Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1993 Dodge Dakota, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic21
- Power train20
- Steering12
- Engine and engine cooling12
- Structure11
- Unknown or other9
- Seat belts8
- Suspension8
- Electrical system8
- Seats7
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 16 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 19 1993 Dakota vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 13 people died inside them, and 4 of the vehicles rolled over. 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 1993 Dodge Dakota failed the safety check 1.94% of the time — 62% more often than the average 1993 passenger car (1.20%). Median odometer at inspection: 145,599 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1993 Dodge Dakota.
| 1993077 31 May 1993 | Brakes On certain vehicles equipped with anti-lock brakes, the hydraulic control unit may contain an undersized brake return check valve. This could result in high ped… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
SOME OF THE ABS EQUIPPED VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN UNDERSIZED BRAKE RETURN CHECK VALVE. IN INCIDENTS WHERE HARD BRAKE PEDAL EFFORT IS APPLIED ON LOW FRICTION ROAD SURFACES, LIKE RAIN COVERED STREETS, THE VALVES MAY FAIL, CAUSING THE ABS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. THIS CREATES EXCESS BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL AND MAY CAUSE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON.
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 1993 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 |
| 6089311 | CONCERNS WITH A/C EVAPORATOR ODOR. *NLM |
| 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 |
| 602327 | THE OUTER EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS MAY FATIGUE AND BREAK. *YC |
| 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. |
| 44048 | UNKNOWN |
| 43051 | UNKNOWN |
| 41040 | RWD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COLD TEMPERATURE COOLER BYPASS KIT. *TW |
| 39987 | SLIGHT FRONT BRAKE LEAD/DRIFT. *TW |
| 39734 | PICK UP BOX TAILGATE HARD TO LATCH IN COLD TEMPERATURES. *TW |
| 39531 | IMPROVED FUEL PUMP. *TW |
| 37866 | COOLING FAN NOISE. *TW |
| 37863 | OIL LEAK DIAGNOSIS OF THE REAR MAIN BEARING AREA. *TW |
| 37858 | PCM NOT PROPERLY DISENGAGING A/C CLUTCH VIA THE RELAY ALSO THE PCM MAY NOT ENERGIZE THE A/C CLUTCH RELAY. *TW |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
STEERING COLUMN SEPARATION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation