RoadVitals

1998 Dodge Dakota Powertrain (other) Problems

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

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) 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.
22
Latest Jul 30, 2018
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.
4%
of 545 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.
0

What this page shows

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Dodge Dakota submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 22 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 powertrain

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

EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 30, 2018

THE EMINE WILL DIE AMYTIME! GOING AROUND CORMERS LOR ON EXPRESSWAY SITTING IN DRIVEWAY IDLING. MY FAMILY HAS HAD THIS VEHICLE SINE 1999. THIS JUST STARTED 6 MONTHS AGO. UP UNTIL THEN IT NEVER HAPPENED. REPLACED SEVERAL SENSORS (TPS,IAC,MAP,COOLANT TEMP AND ALSO COMPUTER)SO FAR NOTHING FIXES IT. I KNOW DODGE KNOWS ABOUT THIS AND SO DO YOU!!! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE THERE ARE TOO MANY DAKOTA/DURANGOS ON THE ROAD I AM SURPRISED NO ONE HAS DIED OR AT VERY LEAST BEEN HURT BADLY. I KNOW IT GOES ON IN EARLIER DAKOTAS AND LATER OF BOTH NOT SURE IF IT EVER WAS FIXED SINCE OLD BODYSTYLE ENDED IN 2004. HAPPWNED FIRST TIME ABOUT FEB.1,2018. AFRAID TO DRIVE IT FOR FEAR OF DYING OR BADLY HURT BECAUSE IT DIES ANYWHERE ANYTIME INCLUDING RUSH HOUR TRFFIC IN TULSA OK

NHTSA ID
11114557
Incident
Feb 1, 2018
Mileage
114,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 19, 2005

LOUD REAR AXLE NOISE....BROUGHT TO DEALER.........REPLACED PINION AND CARRIER BEARINGS IN AXLE.......CAUSE WAS BECAUSE MAUFACTURER CHANGED TOW CAPACITY ON RT'S AFTER OWNERS MANUAL WAS PUBLISHED....I BOUGHT USED TRUCK AT 40,000 MILES AND HAS NO IDEA IT COULD ONLY TOW 2,000 LBS VRS OWNERS MANUAL SAID 6,000...AN 8CYL TRUCK AND CAN'T TOE BOAT.....HOW WEEK FOR DODOGE!*AK

NHTSA ID
10110800
Incident
Feb 18, 2005
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 19, 2005

LOUD REAR AXLE NOISE....BROUGHT TO DEALER.........REPLACED PINION AND CARRIER BEARINGS IN AXLE.......CAUSE WAS BECAUSE MAUFACTURER CHANGED TOW CAPACITY ON RT'S AFTER OWNERS MANUAL WAS PUBLISHED....I BOUGHT USED TRUCK AT 40,000 MILES AND HAS NO IDEA IT COULD ONLY TOW 2,000 LBS VRS OWNERS MANUAL SAID 6,000...AN 8CYL TRUCK AND CAN'T TOE BOAT.....HOW WEEK FOR DODOGE!*AK

NHTSA ID
10110799
Incident
Feb 18, 2005
Powertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Feb 8, 2005

I HEARD A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END AND A LOW PITCHED GROWL FROMN THE REAR END. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT AT 35,428 MILES THEAT IT NEEDED TWO UPPER BALL JOINTS AND A NEW DIFFERENTIAL (REAR END) . VEHICLE IS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA 4WD.*AK

NHTSA ID
10110118
Incident
Feb 8, 2005
Mileage
35,400 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 15, 2004

OWNER SAYS THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT ON THE VEHICLE AFTER ONLY 53,000MI. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS BROKEN PIECES OF DISC. OWNER FEELS THAT WHAT HAPPENED WAS TO PREMATURE BASED ON THE MILAGE OF THE VEHICLE. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10096945
Incident
Sep 15, 2004
Mileage
53,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 19, 2004

(1) NOISE FROM REAR END (2) BEARINGS FAILED, ALL PINION AND CARRIER (3) REPLACEMENT OF BEARINGS AND SEALS ONLY 75,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10082234
Incident
Jul 19, 2004
Mileage
74,990 mi
Powertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Jul 15, 2004

AN INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED THE LOWER AND UPPER BALL JOINTS LAT SEPTEMBER AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE CV DRIVE AND AXLE SHAFT WERE ALSO REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10063110
Incident
Sep 14, 2003
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 17, 2003

THE FRONT 4 WHEEL DRIVE CV SHAFT BROKE, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO PULL HARD TO THE RIGHT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10011899
Mileage
76,000 mi
Exterior lightingPowertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Aug 8, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
765363
Incident
Aug 1, 2002
Powertrain (other)Steering
Filed Sep 8, 2001

