Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2001 Dodge Dakota, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Suspension236
- Service brakes, hydraulic118
- Power train93
- Electrical system58
- Engine and engine cooling53
- Steering48
- Air bags39
- Visibility31
- Tires30
- Exterior lighting20
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 27 injuries and 2 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 56 2001 Dakota vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 37 people died inside them, and 13 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 2001 Dodge Dakota failed the safety check 1.86% of the time — 7% less often than the average 2001 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 142,453 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 12 variants: combined 14.9–18.8 L/100 km (about 13–16 mpg US), CO₂ 343–432 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 16.8 | 12.6 | 14.9 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 17.7 | 11.9 | 15.1 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.0 | 12.0 | 15.3 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 17.9 | 12.5 | 15.4 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.1 | 12.8 | 15.7 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.4 | 13.0 | 16.0 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.1 | 13.9 | 16.2 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.6 | 13.6 | 16.4 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 19.6 | 13.9 | 17.0 |
| Dakota · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 20.7 | 14.7 | 18.0 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 21.6 | 15.0 | 18.6 |
| Dakota 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 21.9 | 15.0 | 18.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
5 Transport Canada recalls for the 2001 Dodge Dakota.
| 2007389 5 Dec 2007 | Other On certain vehicles, the ignition/park shift interlock system may become inoperable. This can allow the shifter to be moved out of the PARK position with the i… |
| 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… |
| 2003245 14 Oct 2003 | Electrical On certain vehicles equipped with a manual transmission, the headlamp and dash wiring harness may be chafed by the actuation of the clutch pedal. This could re… |
| 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… |
| 2001065 14 Mar 2001 | Powertrain On certain 4WD vehicles, the electric shift transfer case may not fully engage into gear when the operator moves the transfer case selector switch. This could c… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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 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.
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS AND 4X2 PICKUP TRUCKS, THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL MAY HAVE GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATINGS (GAWR) THAT EXCEED THE MAXIMUM TIRE LOAD CAPACITY AS DEFINED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, THE HEADLAMP AND DASH WIRING HARNESS MAY BE CHAFED BY THE ACTUATION OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL. THIS COULD RESULT IN ABNORMAL OPERATION OF THE WIPERS, TURN SIGNALS, HORN OR LIGHTING SYSTEMS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: QUAD CAB PICKUP TRUCKS. THE FRONT OUTBOARD LOWER SEAT BELT ANCHOR BOLTS MAY NOT BE TIGHTENED CORRECTLY.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE. THE ELECTRIC SHIFT TRANSFER CASE MAY NOT FULLY ENGAGE INTO GEAR WHEN THE OPERATOR MOVES THE TRANSFER CASE SELECTOR SWITCH.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." SOME OF THE OWNER'S MANUALS FOR THESE VEHICLES ARE MISSING INSTRUCTIONS THAT PROVIDE A STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE, INCLUDING DIAGRAMS, FOR PROPERLY ATTACHING A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM'S TETHER STRAP TO THE TETHER ANCHORAGE.
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 2001 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 |
| 633966 | SUBJECT REGARDING HEATER AIR CONDITIONER CONTROLLER REPROGRAMMING. *SLC |
| 633497 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *SLC |
| 630969 | SUBJECT REGARDING FLASH: HOT SAG/SPARK KNOCK/TRANSMISSION SHIFT ISSUES. *JG |
| 629146 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT ROUGH IDLE AFTER COLD START UP, SAG OR HESITATION AFTER COLD START, WARM IDLE INSTABILITY, AND SPARK KNOCK. *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 |
| 625650 | SUBJECT REGARDING OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR GLASS REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 625608 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A HISSING SOUND WHEN WATER FROM THE EVAPORATOR DRAIN DRIPS ON THE EXHAUST. *TT |
| 625578 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A WHISTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE DEFROSTER OUTLETS. *TT |
| 625571 | ADVANCE SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING DRBIII UPDATE VERSION 52.3 - SOFTWARE CODE ERROR AFFECTING 2001 DAKOTA / DURANGO RECALL 975 TRANSFER CASE CONTROL MODULE FLASH PROCEDURE. *TT |
| 623255 | INFORMATION REGARDING SERVICE/DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL REVISIONS. *SLC |
| 623172 | INFORMATION ON NEW POWER STEERING FLUID.*SLC |
| 621942 | THIS BULLETIN REINFORCES A REQUIREMENT TO CEASE THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF USING SUPPLEMENTAL OIL ADDITIVE TREATMENTS IN ALL DAIMLERCHRYSLER ENGINES. *TT |
| 621898 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ |
| 620078 | SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH SEALER VOIDS BETWEEN THE REAR WINDOW AND THE BODY FLANGE. THIS COULD LEAD TO WATER LEAKS AROUND THE REAR WINDOW. |
| 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 |
| 620065 | CUSTOMER WILL EXPERIENCE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATION. THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES SELECTIVELY ERASING AND REPROGRAMMING THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) WITH NEW SOFTWARE. *TT |
| 620059 | SUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL YEAR JEEP LIBERTY. *TT |
| 619123 | THIS BULLETIN STATES THAT ALL FACTORY INSTALLED EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS A SUNROOF, MEET THE UPPER INTERIOR HEAD PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 201. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION
FRONT SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation