NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Dodge Dakota. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
DT WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED SO BADLY, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING, ROTORS, FRONT AND REAR DRUMS. THE CONSUMER CALLED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO GET BACK WITH THE CONSUMER TODAY. *JB CAN'T SET MINUTES ON CLOCK RADIO AND WON'T KEEP CORRECT TIME. CLOCK RADIO HAS TO BE REORDERED. SPEEDOMETER TICKS AT TIMES. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONDITION. *TT
ALL 2005 DODGE DAKOTAS WERE BUILT MISSING SOME OF ITS TRAILER TOW PACKAGE OPTIONS, FIRST IS THE AUX. TRANS COOLER, SECOND IS THE HEAVYDUTY COOLING SYSTEM, I COMPARED MINE TO EVERYONE ON THE LOT AND THEY WERE ALL BUILT THE SAME WAY. I FELL AS IF CHRYSLER IS MISS LEADING THE CONSUMER. I CONTACTED CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE SEVERAL TIMES ONLY TO GET THE RUN AROUND AND I WAS ALWAYS REFERRED BACK TO THE DEALER WHO IN MY OPINION WAS NOT ONLY RUDE, REFUSED TO RETURN MY PHONE CALLS, ALTHOUGH I AM VERY UNSATISFIED WITH THE DEALERS RESPONCE IN THE MATTER, I IM VERY UPSET WITH CHRYSLER DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE THE COMPANY WHO MADE AND ADVERTISED THE VEH. AND LISTED IT'S OPTIONS. THE LOVE THE TRUCK BUT I JUST WISH IT HAD THE OPTIONS I PAID FOR.
DT: THE TRUCK WILL NOT ENGAGE IN REVERSE WHEN MANEUVERED TO BACK UP A SLIGHT INCLINE ON EITHER PAVEMENT OR LOOSE GROUND WITH OR WITHOUT TRAILER IN TOW. ALSO, WILL NOT PERFORM EVEN WHEN IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM. DEALER DID SEARCH ONLINE TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM THROUGH CHRYSLER. SERVICE BULLETIN NOTED THIS PROBLEM HOWEVER DID NOT PROVIDE A CURRENT REMEDY ONLY SUGGESTED TO DRIVE FORWARD. THIS ISSUE IS UNDER REVIEW BY CHRYSLER. *AK
DT:CONSUMER BOUGHT NEW VEHICLE, DODGE DAKOTA, CONSUMER FOUND THAT WHEN HE TRIED TO BACK OUT OF A NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY THAT WAS ON AN INCLINE VEHICLE BOGGED. VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD INTO THE ROAD. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE SAME AS PREVIOUS YEAR DODGE INTREPID. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE THE TRANSMISSION AUTOMATICALLY WENT TO SECOND GEAR. VEHICLE DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO CLIME ON INCLINE IN REVERSE BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION BEING IN SECOND GEAR. CONSUMER SAYS THAT WHEN VEHICLE WOULD CLIMB HILL THAT THERE WAS A SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING, THE SMELL CAME FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. DEALER STATES THAT ALL DAKOTAS 2005 WITH 6 CYLINDERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, AND DEALER CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK
BRAKE PROBLEMS ON 2005 DODGE DAKOTA SINCE BOUGHT IN 2005
I HAVE AN 05 DODGE DAKOTA WITH A BRAKE PULSATIAN PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER AND DALMER CRYSTLER DO NOT HAVE A FIX FOR. AFTER HAVE A LOAN CAR FOR 8 STRAIGHT DAYS THEY MADE ME TAKE MY TRUCK BACK UNFIXED. THEY STATE IT IS A NON SAFETY ISSUES. BUT WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE ENTRIE TRUCK SHAKES REAL BAD. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR JUST ABOUT 2 MONTHS. I HAVE HAD THIS IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT A FIX. THEY HAVE REPLACED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THERE IS TO REPLACE AND I STILL HAVE THE SAME SHAKING PROBLEM. THIS LAST TIME THEY HAD MY TRUCK FOR 8 STRAIGHT DAYS AND NOW I AM BEING TOLD CORP WILL BE DOWN ON FRIDAY THE 24TH TO LOOK AT THE TRUCK AND DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH IT. I JUST WANT TO HAVE THIS DOCUMENTED JUST IN CASE THEY STATE I MUST KEEP THE TRUCK.PLEASE CALL ME WITH QUESTIONS THANK YOU
2005 DODGE DAKOTA WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO LOCK.*MR THE DRIVER HIT HIS HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH KNOCKED ONE OF HIS TEETH OUT. *NM
EXCESSIVE STRESS ON THE FRONT BRAKE HOSES WHEN THE VEHICAL IS TURNING ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE THE FRONT BRAKE HOSES TO FAIL PREMATURELY.
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING A T HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON BUMPY ROADS THE VEHICLE HAD POOR STABILITY. HE FELT AS THOUGH HE COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. HE NOTED DAIMLER/CHRYSLER WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT AT THIS TIME THERE WAS NO SOLUTION. THE DEALER RESURFACED A ROTOR ON THE FRONT BRAKES WHICH DID RELIEVE SOME VIBRATION IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. NO FURTHER REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER 5 TIMES. THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED GEARS, AND THERE WA SA CLANKING NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED THE PUMP AND THE CONVERTER. IT WILL STICK IN GEAR, AND IT SEEMED TO HAVE NO POWER WHEN GOING UP A HILL IN REVERSE. DEALER SAID TO KEEP BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS. MANUFACTURER SAID TO THE CONTACT CALL CONSUMER OFFICE AND FILE A COMPLAINT. *AK
I PURCHASED A 2005 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP TRUCK FROM VENICE DODGE/NISSAN, VENICE, FL ON MARCH 13, 2005. THE STEERING WHEEL, WHICH IS NOT TILT, BLOCKS MY VIEW OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CALLED DODGE CORP. AND THEY SAID I SHOULD HAVE NOTIED THIS BEFORE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK. I SAID THIS IS MY FAULT BECAUSE OF DODGES DESIGN ERROR? DODGE CORP. SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WENT TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT.. SERVICE MANAGER LOOKED AT STEERING WHEEL. HE IS AT LEAST 6 FT 1 INCH TALL, PUTS SEAT BACK, SAID HAD NO PROBLEM. IAM ONLY 5 FT 9 INCH TALL, MUST HAVE SEAT FARTHER UP. SERVICE MANAGER SAID NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX PROBLEM. THIS IS A SAFTEY HAZARD. I MUST LOOK UNDER OR OVER STEERING WHEEL TO READ THE SPEEDOMTER. TAKES MY EYES OFF ROAD FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. TALK TO OTHER OWNERS OF SAME TRUCK, HAVE SAME PROBLEM.
BOOTS FOR FRONT CV JOINTS ARE VERY NOISY WHEN THE WHEEL IS TURNED ALL THE WAY EITHER DIRECTION. I TOOK IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND THEY SPRAYED SOME SILICONE LUBRICANT ON THEM WHICH QUIETED THEM FOR ABOUR 4 DAYS.. THEN THEY WERE LOUD AGAIN. I'M WORRIED THAT THE DRY BOOTS WILL EVENTUALLY CRACK, LEAKING OUT THE GREASE AND DESTROYING THE CV JOINT ITSELF. (WHICH CHRYSLER WILL BLAME ON ME)
THE REAR TIRE HAS BLOWN WHEN HITTING A POT HOLE AT LOW SPEED (APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH), CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LINING. TIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED AT MY COST. EMERGENCY BRAKE LINING MUST BE REPLACED AT MY COST.*AK
INCIDENT-2005 DODGE DAKOTA, SEVERE VIBRATIONS IN REAR OF TRUCK. SO FAR DEALER HAS CHANGED 11 GOODYEAR EAGLE LS & 8 WHEELS AND VIBRATION STILL THERE. DEALER ADVISES THAT CANNOT CHANGE BRAND IF TIRES WITHOUT DODGE PERMISSION. AWAITING PERMISSION. THE VIBRATION IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AS THE REAR END OF TRUCK WILL HOP AROUND ON ROUGH OR POORLY MAINTAINED ROADS. I HAVE DRIVEN 5 SEPARATE 2005 DAKOTA'S AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON ALL 5 TRUCKS. DEALER RESPONSE IS THEY ALL DO IT, SO IT IS NOT A PROBLEM. ALSO, SECOND CONCERN IS THE POSITIONING OF THE 2 HEADRESTS IN REAR SEATING AREA AS THEY REDUCE REARWARD VISION BY 25%. IT WOULD REQUIRE A MAJOR DIS-ASSEMBLY OF THE INSIDE BACK OF TRUCK TO REMOVE. THEY ARE NOT NEEDED WHEN THE REAR SEATS ARE REMOVED. *NM
CONSUMER STATES THE REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS OBSCURE THE VIEW OF THE REAR WINDOW. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY IS IMPAIRED. *AK THE DEALER AND THE CONSUMER TRIED TO REMOVE THE HEAD RESTS BUT FAILED. *TC
I BOUGHT A NEW 2005 DODGE DAKOTA FROM HERITAGE DODGE (REISTERTOWN MD)PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF THE GAS MILAGE ADVERTISED AT 16MPG CITY/20MPG HIGHWAY. I HAVE BEEN MONITORING THE MPG AND FOUND OUT THAT I AM GETTING 9 MILES PER GALLON NO MATTER WHERE I DRIVE(CITY OR HIGHWAY). THIS IS A MID-SIZE TRUCK AND SHOULD BE GETTING BETTER MPG. I HAVE CONTACTED MY SALESPERSON(TIM) AND HE REFERRED ME TO CALL ROB SCHMIDT(SERVICE DEPT.???) WHO HAS NOT RETURNED ANY OF MY NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS TO CHECK ON THIS PROBLEM. MY SALESPERSON(TIM) TOLD MY WIFE ON THE PHONE THAT THE TRUCK SHOULD BE GETTING BETTER MILAGE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW DODGE CAN ADVERTISE ON THE STICKER THESE FALSE MILES PER GALLON WHEN THEY KNOW THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY FALSE. TOM
2005 DODGE DAKOTA PLAY IN STEERING EVERY SINCE PURCHASED ONE YEAR AGO AS AN OFF LEASE RETURN. NOW TRUCK IS IN SHOP DUE TO ACCIDENT INVOLVING FRONT END DAMAGE FROM IMPACT WITH PILLAR / POLE. ACCIDENT UNRELATED TO STEERING PROBLEM. WAS CONTACTED BY REPAIR SHOP TODAY AND THEY STATE ALL IS REPAIRED EXCEPT THE UNRELATED STEERING PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS NOT PART OF ACCIDENT AND WILL BE SEPARATE COST IF I WANT IT REPAIRED AND THAT IT IS LOOSE STEERING COLUMN AND RACK AND PINION LOOSE *CN
ANYONE OVER 5'11" CANNOT SEE THE SPEEDOMETER WITHOUT SLOUCHING OR TIPPING THEIR HEAD SIDEWAYS. THE VIEW IS BLOCKED BY THE STEERING WHEEL. NO ONE AT THE DEALER HAD EVEN SAT IN A SIMILAR VEHICLE A MONTH AFTER I BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION. THE ONLY WAY TO SAFELY SEE THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE INDICATOR, HIGH BEAM INDICATOR OR OIL LIGHT IS IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A TILT WHEEL. I NOTIFIED THE DEALER AFTER DRIVING THIS VEHICLE LESS THAN 100 MILES. TO DATE THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING AND TELL ME IT COULD COST ME $3400 - $5000 TO RECTIFY.
DT: CONTACT STATES THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITHIN THE 2005 DODGE DAKOTA WITH THE TRAILER TOWING PACKAGE. THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS THAT ARE MOUNTED ON THE DOOR ARE SO BIG THAT THEY HINDER THE VIEW OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT STATES HE HAS TO LOOK OVER OR AROUND THE MIRROR TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE CONSUMER ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE HE COULD NOT SEE BEHIND THE MIRROR. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THERE COULD BE A BETTER DESIGN WITH THE MIRRORS. HE SUGGESTS FIRST THAT THE MIRROR MOUNTING COULD BE DESIGNED WITH AN OPENING OR MOUNTED LOWER ON THE VEHICLE. THE SALESMAN AT THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST COMPLAINT ABOUT THE MIRRORS. *AK *NM
2005 DODGE DAKOTA KEY WILL NOT TURN TO START VEHICLE. *NJ
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Sep 14, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.