Your vehicle report
1991 Dodge Dakota
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 128
- Received Feb 1995 to Dec 2017
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips12 complaints · 9.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Vehicle rolls backward out of park10 complaints · 7.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline7 complaints · 5.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #00V106000Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with A500 automatic transmission. Inadvertent placement of the shift lever in reverse can occur when the driver believes that the transmission has been placed in park.
- Recall #95V089000The steering wheel armature stamping can crack due to fatigue and separate from the center hub attachment to the steering column.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 11 crashes, 5 fires, 8 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 12 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 25 |
| 1996 | 35 |
| 1997 | 7 |
| 1998 | 10 |
| 1999 | 2 |
| 2000 | 23 |
| 2001 | 15 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 128 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 12 | 9.4% | – | |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 10 | 7.8% | – | NHTSA recall #00V106000 |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 7 | 5.5% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 6 | 4.7% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 6 | 4.7% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 6 | 4.7% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 3.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 4 | 3.1% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 3 | 2.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #00V106000April 11, 2000123,000 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with A500 automatic transmission. Inadvertent placement of the shift lever in reverse Can occur when the driver believes that the transmission has been placed in park.
This Can cause the vehicle to roll away with the engine on after the driver has left the vehicle.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the steel manual valve in the transmission with an aluminum version.
NHTSA recall #95V089000May 12, 199578,000 vehicles affected
steering: steering wheel/handle bar
The steering wheel armature stamping Can crack due to fatigue and separate from the center hub attachment to the steering column.
This condition Can cause separation of the center hub attachment to the steering column resulting in a loss of control and an accident.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the steering wheel for armature cracks and replace any wheels exhibiting cracks. All other vehicles will have a reinforcement plate installed to prevent steering wheel separation if cracking occurs.
NHTSA recall #91V200000November 12, 199138,000 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
The right front brake hose may rub against the tire during a full lock left turn, which may eventually cause wear through of the brake hose on the right front side.
Wear through of the right front brake hose would causefluid loss from half of the split brake hydraulic system and increase stoppingdistance which could result in an accident.
Remedy
If clearance between the brake hose and tire on the right front is inadequate, replace brake hose with a modified version to ensure adequate clearance.
NHTSA recall #90V176000October 1, 19903,500 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Steel braided fuel hose routing may allow contact between the hose and transmission wiring harness.
This contact could cause hose damage and fuel leakagethat, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy
Install a tie strap to secure the transmission wiring away from the fuel hose.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1991 Dodge Dakota.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN