Problems · NHTSA complaints
1999 Dodge Dakota problems
Owners filed 688 complaints about the 1999 Dodge Dakota with NHTSA between Sep 1998 and May 2021. The most-cited component is suspension (365).
Complaints
688
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
51
Reported by owners
Fires
8
Reported by owners
Injuries
27
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Suspension365
- Service brakes, hydraulic88
- Engine and engine cooling85
- Steering76
- Power train61
- Air bags33
- Electrical system27
- Equipment26
- Tires25
- Vehicle speed control15
- Structure12
- Fuel system, gasoline11
- Visibility9
- Seat belts7
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
5
61
60
48
29
95
170
115
22
24
12
16
7
4
2
1
6
2
1
4
1
2
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 5 |
| 1999 | 61 |
| 2000 | 60 |
| 2001 | 48 |
| 2002 | 29 |
| 2003 | 95 |
| 2004 | 170 |
| 2005 | 115 |
| 2006 | 22 |
| 2007 | 24 |
| 2008 | 12 |
| 2009 | 16 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Suspension
365 reports3 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“BRAKES CAME APART WHEN APPLIED, NO BRAKE. RATTLE ON ROTORS, PAD DAMAGE. BOLTS THAT GO THROUGH CALIPER STRIPPED THREADS FROM SPINDLE FREEING CALIPER TO BOUNCE ON ROTOR I HAVE REPLACED WITH USED PART ONCE HOPING FOR RECALL, BAD NEWS DUDE!!!”
Service brakes, hydraulic
88 reports12 crashes2 related recalls
“I WAS COMING TO A STOP WHEN SUDDENLY THE BRAKE PEDAL SANK ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. A HOLE WAS LATER NOTICED IN THE HARD BRAKE LINE JUST BELOW THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE ENTIRE LINE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AS ARE THE LINES LEADING TO THE OTHER BRAKES. LUCKILY, NOBODY WAS INJURED. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
85 reports2 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAITED FOR APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE AFTER PERFORMING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE STALLING OF THE VEHICLE OCCURRED AT LEAST SIX TIMES EVEN THOUGH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.”
Steering
76 reports3 crashes
“DRIVING TO THE GROCERY STORE ABOUT 30 MPH NEEDING TO BRAKE AND THE FRONT BRAKES WERE GONE. RIGHT FRONT CALIPER BOLT BROKE THREAD AND THE CALIPER CAME OFF THE SPINDLE, STEERING CAUSED MORE GRINDING AND THEN I THOUGHT OF THE EMERGENCY/PARKING BRAKE. I HAVE REPLACED THE SAME SPINDLE BEFORE, BUT PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE NOW OR BEFORE. I CAN';T FIND A USED/NEW SPINDLE TO REPAIR IT AND IT JUST PASSED INSPECTION.”
Power train
61 reports7 crashes
“VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY IN A UNPREDICTABLE PATTERN. VEHICLE RESTARTS AFTER STALLING 7 OUT OF 10 TIMES. WHEN IT WONT RESTART IMMEDIATELY AFTER STALLING IT WILL TAKE UPWARDS OF 10 MINUTES TO ACHIEVE ENGINE OPERATION. I'VE REPLACED THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR, AS WELL THE CAM POSITION SENSOR. VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY.”
Air bags
33 reports29 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, HE CRASHED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE CONTACT RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE CHEST AND LEFT SIDE OF THE BODY. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 01V153000 (AIR BAGS) FOR THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY, BUT THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 160,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.