no report yet
Control arm: upper ball joint
Risk. EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE UPPER BALL JOINT MAY ALLOW IT TO SEPARATE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
2000 Dodge DakotaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 806 owner complaints about the 2000 Dodge Dakota, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 5 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 13, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2000 Dodge Dakota has problems
806 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
282Suspension17 crash/fire/injury
248Service brakes, hydraulic18 crash/fire/injury
74Power train5 crash/fire/injury
68Steering4 crash/fire/injury
50Engine and engine cooling
29Air bags
25Visibility
24Tires
21Electrical system
11114 other systems13 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 282 | 17 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 248 | 18 |
| Power train | 74 | 5 |
| Steering | 68 | 4 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 50 | 4 |
| Air bags | 29 | 25 |
| Visibility | 25 | 2 |
| Tires | 24 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 21 | 7 |
| 14 other systems | 111 | 13 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2000 Dodge Dakota recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Air bags
Risk. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE MATERIAL COULD INTERFERE WITH THE CLOCKSPRING RIBBON AND CAUSE AN OPEN CIRCUIT.
no report yet
Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Risk. A PUNCTURE OF THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE TUBE CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF BRAKING FORCE AT THE FRONT WHEELS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COULD COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM AND IGNITION OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COULD RESULT.
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Risk. A PUNCTURE IN THE REAR BRAKE HOSE WILL RESULT IN A LOSS OF BRAKING FORCE AT THE REAR WHEELS.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Dodge.
Mileage at failure
When do suspension problems start?
50kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 176 suspension complaints. 96% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 45% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
24under 30k miles169under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Suspension
15 owners mentioned a cost$600median
Middle half: $330 – $950
Steering
8 owners mentioned a cost$751median
Middle half: $403 – $1,200
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2000 vs. every other Dakota year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Dakota median. How we score
'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2000 Dodge Dakota safety ratings
2000 Dodge Dakota Extended Cab in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2000 Dodge Dakota, and the recalls they led to.
- FRONT SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGELed to recall 01V-233
- UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATIONLed to recall 04V-596
- FRONT SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGE DISENGAGEMENNo recall
- STOP LAMP SWITCHNo recall
In owners' words
What Dakota owners report
Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2000 DODGE DAKOTA EQUIPPED WITH COOPER TIRES, TIRE LINE: FUTURA, TIRE SIZE: 275/75/R15. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE VERY LOUD WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED HE TOOK THE TIRES TO PEPBOYS (7725 W NEWBERRY RD, GAINESVILLE, FL 32606, [PHONE]) TO BE INSPECTED. THE…
BAD RUST ISSUE TO AREAS INCLUDING FRONT AND REAR BUMBER, THE ENTIRE BED INCLUDING MOUNTING POINTS, FENDERS, CAB CORNERS AND FRAME. LOST FENDER FLARE TWICE DUE TO RUST AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT THE ENTIRE BED SLID BACK AND ALMOST FELL OFF AND FENDERS AND BUMBERS ARE BASICALLY RUST AND NEED…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE CONTACT BEGAN TO HEAR A SQUEAKING NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY INFORMED THAT THE THE STEERING WHEEL FAILURE WAS RELATED TO…
Own a 2000 Dakota?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.