RoadVitals

1996 Dodge Dakota Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints 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.
21
Latest Dec 9, 2003
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 189 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Dodge Dakota submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngineFuel system+2 more
Filed Dec 9, 2003

ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK LATER THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE BATTERY WAS BAD, THE TRANSMISSION WAS BLOWN OUT DUE TO FLAT BEARING ALSO, THE CHECK LIGHT ENGINE KEPT FLASHING. THE CONSUMER MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIND AN ADEQUATE DEALERSHIP TO FIX PROBLEMS. *CB THE VEHICLE WOBBLED BACK AND FORTH, THE CONSUMER LATER DISCOVERED THE WHEELS WERE FLAWED. THE GAS TANK LEVEL WAS NOT OPERATIONAL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10039956
Incident
Sep 19, 2003
Transmission
Filed Aug 17, 2001

REPAIR DONE WITH NEW KIT AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF DEFECT, WAITING FOR RECALL. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID
750677
Incident
Mar 1, 2000
EngineOther / unspecifiedTransmission
Filed Aug 6, 2001

5 TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 5 YEAR VEHICLE WILL SPUTTER AND WILL DIE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ALSO COME ON AT THE SAME TIME AND 4 TIMES VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHO KEEPS TELLING CONSUMER BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE 5TH TIME DEALER CLAIMS THROTTLE HOUSING NEEDED TO BE CLEANED BUT 2 MONTHS LATER DEFECT HAS REOCCURED.*AK CONSUMER STATES TIRESHAVE BEEN REBALANCED ON NUMEROUSE OCCASSIONS, DURING INSTALLATION OF THE LAST SET OF TIRES, MECHANIC FOUND THAT ALL FOUR WHEELS/RIMS WERE BENT, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THAT NUMEROUS WHEELS HAD BEEN REPLACED DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, ALSO THE ID PLATE THAT IS SUPPOSE TO BE LOCATED ON THE DOOR JAM HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE.*JB

NHTSA ID
893510
Incident
Oct 17, 1997
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Aug 6, 2001

WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK IT WILL JUMP OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. ALSO, WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A DOWN HILL INCLINE VEHICLE WILL ROLL FORWARD, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
893451
Transmission
Filed Apr 17, 2001

TRANSMISSION IS LOCKED IN 3RD GEAR. PREVIOUS TIMES COULD CUT VEHICLE OFF FOR 1 MINUTE, IT STARTED IT BACK UP, AND IT WOULD BE FINE. A NORMAL TRASMISSION STARTS OFF IN 1ST GEAR WHICH VEHICLE STARTING OFF SLOWLY AND GOES THROUGH GEARS, WORKING ITS WAY UP TO SPEED. ONCE VEHICLE LOCKS, IT WILL MOVE VERY SLOW. DEALER HAS MANY THINGS, BUT REMEDY HAS NOT BEEN FOUND FOR PROBLEM. PROBLEMS HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1996 FOR THIS VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID
886091
Incident
Apr 15, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jan 4, 2001

TRANSMISSION PREMATURELY FAILED AT 63,000 MILES DUE TO A DEFECTIVE INTERNAL PART. *AK

NHTSA ID
877412
Transmission
Filed Oct 21, 2000

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
734854
Incident
Oct 15, 2000
Transmission
Filed Jun 20, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK POSITION ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, UPON EXITING FOR A BRIEF SECOND, VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS, INJURING THE CONSUMER. ALSO, AFTER THE INCIDENT VEHICLE WAS STILL IN THE PARK POSITION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
863813
Transmission
Filed Aug 15, 1999

