Most common 1999 Dodge Dakota problems
Share of the 641 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 →
1999 Dodge Dakota recalls (4)
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,…
Seat belts › Front › Retractor
Vehicle description: certain van, wagon, pickup trucks, passenger and sport utility vehicles, fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." the front seat belt retractor May not comply with the requirements of the standard.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractor. Owner notification began August 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
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.
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…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1999 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 1999 Dodge Dakota owners say
Suspension all 342 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that the lower ball joints for the front suspension fractured without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed by the dealer. The contact stated that the parts to repair the vehicle were no longer available. The vehicle was not able to be repaired. The contact purchased a lower control arm to repair the vehicle; however, it did not correct the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
The lower ball joint on my 1999 Dodge Dakota failed. This caused the driver's side of vehicle to slam violently to the ground. The rack and pinion was damaged as a result. Steering alignment was greatly affected as well. Front bumper was also damaged. I understand that these ball joints are a growing concern with dakotas and durangos and would like to see some action taken by the manufacturer.
Brakes all 95 →
Two years ago I purchased a 1999 Dodge Dakota 4wd pick up truck with approx. 63K miles. At 68,500 miles I replaced the brake rotors, pads and calipers. The caliper bolts pulled out of the spindle on each wheel and allowed the caliper to drop down onto the rotor causing the brakes to pull to the left side and overheat. When I removed the calipers the bolts were removable by hand and the threading in the spindle was rusted out and would not hold new caliper bolts. I contacted two Dodge dealers (parts dept) and they stated they knew of no problems with the spindles. I checked on the internet and it seems that there has been an ongoing problem with the bolts pulling out of the spindles on this model of Dakota's and durango's. …
Brake pedal broke when the SUV applied his brake hard to stop for the pickup in front of him. I was behind him about 4 to 5 car lengths going between 40 to 45 MPH, I hit the brakes they worked for a split second and the pedal went to the floor. I rear ended the SUV. The accident caused about $3500 damage to the SUV, $2500. To the pickup in front of it and $6500 to $7000. Damage to my 19999 Dodge Dakota. The point that the brake linkage connects to the brake pedal broke off the brake pedal.
Engine & cooling all 72 →
Vehicle stalls intermittently in a unpredictable pattern. Vehicle restarts after stalling 7 out of 10 times. When it wont restart immediately after stalling it will take upwards of 10 minutes to achieve engine operation. I've replaced the crank position sensor, as well the cam position sensor. Vehicle continues to stall intermittently.
Faulty intake manifold gasket in my 99 Dodge Dakota with 38,900 miles on it. Chrysler daimler covered only parts. It cost me 370 dollars to get it repaired. I contested when they said they would only cover parts. Chrysler stated that it was out of warranty and that this is all they would do. I found numerous complaints on the internet of other people with the same problem with a leaking intake manifold gasket at very low miles on this Chrysler product. I believe that this is unacceptable. Chrysler won't talk to me anymore. They stated that the only way I could still fight it was to pay the full price for the repair and then contest it. I needed my truck back. The dealer told me that it was unsafe to drive it far do to the oil consumption. I was stuck. I paid it cause I needed a vehicle. Age shouldn't matter in a case like this. 38,900 is way to low of miles for a major repair like this. …
1999 Dodge Dakota engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 12 / 16 / 14 |
| 3.9L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 16 / 14 |
| 5.9L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 11 / 15 / 13 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 15 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Dodge Dakota a good car?
Based on 641 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Dakota rates avoid: 3.2× 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 1999 Dodge Dakota?
The suspension — 342 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › control arm › upper ball joint. Next are the brakes (95) and engine & cooling (72).
How many recalls does the 1999 Dodge Dakota have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1999 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 1999 Dodge Dakota problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 60,000 miles; 35% 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.