Most common 1997 Dodge Dakota problems
Share of the 446 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 →
1997 Dodge Dakota recalls (5)
Air bags
Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the Ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11th VIN position) from May 16, 2000 through October 23, 2000; st.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly. Owner notification began June 18, 2001. Also some 1997-200 model year vehicles that, according to warranty records, have had a suspect replacement clockspring installed,…
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: pickup trucks built with 2.5l engines. Some vehicles May have been built with inadequate clearance between the left front brake tube and the power steering hose.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the brake tube and power steering hose for wear. If wear is evident, the brake tube and/or power steering hose will be replaced.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: pickup trucks with a 131 inch wheelbase. Some of these vehicles May have been built with inadequate clearance between the fuel line and the cab underbody.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for proper clearance. Fuel lines that exhibit inadequate clearance will be replaced with a redesigned fuel line that will assure proper clearance.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Some vehicles May have been built with inadequate clearance between the rear axle vent hose and the brake hose.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear brake hose for evidence of wear. Worn brake hoses will be replaced. The rear vent hose will be shortened by 3 inches and a clip will be installed to assure clearance between the axle vent…
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
The electrical circuit design allows the potential for an inadvertent air bag deployment upon vehicle ignition shut down.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the air bag electronic control module with a newly designed module.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1997 Dodge Dakota:
Upper ball joint separation
Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint retention capacity (NHTSA recall no.
What 1997 Dodge Dakota owners say
Suspension all 142 →
Going down the road at 55 MPH and all of a sudden I hit a pothole and the passenger side tire came right off , it is the same problem as the 2000 - 2003's have. We have pictures of it to prove it . The upper and lower ball joints let loose the cv shaft pulled out and the shock got bent. The tire turned on its side while the truck was sliding down the road sideways and I was unable to control how the truck was going. The only thing holding the tire on the truck was the brake line. The tire rim had chunks taken out of it and the tire had wear from being on its side under the frame of the truck while it was sliding. We had to get it flatbedded to the repair shop . …
My truck started to squeak up front over any bumps. My tires were also starting to go bad, even as I rotated them every 3000 miles. Soon the squeak was really bad so I took it to tuffy auto. They gave me an alignment for the tire wear and said that my ball joints were causing the squeak. I replaced the upper ball joints. Then about 1000 miles later I heard a horrible grinding in the front, took it to the dealer. It was a bad wheel bearing, caused by bad ball joints as described by the dealer. Replaced lower ball joints, wheel bearing, and now all 4 tires as they wore badly due to the ball joint problem. Total cost of 800 plus 4 tires at 130 each. I am in college with a baby as well. These costs killed my budget, and now I find out there is a recall on 2000 and up models. What a deal, seems to me the parts were the same on the 97, but no recall on them? …
Brakes all 73 →
3 days after we bought this vehicle the fuel system went down. Replaced the fuel pump and still wants to stall and act like its clogged in the fuel lines. Its been flushed. When driving it bogs down and chugs. It wants to die and shut off while your driving the truck. The brakes only work half the time. Most of the time I can't even stop until I'm halfway through the intersection. Replaced all the sensors and still doesn't want to start and stay running. Fuel pump kicks on, but has to run extra hard to try and keep the engine running.
Took vehicle to Dodge dealer (bryden motors beloit) for inspection of fuel line and brakes (fuel line is not right and rear brake line is leaking affecting braking) fuel line part was ordered nut brakes were not inspected and ignored. I am supposed to return Wednesday afternoon to have ordered fuel line part(s) installed.
Engine & cooling all 51 →
3 days after we bought this vehicle the fuel system went down. Replaced the fuel pump and still wants to stall and act like its clogged in the fuel lines. Its been flushed. When driving it bogs down and chugs. It wants to die and shut off while your driving the truck. The brakes only work half the time. Most of the time I can't even stop until I'm halfway through the intersection. Replaced all the sensors and still doesn't want to start and stay running. Fuel pump kicks on, but has to run extra hard to try and keep the engine running.
Tl* the contact owned a 1997 Dodge Dakota. While driving 50 MPH, the vehicle began to overheat without warning. The contact pulled over and opened the hood of the vehicle. The contact discovered that the engine was on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage and VIN were unavailable.
1997 Dodge Dakota engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 13 / 19 / 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 | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 16 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Dodge Dakota a good car?
Based on 446 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Dakota rates avoid: 2.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Dakota at the same age. It is one of the Dakota years we suggest avoiding. 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 1997 Dodge Dakota?
The suspension — 142 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › control arm › upper ball joint. Next are the brakes (73) and engine & cooling (51).
How many recalls does the 1997 Dodge Dakota have?
There are 5 recalls for the 1997 Dodge Dakota, the most recent from May 8, 2001 (air bags). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the 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 1997 Dodge Dakota problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 73,000 miles; 23% 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.