2004 Dodge Dakota problems
The 2004 Dodge Dakota has 287 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (27%) concerns steering. After that come suspension (18%) and brakes (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 287 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Steering 27% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 12 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 8 and 2
- Typical mileage
- 46,000 miles 227 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 87 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 21 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 38 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 30 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 12 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 11 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 12 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 7 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 2 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 2 |
| 200k+ miles | 5 |
What the data shows
Among the 227 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 46,000 miles. For steering specifically, the median reported mileage is about 58,000 miles (71 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 12 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 8 injuries reported; 2 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2004 ranks 9th most-complained-about out of 21 model years of the Dodge Dakota with enough data (220 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Consumer went off the road. The facts were unknown. Consumer hit an embankment and vehicle rolled over. Consumer was wearing a seat belt, and the air bags failed deployed. Insurance company stated that cause of consumer's death was suffocation by either the seat belt or the air bag.
Was involved in a car accident on 4/22/06. I was driving 55 MPH and a delivery truck pulled out in front of me. I hit the truck on his driver side and smashed my hole front end in. Truck was almost totaled. My air bags never deployed. If it wasn't for the seat belt my injuries could have been worse then whip lash. My truck is in the process now of being fixed. No one is giving me answers to why the bags didn't deploy. I called the dodge manufacturer and filed a complaint. Never heard a thing.
From day 1 when I pulled off of the dealers lot, the truck will stall after coming to a complete stop or right after engine has been cranked up. Will not shut completely off but when pulling off from a stopped position if would act as only one piston is firing. Have carried the vehicle into the dealership approximately 8 times the first three months. Only after diamler chrysler sent a representative down they did a temporary fix by replacing the o2 sensors. That worked for about 8 months.
Dt: 2004 dodge, dakota. The consumer stated steering has been replaced three times and it was still defective. The idler arms were replaced once. The consumer stated that a month after purchase the vehicle made a clicking noise on the front passenger side. She repeatedly took the vehicle to dealer, and had the idler arms replaced. The vehicle would click when the steering wheel was turned, it was replaced three times and problem recurred. The consumer filed a complaint with the manufacturer.