2000 Dodge DAKOTA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
804 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
52,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: . 359 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint is the most frequently named component, appearing in 207 of 804 complaints (25.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 246 | 30.6% |
| Steering behavior | 77 | 9.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 36 | 4.5% |
| Engine operation | 16 | 2.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 1.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 0.7% |
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 | 207 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 134 |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | 97 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 46 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 41 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 34 |
| Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly | 28 |
| Suspension | 21 |
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint: 207; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 134; Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint: 97; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 46; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc: 41; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 34; Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly: 28; Suspension: 21
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 52 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 110 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 119 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 44 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 24 |
| 150,000 and above | 10 |
Under 25,000: 52; 25,000 to 49,999: 110; 50,000 to 74,999: 119; 75,000 to 99,999: 44; 100,000 to 149,999: 24; 150,000 and above: 10
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (119). 445 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 | 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 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
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; 2023: 1; 2024: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 246 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 77 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 36 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 10000790 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
2000 DAKOTA CLUB CAB R/T WITH REAR ABS BRAKES ONLY. COMPLAINT: NEVER HAD WORKING REAR BRAKES, COULDN'T BE FIXED BY DEALER, SOLD BACK TO CHRYSLER. NOW I HAVE DISCOVERED SEVERAL MORE R/T'S WITH THE SAME PROBLEM! CHRYSLER/DODGE WON'T OR CAN'T FIX! HOW MANY MORE ARE OUT THERE? REAR WHEELS WILL NOT STOP TURNING UNDER UNDER ANY CONDITION EXCEPT USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. FOUND THIS OUT ON SNOWY STREET WHILE STOPPING. WHEN VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS READING 10 MPH! LOOKED OUT DOOR AT REAR WHEELS AND THEY…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000790 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002627 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)
MY 2000 DAKOTA R/T HAD NO REAR BRAKES, CHRYSLER BOUGHT IT BACK AND FURNISHED A 03 FOR ME. IT HAS A COMPLETE DIFFERENT BRAKE SYSTEM THAN THE 00 DID. CHRYSLER ADMITTED A PROBLEM. NOW I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL OWNERS OF R/T'S 2000 TO 2002 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I KNOW OF AT LEAST 10 R/T'S WITHOUT REAR BRAKES! WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO INVESTIGATE THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED? I'VE COMPLAINED TO DEAF EARS!
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002627 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10011886 · 2003-03-27 (March 27, 2003)
THE VEHICLES FRONT BRAKE ROTORS RUSTED PITTED AND WARPED WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *NLM *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011886 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016348 · 2003-04-22 (April 22, 2003)
POWER STEERING PUMP WENT BAD, CAUSING A MAJOR LEAK OF POWER STEERING FLUID TO BE SPRAYED THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSING BOTH THE POWER STEERING TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSING THE DRIVE TRAIN BELT TO BEGIN SLIPPING. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 41,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016348 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002861 · 2003-01-17 (January 17, 2003)
LATEST PROBLEM IS STALLING AT STOPS. ONE OCCURRED WHILE CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS. THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO THE TRANSMISSION. PH
Owner-reported narrative. 330 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002861 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019835 · 2003-03-10 (March 10, 2003)
CLUTCH FAILURE (BROKEN CENTER) AFTER ONLY 45000 MILES, ALSO TOOK OUT SLAVE CYLINDER IN THE PROCESS. VEHICLE WAS NOT USED FOR TOWING (OTHER THAN THE OCCASIONAL STALLED CAR), THE DEALER HAD NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE AND CLUTCHES WERE ON A NATIONAL BACK-ORDER STATUS. PROBLEM MANIFEST ITSELF AS A "CANT GET TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR". WAS INTERMITTENT ALSO, PROBLEM WOULD HAPPEN AND NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR 2 MONTHS.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019835 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008499 · 2003-03-06 (March 6, 2003)
THERE WAS A STRONG GAS SMELL IN CAB WITH ALL WINDOWS CLOSED. I CLOSED THE VENT, BUT IT WAS STILL VERY STRONG AND GETTING WORSE. NO FUEL LEAKS FOUND. THIS HAS OCCURRED 5 TIMES. SEEMS TO BE INTERMITTENT AND NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH RE/FUELING, OR FUEL TANK LEVEL. I WAS TOLD IT WAS POSSIBLY THE ORVR. SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD COMBINATION FOR A EXPLOSION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008499 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064580 · 2004-04-05 (April 5, 2004)
AT APPROX. 8K MILES, PULSING AND SHIMMY STARTED IN FRONT END. HAD TO RESURFACE ROTORS. HAD TO DO AGAIN LATER AT ABOUT 35K. NOT NORMAL. AT 15K REPORTED FRONT END CREAKS/GROANS DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. AT 35K MORE OF THE SAME, DEALER REPLACED FRONT STABILIZER/SWAY BUSHING. AT 38K MILES, REPLACED LOWER STEERING COLUMN. HELPED SOME BUT STILL CREAKING WHEN STEERING AT LOW SPEED. AT 53K ASKED AGAIN ABOUT STEERING GROAN. DEALER SAYS HE COULD FIX FOR ABOUT $1000 (OF COURSE OUT OF WARRANTY NOW! AND I'VE BEEN ASKING ABOUT THIS SINCE 15K MILES).…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064580 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023043 · 2003-06-13 (June 13, 2003)
ELECTRICAL LOCKING SYSTEM HAS FAILED. IF YOU USE THE ELECTRICAL LOCK SYSTEM, THE DOORS DO NOT ELECTRONICALLY OPEN, YOU MUST MANUALLY PUSH THE LOCKS UP TO OPEN AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. YOU CANNOT MANUALLY PUSH THE LOCKS UP TO EXIT THE VEHICLE UNLESS YOU HIT THE ELECTRIC DOOR BUTTON UP AND THEN AND ONLY THEN CAN YOU PUSH THE BUTTON UP AND THEN OPEN THE DOOR. IF YOU DO NOT HIT THE ELECTRONIC BUTTON, WHICH DOES NOT ELECTRONICALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS BECAUSE IT HAS FAILED, THEN YOU CANNOT EVEN EXIT THE VEHICLE. YOU ARE LOCKED IN, CANNOT ESCAPE. MANUAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023043 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041636 · 2003-10-11 (October 11, 2003)
SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF ELECTRICAL FAILURE (DATE BELOW FIRST INCIDENT) SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK; ABS LIGHT STAYS ON; COMPUTER SHORTED OUT; DEALER FOUND COMPUTER BOLTED ON TOP OF WIRES; FAN STAYED ON; DATES VARY OVER LAST 1 1/2 YEARS NUMBER OF FAILURES IS A BEST GUESS. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041636 at NHTSA ↗