Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1990 Dodge Dakota, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Steering27
- Power train14
- Service brakes, hydraulic11
- Structure4
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Suspension2
- Equipment2
- Electrical system2
- Tires2
- Unknown or other2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 5 1990 Dakota vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1990 Dodge Dakota failed the safety check 1.16% of the time — 0% less often than the average 1990 passenger car (1.16%). Median odometer at inspection: 133,834 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 1990 Dodge Dakota.
| 2001200 26 Jul 2001 | Steering Certain 4x2 pickup truck convertibles equipped with V6 engines (built from November 1988 - June 1990) and 4x2 pickup trucks equipped with the Shelby package (bu… |
| 1996097 27 Jun 1996 | Steering FRAME CRACKING IN THE AREA WHERE THE STEERING GEAR IS MOUNTED COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING GEAR SEPARATING FROM THE FRAME. THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONT… |
| 1991023 13 Feb 1991 | Emissions Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 1105 - evaporative emissions. Defective evaporative canister. |
| 1989178 20 Dec 1989 | Engine ON VEHICLES WITH 2.2 LITRE OR 2.5 LITRE EFI(NON-TURBO) ENGINE, THE VALVE COVER GASKET MAY LEAK OIL CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. CORR… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4X2 PICKUP TRUCK CONVERTIBLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES (BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 1988 - JUNE 1990) AND 4X2 PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH THE SHELBY PACKAGE (BUILT OCTOBER 1988 - JUNE 1989). THE FRAME CAN CRACK AT THE STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT AND/OR THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLTS CAN FRACTURE.
THE FRAME CAN CRACK AT THE STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT AND/OR THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLTS CAN FRACTURE.
THE ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET MAY DISLOCATE AND ALLOW AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AT THE GASKET.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Dodge told its dealers about the 1990 Dodge Dakota: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 621898 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ |
| 618049 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB |
| 612160 | SUBJECT ON THE CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *MJS |
| 610635 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 609995 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A REVISED WIRE SPLICE PROCEDURE AND RELATED PARTS. *TT |
| 6089000 | INFORMATION ON TRANSMISSION COOLER REVERSE FLUSHING WITH COOLER BYPASS KIT INSTALLED. *NLM |
| 6088786 | CONCERNS WITH ENGINE COOLANT USAGE. *NLM |
| 607963 | INFORMATION ON CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 604710 | INFORMATION REGARDING FRONT BRAKE CALIPER MOUNTING TO STEERING KNUCKLE THREAD REPAIR. *TT |
| 600862 | INFORMATION ON INSTALLATION OF RADIO TRANSMITTING EQUIPMENT. *AK |
| 52963 | VARIOUS CAR OWNER'S HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN USING ENGINE COOLANTS MADE WITH PROPYLENE GLYCOL INSTEAD OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL. *YC |
| 52529 | TIMING CHAIN NOISE. *TW |
| 51942 | DIFFICULT TO CLEAN LIGHT COLORED "CHALKY" RESIDUE FROM PLASTIC BODY COMPONENTS THAT ARE MOLDED IN BLACK. *TW |
| 46371 | BULLETIN SUPERSEDES TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 08-16-95, DATED APR. 14, 1995. IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR **REPEATEDLY** PRESSES AND RELEASES THE SET BUTTON WITH THEIR FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR (A 'LIFT FOOT SET' TO BEGIN SPEED CONTROL OPERATION), THE VEHICLE MAY ACCELERATE AND EXCEED THE DESIRED SET SPEED BY UP TO 5 MPH (8 KM/H) AND THEN DECELERATE TO LESS THAN THE DESIRED SET SPEED BEFORE FINALLY ACHIEVING THE DESIRED SET SPEED. |
| 39531 | IMPROVED FUEL PUMP. *TW |
| 37863 | OIL LEAK DIAGNOSIS OF THE REAR MAIN BEARING AREA. *TW |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
STEER RCK +PINION MNT FAIL
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation