Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Dodge Dakota, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Suspension217
- Power train74
- Service brakes, hydraulic68
- Engine and engine cooling60
- Steering47
- Air bags32
- Seat belts20
- Visibility19
- Electrical system19
- Structure19
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 29 injuries and 6 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 35 1998 Dakota vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 21 people died inside them, and 10 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 1998 Dodge Dakota failed the safety check 2.12% of the time — 24% more often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 142,106 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 10 variants: combined 12.2–18.4 L/100 km (about 13–19 mpg US), CO₂ 281–423 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 10.2 | 12.2 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 16.2 | 12.2 | 14.4 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 17.3 | 11.7 | 14.8 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.0 | 13.3 | 15.9 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 17.7 | 13.9 | 16.0 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.7 | 13.7 | 16.5 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 20.2 | 14.1 | 17.4 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 19.6 | 15.0 | 17.5 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 21.4 | 13.6 | 17.9 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 21.5 | 14.6 | 18.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1998 Dodge Dakota.
| 2000170 28 Aug 2000 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the rear axle vent hose could contact the rear brake hose which eventually could wear a hole in the brake hose. Perforation of the rear br… |
| 1998186 21 Sept 1998 | Structure On certain vehicles, the bolts which attach the passenger cab and the heater core support to the frame may not have been properly hardened. Soft fasteners in th… |
| 1997179 16 Oct 1997 | Brakes THE FRONT BRAKE HOSES OR ABS SENSOR WIRES MAY BE ABRADED AT THE FRONT WHEELS BY CONTACT WITH A FRONT WHEELHOUSE SPLASH SHIELD. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF BRAK… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS. SOUND DEADENER MATERIAL INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL COULD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE COVER AND HOUSING. NOTE: THE RAM PICKUP TRUCKS WERE BUILT AT THE WARREN ASSEMBLY PLANT ("S" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 16, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000; ST. LOUIS NORTH ASSEMBLY PLANT ("J" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 19, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000; LAGO ALBERTO ASSEMBLY PLANT ("M" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 23, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000; AND SALTILLO ASSEMBLY PLANT ("G" IN THE 11TH VIN POSITION) FROM MAY 23, 2000 THROUGH OCTOBER 23, 2000. IMPORTANT: VEHICLES THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD THE PROPER CLOCKSPRING INSTALLED, ACCORDING TO WARRANTY RECORDS, HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS RECALL. IN ADDITION, 1997-2000 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD A SUSPECT REPLACEMENT CLOCKSPRING INSTALLED, ACCORDING TO WARRANTY RECORDS, HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THIS RECALL.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS BUILT WITH 2.5L ENGINES. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH INADEQUATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE TUBE AND THE POWER STEERING HOSE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH INADEQUATE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE REAR AXLE VENT HOSE AND THE BRAKE HOSE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH BOLTS THAT WERE NOT PROPERLY HARDENED. THE BOLTS WERE USED TO ATTACH THE CAB AND THE CORE SUPPORT TO THE FRAME.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS (2 WHEEL DRIVE ONLY). THE FRONT BRAKE HOSES OR ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) SENSOR WIRE MAY BE ABRADED AT THE FRONT WHEELS BY CONTACT WITH A FRONT WHEELHOUSE SPLASH SHIELD.
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 1998 Dodge Dakota: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635721 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISION IN DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES AND LABOR OPERATION TIMES FOR RE TRANSMISSIONS. *TT |
| 634272 | FLASH PROGRAMMING FAILURE RECOVERY. *SLC |
| 634117 | SUBJECT REGARDING FLASH: MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATION FOR INJECTOR CIRCUIT FAULT. *SLC |
| 634077 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *SLC |
| 625650 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 621898 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ |
| 620071 | SUBJECT REGARDING ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES CAUSED BY AN EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM LEAK. *TT |
| 620066 | SUBJECT REGARDING GENERIC SCAN TOOL (GST), PUBLICATION NO. 81-170-00008 PROVIDED WITH THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO PROVIDE REFERENCE INFORMATION WHEN USING GENERIC SCAN TOOL ON OBDII VEHICLES. *TT |
| 620059 | SUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL YEAR JEEP LIBERTY. *TT |
| 618857 | SUBJECT REGARDING UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHING SERVICE. *TT |
| 618049 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB |
| 616727 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 616722 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A LIGHT TO MODERATE SPARK KNOCK CONDITION DURING ACCELERATION (UNDER LOAD). *TT |
| 614665 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 614651 | ON SOME VEHICLES THE ENGINE CRANKS BUT DOES NOT START OR STARTS AND STALLS. *TT |
| 614166 | SUBJECT REGARDING 1998 MODEL YEAR ENGINE SPARK KNOCK. *TT |
| 614165 | SOME VEHICLE ENGINES MAY EXHIBIT A LIGHT-TO-MODERATE SPARK KNOCK CONDITION DURING ACCELERATION (UNDER LOAD). *TT |
| 612181 | SUBJECT REGARDING VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE WHILE IN BI-LEVEL MODE, AIR FLOW FROM PANEL VENTS IS LESS THAT THAT OF THE FLOOR VENTS. *MJS |
| 612160 | SUBJECT ON THE CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *MJS |
| 610635 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 610633 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A RED-IN-COLOR OIL SEEPAGE FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE OIL SEEPAGE MAY BE LOCALIZED TO THE SECTOR SHAFT SEAL OF THE TRANSFER CASE. *TT |
| 610617 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ABOUT A SQUEAKING / CLICKING NOISE FROM REAR LEAF SPRINGS. *TT |
| 610005 | EXPERIENCING SPARK KNOCK AND ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD PAN GASKET OIL LEAK. *TT |
| 609995 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A REVISED WIRE SPLICE PROCEDURE AND RELATED PARTS. *TT |
| 609988 | SUBJECT REGARDING MISDIAGNOSED LEAK DETECTION PUMP SYSTEMS WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P1494, P0442 P0455, OR P0456. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation