Problems · by component

2006 Dodge Dakota electrical system problems

30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Dodge Dakota cite electrical system, 11% of all 285 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
30
11% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“After driving on the interstate highway for a couple hours from Phoenix, Arizona I noticed that the left turn signal started malfunctioning, and the right signal flashed instead. After several hours of driving, noticed that sometimes the right signal only flashed 3 or 4 times when turning on the right indicator. I also noticed that the emergency flashers would usually blink once or twice left, then switch to right only. While stopped, I verified that the right front and rear turn signals were actually blinking as indicated on the dash. The next day however the problem was gone. I drove the car on the interstate again for several hours, without any issues.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 13, 2024Electrical system, Visibility/wiperODI 11577090
“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
“ABS LIGHT WONT EVEN FLASH OR GIVE WARNING AND TRUCK SLID A BIT. NO ACCIDENTS TO REPORT, YET. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER BRAKING WHEN THE NEEDLE DIPS BELOW 20 MILES PER HOUR. THATS WHY I GIVE PLENTY OF SPACE BETWEEN CARS WHEN APPROACHING A LIGHT JUST IN CASE THE TRUCK SLIDES. I HAVE COMPLAINED BUT DODGE KEEPS TELLING ME MY VIN NUMBER HAS NO RECALL FOR MY ABS ECU. THERE IS A RECALL FOR ABS ECU BUT NOT ON MY VIN NUMBER BUT I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUE FOR THE ABS RECALL. SO THEY WILL NOT REPLACE IT. YOU CAN FEEL THE BRAKES LOCK UP WHEN IT DOES IT. IM ALSO HAVING A PROBEM WITH MY IGNITION SWITH. AT TIMES IT WILL DO A NO START. THAT IS ALSO ON THE RECALL LIST BUT I WAS TOLD AGAIN MY VIN NUMBER WASN'T ON THE LIST BUT I HAVE THESE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE RECALL. NO ONE WILL REPLACE THESE ITEMS IF YOUR VIN NUMBER ISN'T ON THE LIST EVEN IF YOUR VEHICLE IS HAVING THE PROBLEMS REPORTED FOR THE RECALL. WHEN SOMETHING SERIOUS HAPPENS THEN WHO WILL BE TO BLAME. MY VIN NUMBER WAS RECALLED JUST FOR AIRBAGS ONLY. THESE PROBLEMS NEED TO BE FIXED ASAP BEFORE SERIOUS INJURIES MAY RESLT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 15, 2018Electrical system, Service brakesODI 11073033
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A WARNING CHIME WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE SERVICE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AND, WHILE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO FOUR WHEEL LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WANTED THE MANUFACTURER TO AUTHORIZE THE DEALER TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD FORWARD THE REQUEST TO THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,500.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 15, 2017Power train, Electrical systemODI 10995322
“"TAKATA RECALL" THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ACTUATOR TRIES SHIFTING INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE EVEN WHEN I DON'T HAVE THE TRUCK RUNNING. ALSO THE STOCK STEREO SYSTEM WILL ONCE IN AWHILE TURN ON BUT NOW IT WON'T AND THE ACC WILL NOT WORK. MY TRUCK ALSO TRIES TO SHIFT INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE WHILE TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY OR A PARKING SPACE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 8, 2017Power train, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10950393

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Electrical system: switch

Free remedy

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, Dakota, and 2006 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles manufactured July 1, 2005, to July 31, 2006 with manual transmissions. The return springs in the clutch ignition interlock switch may break.

Electrical systemReported Dec 16, 2014NHTSA 14V795000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 11, 2026

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