Your vehicle report
2000 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
- 806
- Received Sep 1999 to Mar 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Ball joints wear out and fail151 complaints · 19% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Front brake rotors warp and wear early140 complaints · 17% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps33 complaints · 4.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #04V596000On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel drive (4X4), if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint may cause the joint to wear over an extended period of time. This could cause a clunking noise in the front suspension, which may not always be heard by the vehicle occupants.
- Recall #01V153000Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11TH VIN position) from may 16, 2000 through october 23, 2000; st. Louis north assembly plant ("j" in the 11TH VIN position) from may 19, 2000 through october 23, 2000; lago alberto assembly plant ("m" in the 11TH VIN position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000; and saltillo assembly plant ("g" in the 11TH VIN position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000. Important: vehicles that have already had the proper clockspring installed, according to warranty records, have been excluded from this recall. In addition, 1997-2000 model year vehicles that have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed, according to warranty records, have been added to this recall.
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: 60 crashes, 14 fires, 44 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
- Front brake rotors warp and wear early
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
1 more problem
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 |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 2 |
| 2000 | 64 |
| 2001 | 148 |
| 2002 | 86 |
| 2003 | 147 |
| 2004 | 209 |
| 2005 | 69 |
| 2006 | 16 |
| 2007 | 10 |
| 2008 | 15 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 1 |
| Total | 806 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball joints wear out and fail | 151 | 19% | – | NHTSA recall #04V596000 |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 140 | 17% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 33 | 4.1% | – | NHTSA recall #04V596000 |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 26 | 3.2% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 26 | 3.2% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 21 | 2.6% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 19 | 2.4% | – | |
| Tie rod ends break or come loose | 19 | 2.4% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 15 | 1.9% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 14 | 1.7% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 13 | 1.6% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 13 | 1.6% | – | |
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 13 | 1.6% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 12 | 1.5% | – | NHTSA recall #01V153000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 11 | 1.4% | – | |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 10 | 1.2% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 9 | 1.1% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 9 | 1.1% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 8 | 1.0% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 8 | 1.0% | – |
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 #04V596000December 21, 2004592,707 vehicles affected
suspension: front: control arm: upper ball joint
On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel drive (4X4), if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint may cause the joint to wear over an extended period of time. This could cause a clunking noise in the front suspension, which may not always be heard by the vehicle occupants.
Excessive wear in the upper ball joint may allow it to separate, which could result in loss of control of the vehicle.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the front suspension upper ball joints. This safety improvement campaign began on december 21, 2004. Owners Can contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #01V153000May 8, 2001216,100 vehicles affected
air bags
Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11TH VIN position) from may 16, 2000 through october 23, 2000; st. Louis north assembly plant ("j" in the 11TH VIN position) from may 19, 2000 through october 23, 2000; lago alberto assembly plant ("m" in the 11TH VIN position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000; and saltillo assembly plant ("g" in the 11TH VIN position) from may 23, 2000 through october 23, 2000. Important: vehicles that have already had the proper clockspring installed, according to warranty records, have been excluded from this recall. In addition, 1997-2000 model year vehicles that have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed, according to warranty records, have been added to this recall.
When this occurs, the material could interfere with the clockspring ribbon and cause an open circuit. The driver air bag system will become disabled, and the air bag warning lamp will illuminate on the instrument panel.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly. Owner notification began june 18, 2001. Also some 1997-200 model year vehicles that, according to warranty records, have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed, will also be included in this campaign. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #00V193000July 17, 200040,000 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: pickup trucks built with 2.5L engines. Some vehicles may have been built with inadequate clearance between the left front brake tube and the power steering hose.
A puncture of the left front brake tube Can result in a loss of braking force at the front wheels, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the brake tube and power steering hose for wear. If wear is evident, the brake tube and/or power steering hose will be replaced. A power steering standoff bracket will be installed on all vehicles to ensure that adequate clearance between the brake tube and power steering hose is maintained.
NHTSA recall #00V197000July 17, 200020,000 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
Vehicle description: pickup trucks equipped with 4.7L engine and automatic transmissions. The automatic transmission may expel fluid from the fill tube during normal temperature operation.
The transmission fluid could come into contact with the hot exhaust system and ignition of the transmission fluid could result.
Remedy
Dealers will shorten the vent hose and assure adequate clearance.
NHTSA recall #00V198000July 17, 2000437,000 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Some vehicles may have been built with inadequate clearance between the rear axle vent hose and the brake hose.
A puncture in the rear brake hose will result in a loss of braking force at the rear wheels.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the rear brake hose for evidence of wear. Worn brake hoses will be replaced. The rear vent hose will be shortened by 3 inches and a clip will be installed to assure clearance between the axle vent line and brake hose is maintained.
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 2000 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