Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2000 Dodge Dakota, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Suspension282
- Service brakes, hydraulic248
- Power train74
- Steering68
- Engine and engine cooling50
- Air bags29
- Visibility25
- Tires24
- Electrical system21
- Latches/locks/linkages16
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 44 injuries and 2 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 76 2000 Dakota vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 47 people died inside them, and 11 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 2000 Dodge Dakota failed the safety check 2.30% of the time — 23% more often than the average 2000 passenger car (1.86%). Median odometer at inspection: 148,539 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 14.3–19.3 L/100 km (about 12–16 mpg US), CO₂ 329–444 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 16.8 | 11.3 | 14.3 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 16.3 | 12.0 | 14.4 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 17.6 | 12.9 | 15.5 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.3 | 12.7 | 15.8 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.3 | 13.4 | 16.1 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.1 | 14.2 | 16.3 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.8 | 13.8 | 16.6 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 19.1 | 13.8 | 16.8 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 20.8 | 15.4 | 18.4 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 22.3 | 15.7 | 19.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 2000 Dodge Dakota.
| 2004439 20 Dec 2004 | Suspension On certain four wheel drive vehicles, if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint may c… |
| 2001197 17 Jul 2001 | Seats And Restraints Certain Quad Cab pickup trucks. The front outboard lower seat belt anchor bolts may not be tightened correctly. An improperly tightened seat belt anchor may not… |
| 2001155 20 Jun 2001 | Powertrain Certain pickup trucks equipped with 4.7L engine and automatic transmissions. The automatic transmission may expel fluid from the fill tube during normal tempera… |
| 2001118 10 May 2001 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the sound deadener material internal to the air bag clock spring may detach rendering the air bag inoperative. Correction: Dealers will re… |
| 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… |
| 2000162 15 Aug 2000 | Brakes Certain vehicles may have been built with inadequate clearance between the left front brake tube and the power steering hose. This could result in the power st… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4X4), IF MOISTURE LEAKS INTO THE FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER BALL JOINT, EVACUATION OF THE LUBRICANT AND CORROSION OF THE JOINT MAY CAUSE THE JOINT TO WEAR OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THIS COULD CAUSE A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION, WHICH MAY NOT ALWAYS BE HEARD BY THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.
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 EQUIPPED WITH 4.7L ENGINE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MAY EXPEL FLUID FROM THE FILL TUBE DURING NORMAL TEMPERATURE OPERATION.
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.
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 2000 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 |
| 634123 | SUBJECT REGARDING FLASH: HOT SAG/SPARK KNOCK/TRANSMISSION SHIFT ISSUES. *SLC |
| 634087 | SUBJECT REGARDING REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *SLC |
| 634077 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *SLC |
| 633497 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *SLC |
| 629142 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN THAT ONCE THE ELECTRIC ENGINE COOLING FAN COMES ON, IT RUNS CONTINOUSLY UNTIL THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. *TT |
| 628289 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A HARSH 2-3, 4-5, AND 5-4 UPSHIFTS CAUSING A POWERTRAIN CLUNK OR SHUDDER WHEN ACCELERATING. *TT |
| 628234 | SUBJECT REGARDING ERRATIC OPERATION OF INTERMITTENT WIPER. *TT |
| 625650 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 623172 | INFORMATION ON NEW POWER STEERING FLUID.*SLC |
| 621938 | THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN CONTAINS BOTH UPDATED SELF-ADHESIVE SERVICE AND / OR DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL PAGES AND UPDATE PAGES. *TT |
| 621898 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ |
| 620072 | SUBJECT REGARDING SERVICE / DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL REVISIONS. *TT |
| 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 |
| 618864 | INFORMATION PERTAINING TO TRANSMISSION CROSSMEMBER SERVICE. *TT |
| 618863 | EXPERIENCING A SNAPPING, POPPING OR CLUNKING SOUND WHILE DRIVING AND BRAKING OVER WASHBOARD ROADS, DURING A MODERATELY HARD STOP AT LOW SPEEDS, AND / OR WHILE SLOWLY DRIVING OVER MODERATE BUMPS SUCH AS A DRIVEWAY APPROACH. *TT |
| 618857 | SUBJECT REGARDING UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHING SERVICE. *TT |
| 618410 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF THE AUTOMATIC ONE-TOUCH WINDOW FEATURE. *JB |
| 618403 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO ENGINE PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENTS. *JB |
| 618402 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE ENGNE SPARK NOISE. *JB |
| 618401 | INFORMATION REGARDING ENGINE PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENTS. *JB |
| 618049 | SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION
FRONT SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGE
STOP LAMP SWITCH
FRONT SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGE DISENGAGEMEN
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation