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2004 Dodge Dakota

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Dodge Dakota do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 166.

About this comparison →
206Owner complaints

Model-year median: 166

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
678
2001678
2002296
2003206
2004470
2005285
2006144
2007
Compare all Dakota years →

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

What owners reported most

Steering
74Suspension
45Electrical System
21Service Brakes, Hydraulic
21Power Train
19
All reported categories
Air Bags
15Engine And Engine Cooling
12Visibility
12Structure
7Exterior Lighting
6Vehicle Speed Control
6Fuel System, Gasoline
4Seats
4Tires
4Unknown Or Other
4Wheels
3Equipment
2Visibility/wiper
2Fuel/propulsion System
1Parking Brake
1Seat Belts
1Service Brakes
1Service Brakes, Air
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

168 reports with mileage · 38 unknown

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.

  • Steering. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports6 fire reports6 injury reports

Wheels complaints

3 reports
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103,000 miles · Sep 9, 2009
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspensionWheels

WHILE DRIVING, HEARD CLUNKING NOISE THAT SEEMED TO COME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE APPEARED NORMAL, INCLUDING THE WHEELS. I CHECKED UNDER HOOD AND UNDER FRONT END AND FOUND NOTHING BROKEN, MISSING OR LEAKING AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL LATER FELL OFF WITH ALL STUDS SHEARED OFF. ALSO, …

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WHILE DRIVING, HEARD CLUNKING NOISE THAT SEEMED TO COME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE APPEARED NORMAL, INCLUDING THE WHEELS. I CHECKED UNDER HOOD AND UNDER FRONT END AND FOUND NOTHING BROKEN, MISSING OR LEAKING AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL LATER FELL OFF WITH ALL STUDS SHEARED OFF. ALSO, ONE LUG NUT ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS MISSING AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE FOUND TO BE LOOSE, WITH SEVERAL STUDS CRACKED. BOTH WHEELS HAD BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED AND TIGHTEN SOME MONTHS EARLIER. TO CORRECT, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS REPLACED. ALL STUDS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS AND ALL LUG NUTS WERE REPLACED. ALSO, THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE FELL ONTO THE LEFT FRONT ROTOR.*TR

NHTSA ODI #10283378

45,500 miles · Jan 8, 2009
SteeringSuspensionWheels

GROANING OCCURS WHENEVER THE VEHICLE MOVES IN REVERSE AND THE WHEEL IS TURNED ONE ROTATION LEFT. ALSO RECENTLY, A LOUD SQUEAL HAS OCCURRED ON FORWARD VEHICLE MOVEMENT. I AM CONCERNED WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OF BALL JOINT FAILURE AND VEHICLE SAFETY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10254328

125,000 miles · Jan 3, 2009
SteeringWheels

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, STEERING WHEEL FELT A LITTLE LOOSE. LUCKILY ONLY WHILE BACKING INTO A PARKING SPOT - THE STEERING WHEEL FELL OFF INTO LAP. THE METAL BRACKET WAS CRACKED. CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A DEALERSHIP AND A NEW PART WAS ORDERED, CURRENTLY WAITING TO BE FIXED. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT SEEMED CONCERNED, NOR CAN THEY …

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, STEERING WHEEL FELT A LITTLE LOOSE. LUCKILY ONLY WHILE BACKING INTO A PARKING SPOT - THE STEERING WHEEL FELL OFF INTO LAP. THE METAL BRACKET WAS CRACKED. CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A DEALERSHIP AND A NEW PART WAS ORDERED, CURRENTLY WAITING TO BE FIXED. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT SEEMED CONCERNED, NOR CAN THEY DETERMINE IF IT'S A MANUFACTURING DEFAULT. A CLAIM WAS STARTED WITH THE CHRYSLER CORPORATE OFFICE. WILL HAVE TO SEE IF RETRIBUTION WILL BE MADE. TRUCK HAS 125K MILES, HOWEVER REGULAR MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED. NO OTHER ISSUES OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY. A 9-MONTH PREGNANT WIFE AND HUSBAND COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY. DODGE SHOULD INVESTIGATE BEFORE A TRAGIC ACCIDENT OR DEATH OCCURS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10253694

Official recalls

1

04V216000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer

May 5, 2004

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE MOTOR MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER INTRUSION THAT COULD CAUSE INTERNAL CORROSION AND RESULT IN PARTIAL OR COMPLETE LOSS OF FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPING CAPABILITY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.