DODGE DAKOTA · model year

1990 DODGE DAKOTA

88 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1990DODGEDAKOTA carries 88 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 0 fires, 3 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 1990 DAKOTA is steering:rack and pinion with 17 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (7) and steering:gear box (other than rack and pinion) (5). 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 1990 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.

88
Complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

88 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STEERING:RACK AND PINION17
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION7
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP4
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH3
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS2
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER2
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT2
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER2
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK2
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION2

Recent Complaints

20050502ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

DODGE IGNITION SYSTEM LOCKED UP WITHOUT WARNING.*MR *JB

20020321TIRES:TREAD/BELT

FIRST TIRE SEPARATION DISCOVERED BY CSAA AUTO SERVICE DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, ON 11/07/01. SECOND AND THIRD TREAD SEPARATION WERE DURING VACATION, WHEN DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY, AT 50MPH, THE TIRES STARTED PRODUCING ROUGH RIDE. STOPPED TO CHECK TIRES, AND NOTICED SEPARATION.*AK (TIRESIZE: LT21575R15)

20001030ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A RATTLE, THAT SOUNDED LIKE WATER PUMP WAS GOING BAD. NEXT DAY, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD CRASH BANG, FAN BLADE BROKE OFF, CUT RADIATOR HOSE. FAN BLADE HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER FELT LIKE IF THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER HOOD SOME ONE MAY HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED.*AK THE CUSTOMER ALSO NOTED THAT ONE OF FOUR BLADE FAN HAS CRACKED. RADIATOR FAILED. *YH

20001030ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A RATTLE, THAT SOUNDED LIKE WATER PUMP WAS GOING BAD. NEXT DAY, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD CRASH BANG, FAN BLADE BROKE OFF, CUT RADIATOR HOSE. FAN BLADE HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER FELT LIKE IF THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER HOOD SOME ONE MAY HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED.*AK THE CUSTOMER ALSO NOTED THAT ONE OF FOUR BLADE FAN HAS CRACKED. RADIATOR FAILED. *YH

20001030ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A RATTLE, THAT SOUNDED LIKE WATER PUMP WAS GOING BAD. NEXT DAY, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD CRASH BANG, FAN BLADE BROKE OFF, CUT RADIATOR HOSE. FAN BLADE HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER FELT LIKE IF THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER HOOD SOME ONE MAY HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED.*AK THE CUSTOMER ALSO NOTED THAT ONE OF FOUR BLADE FAN HAS CRACKED. RADIATOR FAILED. *YH

19991004ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES MY VEHICLE HAS WHEN IT WAS MANUFACTURED. NEED TO KNOW THIS BY USING MY VIN.

19990719POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I HAVE HAD TROUBLE FINDING INFORMATION ON ANY UPGRADES, OR MODIFICATION THAT HAVE BEEN DONE TO THE NP231D TRANSFER CASE SINCE DATE OF MANUFACTURE ON 10-89. I HAD TO REPLACE THE RANGE FORK AND RANGE FORK SHIFT HUB AND AM NOW EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES WITH THE REPLACEMENTS. IF I CAN JUST GET SOME FEEDBACK ON THIS IT WOULD HELP ME A GREAT DEAL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT IN THIS SITUATION. *AKY

19990604SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE MODULE FAILED. I TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. HE COULD NOT OBTAIN REPLACEMENT PART BECAUSE DEALER WOULD NOT PROVIDE IT TO HIM. DEALER STATED THAT VEHICLE HAD TO BE BROUGHT INTO THEM FOR RAPAIR. DEALER MECHANIC ADVISED US THAT REPAIR WAS NOT NECESSARY BACAUSE BRAKES WORKED, JUST ANTI-LOCK FEATURE WOULD NOT WORK. WE WAITED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS TO SAVE UP FOR THE REPAIR. AND HAD THE DEALER REPAIR THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. I FEEL THE DEALER IS MAKING A HAZARD ON THE ROAD BY NOT PROVIDING THE NECESSARY REPLACEMENT PARTS TO OTHER REPAIR SHOPS. THE DEALER ALSO CHARGES HIGHER PRICES AND THIS DEALER ALWAYS CAUSES SOMTHING ELSE TO GO WRONG IN THE PROCESS OF REPAIRING THE PROBLEM IT WAS BROUGHT IN FOR. THAT IS THE MAIN REASON WE USE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO REPAIR PROBLEMS THAT WERE UNDER WARRANTY. WE PAID FOR THE REPAIRS SO THE DEALER COULDN'T SCREW UP THE TRUCK ANY MORE. *AK

19990515UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VEHICLE PAINT CHIPPING SINCE 1993.

19990408POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND DRIVETRAIN SINCE IT CAME OFF THE LOT. THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL WHILE WE STILL LIVED IN THE AREA. HOWEVER, WHEN WE MOVED TO MINNESOTA THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILURE OCCURRED. 1ST 2ND AND 3RD GEARS WERE REPLACED, THERE WAS LESS THAN 7,000 MI ON THE TRUCK. THE SECOND FAILURE WAS LESS THAN A YEAR LATER, AGAIN 1ST 2ND AND 3RD CRAPPED OUT. THIS OCCURRED AGAIN ABOUT 6-8 MONTHS LATER. I HAD ASKED THE SERVICE SHOP TO CHECK THE DRIVETRAIN SEVERAL TIMES, THE RESPONSE WAS THAT EVERYTHING WAS WITHIN PARAMETERS. THE WHOLE SYSTEM JUMPS AND THUMPS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. IT ALSO MAKES SIMILAR NOISES AND JUMPING WHEN GOING OVER SMALL BUMPS OR DIPS IN THE ROAD. I HAVE HAD THE CLUTCH, PRESSURE PLATE AND THROW OUT BEARING REPLACED AT ABOUT 40,000 MI. THIS TRUCK HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR TOWING OR HAULING ANY HEAVY LOADS. I READ IN THE ABOVE LIST ABOUT ANOTHER. *AK

19990309STEERING:RACK AND PINION

RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE, RESULTING IN COLLISION.

19990301STEERING:RACK AND PINION

RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR SEPARATED PER THE RECALL NOTICE.

19990126STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

BOLT STRIPPED AND REQUIRED WELDING TO FRAME AT STEERING GEAR.

19981020STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

RECALL NOTICE SENT ON THE STEERING GEAR, HOWEVER WORK DENIED BY LOCAL DEALER.

19981020POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION.

19981014POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF PARK RESULTING IN COLLISION.

19981001FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

THE FUEL TANK CRACKED, CAUSING THE FUEL TO SPILL OVER. IF IT WAS TO BECOME A SOURCE OF IGNITION, IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. DEALER WILL REPLACE FUEL TANK. *AK

19980826STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

WHILE LOADING EQUIPMENT INTO BED, 1/2 INCH ALUMINUM RIVET THAT HOLDS TAILGATE CHAIN BRACKET ONTO THE BODY FAILED/RIPPED OFF. (QCAW)

19980615CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

THE TRUCK WAS IDLING IN PARK. THE TRUCK SLIPPED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE AND SLAMMED INTO THE HOUSE. *AK

19980613POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER COMPLAINTING OF TRANSMISSION OVERDRIVE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION WITH ONLY 67,000 MILES OF WEAR, DEALER NOTIFIED AND WILL REPAIR FOR A COST TO THE COSUMER.

Compare 1990DODGEDAKOTA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1990 DODGE DAKOTA have?
The 1990 DODGE DAKOTA has 88 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 DODGE DAKOTA?
The most-complained component for the 1990 DODGE DAKOTA is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 17 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION).
Is the 1990 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.