Problems · by component

2001 Dodge Dakota visibility problems

30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Dodge Dakota cite visibility, 4% of all 678 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
30
4% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the visibility

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WITH THE HEATER IN ACTIVATION AND SUDDENLY THE HEATER FAILED TO OPERATE. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A STRONG BURNING ODOR AND SMOKE EMITTING INTO OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE HEATER BLOWER RELAY WIRES MELTED. THE FAILURE CAUSED PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE HEATER BLOWER RELAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2011VisibilityFire reportedODI 10439797
“AN EXISTING NHTSA RECALL, 06V039000, EXISTS FOR 2006 DODGE DAKOTAS. "STATIC CAN DISABLE HEADLAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, & WINDSHIELD WIPERS". I HAVE A 2001 DAKOTA WITH THE SAME ISSUE. IT HAPPEN 2-5 TIMES PER YEAR. EVERYTHING WORKS AGAIN IF I CYCLE THE IGNITION, BUT THAT 'S SMALL COMFORT IF THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT @ 75 MPH. DODGE HAS REFUSED TO FIX IT FOR FREE, SAYING THAT IT ONLY APPLIES TO 2006. IF IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR A 2006, THEN IT IS A SAFETY RISK FOR 2001 TOO. THE KNOWN FIX IS TO "RE-FLASH" THE DASH, WHICH I ASSUME MEANS TO REPROGRAM THE DASH CONTROL PROCESSOR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 24, 2011Electrical system, VisibilityODI 10393275
“I BOUGHT MY 2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB BRAND NEW AND UNTIL THIS DATE, I HAVE ONLY HAD ONE ISSUE. THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR QUIT AND WAS REPLACED IN 2008. ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2010, MY CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT. THINKING IT WAS WEAR AND TEAR, I WAS NOT IN A RUSH TO FIX IT. THEN THE HORN QUIT WORKING. WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT STARTED FLASHING WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL, I TOOK IT IN TO BE SERVICED. MY CONCERN IS THAT I HAVE THE SAME ISSUES AS A PREVIOUS RECALL, BUT MY VIN # IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT PERIOD. MY MECHANIC SAYS IT IS THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THE PART IS EXPENSIVE. LOOKING ONLINE, IT APPEARS DODGE IS NOT MAKING GOOD. MY VIN # MATCHES THE OTHER COMPLAINTS. AFTER CONTACTING DODGE (11/10/10), I WAS OFFERED A 50% REFUND ON REPAIR WORK. THIS SAYS TO ME THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH OTHER MODELS/YEAR. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE NO MATTER HOW OLD THE VEHICLE IS. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH DODGE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 10, 2010Electrical system, Visibility, Air bags, Vehicle speed controlODI 10365241
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOOR LOCKS,AIR BAG, HEAD LIGHTS, AND WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE CMT MODULE AND THE CLOCK SPRING MODULE.THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,990 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 16, 2010Exterior lighting, Visibility, Air bagsODI 10343618
“THE HEAT QUIT WORKING IN OUR 2001 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. IT WOULD NOT WORK ON ANY OF THE BLOWER SETTINGS. I BEGAN LOOKING UP POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE FUSE, AND IT STILL DIDN'T WORK. I ALSO REPLACED THE RESISTOR. WHILE LOOKING ONLINE FOR OTHER OPTIONS, I REALIZED THAT MANY VEHICLES FROM DODGE FROM THAT YEAR AND SURROUNDING YEARS HAD A COMMON PROBLEM. EVERYONE HAD MENTIONED THE WIRING HARNESS WAS MELTED. SURE ENOUGH, I WENT AND CHECKED AND IT WAS MELTED JUST BEFORE WHERE THE RESISTOR PLUGS IN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 25, 2010Engine and engine cooling, VisibilityODI 10332102
“MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HIS 2001 DODGE DAKOTA HOME AT NIGHT, ON A COUNTRY ROAD, AROUND AUGUST 5, 2008 AND THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF. WHEN HE GOT HOME, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT HAYWIRE, THE HORN CONTINUED TO HONK, THE DOOR LOCKS BEGAN LOCKING AND UNLOCKING, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. WE FOUND OUT THE CENTRAL TIMER MODULE (CMT) AND CLOCK SPRING HAD FAILED AND WAS TOLD THE TRUCK WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WE HAD BOTH REPAIRED FOR $530. I WAS TOLD THAT RECALLS EXISTED ON SEVERAL DODGE VEHICLES BUT NOT ONE OF THEM SPECIFIED OUR TRUCK. I CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY JUST SAID IT WAS NOT MY TRUCK SO I WAS OUT OF LUCK. I THEN DID SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ON-LINE AND FOUND SEVERAL FORUMS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR OF TRUCK, PLUS SEVERAL OTHERS, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY HELP FROM DODGE EITHER. THIS IS A REALLY SERIOUS MALFUNCTION AND COULD OF CAUSE A VERY BAD ACCIDENT. I JUST NEED DODGE TO OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM AND REIMBURSE US FOR THE REPAIRS WE HAD. ALSO ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM ON ALL DODGE VEHICLES, BEFORE SOMEONE GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 24, 2008Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Visibility, Air bags, Latches/locks/linkages, Vehicle speed controlODI 10243372

Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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