WHINE AT 45 MPH, COMPLAINED AT FIRST SERVICE, REPLACED RACK AND PINION GER KIT + SOME BEARINGS, ETC. NOISE STILL THERE. REPLACED AGAIN AT 35964// REPLACED AGAIN ON VACATION OUT OF TOWN @ 40K DUE TO BEING ADVISED IT WAS POSSIBLE TOO DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT. WHINE STILL THERE... REPLACED AGAIN AT 52K + BEARING AXLE SHAFTS... WHINE IS STILL THERE... CONCERN THAT A DEEPER MORE INTERNAL PART (NEVER REPLACES) IS CAUSING ALL THIS WEAR & EVENTUALLY WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID
751914
Incident
Mar 7, 1998
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 8, 2001

AT 9500 MILES THE SPEED CONTROL SENSOR MALFUCNTIONED, CAUSING SPEEDOMETER TO OPERATE ERRATICALLY. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THIS PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. THEN, WITH APPROXIMATELY 61,000 MILES ON VEHICLE, SPEED CONTROL SENSOR HAS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN THE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS, THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT SILLUMINATE, THE ABS DOES NOT WORK, THE SPEEDOMETER WORKS ERRATICALLY ALONG WITH ALL OTHER INSTRUMENT GAUGES, VEHICLE ALSO STALLS OUT AS SOON AS THE CONSUMER LETS UP ON THE GAS OR HAVE IT IN NEUTRAL. *SLC

NHTSA ID
893779
Incident
Sep 15, 1998
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 25, 2001

REAREND HAS FAILED TWICE , FIRST AT 20,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 25,000 LATER DUE TO BEARING AND RING/ PINION FAILURE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
886763
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 23, 2001

DRIVESHAFT DISCONNECTED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 75 MPH, CAUSING DAMAGES TO TRANSMISSON AND ENGINE BLOCK. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOTHING WOULD BE DONE. CONSUMER COMPLAINED NOT ABOUT WARRANTY, BUT DAMAGE OF DRIVESHAFT AT LESS THEN 19,000 MILES OF WEAR. ASKING FOR NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
884027
Incident
Mar 2, 2001
BrakesElectricalEngine+3 more
Filed Jan 10, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
739114
Incident
Sep 1, 1998
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Oct 24, 2000

THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT HAS BEEN IN SERVICE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DUE TO NOISE, REPLACED UNIT AND COMPONENTS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HOWEVER THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT CONTINUES TO MAKE NOISE, DEALERSHIP IS NOW REFUSING TO CONTINUE TO REPLACED PARTS IN THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT. *MJS

NHTSA ID
556730
Incident
Dec 3, 1999
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 25, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
725997
Incident
Jul 25, 2000
BrakesEngineExterior lighting+1 more
Filed Mar 10, 2000

NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE SHOULD REPLACE VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID
719943
Incident
Apr 10, 1999
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 9, 1999

OVERHAULED 10000 MILES REPLACED ASSY. 13000 MILES SAME PROBLEM DANA ASSY. 355 STYLE

NHTSA ID
714524
Incident
Mar 1, 1998
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 17, 1999

ATF LEAKING ONTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER -SMOLDERING/SMOKE FROM UNDER TRUCK. LEAKS APPEAR TO BE FROM TRANSMISSION TAIL SHAFT /DRIVESHAFT YOKE AND FLING ATF ONTO CONVERTER 3 REPAIRS NO SUCCESS A THIS TIME - REPAIRING DEALER NOT SELLING. DEALER I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A FIRE HAZARD, POOR SHIFT QUALITY DUE TO LOSS OF FLUID. *AK

NHTSA ID
705728
Incident
Apr 7, 1999
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 1, 1999

CONSUMER HAD LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL INSTALLED AT 1,000 MILES HOWEVER NEW UNIT IS VERY NOISY AT SPEEDS OF 40-45 MPH. NLM

NHTSA ID
605895
Fuel systemPowertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Oct 24, 1998

BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW IT HAD 295 MILES ON IT FROM DEALER ASSURED ME IT WAS NOT A DEMO POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE FAILED AFTER A FEW DAYS EVERYTHING DIED AS I WAS ENTERING TRAFFIC DEALER REPAIRED AFTER 4 DAYS FUEL GAGE NOT READING PROPERLY DEALER REPAIRED ENGINE HAS SLIGHT MISS DEALER CHECKED TWICE REGAPPED PLUGS SO THEY SAY NO IMPROVEMENT REAR END IS STARTING TO WHINE FLUID CHECKED AT OIL CHANGE AM CONCERNED IF THIS TRUCK IS OK [email protected]

NHTSA ID
700062
Incident
Sep 30, 1998
EngineFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 9, 1998

TRANSMISSION TAILSHAFT/SEAL FAILED RESULTING IN LEAKAGE.

NHTSA ID
536528
Incident
Mar 26, 1998

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 .