2001 Dodge Dakota: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 945 complaints
945
Total Complaints
50,000mi
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.

30,000 25th Percentile
50,000 Median Mileage
75,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
162
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
77
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
54
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
36
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
33
AIR BAGS
25
SUSPENSION
22
TIRES
21
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
20
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
19

Severity Assessment

58
Crashes
12
Fires
37
Injuries
2
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"VEHICLE HANDLES POORLY,WANDERS,NO FEEL TO STEERING.HAS BEEN BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER HAS STATED THAT MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT HASEN'T COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.VEHICLE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE,VERY HARD TO KEEP GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE,AND TO STAY IN THE RIGHT LANE. I DON'T F..."
"SERVICE 4WD LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED, HOWEVER VEHICLE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH 4WD, AFTER THE LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL AT IDLE, CHRYSLER IS SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASING A FLASH FOR THE PROBLEM, VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE 1-5-01 TO TRY AND REPAIR PROBLEM, POSSIBLE ENGINE..."
"SERVICE 4WD LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED, HOWEVER VEHICLE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH 4WD, AFTER THE LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL AT IDLE, CHRYSLER IS SUPPOSED TO BE RELEASING A FLASH FOR THE PROBLEM, VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE 1-5-01 TO TRY AND REPAIR PROBLEM, POSSIBLE ENGINE..."

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