10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
17,143 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.

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problem #7

Jul 082016

Dakota

  • 120,000 miles
Headlights keep failing. Have changed headlight switch several times, but fails again. Transmission won't shift into overdrive. Cruise control is difficult to activate. Sometimes transmission won't shift from 2nd to 3rd gear

- Garberville, CA, USA

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problem #6

May 032002

Dakota 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Speedometor and cruise control quit working replaced speed sensor per dealer and still not working. Also seat doesn't lock in upright position on drivers side. Transfer case seal went out and had to replace transfer case. I hate this truck and I couldn't give it away.

- Idaho City, ID, USA

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problem #5

Apr 102000

Dakota

  • miles
Sometimes the cruise control system will not engage at any speed. Then if does engage sometimes it cannot be manually turned off. When bobby gale Dodge hooked the scanner up to it they had no reading and my cruise control would'nt turn on. So they replaced it with a new switch. The cruise control worked for about a week. Then it started acting up again. And everytime I get ready to take the truck in it works. The five times that I have taking it up to the dealer ship they have been unable to solve the problem with my truck.

- Conway, SC, USA

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problem #4

Aug 051997

Dakota 4WD

  • miles
On 2/27/2000 I filed a complaint with NHTSA. My problem being my transmissiom will not engage properly. When it is shifted from park to drive the vechicle may hesitate and not move then violently slam into gear. On one occasion my neice setting in the back seat head was slammed into the rear window glass as the vechicle lurched forward. I have a video tape of the transmission failing to properly engauge. I was able to reach in the back seat take the camera out of the case insert the battery film and shoot a video of the truck setting in gear then violently lurching forward. The dealer service manager said on the service order "cannot duplicate sitition. I showed him the video and he admitted I have a problem but he couldnt help me because Chrysler would not reimburse him.

- Osceola In, IN, USA

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problem #3

Jan 072000

(reported on)

Dakota

  • miles
The cruise control (97 Dakota) has proven intermittent on every long trip. Four attempts by the dealer to locate and correct the problem have been unsuccessful. The cruise control quits after 1 - 3 hours. Shutting the vehicle down and restarting restores normal operation for a while. The oem tires (Goodyear Wrangler) have poor dry and very poor wet traction and are dangerous. Replaced with Michelin tires, excellent now.

- Germantown, TN, USA

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problem #2

Mar 171997

(reported on)

Dakota

  • miles
When car is on the engine revs up and if it is in drive it accelerates. Dealer is still waiting for parts.

- Hillsboro, OR, USA

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problem #1

Nov 181996

Dakota

  • miles
Sudden acceleration when foot is removed from the brake.

- Birmingham, AL, USA

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