Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. Highlighted: 1999. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
New York safety inspections
Share of first inspections failed on safety, by model year. Older cars fail more as miles build up, so compare each year with the average car of the same year. Best against its own year: 1989.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections, initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Dakota | 44 | 6 |
| 2010 Dakota | 35 | 7 |
| 2009 Dakota | 18 | 5 |
| 2008 Dakota | 91 | 2 |
| 2007 Dakota | 145 | 4 |
| 2006 Dakota | 285 | 5 |
| 2005 Dakota | 470 | 6 |
| 2004 Dakota | 206 | 1 |
| 2003 Dakota | 296 | 4 |
| 2002 DakotaMost complaints | 678 | 5 |
| 2001 DakotaMost complaints | 678 | 7 |
| 2000 DakotaMost complaints | 806 | 5 |
| 1999 DakotaMost complaints | 641 | 4 |
| 1998 Dakota | 545 | 5 |
| 1997 Dakota | 446 | 5 |
| 1996 Dakota | 189 | 1 |
| 1995 Dakota | 208 | 0 |
| 1994 Dakota | 166 | 3 |
| 1993 Dakota | 134 | 1 |
| 1992 Dakota | 216 | 1 |
| 1991 Dakota | 128 | 4 |
| 1990 Dakota | 63 | 3 |
| 1989 Dakota | 63 | 3 |
| 1988 | 55 | 3 |
| 1987 | 20 | 2 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 2 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Suspension1,745
- Service brakes, hydraulic1,084
- Power train968
- Steering687
- Air bags686
- Engine and engine cooling502
- Electrical system445
- Structure213
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 660 Dakota vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 419 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 12 | 7 |
| 2010 | 5 | 3 |
| 2009 | 5 | 3 |
| 2008 | 28 | 16 |
| 2007 | 27 | 14 |
| 2006 | 48 | 29 |
| 2005 | 49 | 28 |
| 2004 | 36 | 20 |
| 2003 | 63 | 41 |
| 2002 | 67 | 45 |
| 2001 | 56 | 37 |
| 2000 | 76 | 47 |
| 1999 | 38 | 27 |
| 1998 | 35 | 21 |
| 1997 | 22 | 11 |
| 1996 | 18 | 13 |
| 1995 | 13 | 11 |
| 1994 | 10 | 4 |
| 1993 | 19 | 13 |
| 1992 | 11 | 9 |
| 1991 | 9 | 9 |
| 1990 | 5 | 4 |
| 1989 | 2 | 1 |
| 1988 | 4 | 4 |
| 1987 | 2 | 2 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
Crash-test ratings by year
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 model-year variants; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Year | Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2011 Dodge Dakota Crew PU/CC 4WD | — | 17.9 % |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption by year
Official Canadian test results for 17 model years, best variant per year. Combined consumption ranges from 10.7–14.9 L/100 km.
| Year | Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 16.1 | 11.5 | 14.0 |
| 2010 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 16.1 | 11.5 | 14.0 |
| 2009 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 15.0 | 11.5 | 13.4 |
| 2008 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 15.0 | 11.5 | 13.4 |
| 2007 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 15.3 | 11.7 | 13.7 |
| 2006 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 15.3 | 11.7 | 13.7 |
| 2005 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 15.3 | 11.7 | 13.7 |
| 2004 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 15.7 | 11.2 | 13.7 |
| 2003 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 14.8 | 13.5 | 14.2 |
| 2002 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 14.7 | 13.4 | 14.1 |
| 2001 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 16.8 | 12.6 | 14.9 |
| 2000 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 16.8 | 11.3 | 14.3 |
| 1999 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 13.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 |
| 1998 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 10.2 | 12.2 |
| 1997 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 13.2 | 10.4 | 11.9 |
| 1996 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 12.6 | 10.1 | 11.4 |
| 1995 | Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 11.7 | 9.4 | 10.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
In New Zealand
1 Dakota cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the Dakota in 1 alert. European versions can differ from the North American car.
The airbag could rupture when activated, leading to fragmentation of the airbag parts. These small parts could be projected towards the driver/occupants, potentially causing serious or even fatal injuries. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the…
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0
Recalls
49 campaigns cover the Dakota; the latest 12 are below.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2010 Dodge Ram 3500, Ram 4500/5500, 2010-2011 Dodge Dakota, 2010-2014 Dodge Challenger, 2010-2015 Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 300, and 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Chrysler is recalling certain 2009-2010 RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Chrysler is also recalling certain 2009 RAM 3500, RAM 2500, RAM 4500 Cab Chassis, RAM 5500 Cab Chassis, Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen, RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Challenger, and Dodge Charger vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain 2005 Dodge Dakota pickup trucks equipped with heated seats. These driver and passenger seats may develop hot spots that can result in the seat cushion or seat back having burn holes.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2012 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2012 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2012 Chrysler 300, 2006-2012 Dodge Charger, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Chrysler is also recalling 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2009 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2009 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2009 Dodge Durango, 2007-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2009 Jeep Wrangler, 2008-2009 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2009 Chrysler 300, 2006-2009 Dodge Charger, 2005-2009 Dodge Dakota and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in AZ, AR, DE, Washington D.C., IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Chrysler is recalling certain 2005-2008 RAM 2500, 2006-2008 RAM 3500, 2007-2008 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis, 2004-2008 Dodge Durango, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2007-2008 Jeep Wrangler, 2008 Dodge Challenger, 2005-2008 Dodge Magnum, 2005-2008 Chrysler 300, 2006-2008 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2008 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles originally sold, or registered, in AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
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.
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Dodge Dakota, 2005 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C and 300 SRT8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured from February 27, 2008, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through October 20, 2011; model year 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota trucks manufactured from February 27, 2007, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through September 30, 2011; model year 2009 Chrysler Aspen trucks manufactured from January 3, 2008, through December 18, 2008; and model year 2009 Dodge Durango trucks manufactured from January 3, 2008, through December 18, 2008. The rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to an undersized pinion spline that can allow relative motion between the nut and companion flange.
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2010, Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota trucks, manufactured from July 1, 2009, through November 30, 2009, because the rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to a lack of adhesive.
NBC Truck Equipment, Inc. (NBC) is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 and model year 2010-2011 trucks equipped with Sure Power battery separator devices, due to overheating.
ON CERTAIN VAN AND PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE IGNITION/PARK SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE. THIS CAN ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED (OR IN THE "LOCK" POSITION). THIS CAN ALSO ALLOW THE IGNITION KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFTER HAS NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE "PARK" POSITION.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE SOFTWARE PROGRAMMED INTO THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE CAN CAUSE A MOMENTARY LOCK UP OF THE DRIVE WHEELS IF THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING OVER 40 MPH AND THE OPERATOR SHIFTS FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO DRIVE.
NHTSA recalls