"How reliable is the 2004 Dodge Dakota?"

"Based on 287 NHTSA complaints, the 2004 Dodge Dakota has a median complaint mileage of 45500 miles. The most common issue is STEERING."

"What are common problems with the 2004 Dodge Dakota?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2004 Dodge Dakota is STEERING, accounting for a significant portion of the 287 total complaints filed."

2004 Dodge Dakota: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 287 complaints

287

Total Complaints

45,500mi

Median Mileage

STEERING

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

9,000 25th Percentile

45,500 Median Mileage

71,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

STEERING

SUSPENSION:FRONT

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SUSPENSION

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

AIR BAGS

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHEN THE CONSUMER TRIES TO ACCELERATE INTO TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE REVSUP BUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THE CONSUMER WOULD TRY TO PASS A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE, ONLY TO HAVE THE RPM'S TO INCREASE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED THREE..."

"CLICKING OR TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TRUCK RETURNED TO DEALER WITH NO SATISFACTION TO DATE. MECHANICS STATE IT MAY BE THE TIMING CHAIN AND SERVICE ADVISOR STATES THEY HAVE TO WAIT ON A REPRESENTATIVE TO COME CHECK THE VEHICLE BEFORE THEY CAN STATE WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE...."

"STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, HAD VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR *MANUAL TRANSMISSION*, AFTER LIGHT CHANGED, PUT INTO GEAR, TRUCK LURCHED THEN WAS THROWN OUT OF GEAR, MAKING A LOUD GRINDING SOUND. IT HAS HAPPEND 3 TIMES SINCE THEN. DEALER SAYS TRANSMISSION IS JUST NEW BUT IT HAS 1000 MILES ON IT."

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