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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension365
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic88
  3. Engine and engine cooling85
  4. Steering76
  5. Power train61
  6. Air bags33
  7. Electrical system27
  8. Equipment26
  9. Tires25
  10. Vehicle speed control15
  11. Structure12
  12. Fuel system, gasoline11
  13. Visibility9
  14. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19985
199961
200060
200148
200229
200395
2004170
2005115
200622
200724
200812
200916
20107
20114
20122
20131
20146
20152
20161
20174
20181
20192
20200
20211

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.

03 —Owner reports

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!!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 18, 2017Steering, Suspension, Service brakesODI 11034383

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 19, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10430750

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 1, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10393926

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 16, 2017Steering, Wheels, Service brakesODI 11046501

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2019Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11165446

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 20, 2012Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10489380
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.