2003 Dodge DAKOTA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
296 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
34,495 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 222 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint is the most frequently named component, appearing in 54 of 296 complaints (18.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 59 | 19.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 23 | 7.8% |
| Engine operation | 16 | 5.4% |
| Steering behavior | 16 | 5.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 12 | 4.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 1.7% |
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 | 54 |
| Electrical System | 24 |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | 22 |
| Suspension | 21 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 17 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 16 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 15 |
| Suspension:Front | 15 |
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint: 54; Electrical System: 24; Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint: 22; Suspension: 21; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 17; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 16; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 15; Suspension:Front: 15
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 91 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 45 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 32 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 18 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 24 |
| 150,000 and above | 12 |
Under 25,000: 91; 25,000 to 49,999: 45; 50,000 to 74,999: 32; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 24; 150,000 and above: 12
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (91). 74 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 |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 46 |
| 2004 | 92 |
| 2005 | 36 |
| 2006 | 16 |
| 2007 | 13 |
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2002: 2; 2003: 46; 2004: 92; 2005: 36; 2006: 16; 2007: 13; 2008: 16; 2009: 8; 2010: 6; 2011: 9; 2012: 7; 2013: 6; 2014: 10; 2015: 7; 2016: 5; 2017: 4; 2018: 3; 2019: 3; 2020: 4; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 59 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 23 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 16 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 10008061 · 2003-02-25 (February 25, 2003)
PURCHASED A 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD 4X4. DAY OF DELIVERY THE SALESMAN NOTICED THE REAR MAKES A LOUD SQUEEKING NOISE WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE AND BACKING. TOOK IT IN FOR INSPECTION AND THEY ADJUSTED THE REAR BRAKES. WE HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER THREE ADDITIONAL TIMES. THE MOST RECENT THEY REPLACED PADS ALONG WITH SOME ADDITIONAL ADJUSTEMENTS. WE DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND IT DID IT THIS TIME GOING FORWARD. NOW IT DOES IT IN EITHER DRIVE OR REVERSE. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM BUT THE MANUFACTU…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008061 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019620 · 2003-05-12 (May 12, 2003)
WHEN THE VEHICLE MADE A TURN OR BACKED UP, THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THE NOISE COULD BE CAUSED BY RUST ON THE BRAKES. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 6 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019620 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030656 · 2003-08-02 (August 2, 2003)
AFTER DRIVING APPROX. 4 HOURS FROM FRESNO TO RENO ON JULY 6, 2003 WE WERE COMING OVER INTERSTATE 80 AT 70-75 MPH, WHEN OUR TRUCK SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR, MAKING THE TRUCK SOUND AS IF IT HAD DOWNSHIFTED. WE PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY THINKING THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED AND CHECKED FLUID LEVELS. THEY WERE FINE. WE GOT BACK ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOT 5 MILES LATER IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT BE STRANDED.THE DEALER COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCKS COMPUTER AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ON ITS MEMORY. WE GOT THE TRUCK BACK WITH NO RE…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030656 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039534 · 2003-09-25 (September 25, 2003)
THE DAY I BROUGHT MY 2003 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB HOME, I NOTICED A HOWLING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES WHEN IN REVERSE. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS THE CAUSE AND FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED. SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT THE BREAKS NEEDED TO BE BROKEN IN AND THEN THE NOISE WOULD STOP. TOOK TRUCK BACK FOR OIL CHANGE AFTER 3000 MILES AND INFORMED SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE TRUCK WAS STILL MAKING HOWLING NOISE. TOLD ME THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM AND THAT AS SOON AS THE PARTS CAME IN HE WOULD CALL . I'M STILL WAITING. ALS…
Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039534 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10029494 · 2003-07-17 (July 17, 2003)
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10029494 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032629 · 2003-08-12 (August 12, 2003)
BRAKES SQUEAL AND HOWL, ENGINE IDELS ROUGH WITH A/C OFF IN DRIVE (WANTS TO STALL).*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 2,459 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032629 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10050287 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR LOUD NOISES COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE BUT WAS REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE FOR REPAIRS. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050287 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10057644 · 2004-02-06 (February 6, 2004)
DURING COLD WEATHER IT IS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST TWO TURNS. DRIVER HAS TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE DRIVING TO GET THE POWER STEERING TO FUNCTION. DEALER SAYS THIS IS POSSIBLY A NORMAL OCCURRENCE DURING COLD WEATHER. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10057644 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10033913 · 2003-08-14 (August 14, 2003)
UPON PARKING TRUCK OWNER NOTICED A GLOWING UNDER CAB. A TECHNICIAN SERVICED VEHICLE AND NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10033913 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10046663 · 2003-12-10 (December 10, 2003)
THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO PERFORM THE WIRING HARNESS RECALL 03 V 389 000 BECAUSE THE CONSUMER DIDN'T PURCHASE THE VEHICLE FROM THEM. *AK *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 3,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046663 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10051922 · 2003-12-22 (December 22, 2003)
DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP TWICE BUT THE SAME PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. LOUD NOISE CAME FROM INSIDE FUEL TANK. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INDICATED THAT FUEL PUMP COULD CATCH ON FIRE AND MELT THE WIRES. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10051922 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10173105 · 2006-11-10 (November 10, 2006)
I WAS DRIVING ALONG WHEN MY TRUCK LOST POWER FOR NO APPARENT REASON, IT JUST STALLED OUT. I DID GET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND TURN IT OFF, THEN STARTED IT UP AGAIN. I CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD WHEN IT DID IT AGAIN. I WAS 80 MILES FROM HOME AND 30 MILES FROM THE NEAREST TOWN IN A TRUCK THAT ONLY HAD 40K MILES OF IT AND IT LEFT ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE BECAUSE OF A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THIS MUST BE A PROBLEM SINCE THERE WAS A RECALL ON REPLACED FUEL PUMPS IN THIS YEAR OF VEHICLE. A VEHICLE BETWEEN 03' AND 06 SHOULD ONLY HAVE ABOUT 12K…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173105 at NHTSA ↗