Your vehicle report
1994 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
- 166
- Received Jan 1995 to May 2013
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes22 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Seat belt fails to latch or retract18 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up11 complaints · 6.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #95V088000While making a turn, the extra keys on a vehicle operator's key ring can become temporarily lodged in the screw access holes in the back cover of the steering wheel.
- Recall #94V043000Some upper control arm attaching bolts can fail due to improper heat treatment. The bolts are too soft to withstand the stresses in the steering system and can break.
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: 33 crashes, 4 fires, 23 people injured, 2 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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
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 | 49 |
| 1996 | 29 |
| 1997 | 17 |
| 1998 | 18 |
| 1999 | 12 |
| 2000 | 10 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 166 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 22 | 13% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 18 | 11% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 11 | 6.6% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 9 | 5.4% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 6 | 3.6% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 6 | 3.6% | – | NHTSA recall #95V088000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 4 | 2.4% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 2.4% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 4 | 2.4% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 3 | 1.8% | – |
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 #95V088000May 12, 1995293,043 vehicles affected
steering: steering wheel/handle bar
While making a turn, the extra keys on a vehicle operator's key ring Can become temporarily lodged in the screw access holes in the back cover of the steering wheel.
This condition Can hamper the steering wheel return orcause the ignition to be turned off, resulting in loss of vehicle control and an accident.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the steering wheel back cover with a redesigned cover.
NHTSA recall #94V043000March 9, 19941,500 vehicles affected
suspension: front: control arm
Some upper control arm attaching bolts Can fail due to improper heat treatment. The bolts are too soft to withstand the stresses in the steering system and Can break.
If the attaching bolts of the upper control arm break, the vehicle Can experience loss of steering control which could result in an accident.
Remedy
Replace the upper control arm attaching bolts.
NHTSA recall #94V005000January 12, 19949,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting
Two fuel tank support strap attaching studs were not adequately tightened, which could cause one or both of the strap(s) to separate, mislocating the fuel tanks or allow complete separation of the fuel tank from the vehicle.
In either case fuel tank support strap(s) failure results in fuel leakage which could result in a fire.
Remedy
The fuel tank support strap attaching studs will be properly tightened.
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 1994 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