no report yet
Lever and linkage: column shift
Risk. EITHER OF THESE CONDITIONS COULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AWAY CAUSING A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
2002 Dodge DakotaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 678 owner complaints about the 2002 Dodge Dakota, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 5 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 23, 2025. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2002 Dodge Dakota has problems
678 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
226Suspension8 crash/fire/injury
177Service brakes, hydraulic22 crash/fire/injury
89Power train13 crash/fire/injury
52Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
44Steering
34Engine and engine cooling
28Air bags
26Service brakes
21Exterior lighting
12219 other systems10 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 226 | 8 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 177 | 22 |
| Power train | 89 | 13 |
| Electrical system | 52 | 3 |
| Steering | 44 | 4 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 34 | 3 |
| Air bags | 28 | 24 |
| Service brakes | 26 | 3 |
| Exterior lighting | 21 | 0 |
| 19 other systems | 122 | 10 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2002 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
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.
no report yet
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer
Risk. DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. IMPROPERLY LOADING YOUR VEHICLE CAN CAUSE TIRE FAILURE AND RESULT IN A CRASH.
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Electrical system: wiring
Risk. THIS COULD AFFECT DRIVER VISIBILITY, COULD PREVENT A DRIVER FROM SOUNDING A WARNING BY USING THE HORN, AND, WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS ARE INOPERATIVE, THE DRIVER…
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?
35kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 169 suspension complaints. 97% were reported before 100,000 miles.
70under 30k miles164under 100k miles5100k 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
11 owners mentioned a cost$500median
Middle half: $392 – $925
Service brakes, hydraulic
10 owners mentioned a cost$220median
Middle half: $147 – $398
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
2002 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
2002 Dodge Dakota safety ratings
2002 Dodge Dakota 4-DR. Cab in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (0.0% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2002 Dodge Dakota, and the recalls they led to.
- UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATIONLed to recall 04V-596
In owners' words
What Dakota owners report
Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE AND HUB ASSEMBLY COMPLETELY BROKE FREE FROM THE VEHICLE THIS IS A FOLLOW UP FROM MY FIRST INTIAL REPORT TO CHRYSLER AND ALSO NHTSA PHONE CONVERSATION IN WHICH I DID A REPORT TO BOTH AND PAID 2500.00 WHICH I STILL HAVE RECEIPT OF PAYING TO HAVE FIXED...FATHER HAD A 2000 DODGE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR STEP BUMPER WAS CORRODED. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE PORTION BAR FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE REAR END DIFFERENTIAL FRACTURED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN 90 DEGREES INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND CRASH. THE SPECIFICS OF THE CRASH WERE NOT AVAILABLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES…
Own a 2002 Dakota?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.