RoadVitals

1997 Dodge Dakota Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance 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.
13
Latest Oct 2, 2016
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.
3%
of 446 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Dodge Dakota submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 driver-assistance

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

Driver assistanceElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Oct 2, 2016

HEADLIGHTS KEEP FAILING. HAVE CHANGED HEADLIGHT SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES, BUT FAILS AGAIN. TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. CRUISE CONTROL IS DIFFICULT TO ACTIVATE. SOMETIMES TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR

NHTSA ID
10911071
Incident
Jul 8, 2016
Mileage
120,000 mi
Driver assistanceInterior & seatsPowertrain (other)+1 more
Filed Jul 14, 2002

SPEEDOMETOR AND CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING REPLACED SPEED SENSOR PER DEALER AND STILL NOT WORKING. ALSO SEAT DOESN'T LOCK IN UPRIGHT POSITION ON DRIVERS SIDE. TRANSFER CASE SEAL WENT OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE TRANSFER CASE. I HATE THIS TRUCK AND I COULDN'T GIVE IT AWAY. *AK

NHTSA ID
764224
Incident
May 3, 2002
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed May 18, 2001

ENGINE IS CAUSING A "PINGING" NOISE WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT PAN GASKET WAS SUCKING AIR AND CAUSING EXCESSIVE BURNING OF OIL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
888596
Incident
Feb 1, 2001
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 21, 2000

SOMETIMES THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM WILL NOT ENGAGE AT ANY SPEED. THEN IF DOES ENGAGE SOMETIMES IT CANNOT BE MANUALLY TURNED OFF. WHEN BOBBY GALE DODGE HOOKED THE SCANNER UP TO IT THEY HAD NO READING AND MY CRUISE CONTROL WOULD'NT TURN ON. SO THEY REPLACED IT WITH A NEW SWITCH. THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKED FOR ABOUT A WEEK. THEN IT STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN. AND EVERYTIME I GET READY TO TAKE THE TRUCK IN IT WORKS. THE FIVE TIMES THAT I HAVE TAKING IT UP TO THE DEALER SHIP THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WITH MY TRUCK.*AK

NHTSA ID
724309
Incident
Apr 10, 2000
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Mar 16, 2000
1 injury reported

ON 2/27/2000 I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. MY PROBLEM BEING MY TRANSMISSIOM WILL NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. WHEN IT IS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE THE VECHICLE MAY HESITATE AND NOT MOVE THEN VIOLENTLY SLAM INTO GEAR. ON ONE OCCASION MY NEICE SETTING IN THE BACK SEAT HEAD WAS SLAMMED INTO THE REAR WINDOW GLASS AS THE VECHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. I HAVE A VIDEO TAPE OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING TO PROPERLY ENGAUGE. I WAS ABLE TO REACH IN THE BACK SEAT TAKE THE CAMERA OUT OF THE CASE INSERT THE BATTERY FILM AND SHOOT A VIDEO OF THE TRUCK SETTING IN GEAR THEN VIOLENTLY LURCHING FORWARD. THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER SAID ON THE SERVICE ORDER "CANNOT DUPLICATE SITITION. I SHOWED HIM THE VIDEO AND HE ADMITTED I HAVE A PROBLEM BUT HE COULDNT HELP ME BECAUSE CHRYSLER WOULD NOT REIMBURSE HIM. *AK

NHTSA ID
720186
Incident
Aug 5, 1997
Body & structureBrakesDriver assistance+7 more
Filed Mar 1, 2000

BRAKES WORN OUT PREMATURELY.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)YH

NHTSA ID
551031
Incident
Oct 4, 1997
Driver assistanceTires & wheels
Filed Jan 7, 2000

THE CRUISE CONTROL (97 DAKOTA) HAS PROVEN INTERMITTENT ON EVERY LONG TRIP. FOUR ATTEMPTS BY THE DEALER TO LOCATE AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CRUISE CONTROL QUITS AFTER 1 - 3 HOURS. SHUTTING THE VEHICLE DOWN AND RESTARTING RESTORES NORMAL OPERATION FOR A WHILE. THE OEM TIRES (GOODYEAR WRANGLERS) HAVE POOR DRY AND VERY POOR WET TRACTION AND ARE DANGEROUS. REPLACED WITH MICHELIN TIRES, EXCELLENT NOW. *AK

NHTSA ID
717032
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Oct 18, 1999

CONSUMER HAD TURNED OFF IGNITION WITH KEY STILL IN SWITCH. VEHICLE FAILED TO TURN OFF. WOULD IDLE 2600-3200 WHEN VEHICLE FIRST TURNED ON. WOULD KEEP STALLING OUT IF NOT HIGH IDLING. WOULD KEEP PRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO SLOW IT DOWN. BEEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 5 TIMES FOR PROBLEM THAT'S NOT SOLVABLE.*AK

NHTSA ID
851057
Incident
Aug 23, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 7, 1998

THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILS AFTER ONE TO FOUR HOURS OF OPERATION AND WILL NOT RE-ENGAGE, NOR WILL THE ACCELERATION FEATURE WORK.

NHTSA ID
527970
Incident
Dec 6, 1997
Driver assistanceSeat belts
Filed Oct 14, 1997

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKS WHEN PULLING ACROSS BODY TO HOOK AND ONCE RELEASED NOT RECOILING PROPERLY, 2 SERVICE VISITS.

NHTSA ID
523691
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 9, 1997

BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN A COLLISION.

NHTSA ID
521742
Incident
May 12, 1997
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 17, 1997

WHEN CAR IS ON THE ENGINE REVS UP AND IF IT IS IN DRIVE IT ACCELERATES. DEALER IS STILL WAITING FOR PARTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
810085
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 26, 1996

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN FOOT IS REMOVED FROM THE BRAKE. *AK

NHTSA ID
511706
Incident
Nov 18, 1996

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 .