1997 Dodge DAKOTA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
309 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
72,417 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 140 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint is the most frequently named component, appearing in 82 of 309 complaints (26.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 40 | 12.9% |
| Steering behavior | 26 | 8.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 25 | 8.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 2.6% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 1.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint | 82 |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | 73 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 14 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 13 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 13 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 11 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 11 |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | 10 |
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint: 82; Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint: 73; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 14; Air Bags:Frontal: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 13; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 11; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 11; Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner: 10
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 28 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 39 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 33 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 30 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 28; 50,000 to 74,999: 39; 75,000 to 99,999: 33; 100,000 to 149,999: 30; 150,000 and above: 6
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (39). 169 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 64 |
| 2001 | 36 |
| 2002 | 23 |
| 2003 | 38 |
| 2004 | 77 |
| 2005 | 31 |
| 2006 | 12 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2000: 64; 2001: 36; 2002: 23; 2003: 38; 2004: 77; 2005: 31; 2006: 12; 2007: 5; 2008: 5; 2009: 2; 2010: 1; 2011: 1; 2012: 5; 2013: 1; 2014: 3; 2015: 2; 2016: 2; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 40 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 25 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001129 · 2002-12-18 (December 18, 2002)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. CONSUMER STATES' WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IT FILL LIKE THE BRAKE PEDAL IS KICKING BACK. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001129 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030881 · 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)
I HAVE A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA EXTRA CAB. IT CONSTANLY LEAKS WATER ONTO THE FLOORBOARDS, SOAKING THE CARPET.MANY OTHER OWNERS REPORT THIS PROBLEM TOO. ALSO THE DRIVERS SEATBACK WILL NOT LOCK. WHEN I PUT ON THE BRAKE,THE BACK OF THE SEAT RECLINES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10030881 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016438 · 2003-04-24 (April 24, 2003)
WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP BOTH FRONT SEATS RANDOMLY FALL ALMOST FLAT, CAUSING SEVERAL NEAR REAR END COLLISIONS FROM LOSING CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL. ON OCCASIONS THE DRIVER SEAT HAS FALLEN AND STRIKING OUR 2 YEAR OLD IN THE FACE. NOT ONLY DOES IT COLLAPSE FROM STOPS, AS DOES IT HAPPEN WHEN HITTING A SMALL BUMP, SPEED BUMPS, OR OTHER SMALL ROUGH PATCHES IN THE ROAD. I HAVE FOUND NO WAY TO KEEP THEM UPRIGHT AND I FULLY BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FOOT THE $700+ BILL TO REPLACE/REPAIR THESE SEATS. *NLM…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016438 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039770 · 2003-09-11 (September 11, 2003)
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING TRANSMISSION FLUID PROBLEM. SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER HAD TO CHANGE TRANSMISSION FLUID EVERY YEAR. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED TO WORK AND VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039770 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045583 · 2003-11-06 (November 6, 2003)
I HAVE A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT WITH FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, A V8 ENGINE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I NOTICED MY FRONT TIRES WEARING ON THE INSIDE. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER ON 12-20-01. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED LOWER BALL JOINT AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS. ON 1-31-03 I RETURNED TO THE DEALER COMPLAINING OF A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END, AGAIN I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED LOWER BALL JOINTS AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS. NOW I AM NOTICING THE TIRES WEARING ON THE INSIDE AGAIN AND THE DEALER TELLS ME IT AGAIN NEEDS UPPER BALL JOINTS BUT THAT THE NEW REDESIGNED PARTS ARE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10045583 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 718948 · 2000-02-18 (February 18, 2000)
WHEN TURNING ON THE TRUCK OR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOES DEAD. DODGE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE INSTUMENT CLUSTER, DASH WIRING HARNESS AND AN ENGINE CONTROLL MODULE. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE PROBLEM BURNED IT OUT TWICE. $2000.00 AND MOUNTING. ANOTHER PART ON ORDER. 5TH TIME TO DEALER.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 718948 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 720186 · 2000-03-16 (March 16, 2000)
ON 2/27/2000 I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. MY PROBLEM BEING MY TRANSMISSIOM WILL NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. WHEN IT IS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE THE VECHICLE MAY HESITATE AND NOT MOVE THEN VIOLENTLY SLAM INTO GEAR. ON ONE OCCASION MY NEICE SETTING IN THE BACK SEAT HEAD WAS SLAMMED INTO THE REAR WINDOW GLASS AS THE VECHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. I HAVE A VIDEO TAPE OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING TO PROPERLY ENGAUGE. I WAS ABLE TO REACH IN THE BACK SEAT TAKE THE CAMERA OUT OF THE CASE INSERT THE BATTERY FILM AND SHOOT A VIDEO OF THE TRUCK SETTING IN GEAR T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 720186 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10171759 · 2006-10-24 (October 24, 2006)
I OWN A 1997 DODGE DAKOTA SLT. THE ENGINE IS A 5.2 V8 WITH ONLY 45,000 MILES MY COMPLAINT STARTED AROUND 40,000 MILES. I AM GETTING A SEVERE SPARK KNOCK AND A TREMENDOUS OIL CONSUMPTION 2.5 QUARTS EVERY TWO HUNDRED MILES. THEY INSTALLED FAULTY ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENUM PAN GASKETS. THROUGH MY EXTENSIVE RESEARCH THERE HAVE BEEN COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS ON THIS. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CHECKED MY GAUGES I HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME BECAUSE MY ENGINE STALLED!!! TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10171759 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10706503 · 2015-04-19 (April 19, 2015)
3 DAYS AFTER WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE THE FUEL SYSTEM WENT DOWN. REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND STILL WANTS TO STALL AND ACT LIKE ITS CLOGGED IN THE FUEL LINES. ITS BEEN FLUSHED. WHEN DRIVING IT BOGS DOWN AND CHUGS. IT WANTS TO DIE AND SHUT OFF WHILE YOUR DRIVING THE TRUCK. THE BRAKES ONLY WORK HALF THE TIME. MOST OF THE TIME I CAN'T EVEN STOP UNTIL I'M HALFWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. REPLACED ALL THE SENSORS AND STILL DOESN'T WANT TO START AND STAY RUNNING. FUEL PUMP KICKS ON, BUT HAS TO RUN EXTRA HARD TO TRY AND KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 171,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10706503 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10111636 · 2005-02-16 (February 16, 2005)
NHTSA RECALLS CAMPAIGN 00V199000 AND 00V193000; DAIMLER ISSUED TWO RECALLS ON THE FUEL TANK AND THE BRAKE HOSES. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS DUE TO VIN, BUT IT LEAKED FUEL AND HAD TROUBLE BRAKING. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10111636 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10154782 · 2006-04-07 (April 7, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE CONTACT SMELLED GASOLINE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THERE WAS GAS COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK. THERE WAS A CRACK LOCATED AT THE RIGHT REAR TOP CORNER OF THE TANK. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INFORMED.
Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154782 at NHTSA ↗