vehicle signal
U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Dodge DAKOTA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

91 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

55,623 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 61 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 91 complaints (31.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1213.2%
Steering behavior1112.1%
Electrical and battery issues44.4%
Engine operation33.3%
Fuel system concerns11.1%

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.

Air Bags
29
Steering
17
Electrical System
11
Power Train
8
Service Brakes
7
Unknown Or Other
7
Exterior Lighting
6
Suspension
5
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags29
Steering17
Electrical System11
Power Train8
Service Brakes7
Unknown Or Other7
Exterior Lighting6
Suspension5

Air Bags: 29; Steering: 17; Electrical System: 11; Power Train: 8; Service Brakes: 7; Unknown Or Other: 7; Exterior Lighting: 6; Suspension: 5

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
8
25,000 to 49,999
20
50,000 to 74,999
16
75,000 to 99,999
6
100,000 to 149,999
8
150,000 and above
3
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0008
25,000 to 49,99920
50,000 to 74,99916
75,000 to 99,9996
100,000 to 149,9998
150,000 and above3

Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 16; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 3

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 30 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.

2008
7
2009
1
2010
3
2011
7
2012
5
2013
6
2014
11
2015
17
2016
15
2017
13
2018
2
2019
2
2020
1
2021
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20087
20091
20103
20117
20125
20136
201411
201517
201615
201713
20182
20192
20201
20211

2008: 7; 2009: 1; 2010: 3; 2011: 7; 2012: 5; 2013: 6; 2014: 11; 2015: 17; 2016: 15; 2017: 13; 2018: 2; 2019: 2; 2020: 1; 2021: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 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 10234632 · 2008-07-17 (July 17, 2008)

FRONT BRAKES GET GRABBY, THAN LOCK-UP, WHEN DRIVEN AT RANDOM SPEEDS. THIS CAUSES THE WHEELS TO SMOKE AND ROTOR GRINDING. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 7 TIMES FROM 500 MILES TO 10,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE 2 DIFFERENT DODGE DEALERS FOR A TOTAL 3 TIMES. THE ONLY WAY I CAN GET THE BRAKES TO UNLOCK IS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND RESTART THE ENGINE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234632 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10381625 · 2011-02-11 (February 11, 2011)

HAD THE BRAKES CHECKED ON THE VEHICLE DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIE ROD END WAS LOOSE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED, OR ELSE THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE EMINENT. WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIE ROD ENDS WERE DESIGNED FOR CARS, AND THESE SAME TIE ROD ENDS WERE ALSO USED IN THE TRUCKS. I ASKED IF THE PARTS HAD BEEN UPGRADED AND WAS TOLD NO THEY HAD NOT BEEN UPGRADED, AND THAT THE SAME PARTS WOULD BE USED TO REPLACE THE OLD WORN ONES. WHY ARE PARTS DESIGNED FOR A CAR BEING USED IN A TRU…

Owner-reported narrative. 39,295 miles reported. Look up ODI 10381625 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10348054 · 2010-08-08 (August 8, 2010)

I WAS DRIVING EAST ON A TWO LANE ROAD, AS I HEARD A SLIGHT POP COME FROM MY DRIVER SIDE TIRE. SUDDENLY AFTER THAT POP, THEIR WAS A SLIP IN THE STEERING AND I HAD NOTICED THAT MY DRIVER SIDE TIRE STARTED TO LOSE MASSIVE CONTROL, THUS JERKING AND LOCKING UP THE TRUCK IN MATTERS OF SECONDS. LUCKILY DRIVERS BEHIND ME WERE PAYING ATTENTION AND SWERVED OUT OF THE WAY NEARLY MISSING THE TRUCK. I GAINED SOME CONTROL AND PULLED INTO A NEAR BY BUSINESS. PARKED I ASSESSING THE SITUATION. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TIE ROD HAD FALLEN OFF THE CONNECTION FOR KNOW…

Owner-reported narrative. 51,243 miles reported. Look up ODI 10348054 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10760321 · 2015-08-31 (August 31, 2015)

POSSIBLE SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM EFFECTING SAFETY EQUIPMENT. SEATBELT WARNING CONTINUES TO ALARM WHEN SEATBELTS ARE WORN AND/OR FASTENED WITHOUT PASSENGERS IN VEHICLE. AUDIBLE ALARM STOPS AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS WITHOUT FREQUENT STOPS FOR TRAFFIC,STREET LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS (IE: FREEWAY), HOWEVER, VISUAL WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ON DASH. HORN EFFECTED - FUSE BLOWS AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT EACH TIME HORN IS USED. SEAT BELT SYSTEM PROBLEMS BEGAN IN 2013 WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT APPROX. 60MPH. HORN PROBLEMS BEGAN IN 2014.

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10760321 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10776481 · 2015-09-24 (September 24, 2015)

AS I START THE TRUCK, IT KICKS WHEN I SHIFT TO DRIVE AND START TO ACCELERATE. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER NEAR ME WHEN THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE RACK AND PINION AND THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. THE TRUCK KEEPS DOING THE KICK OR JUMPS GEARS. MAYBE THE PROBLEM IS IN THE CABLE OR THE SHIFTER. IT KEEPS DOING THIS TO THIS DAY AND GETTING WORSE. NOW I HAVE TO MOVE THE SHIFTER TO DRIVE AND PUT IT BACK TO PARK TO START THE TRUCK. ALSO THE IGNITION STAYS ON SOMETIMES WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED AND THIS DRAINS THE BATTERY. THE TRUCK SEEMS TO USE WAY TO MUCH GA…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10776481 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10235460 · 2008-07-23 (July 23, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE VEHICLE, WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY FULL. THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, BUT THE FUEL GAUGE STILL INDICATED THAT IT WAS EMPTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND AGAIN ON JULY 22, 2008. DURING THE MOST RECENT FAILURE, THE BODY SHOP MEC…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235460 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10721805 · 2015-05-27 (May 27, 2015)

CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILED CAUSING TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER HARSH DOWNSHIFT FROM TRANSMISION AT SPEED AND LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEARING COULD GET SOMEONE KILLED IF IT WAS IN A INTERSECTION OR ON THE HIGHWAY REPLACEMENT SHOULD BE FREE + TOWING

Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10721805 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10234768 · 2008-07-18 (July 18, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ENGINE IN HER VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER. THE FUEL GAUGE DIAL DROPPED BELOW EMPTY WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS MORE THAN HALFWAY FULL. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS. AFTER THE ENGINE RESTARTED, THE FUEL GAUGE DIAL REMAINED BELOW EMPTY AND NEVER RETURNED TO THE ORIGINAL POSITION. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND DID NOT HAVE IT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THREE DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT, THE FAILURE RECURRED. WHILE DRIV…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,108 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234768 at NHTSA ↗