Your vehicle report

2002 Dodge Dakota

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
678
Received Dec 2001 to Oct 2025
Official recalls listed
5
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Ball joints wear out and fail106 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Front brake rotors warp and wear early78 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps36 complaints · 5.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

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.
View recall details

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 identified

Complaint 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.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 20 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

1 more problem

Brakes

1 more problem

Electrical & lights

Airbags, belts & seats

Steering, suspension & tires

3 more problems

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.

Complaints received about the 2002 Dodge Dakota
202
Show as a table
YearComplaints
20013
200245
2003118
2004202
200583
200633
200728
200830
200917
201022
201122
20128
20139
201421
201510
20165
20178
20186
20194
20201
20211
20221
20230
20240
20251
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total678

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.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Ball joints wear out and fail10616%–NHTSA recall #04V596000
Front brake rotors warp and wear early7812%–
Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps365.3%–NHTSA recall #04V596000
Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips324.7%–
Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines284.1%–
Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up253.7%–
Airbags fail to deploy in crashes213.1%–
Vehicle catches fire from wiring202.9%–
Headlights dim or fail at night142.1%–
Engine suddenly shuts off while driving142.1%–
Tires blow out or tread separates131.9%–
Unintended acceleration despite braking111.6%–
Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly101.5%–
Water leaks into cabin during rain91.3%–
Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly91.3%–
Gear shifter fails to register Park91.3%–NHTSA recall #07V555000
Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail81.2%–NHTSA recall #04V216000
Frame rusts and corrodes through71.0%–
Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed71.0%–
Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning71.0%–

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