Every record we hold for this vehicle, as plain tables, with nothing added. The consumer page shows the same records with the maintenance schedule, price ranges and nearby shops around them.
vehicle
1998 / dodge / dakota
known issues
8 clusters (reviewed 2026-09-20)
complaints
574 on file (1997-10-08 → 2023-10-10)
recalls
0
investigations
0
fars
106 occupant deaths, crash years 2010-2024 (legacy-code)
Steering shaft, column, and linkage failureSTEERING19 complaints2004-10 → 2011-08dakota-1998-steering-shaft-column
10096378 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN RIGHT THE STEERLING LOCKED UP AND WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO OFF OF THE ROAD AND INTO A FIELD BEFORE STOPPING
10416997 LOWER STEERING SHAFT U JOINTS ARE UNPROTECTED AND RUSTED OUT CAUSING STICKY STEERING AND DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE IN A TURN
10141993 STEERING COLUMN STARTED MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AS THE WHEEL WAS TURNED. DEALER STATED THAT THE LOCKING MECHANISM WAS FAILING AND COULD EASILY LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC AND SUDDEN LOCKING OF THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT ANY SPEED
Transmission and rear axle or differential failurePOWER TRAIN8 complaints2004-07 → 2005-12dakota-1998-transmission-rear-axle
10144516 WE WERE JUST DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT (A COUPLE OF JERKS AND THEN NO ACCELERATION ABILITY)
10099932 CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ONGOING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM FOR 3 YEARS WHICH BECAME WORSE WITHIN THE LAST 2 WEEKS
10091848 WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED
Clear coat paint flaking and frame or body corrosionSTRUCTURE7 complaints2004-04 → 2014-09dakota-1998-paint-flaking-frame
10632123 THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH, THE FRAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING
10066004 I OWN A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT 4X4 5.2L V-8 W/125K MILES, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THE ONCE SHINY BLACK PAINT IS FLAKING OFF IN LARGE AREAS ON THE ROOF, THE FLAKING/PEELING HAS NOW BEGUN TO START ON THE TOP OF THE DOORS AND THE BED RAILS
10159340 OUR TRUCK'S PAINT IS FLAKING. WE WANT DAIMLER CHRYSLER TO RE-PAINT OUR TRUCK
10544547 HEAD LIGHTS FLICKER AND TURN OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHETHER DRIVING OR AT A STAND STILL
10948781 THE TRUCK HAS A ELECTRICAL ISSUE THE LIGHTS GO OFF AND ON OUT OF NO WHERE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN VERY DARK TWO LANE ROAD AND LIGHTS GO OFF
11074988 THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLAMPS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE
Upper and lower ball joint and wheel bearing failureSUSPENSION109 complaints2004-03 → 2014-08dakota-1998-ball-joint-suspension-failure
10121987 ALL 4 FRONT BALL JOINTS FAILED AT 86,000 MILES
10116304 WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA AT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL BEARING FAILED, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE BEARING MAKING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
10103852 WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. AS A RESULT, FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF, AND THE FRONT END COLLAPSED
Hydraulic brake line corrosion and ruptureSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC22 complaints2004-08 → 2023-10dakota-1998-brake-line-corrosion
11549219 The contact owned a 1998 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 25 MPH and attempting to slow the vehicle with the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard, the vehicle failed to come to a complete stop
10460291 APPROACHING STOP LIGHT WHEN HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY RUPTURED CAUSING A CONDITION OF NO BRAKES AND IMPACT WITH VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME
10317151 SERVICE BRAKE HYDRAULIC LINES RUPTURED TWICE. ONCE AT 55,622 MILES ON AUGUST 13, 2007
Unexpected engine stall and cooling system failureENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING17 complaints2004-03 → 2019-02dakota-1998-engine-stall-cooling
11182413 ENGINE MYSTERIOUSLY DIES FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT MAY HAPPEN AT IDLE ALL THE WAY TO AND INCLUDING HIGHWAY SPEEDS
10278472 WARM WEATHER CAUSES 98 DODGE DAKOTA 3.9 ENGINE TO STALL AT ANY SPEED, ANYTIME. ENGINE COMPLETELY DIES AND TAKES 20 TO 30 MIN FOR ENGINE TO COOL WHILE OFF
10396816 THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING
Air bag warning light and non-deployment in crashAIR BAGS3 complaints2009-01 → 2012-01dakota-1998-air-bag-warning-nondeploy
10443326 THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT ENGINE STARTUP, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED
10256998 ME AND A FRIEND WERE IN A CAR ACCIDENT .WHEN WE LOST CONTROL OF MY 1998 DODGE DAKOTA AND HIT THE SIDE OF A BUILDING AT 40-45 MPH WHEN WE HIT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK UP LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road.
Cite this
Derived data is CC BY 4.0. Link back to the page you used. Text and BibTeX below.
Wrench.Pro (2026). 1998 Dodge Dakota vehicle data [dataset]. https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/1998/dodge/dakota
@misc{wrenchpro_1998_dodge_dakota_2026,
author = {Wrench.Pro},
title = {Wrench.Pro vehicle data: 1998 Dodge Dakota},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/1998/dodge/dakota}},
note = {Derived from NHTSA public records. CC BY 4.0.}
}