TRANSMISSION - EXCESSIVE RUMBLE NOISE FROM PURCHASE (5/8/1999). DEALER SAID NO PROBLEM FOUND SEVERAL TIMES, LATER AFTER SEVERAL REQUESTS, CONFIRMED PROBLEM, REPLACED (THEY SAID) THE TRANSMISSION. WITHIN A YEAR, TRUCK BEGAN TO HAVE SHIFTING TROUBLE @ 28,000 MILES, TRANSMISSION HAD LOST IT'S FLUID. DEALER GAVE US A GALLON OF FLUID TO KEEP IT "TOPPED OFF" - LATER REPLACED A TRANSMISSION SEAL. TRUCK HAS CONSISTENTLY SHIFTED FROM OVERDRIVE TO 2ND GEAR ON HILLS OR MODERATE INCLINES, INSTEAD OF 3RD GEAR, CAUSING ENGINE TO RACE (RED LINE) AND CRUISE CONTROL TO DISENGAGE. SIMILAR PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING, TRUCK WILL DOWNSHIFT FROM O.D. -OR- 3RD GEAR, ENGINE RACES, MAKING SIMPLE PASSING ON HIGHWAY VIRUTALLY IMPOSSIBLE. PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED FROM ORIGINAL PURCHASE (BY US) AND RECENTLY GOTTEN WORSE.

NHTSA ID
710014
Incident
Jul 3, 1999
ElectricalPowertrain (other)Suspension+1 more
Filed May 10, 1999

TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID
545523
SteeringTransmission
Filed Mar 5, 1999

1. THE POWER STEERING HIGH- PRESSURE HOSE HAS AN O-RING INSIDE OF THE FITTING THAT CONNECTS TO THE GEARBOX. THE O-RING COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING DIFFICULT STEERING, WHICH WAS VERY UNEXPECTED. REFILLING THE RESEVOIR RESULTED IN A HIGH PRESSURE SPRAY OF HYDRAULIC FLUID COVERING THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND LASTING LESS THAN TWO MILES WITH NO TURNS. 2. THE CLUTCH DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR, THERE IS PLENTY OF FLUID IN THE RESEVOIR, AND THERE IS RESISTANCE WHEN PRESSING THE PEDAL. TO DOWN SHIFT, I HAD TO STOP THE ENGINE, PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN 1ST GEAR PUSH IN THE CLUTCH, THEN START THE ENGINE. THERE IS JUST ENOUGH CLUTCH TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING IF THE BRAKE IS ON. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS WARNINGS OR INDICATIONS THAT THIS FAILURE WAS PENDING.

NHTSA ID
704087
Incident
Jan 11, 1999
Transmission
Filed Mar 3, 1999
Crash reported

VEHICLE INDICATED THAT THE TRUCK WAS IN PARK. BUT AFTER OWNER GOT OUT FROM VEHICLE WHILE THE TRUCK WAS STILL RUNNING, IT JUMPED INTO REVERSE AND HIT OWNERS BOAT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN.

NHTSA ID
834081
Interior & seatsTransmission
Filed Feb 18, 1999

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES OUT, AND DRIVER COULD NOT SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IN THE DARK. ALSO, PROBLEMS WHEN REVERSING GEARS, WHICH FELT LIKE GOING "OVER A SACK OF POTATOES". DEALER IS WILLING TO PAY HALF OF THE COST FOR TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
834969
Incident
Sep 30, 1998
Transmission
Filed Nov 20, 1998

TRANSMISSION ENGAGED IN PARK ON HILL, HOWEVER ROLLED BACKWARDS.

NHTSA ID
605071
Incident
Jan 16, 1997
Transmission
Filed Nov 18, 1998
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE THIS VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. WHILE TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, IT RAN OVER CONSUMER'S LEGSAND LEFT KNEE. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BY RUNNING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
829769
Incident
Oct 16, 1998
Transmission
Filed Jul 13, 1998

ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSIONS HAVE FAILED.

NHTSA ID
535299
Incident
Jul 1, 1998
Transmission
Filed Apr 10, 1997

TRANSMISSION OVERDRIVE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
603043
Incident
Jan 1, 1997
Transmission
Filed Dec 10, 1996

WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. *SLC

NHTSA ID
806122
Incident
Dec 9, 1996
Seat beltsTransmission
Filed Nov 12, 1996

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT LATCH ON ACCELERATION OR TURNING; ALSO, TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
511170
Transmission
Filed Aug 8, 1996

WHEN TRUCK IN PARK, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR . PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
800671
Incident
Dec 1, 1995
Transmission
Filed Aug 28, 1995

TRANSMISSION COOLER LEAKS. *AW

NHTSA ID
600444
Incident
Jul 10, 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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .