IllustrationCRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT DISENGAGE WHEN MANUALLY TRYING TO DISENGAGE. DRIVER HAS TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES. CONSUMER SAYS THIS IS UNSAFE. IF SOMEONE WOULD PULL OUT IN FRONT OF CONSUMER, IT COULD RESULT IN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. *AK
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
What owners actually said
189 reportsBACK OF SEATS DO NOT LATCH AND UNLATCH PROPERLY THIS IS CREATING A DANGER IF THERE WAS A CRASH OR SUDDEN STOP. *AK
PARKING BRAKE FELL APART. MJS
LOWER BOLT THAT HOLD SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING SEAT TO TIP BACKWARDSWHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK
A TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE INOPERATIVE; BELIEVED THIS CONDITION WAS DUE TO MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 69,000 MILES OF WEAR AND SHOULD BE FIXED AT MANUFACTURER'S EXPENSE, NOT CONSUMER'S. ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER . *AK
DRIVER'S SEAT BRACKET BROKE, CAUSING SEAT TO MOVE BACKWARDS WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR . DEALER REPLACED COMPLETE BRACKET. *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
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY PULSATE, CAUSING EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR. THE DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
TRANSMISSION - EXCESSIVE RUMBLE NOISE FROM PURCHASE (5/8/1999). DEALER SAID NO PROBLEM FOUND SEVERAL TIMES, LATER AFTER SEVERAL REQUESTS, CONFIRMED PROBLEM, REPLACED (THEY SAID) THE TRANSMISSION. WITHIN A YEAR, TRUCK BEGAN TO HAVE SHIFTING TROUBLE @ 28,000 MILES, TRANSMISSION HAD LOST IT'S FLUID. DEALER GAVE US A GALLON OF FLU…
Read full complaint
TRANSMISSION - EXCESSIVE RUMBLE NOISE FROM PURCHASE (5/8/1999). DEALER SAID NO PROBLEM FOUND SEVERAL TIMES, LATER AFTER SEVERAL REQUESTS, CONFIRMED PROBLEM, REPLACED (THEY SAID) THE TRANSMISSION. WITHIN A YEAR, TRUCK BEGAN TO HAVE SHIFTING TROUBLE @ 28,000 MILES, TRANSMISSION HAD LOST IT'S FLUID. DEALER GAVE US A GALLON OF FLUID TO KEEP IT "TOPPED OFF" - LATER REPLACED A TRANSMISSION SEAL. TRUCK HAS CONSISTENTLY SHIFTED FROM OVERDRIVE TO 2ND GEAR ON HILLS OR MODERATE INCLINES, INSTEAD OF 3RD GEAR, CAUSING ENGINE TO RACE (RED LINE) AND CRUISE CONTROL TO DISENGAGE. SIMILAR PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING, TRUCK WILL DOWNSHIFT FROM O.D. -OR- 3RD GEAR, ENGINE RACES, MAKING SIMPLE PASSING ON HIGHWAY VIRUTALLY IMPOSSIBLE. PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED FROM ORIGINAL PURCHASE (BY US) AND RECENTLY GOTTEN WORSE.
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.