
SPEED CONTROL CAN NOT BE DISENGAGE MANUALLY AT THE STEERING COLUMN, MUST DEPRESS BRAKE TO DISENGAGE. *MJS
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect 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.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.