Your vehicle report
2002 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
- 678
- Received Dec 2001 to Oct 2025
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Ball joints wear out and fail106 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Front brake rotors warp and wear early78 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps36 complaints · 5.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #07V555000On certain van and pickup trucks equipped with automatic transmissions, the ignition/park shift interlock system may become inoperative. This can allow the shifter to be moved out of the "park" position with the ignition key removed (or in the "lock" position). This can also allow the ignition key to be removed when the shifter has not been placed in the "park" position.
- 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.
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: 55 crashes, 18 fires, 32 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
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
1 more problem
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 |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 45 |
| 2003 | 118 |
| 2004 | 202 |
| 2005 | 83 |
| 2006 | 33 |
| 2007 | 28 |
| 2008 | 30 |
| 2009 | 17 |
| 2010 | 22 |
| 2011 | 22 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 21 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 678 |
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 | 106 | 16% | – | NHTSA recall #04V596000 |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 78 | 12% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 36 | 5.3% | – | NHTSA recall #04V596000 |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 32 | 4.7% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 28 | 4.1% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 25 | 3.7% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 21 | 3.1% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 20 | 2.9% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 14 | 2.1% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 14 | 2.1% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 13 | 1.9% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 11 | 1.6% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 10 | 1.5% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 9 | 1.3% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 9 | 1.3% | – | |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 9 | 1.3% | – | NHTSA recall #07V555000 |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 8 | 1.2% | – | NHTSA recall #04V216000 |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 7 | 1.0% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 7 | 1.0% | – | |
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 7 | 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 #07V555000December 4, 2007576,418 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: column shift
On certain van and pickup trucks equipped with automatic transmissions, the ignition/park shift interlock system may become inoperative. This Can allow the shifter to be moved out of the "park" position with the ignition key removed (or in the "lock" position). This Can also allow the ignition key to be removed when the shifter has not been placed in the "park" position.
Either of these conditions could allow the vehicle to roll away causing a crash without warning.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the gearshift blocker and bracket assembly free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during january 2008. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
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 #04V216000May 5, 2004320,188 vehicles affected
visibility: windshield wiper/washer
On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper module motor may be susceptible to water intrusion that could cause internal corrosion and result in partial or complete loss of front windshield wiping capability.
Driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the front windshield wiper module. Owner notification began on july 12, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #03V505000December 10, 200335,692 vehicles affected
equipment: other: labels
On certain minivans and 4X2 pickup trucks, the vehicle certification label may have gross axle weight ratings (gawr) that exceed the maximum tire load capacity as defined in federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."
Improperly loading your vehicle Can cause tire failure and result in a crash.
Remedy
Owners will be provided with vehicle certification label overlays containing corrected information relative to vehicle gawr and tire size. Owner notification began march 1, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-992-1997.
NHTSA recall #03V389000October 10, 200350,082 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring
On certain pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions, the headlamp and dash wiring harness may be chafed by the actuation of the clutch pedal. This could result in abnormal operation of the wipers, turn signals, horn or lighting systems.
This could affect driver visibility, could prevent a driver from sounding a warning by using the horn, and, when the turn signals are inoperative, the driver cannot use them to signal intent to turn, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will reroute the wire harness and repair the harness if necessary. Owner notification began november 3, 2003. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-992-1997.
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 2002 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