1998 Dodge Dakota: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 792 complaints
792
Total Complaints
68,000mi
Median Mileage
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
Top Issue
58
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

49,141 25th Percentile
68,000 Median Mileage
90,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
136
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
105
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
33
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
23
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
23
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
19
SUSPENSION:FRONT
18
TIRES
15
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
13
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
12

Severity Assessment

58
Crashes
1
Fires
32
Injuries
6
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND GAS WAS LEAKING DUE TO DISCONNECTED FUEL LINE QUICK CONNECT FITTING. *AK"
"PULLED VEHICLE FROM GARAGE & LEFT IN PARK. CLOSED GARAGE DOOR. TURNED & VEHICLE HAD JUMPED OUT OF GEAR INTO REVERSE & ROLLED BACKWARDS, HITTING CENTER POST OF GARAGE, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. WAS TO GO TO ARBITRATION BUT WAS CANCELED. *AK."
"WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TO AVOID A VEHICLE COLLISION THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28