RoadVitals

1987 Dodge Dakota Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
20
Latest Jun 22, 2008
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Apr 17, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 20 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1987 Dodge Dakota. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–20 of 20

Body & structure
Filed Jun 22, 2008

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

NHTSA ID
10231936
Incident
Jun 17, 2008
Mileage
69,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Oct 24, 2007
Fire reported

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

NHTSA ID
10207185
Incident
Sep 9, 2007
Steering
Filed Oct 16, 2001

THE 1988-1990 DAKOTAS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS CONCERN WHY NOT THE 1987? 01V232000. *AK

NHTSA ID
753293
Incident
Oct 13, 2001
Engine
Filed Apr 24, 2001

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

NHTSA ID
886593
Engine
Filed Dec 22, 2000
Fire reported

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

NHTSA ID
876941
Incident
Dec 21, 2000
Body & structure
Filed May 1, 1998

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 50-55 MPH THE FRAME BROKE. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROLBEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
822988
Seat belts
Filed Feb 5, 1998

SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED.

NHTSA ID
529915
Incident
Jun 1, 1997
Body & structure
Filed Aug 7, 1997

CROSS MEMBER THAT HOLDS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING BROKE WHERE THE BOLTS HOLD IT TO THE FRAME. *AK

NHTSA ID
518693
Incident
Jun 12, 1997
Seat belts
Filed Aug 1, 1997

BOTH BUCKLES BROKE WHERE THE PLASTIC ON THE BUCKLE ATTACHWS TO THE BELT. *AK

NHTSA ID
518201
Steering
Filed Jul 24, 1997

RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR BROKE OFF FROM THE CHASSIS CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.

NHTSA ID
518960
Steering
Filed Jul 7, 1997

UPON GOING OVER CURB AND LOSING CONRTOL OF VEHICLE, STEERING GEAR BROKE OFF FROM THE CHASSIS.

NHTSA ID
603482
Steering
Filed Jun 30, 1997

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

NHTSA ID
813661
Incident
Jun 27, 1997
Steering
Filed Apr 23, 1997

RACK AND PINION DISCONNECTS, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING.

NHTSA ID
516691
Incident
Apr 17, 1997
Fuel system
Filed Dec 12, 1996

GAS TANK CAP REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
512578
Incident
May 1, 1994
Transmission
Filed Jun 24, 1996

WHEN TRUCK IS IN PARK IT JUMPS OUT OF GEAR, PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

NHTSA ID
986013
Other / unspecified
Filed Apr 15, 1996

WHILE DRIVING, THE SPARE TIRE FALL OUT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
982691
Incident
Apr 11, 1996
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 25, 1996

WHILE GETTING INTO VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK BOLTS BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS. PLEASE DESCRIBE.

NHTSA ID
981177
Incident
Mar 16, 1996
Brakes
Filed Jul 3, 1995

THE FRONT BRAKES NEEDED REPLACEMENT AFTER 20,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID
968155
Incident
Jun 26, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Jun 22, 1995

SEAT BELTS IN PASSENGER SIDE ARE DIFFICULT TO PULL OUT OF RETRACTOR. TT

NHTSA ID
967491
Incident
Jun 22, 1995
Brakes
Filed Apr 17, 1995

LEFT REAR DRUM FAILED; ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE OF BRAKE DRUM OUTSIDE OF BOLT HOLE PATTERN FAILED; NOTHING HOLDING BRAKE DRUM WHILE IN OPERATION; LOST CONTROL. TT

NHTSA ID
963897
Incident
Apr 12, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .