Total Complaints
21 filings
DODGE DAKOTA · model year
1987 DODGE DAKOTA
21 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987DODGEDAKOTA carries 21 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1987 DAKOTA is steering:rack and pinion with 4 filings, followed by structure:frame and members (3) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1987 DAKOTA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
21
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 4 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:DRUM | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP | 1 |
| STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080622STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE SPARE TIRE RETAINER FAILED, ALLOWING THE SPARE TIRE TO DETACH FROM IT'S MOUNT UNDER THE VEHICLE AND FALL TO THE ROAD WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE SPARE TIRE IS HELD UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE BY A RETAINER ATTACHED TO A STEEL CABLE. THE STEEL CABLE IS IN A CONSTANT STATE OF TENSION SUPPORTING THE SPARE TIRE THE STEEL CABLE HAD DEVELOPED CORROSION TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT IT SIMPLY SNAPPED, ALLOWING THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL TO THE ROADWAY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERWAY. THE AREA OF FAILURE FROM CORROSION IS HIDDEN FROM VIEW. WITHOUT SOME DISASSEMBLY THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO ASCERTAIN A FAILURE WAS DEVELOPING. THE FAILED PARTS ARE IN MY POSSESSION. *TR
Mileage: 69,000
20071024FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1987 DODGE DAKOTA CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED BEFORE CATCHING ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED RECENTLY. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)*JB
20071024FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
1987 DODGE DAKOTA CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED IN THE FIRE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED BEFORE CATCHING ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED RECENTLY. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)*JB
20011018STEERING:RACK AND PINION
THE 1988-1990 DAKOTAS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS CONCERN WHY NOT THE 1987? 01V232000. *AK
20010424ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
20001222FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ON RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT A FIRE STARTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE DUE TO FACT THAT IT BURNT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19980501STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 50-55 MPH THE FRAME BROKE. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROLBEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
19980429STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR BROKE OFF FROM THE CHASSIS CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.
19980323SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED.
19970918STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
UPON GOING OVER CURB AND LOSING CONRTOL OF VEHICLE, STEERING GEAR BROKE OFF FROM THE CHASSIS.
19970807STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
CROSS MEMBER THAT HOLDS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING BROKE WHERE THE BOLTS HOLD IT TO THE FRAME. *AK
19970801SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
BOTH BUCKLES BROKE WHERE THE PLASTIC ON THE BUCKLE ATTACHWS TO THE BELT. *AK
19970630STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 35 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED TO EITHER SIDE, MAKING DRIVER LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED, & MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK
19970527STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION DISCONNECTS, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING.
19970122FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
GAS TANK CAP REPLACED.
19960624POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
WHEN TRUCK IS IN PARK IT JUMPS OUT OF GEAR, PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
19960415EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK
WHILE DRIVING, THE SPARE TIRE FALL OUT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960325SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE GETTING INTO VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK BOLTS BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
19950703SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
THE FRONT BRAKES NEEDED REPLACEMENT AFTER 20,000 MILES. *AK
19950622SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEAT BELTS IN PASSENGER SIDE ARE DIFFICULT TO PULL OUT OF RETRACTOR. TT
Compare 1987DODGEDAKOTA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 DODGE DAKOTA have?▼
The 1987 DODGE DAKOTA has 21 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 DODGE DAKOTA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 DODGE DAKOTA is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1987 DODGE DAKOTA safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.