Research · complaint index
Dodge Dakota years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 16 model years of the Dodge Dakota by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2000, 2002 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 44 | 3 | 0.2 | 6 | 8 | Fewest complaints |
| 2010 | 35 | 2 | 0.2 | 7 | 3 | Fewest complaints |
| 2009 | 18 | 1 | 0.1 | 5 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2008 | 91 | 5 | 0.4 | 2 | 5 | Fewest complaints |
| 2007 | 145 | 7 | 0.5 | 4 | 11 | Typical |
| 2006 | 285 | 14 | 1.0 | 6 | 23 | Typical |
| 2005 | 470 | 21 | 1.6 | 7 | 30 | Typical |
| 2004 | 206 | 9 | 0.7 | 5 | 11 | Typical |
| 2003 | 296 | 12 | 0.9 | 11 | 16 | Typical |
| 2002 | 689 | 28 | 2.0 | 12 | 58 | Most complaints |
| 2001 | 678 | 26 | 1.9 | 14 | 44 | Typical |
| 2000 | 830 | 31 | 2.3 | 12 | 60 | Most complaints |
| 1999 | 688 | 25 | 1.8 | 10 | 51 | Typical |
| 1998 | 557 | 19 | 1.4 | 12 | 44 | Typical |
| 1997 | 452 | 15 | 1.1 | 12 | 43 | Typical |
| 1996 | 199 | 6 | 0.5 | 2 | 21 | Fewest complaints |
- 201144 complaints · 6 recallsFewest complaints
- 201035 complaints · 7 recallsFewest complaints
- 200918 complaints · 5 recallsFewest complaints
- 200891 complaints · 2 recallsFewest complaints
- 2007145 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 2006285 complaints · 6 recallsTypical
- 2005470 complaints · 7 recallsTypical
- 2004206 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 2003296 complaints · 11 recallsTypical
- 2002689 complaints · 12 recallsMost complaints
- 2001678 complaints · 14 recallsTypical
- 2000830 complaints · 12 recallsMost complaints
- 1999688 complaints · 10 recallsTypical
- 1998557 complaints · 12 recallsTypical
- 1997452 complaints · 12 recallsTypical
- 1996199 complaints · 2 recallsFewest complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Oct 31, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2008, 1996.
About this comparison
What Dodge Dakota years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2000, 2002 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 16 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.