Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Dodge Dakota owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My Dodge Dakota with the 4.7 engine races all the time. When I first start it, it races and it also does it when shifting gears. When I go from one gear to another I have to put it in neutral until it stops racing and then put it in either reverse or forward. It also does this when I come to a stop sign or red light it races and I have to push harder on the break pedal to keep it from going forward until it comes down to normal speed. I don't know how many times I came close to hitting the person setting in front of me from the engine racing.
Hello my I am disapointed this is the 3rd cam shaft sensor ill have to replace after much research this is a common error on whoever designed this in result car can shutsown while driving leaving you with no control or perhaps when starting vehicle willll not stay running why isnt there a recall to fix this poblem for intake manifold
I was driving in a small neighborhood and I hear a very distinct ticking noise coming from the front passenger side, after I looked at the area I noticed that the exhaust manifold bolts and heat shield were broke . This can cause exhaust fumes to come into the car while driving and should be taken care of.
Loss of engine compression, which resulted in the #3 cylinder misfiring and the check engine light staying on and not able to reset. Vehicle was at the mechanics shop for 2 weeks. After receiving vehicle back, check engine light came on again. When the problem of the #3 cylinder misfire was detected, it was caused by 2 valves being bent, which according to the mechanic was due to a carbon build up in the engine. Vehicle is and always was well maintained and never had any sort of mechanical problem. I am the original owner and purchased new in 2001, only had 63,000 miles on it. According to the dealership parts department, the 4.7l engine is known for a carbon build up around 50,000 miles or so and the problem that I had was not an uncommon one. Was also advised that was one of the kinks that Dodge never could correct. Gee thanks! …
2001 Dodge Dakota equipped with a 4.7 liter eight cylinder engine with 46024 miles began to have a light knock. I had the vehicle towed to metrolina Dodge where I was informed that the vehicle had spun a rod, due to excessive oil sludge build up. The vehicle was purchased with a extended warranty, but I was informed that the damage would not be covered under the warranty because the oil had not been changed by Dodge certified mechanics. My husband and father have changed the oil every 3500 miles, but according to the people at metrolina if Dodge did not perform all the maintenance on the vehicle then the warranty is voided. My husband went to metrolina Dodge to have the service writer show him the sludge build up that they were telling me about. …
Tl contact owns a 2001 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that the engine began shutting off and the check engine light illuminated. The dealer replaced the fuel pump. The door hinges began coming apart on the driver side door, and the middle of the door also began to rip. The dealer would not assist with the repairs until after the warranty expired. The contact welded the door in place; however, it has begun to come apart again and will not remain locked. The window on the driver side door has also come off track. The contact had to add glue to secure the window in place. In April of 2008, the contact received a recall notice related to the emission park shift interlock. The recall repair has not been performed. The contact has photos. The recall number was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000 and current mileage was 71,997. …
I bought a 2001 Dodge Dakota 4wd a month ago. I have had to replace the lower ball joints, catalytic converter, timing chain, water pump and now the transfer case has gone bad. The truck only has 55000 miles on it. I have only made one payment on the truck and have paid the repair shop over $1500 in repair costs. They only time that I have got to drive the truck is to the repair shop except when I bought it. This is ridiculous, a truck with low miles like this should not have this many problems. The dealer said that they would look at it this time put they couldn't make any promises. We paid for everything else to get fixed and I refuse to pay for anything else. I paid $10,000 for a truck that I can't even drive, I'm actually scared to drive it because who knows what will happen next. Apparently dodges are pieces of crap to put it politely.
I was driving through a tunnel in boston and my truck suddenly died for no apparent reason. I was able to pull over far to the side of the road but was still in the travel lane. The odometer was flashing "no bus" and all the dashboard indicator lights were on. The vehicle showed no mechanical signs of failure prior to stalling and made no noise when stalling - it just died. After being towed out of the tunnel (30 min. After the vehicle stalling), I attempted to start the truck and it started right up. I called the dealership and they had no service appointments for one week. This is unacceptable. Then, today (March 21), the truck died again in the same tunnel on my way home from work. This time, it started up after 5 minutes before the tow truck arrived. This is a safety issue and Dodge seems uninterested in fixing it promptly.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Dodge Dakota. After driving the vehicle from the sales lot, the contact noticed that the check engine light was illuminated. She took the vehicle back to the dealer; however, they filed bankruptcy and were closed down. The contact discovered NHTSA campaign id number 07V555000 (power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift) and took the vehicle to another dealer. The dealer stated that they would repair one issue under the recall, but another issue had to be repaired for $700 at the contact's expense. The manufacturer stated that because she was the second owner, she would have to pay out of pocket. The current and failure mileages were 85,289. Updated 09/10/08. The consumer stated even after the recall was performed, he is still having problems with the gear shift. Updated 09/11/08
Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was idling, a whistling noise was heard under the hood. Upon checking, the contact discovered that the hose connected to the intake plenum was broke and had split at the end along the mold mark and was about to fall off. There was enough slack to cut back to a good section of the hose and it was reattached. A week later, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle was taken to local repair shop who determined that a completely different hose was also split at the end. The independent repair shop cut the hose back to a good section and reattached the hose. The manufacturer was alerted but the claim was denied because there was no recall. Updated 10/25/2006 - as of 9/15/06 the hose that attaches to the intake plenum has started to crack again.
Engine complaints in other Dakota years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2001 Dodge Dakota?
NHTSA has 58 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2001 Dodge Dakota, 9% of the model year's 678 complaints. The component named most often is engine (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Dodge Dakota engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2001 Dodge Dakota, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Dodge Dakota engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 4 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.