Problems · by component

1998 Dodge Dakota air bags problems

33 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Dodge Dakota cite air bags, 6% of all 557 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
33
6% of all complaints
Crashes
20
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
18
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT ENGINE STARTUP, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 02/01/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE INTERMITTENT BEHAVIOR WOULD OCCUR AT IDLE, WHEN COLD, HOT, ALL SPEEDS AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST STARTED. THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, CHRYSLER DENIED A RECALL EXISTED. THE CONSUMER PAID $1,243 FOR THE REPAIR, WHICH INCLUDED A DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY AS NOTED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 02/10/12”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2012Air bagsODI 10443326
“ME AND A FRIEND WERE IN A CAR ACCIDENT .WHEN WE LOST CONTROL OF MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA AND HIT THE SIDE OF A BUILDING AT 40-45 MPH WHEN WE HIT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK UP LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO IN RESULT WE BOUNCED OR FACES AND HEADS OFF OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASH BOARD AND NOW HAVING HEAD NECK AND BACK PROBLEMS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2009Air bags, Seat belts, EquipmentCrash reportedODI 10256998
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR ACTIVATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT IN TO BE PLACED ON A DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,069 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,900.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2008Air bagsODI 10222574
“WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD AND STAYED ON. THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM RESURFACED. THE CONSUMER SAW RECALL 01V-153000 WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING DEALER THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN THE RECALL, BUT IT HAS THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR. CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR COST OF REPAIRS. *JB *CB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 1, 2003Air bagsODI 10020260
“A CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AS I DRIVE. A MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS RELATED TO THE AIR BAG. HE SAID IT COULD MALFUNCTION IN AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE YET COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 14, 2003Air bagsODI 10026070
“IN APRIL ON 2002 MY AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON, I BROUGHT IT IN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A CLOCKSPRING FOR IT, I DECLINED TO HAVE IT REPAIR AS IT WAS NOT A COVERED ITEM. IN JUNE 2002 MY CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT, AFTER BRINGING IT IN TO THE DEALER AGAIN I WAS TOLD IN WAS THE CLOCKSPRING, AGAIN I DECLINED REPAIR AS IT WASN'T COVERED. IN SEPT2002 MY HORN WENT AGAIN I WAS TIOLD THAT IT WAS THE CLOCKSPRING. STILL NOT COVERED BUT NOW I HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. THE PART WAS BACK ODERED DURING THIS TIME A SAFTEY RECALL WAS ISSUSED AND CHRYSLER SAID THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR REPAIRS. ON 12-10-2002 I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO THE DEALER TO REPAIR THE CLOCKSPRING WELL NOW MY HORN AND CRUISE WORK BUT THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS STILL ON. NOW I'M TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT I NEED A NEW AIR BAG AGAIN NOT COVERED ITEMED, I DECLINED REPAIR. I WANT TO FIND OUT IF THE AIR BAG AND THE CLOCKSPRING FAILURE ARE CONNECTED IN SOME WAY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 11, 2002Air bagsODI 10000018

Showing 6 of 33 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Air bags

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS. SOUND DEADENER MATERIAL INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL COULD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE COVER AND HOUSING. NOTE: THE RAM PICKUP TRUCKS WERE BUILT AT THE WARREN ASSEMBLY PLANT ("S" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 16, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000; ST. LOUIS NORTH ASSEMBLY PLANT ("J" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 19, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000; LAGO ALBERTO ASSEMBLY PLANT ("M" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 23, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000; AND SALTILLO ASSEMBLY PLANT ("G" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 23, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000. IMPORTANT: VEHICLES THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD THE PROPER CLOCKSPRING INSTALLED, ACCORDING TO WARRANTY RECORDS, HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS RECALL. IN ADDITION, 1997-2000 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD A SUSPECT REPLACEMENT CLOCKSPRING INSTALLED, ACCORDING TO WARRANTY RECORDS, HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THIS RECALL.

Air bagsReported May 8, 2001NHTSA 01V153000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.