Most common 1995 Dodge Dakota problems
Share of the 208 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Dakota complaints by model year
Best Dakota years: 2009, 2010, 2011. Years to avoid: 2000, 2001, 2002, 1999, 1998. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1995 Dodge Dakota:
Steering column separation
Mr. Larry a. Sackey submitted a petition to the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) by letter dated April 18, 2003, requesting that nhtsafurther investigate the defective collapsible steering shaft system on 1987-1995 vehicles manufactured by the daimlerchrysler corporation.in part because of 49 cfr ? 30120(g), NHTSA has decided to limit the scope of the petition vehicles to 1993-1995 models,…
FRAME CRACKS
Mr. Edward w. Bailey submitted a petition to the national highway traffic safety administration by letter, undated, requesting that an investigation be conducted into the matter of a frame crack in his 1995 Dodge dakota truck.the petitioner alleges that the frame on the passenger side of the vehicle is cracked, through no fault or responsibility of his own, and believes that this deficiency constitutes a safety…
What 1995 Dodge Dakota owners say
Brakes all 29 →
This is just a run down on repairs I made to my vehicle, but they are problems that should have been taken care of at the factory. First of all, the brake problem still exists. This is the only vehicle that I know of that has to have air in the front caliphers to work. I had to put bearings in both front and rear differential assemblies. The front one came from the factory without a bearing in the left side of the differential assembly.
When attempting to slow/stop to avoid hitting a deer, experienced ABS failure, upon appying, brakes, they grabbed and did not release right away, causing wheels to lock up, skidded and then vehicle rolled over.
Transmission & drivetrain all 27 →
When trying to use headlights high beam, the head lights would go out all together. Bill luke Dodge replaced a component and then it happened again. A vibration was noted at aroud 27 MPH when the truck had less that 5,000 miles. It took two trips to get them to recognize the problem an fix it by replacing the drive shaft under warrenty. You asked the question if the truck had been in a crash. It was a less than 10 MPH fender bender when a van pulled into the side of the truck. The paint is peeling off the roof and some on the side of the box.
Transmision doesn't like to up shift from first to second gear unles I let off the throtel. Also truck has roled when in park 5 times.I contacted dealor about this4 to8 times. Dealer could not find prob. Dealer changed trans fluid/filter 2 times this did not work.I have only hade my Dakota sence 02/17/03.I talked to Dodge cust serv they said they had no complants on this truck.unles Dodge has a recal I will look at other brands of truck.incident is on going.
Air bags all 26 →
At a stop light another vehicle rear ended consumer's vehicle, causing it to hit the vehicle in front. Upon impact, drivers airbag did not deploy, failing to protect the occupant in this crash. Also, driver seatback collapsed during crash. Please provide further information.
Air bag: wife driving down highway at approximately 35mph hit pickup vehicle in left rear panel. Vehicle spun around and hit a sewer pipe and crumbled front end suspension. The air bag did not deploy. Vehicle is not in for repairs yet.
1995 Dodge Dakota engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 20 / 25 / 22 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 16 / 14 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 11 / 16 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1995 Dodge Dakota a good car?
Based on 208 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1995 Dakota rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Dakota at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1995 Dodge Dakota?
The brakes — 29 complaints, 14% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (27) and air bags (26).
How many recalls does the 1995 Dodge Dakota have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1995 Dodge Dakota. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Dakota?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2010 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 2001, 2002, 1999 and 1998. See the full Dodge Dakota years comparison.
At what mileage do 1995 Dodge Dakota problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 25% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.