Problems · NHTSA complaints

2006 Dodge Dakota problems

Owners filed 285 complaints about the 2006 Dodge Dakota with NHTSA between Apr 2006 and Aug 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (126).

Complaints
285
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
23
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags126
  2. Steering47
  3. Power train36
  4. Electrical system30
  5. Suspension25
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic15
  7. Structure12
  8. Service brakes9
  9. Engine and engine cooling9
  10. Visibility/wiper8
  11. Exterior lighting8
  12. Visibility7
  13. Engine6
  14. Seat belts5

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 Nov 11, 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
200612
200710
200812
200910
201021
201110
201214
201310
201419
201554
201650
201733
20185
201912
20201
20213
20220
20232
20242
20252
20263

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

Air bags

126 reports18 crashes3 fires2 related recalls
“Had front collision and airbag didnt deploy,dont know speed,but fast enough to collapse whole front to shift and tear the frame... airbag recall replacement done in February”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2026Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11760991

Steering

47 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE DAKOTA. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND STARTED THE ENGINE, THE KEY WOULD COME OUT AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE EXCESSIVE STRENGTH TO TURN THE VEHICLE AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RICK HENDRICKS DODGE (1468 SAVANNAH HWY, CHARLESTON, SC 29407, (843) 352-6931) AND THE MECHANICS WERE UNSURE IF A NEW STEERING COLUMN AND/OR NEW IGNITION SWITCH WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 29, 2019Steering, Electrical systemODI 11204488

Power train

36 reports2 crashes1 fire
“THE TRUCK HAS VERY LITTLE POWER PROVIDED DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION AFTER COMING TO A STOP. THIS ONLY HAPPENS DURING WARM WEATHER. DURING THE COLDER MONTHS OF WINTER THE TRANSMISSION OPERATES NORMALLY. WITHOUT PROPER ACCELERATION IT POSES A SAFETY PROBLEM GETTING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE PAST YEAR DURING THE LATE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL MONTHS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 22, 2019Power trainODI 11270201

Electrical system

30 reports1 fire1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2006 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that while her son was at a complete stop at the red traffic light, the driver's side air bag deployed unexpectedly, and the driver noticed that there was white smoke and dark smoke coming from the air bag. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the air bag caught on fire. The contact stated that the driver attempted to exit the vehicle, but the doors remained locked and the vehicle failed to shift to park(P) for two minutes. The driver was able to shift to neutral(N). The driver broke the front passenger's side window glass and exited the vehicle. A sheriff deputy parked his vehicle behind the driver's vehicle to prevent the vehicle from moving. The contact stated that the air bag fire burned the entire steering wheel and the steering column, the windshield and the front driver's side seat. The fire was extinguished with four extinguishers and with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. A police report was filed but the contact did not have the police report information available. The contact's son sustained intrusion of metal shards in his…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 30, 2025Electrical system, Air bagsFire reportedODI 11657825

Suspension

25 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 169,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 2, 2021Suspension, EngineODI 11406104

Service brakes, hydraulic

15 reports3 crashes3 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED AND SHIFTING GEARS, THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,998. UPDATED 10/21/13*CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2013Service brakes, hydraulic, Service brakesODI 10543809
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

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