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1992 Dodge Dakota Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 1992 Dodge Dakota has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Transmission slipping from park into reverse.” Dodge uses Stellantis' Oil Change Indicator — it watches engine load and duty cycle and messages when to change oil, capped at 10,000 miles or 12 months. Know your engine: the 3.6L Pentastar V6 goes 100,000 miles on plugs, while HEMI V8s carry sixteen plugs (two per cylinder) on a roughly 30,000-mile interval — that's a real cost difference at the service counter. HEMI models with MDS cylinder deactivation are especially sensitive to overdue oil.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 1992 Dodge Dakota.

Reported to NHTSA

Transmission slipping from park into reverse

POWER TRAIN

26 NHTSA complaints · 1996-04 → 2012-03

“WHILE IN PARK, ENGINE RUNNING, GEAR SHIFTED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE, STARTED ROLLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY WITH 3 YEAR OLD IN FRONT SEAT;SHIFTED TO PARK TO STOP”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #986078
“VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND STILL RUNNING WHEN WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE POPPED OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED BACK INTO ANOTHER PARKED VEIHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10022112
“TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT FROM PARK INTO REVERSE. STOPPED AT STORE, PUT IT IN PARK AND THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO REVERSE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #852624

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Automatic transmission shifting without driver input

POWER TRAIN

22 NHTSA complaints · 1996-05 → 1997-01

“WHILE DRIVING, AFTER INITIAL SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY OVER 45 MPH, TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ON ITS OWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING HAZARDOUS DRIVING, COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #801716
“UPON ANY SLIGHT VARIANCE OR PITCH IN THE ROAD, VEHICLE DEVELOPS INADVERTENT SHIFTING. MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVATED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #984005
“PE95-041; AUTO-TRANSMISSION WILL DOWN SHIFT FOR REASON UNKNOWN”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #986911

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Shift lever recall repair delayed at dealer

POWER TRAIN

10 NHTSA complaints · 2000-06 → 2002-03

“DEALER UNABLE TO HONOR MANUFACTURER'S RECALL DUE TO A SPECIAL TOOL NEEDED FROM MANUFACTURER”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #867239
“RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #00V106000. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP FOR APPOINTMENT. WAS INFORMED NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO REPAIR SHIFT LEVER”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #866243
“CONSUMER HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DEALER FOR THE PASSED TWO WEEKS ABOUT RECALL #00V106000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 871 CONCERNING TRANSMISSION. DEALER STATED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #863826

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Service brake and ABS malfunction

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

18 NHTSA complaints · 1996-03 → 2002-05

“CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKE AT 40 MPH, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, NO BRAKING ACTION. DEALER DETERMINED BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED AND ALL BRAKE FLUID HAD DRAINED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #8009372
“WHILE COMING TO A STOP AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, MASTER CYLINDER PUSH ROD SNAPPED IN HALF, AND VEHICLE COULDN'T MOVE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #838804
“REAR ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN WET CONDITIONS, PEDAL WAS LIGHT AND SPONGY, RESULTING IN BRAKES LOCKING UP”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #822584

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Fuel line and fuel tank leaks

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

8 NHTSA complaints · 1996-04 → 2002-06

“THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW ON VEHICLE, FUEL LINE IS ROUTED AGAINST THE BODY OF VEHICLE, AND OVER TIME THAT PART HAS CREATED A HOLE IN THE FUEL LINE THAT CAUSES FUEL TO LEAK OUT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #8008447
“I SMELLED FUMES IN PASENGER'S COMPARTMENT. PULLED OVER AND NOTICED FUAL LEAKING FROM FUEL NECK”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #853030
“FUEL LINES ARE CHAFFING DUE TO IMPROPER DESIGN, CAUSING LINES TO RUB AGAINST VEHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #527206

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Paint peeling and flaking

STRUCTURE

9 NHTSA complaints · 1998-03 → 2004-03

“PAINT PEELED OFF HOOD AND ROOF OF VEHICLE IN LARGE CHUNKS. NOW PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE REAR AREA OF THE TRUCK ALSO”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #711533
“PAINT HAS COME OFF THE VEHICLE, EVEN PRIMER IS COMING OFF”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #535189

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine stalling or shutting off while driving

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

11 NHTSA complaints · 1996-05 → 2010-12

“WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH . ENGINE WILL SHUT DOWN WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #876833
“DEFECTIVE IGNITION COIL CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #854112
“WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10083673

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter (Oil Change Indicator)

Every 10,000 mi

Change when the indicator says so — never beyond 10,000 miles or 12 months. Pentastar 3.6L: 0W-20. HEMI 5.7L: 5W-20 (0W-40 for 6.4L SRT). MDS-equipped HEMIs punish stretched oil intervals with lifter and cam wear.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 8,000 mi

Rotate every 8,000 miles. Charger/Challenger R/T and Scat Pack: staggered-width setups can't rotate front-to-rear — budget rear tires accordingly.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 10,000 mi

Inspect pads and rotors at every oil change. Heavy Durangos used for towing and hard-driven Chargers both run through rear pads faster than the front-pad-first rule of thumb suggests.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Spark Plugs

Every 30,000 mi

HEMI 5.7L: sixteen plugs roughly every 30,000 miles — check your year's manual. Pentastar 3.6L (Charger/Challenger V6, Durango V6, Journey, Grand Caravan): 100,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 60,000 mi

Grand Caravan/Journey (62TE): ATF+4 service every 60,000 miles in family duty. Charger/Challenger/Durango with the TorqueFlite 8-speed: no published normal interval, but specialists recommend service around 60,000-100,000 miles — sooner with towing.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Rear Differential Fluid

Every 60,000 mi

RWD Charger/Challenger and AWD Durango: replace rear diff fluid around 60,000 miles, sooner with towing or drag-strip duty. Limited-slip units need the friction-modifier additive.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$150–$195

Shop

~$105–$135

DIY

~$20–$50

Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace every 30,000 miles. HEMIs pull serious airflow — a clogged filter costs measurable power before it throws a code.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Serpentine Belt

Every 60,000 mi

Inspect from 60,000 miles, replace on cracking or glazing. On the HEMI, a shredded belt can take the cooling drive with it mid-drive.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$195–$235

Shop

~$135–$165

DIY

~$20–$50

DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 20,000 mi

Replace every 20,000 miles where equipped (behind the glovebox on most models). Some earlier Journeys and Avengers shipped without one — check before buying a filter.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Coolant Replacement (OAT)

Every 100,000 mi

Stellantis OAT coolant is scheduled for 10 years / 150,000 miles; shops commonly refresh by 100,000. OAT-compatible coolant only — mixing chemistries gels the system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Battery Test & Service

Every 25,000 mi

Test annually after year 3. Big-audio Chargers and tow-package Durangos lean on the battery hard; weak batteries surface as gremlins in the electronics before they fail to crank.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$225–$390

Shop

~$160–$280

DIY

~$130–$250

Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

302 crashes 1990–2024

How the 302 occupant deaths break down

236

driver deaths

66

passenger deaths

302

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 1992 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

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. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

21

complaints mentioning a crash

8

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 1992 Dodge Dakota reflects Dodge's published service intervals and the Oil Change Indicator System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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