10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
0 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 1996 Dodge Dakota:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #6

Oct 171997

Dakota

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
5 times within the last 5 year vehicle will sputter and will die, check engine light will also come on at the same time and 4 times vehicle was towed to dealer who keeps telling consumer battery needs to be replaced. The 5th time dealer claims throttle housing needed to be cleaned but 2 months later defect has reoccured. Consumer states tireshave been rebalanced on numerouse occassions, during installation of the last set of tires, mechanic found that all four wheels/rims were bent, consumer was informed by dealership that numerous wheels had been replaced due to a manufacturer's defect, consumer also experienced transmission problems, also the id plate that is suppose to be located on the door jam has been missing since the date of purchase.

- Joplin, MO, USA

problem #5

May 271998

(reported on)

Dakota 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle stalls continuously.

- Burlingame, CA, USA

problem #4

Apr 231998

(reported on)

Dakota

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Engine stalls, exhaust fumes/noise enter vehicle.

- Greenville, SC, USA

problem #3

Mar 171998

(reported on)

Dakota 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Excessive engine vibration.

- Lebanon, NJ, USA

problem #2

Nov 281997

Dakota

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Engine had fire coming from it and spread throughout the rest of car.

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #1

Jul 011997

Dakota

  • miles
Consumer claims that vehicle starts losing power at any time or any speed or eventually stall out completely. Due to this defect, consumer has taken vehicle to dealership about 10-15 times, cannot find problem.

- Minnepolis, MN, USA