RoadVitals

2004 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.
12
Latest Aug 12, 2008
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.
6%
of 206 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

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 2004 Dodge Dakota submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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

Transmission
Filed Aug 12, 2008

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA SLT IS A PIECE OF CRAP. FIRST I HAD TO REPLACE THE VALVE BODY AT 53,000 MILES, NOW THE TORQUE CONVERTER TRIES TO LOCK TOO SOON (AT 30 MPH), WHICH RESULTS IN THE TRUCK SHUDDERING BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH. IT ONLY OCCURS UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION. HEAVY ACCELERATION KEEPS THE CONVERTER FROM LOCKING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10237838
Incident
May 21, 2008
Mileage
53,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 29, 2008

CLUTCH FAILED, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START UNLESS PUSH STARTED, WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AND SHIFT NORMALLY. VEHICLE FUNCTIONED NORMALLY UPUNTILL THE FAILURE. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER. THE PEDAL ROD WAS BENT, AFTER TAKING MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THE CLUTCH MASTER AND SLAVE "FELL APART IN THEIR HANDS" THIS IS A PART THAT DOES NOT FAIL, SHOULD NOT FAIL. THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY 3.5 YRS OLD. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THERE ARE NO AVAILABLE PARTS TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE. TO QUOTE THE SERVICE MANAGER "THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A RUN ON THE PARTS" I BELIEVE THIS WARRENTS LOOKING INTO TO SEE IF THIS IS A FAULTY PART. *CN

NHTSA ID
10216356
Incident
Jan 22, 2008
Mileage
68,000 mi
Powertrain (other)SuspensionTransmission
Filed Mar 3, 2007

VIBRATING AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 50 MPH. SPOKE TO DODGE REFERENCE #15238936 THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO VIBRATE AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR TRUCK AT DEALERS. TIRES BALANCED AND ROTATED, THEN TIRES REPLACED, BRAKES REPLACED, SHOCKS REPLACED. SWAPPED RIMS. SERVICED TRANSMISSION, REPLACED DRIVESHAFT AND U JOINTS. PRESSURE BALANCE THE TIRES. REPLACED AXEL BEARINGS AND POSSIBLY THE AXEL. REPLACED RING GEAR AND PINION AND ALL BEARINGS. MULTIPLE ALIGNMENTS.*JB

NHTSA ID
10184097
Incident
Jun 20, 2006
Mileage
35,791 mi
Other / unspecifiedTransmission
Filed Feb 24, 2007

TRANSMISSION DEFECT, WILL NOT GO INTO FOURTH AND THIRD GEAR AFTER INITIAL COLD START, TRUCK JERKS AND MAKES NOISE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10183398
Incident
Jan 29, 2007
Mileage
55,000 mi
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+8 more
Filed Dec 7, 2005

I AM LOOKING FOR ALL PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO SPEAK TO MY ATTORNEY ABOUT PROBLEMS THEY ARE HAVING WITH THEIR 04 DAKOTA'S. I HAVE HAD CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END, WHIRLING NOISE AT IDLING GETS LOUDER WHEN BLINKER ON, WINDOWS MAKE CLUNKING NOISE WHILE ROLLING UP OR DOWN, SEVER E SHAKING WHILE BRAKING ( WARPED ROTORS), TRANSMISSION LEAKING, AND THE LIST GOES ON. I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF LEMON LAW AND IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO BE ABLE TO FIND AN ATTORNEY. THIS ONE IS EXCELLENT.*JB

NHTSA ID
10144718
Incident
Dec 24, 2004
Transmission
Filed Dec 15, 2004

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD TRANSMISSION IS NOT DISCONNECTING FROM THE ENGINE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WARMS IT RUNS OKAY. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL BE LEFT OVERNIGHT AT THE DEALERS TO SEE IF THEY CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10103824
Incident
Oct 19, 2004
Mileage
3,500 mi
SuspensionTransmission
Filed Nov 27, 2004

TRANSMISSION SLIPS, RATTLING IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE. TOOK THIS TRUCK BACK TO OUTTEN COUNTY CHRYSLER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX ANY OF THE PROBLEMS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10100605
Incident
Jul 13, 2004
Mileage
100 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 15, 2004

TRANSMISSION HESITATES TO SHIFT GEARS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10099998
Incident
Nov 15, 2004
Transmission
Filed Sep 13, 2004

AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED FOUR TIMES, WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN. ALSO, THE GEAR DROPPED INTO LOWER GEAR AND BUCKED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10091891
Incident
Jun 8, 2004
Mileage
560 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 27, 2004

TRANSMISSION,DAY 1 LEAKING,REPLACED REAR TAIL AND SEAL, STILL LEAKING,THEN REPLACED THE YOKEAND UNIVERSIL,PROBLEM WITH LEAK SOLVED,NOW TRANSMISSION SHIFTS IREGULAR,HARD THUMPING NOISE COMEING FROM TRANSMISSION,LOUD CRACKING CRUNCHING NOISE COMING FROM SOME WHERE, DEALER SAYS ITS IN TRANSMISSION,DEALER DONT NOW PROBLEM, WANT TO LOOK IN TRANSMISSION, ALSO WHENRESUMEING TO SPEED IN SET CRUZ CONTROL,VIOLENT DOWN SHIFTING 5 MILES PER HOUR BEFORE SET SPEED,GOIG TO DEALER TO HAVE A LOOK AT AGAIN . *AK

NHTSA ID
10067906
Incident
Apr 27, 2004
Mileage
450 mi
BrakesFuel systemPowertrain (other)+3 more
Filed Mar 22, 2004

LOUD THUNKING NOISE COMES FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. REP FROM CHRYSLER STATED THIS WAS COMING FROM THE GAS TANK . THERE IS A VIBRATION BETWEEN 30-45 MPH COMING FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN. REP STATED THIS WAS "NORMAL".THERE IS ALSO A LOUD WHIRRING NOISE COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP. REP ALSO STATES THIS IS NORMAL.BEARING NOSIE IS COMING FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP. MY 2004 DODGE DAKOTA SXT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES AND THE DEALER STILL CANNOT FIX. THE REP FROM CHRYSLER STATED THIS IS THE "BEST" TRUCK DODGE HAS EVER BUILT. I'D HATE TO SEE THE WORST! SO FAR THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE AC CONDENSER, COMPLETE RACK & PINION STEERING SYSTEM, COMPLETE DRIVE SHAFT, REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING, REAR SWAYBAR LINKS, THE BRAKES SHUDDER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP , LEFT FRONT BRAKE SQUEAL, FRONT END NEEDED ALIGNING AFTER RACK & PINION STEERING REPLACEMENT . TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING FROM TAIL SHAFT SEAL. *AK

NHTSA ID
10063654
Incident
Mar 17, 2004
Mileage
1,500 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 22, 2004

STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, HAD VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR *MANUAL TRANSMISSION*, AFTER LIGHT CHANGED, PUT INTO GEAR, TRUCK LURCHED THEN WAS THROWN OUT OF GEAR, MAKING A LOUD GRINDING SOUND. IT HAS HAPPEND 3 TIMES SINCE THEN. DEALER SAYS TRANSMISSION IS JUST NEW BUT IT HAS 1000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID
10054685
Incident
Jan 15, 2004
Mileage
1,200 mi

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 .