IllustrationTHE CRUISE CONTROL ON MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB TRUCK ACCELERATES GOING DOWNHILL. I HAVE HAD IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES NOW, THEY CAN'T FIND WHAT IS WRONG, AND THE LAST TIME THEY SAID IT "PERFORMED AS DESIGNED". IT'S SUPPOSED TO ACCELERATE GOING DOWNHILL? NEVER HAVE HAD ONE DO THAT BEFORE.*AK
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 →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
530–25K
2625–50K
4450–75K
1675–100K
20100–150K
9150K+
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
What owners actually said
206 reportsCONSUMER STATES WHEN STOPPING AT A LIGHT THE VEHICLE IDLES LOW , 500 RPMS, AND ATTEMPTS TO STALL. DEALER STATES THAT THERE IS A DEFECT. *AK
I BOUGHT A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB IN JANUARY OF '04 AND IN AUGUST OF THAT YEAR I NOTICED THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT BUCKET SEAT HAD RUST ON THE FRAME. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO HUBLER DODGE OF INDIANAPOLIS AND THE FIRST THING THEY SAID THAT IT IS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM. NOTHING WAS DONE AT THIS TIME, THEN IN AUGUST OF 2004, I NOTICED THE…
Read full complaint
I BOUGHT A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB IN JANUARY OF '04 AND IN AUGUST OF THAT YEAR I NOTICED THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT BUCKET SEAT HAD RUST ON THE FRAME. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO HUBLER DODGE OF INDIANAPOLIS AND THE FIRST THING THEY SAID THAT IT IS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM. NOTHING WAS DONE AT THIS TIME, THEN IN AUGUST OF 2004, I NOTICED THE PASSENGER FRONT BUCKET SEAT HAD SURFACE CORROSION. I TOOK IT BACK TO HUBLER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD REPLACE THE SEATS AFTER JANUARY 7, 2005. THIS WAS SO THEY WOULD NOT NEED APPROVAL FROM THEIR DISTRICT MANAGER TO OK THE WORK. DUE TO MY SCHEDULE I TOOK THE TRUCK INTO THEM IN FEB. '05 AND WAS TOLD ONLY THE FRAMES HAD BEEN REPLACED. I INSPECTED THEM, AND THEY HAD SURFACE RUST ON THEM ALSO. THE SERVICE MANAGER LOOKED AT IT AND SAID WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT IT. I ASKED TO HAVE THE DISTRICT MANAGER CALL, AND I WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD. ABOUT 1 WEEK WENT BY AND NOTHING FROM HUBLER. I WENT IN TO HUBLER, AND WAS TOLD THAT HE JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH THE DM. ATER MUCH DISCUSSION AND MISINFORMATION FROM HUBLER, I WAS TOLD THAT IS HOW THE FRAMES COME FROM THE FACTORY AND THAT SURFACE RUST IS OK AND WILL NOT POSE A PROBLEM. THEY WOULD NOT LET ME SPEAK TO THE STORE MANAGER AND/OR OWNER, NOR WOULD THEY GIVE ME A DIRECT NUMBER TO THE DISTRICT MANAGER. I HAD THIS DOCUMENTED AND LEFT THE ESTABLISHMENT. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE FRAME IF NEEDED. *JB
VEHICLE WAS LEANING TO THE RIGHT, AND WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED IT PULLED TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF ON THEIR OWN. THE DEALER WAS AWARE THIS IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT ON RECALL. *JB *SC
RECALL CAMPAIGN : THE VEHICLE'S BALL JOINTS FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION 04V-596. *NM THE VEHICLE' S BALL JOINTS, RACK AND PINION STEERING AND OUTER TIRE RODS ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. *NM
THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2004 DAKOTA 4X4. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAS THE SAME BALL JOINT PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL FOR THE 2000-2003 MODELS. THE CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW WHY THE MANUFACTURER EXCLUDED 2004 DAKOTA . *BF *NM *SC *TC *JB
CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW WHY ARE THE 2004 MODELS BEING EXCLUDING WHEN THE PROBLEM EXISTED IN THE 2004, DODGE DAKOTA THEY HAVE THE SAME BALL JOINTS PROBLEMS. *BF
NO ACCIDENT. *JB
FRONT END EXPERIENCED SEVERE SHAKING WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE ROTORS WERE MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY. VEHICLE'S WEIGHT WAS MORE THAN WHAT THE FRONT ROTORS COULD SUPPORT.*AK
Official recalls
104V216000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.