Most common 2005 Dodge Dakota problems
Share of the 470 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 →
2005 Dodge Dakota recalls (6)
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain 2005 Dodge Dakota pickup trucks equipped with heated seats. These driver and passenger seats may develop hot spots that can result in the seat cushion or seat back having burn holes.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will update the seat heating system control features, free of charge. The recall began December 27, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners.
Air bags
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Dodge Dakota, 2005 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C and 300 SRT8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. For vehicles that were sold, or are currently registered, in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S.
Power train › Automatic transmission
On certain pickup trucks, sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with 42rle automatic transmissions, the cup plug that retains the park pawl anchor shaft May be improperly installed. If the shaft moves out of position, the vehicle May not be able to achieve 'park' position.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the transmissions and install a bracket to ensure the park pawl anchor shaft is retained in the proper position. The recall began on November 28, 2005.
Air bags › Side/window
On certain pickup trucks equipped with the optional side curtain air bag, the curtain fasteners May not have been properly tightened.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the side air bag curtain fasteners to the proper specification. The recall began on January 17, 2005. Owners May contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 2005 Dodge Dakota:
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Steering wheel and shaft bolts
On October 26, 2005 odi opened pe05-056 to investigate allegations of loose or missing steering wheel or steering shaft coupling bolts in model year (my) 2004 and 2005 Dodge durango sport utility vehicles and my 2005 Dodge dakota pickup trucks manufactured by daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc).during pe05-056 odi identified 3 owner complaints to odi or dcc, 21 field reports to dcc and 142 warranty claims related to…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Steering wheel and steering shaft bolts
On March 9, 2006 odi upgraded preliminatry evaluation pe05-056 to engineerning analysis ea06-004 to investigate allegations of loose or missing steering shaft coupling bolts and steering column retaining bolts in model year (my) 2004 through 2006 Dodge durango sport utility vehicles and my 2005 through 2006 Dodge dakota pickup trucks.either condition could result in a loss of steering control.although odi identified…
What 2005 Dodge Dakota owners say
Air bags all 143 →
GOT TRUCK SMOGGED 4/13/2021 AND WAS TOLD OF AN OUTSTANDING RECALL FOR AIRBAG. THIS RECALL WAS FIXED ON 11/13/2015. ATTACHED ARE COPIES OF NOTICE OF RECALL AFTER GETTING TRUCK SMOGGED AND PAGES 1 AND 2 OF INVOICE SHOWING REPAIR ON 11/13/2015. HOW DO WE GET THIS UPDATED IN THE SYSTEM SO IT WILL NOT SHOW UP AGAIN WHEN WE GET TRUCK SMOGGED NEXT TIME? Consumer stated vehicle has been repaired and no longer needs to be contacted.
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Dodge Dakota. While driving approximately 60 MPH on a bridge, the vehicle slid on black ice, fishtailed, and crashed into a cement column. The air bags did not deploy. There was no warning indicator illuminated. The contact's wife was seated in the front passenger seat and struck her left knee on the dashboard. Medical attention was not received. The contact was not injured. Police report number: 1916400110 was filed. The vehicle was totaled and towed to a garage, but was later retrieved by the contact. The contact called healy Chrysler Dodge at [phone] (located at 3632 w us-10, ludington, mi 49431) where the air bags were repaired per NHTSA campaign numbers: 16V352000 (air bags), 15V313000 (air bags), and 14V770000 (air bags). The technician informed the contact that all the recall repairs were performed. …
Brakes all 83 →
The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle vibrated, pulled to the right, with a burning odor coming into the cabin of the vehicle. The contact inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the caliper had failed. The calipers had been replaced six times; however, the failure persisted and became more frequent. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.
I am the original owner of a 2005 Dodge Dakota 4x4 4 door mid sized pick up. It has 89,000 miles on it. I experienced braking problems on 9/10/16 and brought it to the shops for complete break inspection where repairs were done. On 1/25/17 I took it to a Dodge dealer for an airbag sensor recall where the truck was looked at by Dodge mechanics. On 1/30/17 while driving, my truck lost all braking ability. The pedal when to the floor, despite rapidly pumping the breaks, I rear ended the car in front of me. Fortunately no one was hurt but this could have been a catastrophe had it happened in another location. The truck was towed to my local station where an inspection revealed the break lines had rotted out causing a catastrophic brake failure. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 81 →
*Incomplete Recall Status* ***Defect in transfer case*** Complaint of Manufacturer Defect in 2005 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 4x4 3.7l v6. While driving at a speed of 30mph on a smooth paved highway and selector switch turned to 2 wheel drive mode; out of nowhere, the transfer case tried to engage 4 High which resulted in SVC 4X4 warning lamp illumination and a loud grinding/stuttering sound from under carriage as well as halting me to 10 mph without any help from me. after pulling over on the roadside and putting truck in park and turning the engine off, i waited a couple of minutes and SVC 4X4 indicator and 4High dash light had gone. I restarted the truck only to find that the SVC 4X4 Warning lamp immediately returned and now the 4lo illuminated dash light is constantly showing and truck is still showing in 2 wheel drive with selector switch but 4x4 will not engage at all now. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that the transmission caught on fire while the vehicle was parked. The wiring harness and alarm system were burned. The contact was able to extinguish the fire. In addition, while the vehicle was in reverse, the gear shifter would shift into park or neutral. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
2005 Dodge Dakota engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.7L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.7L 8-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 13 / 19 / 15 |
| 4.7L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 15 |
| 4.7L 8-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Dodge Dakota a good car?
Based on 470 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Dakota rates average: 1.3× 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 2005 Dodge Dakota?
The air bags — 143 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal › sensor/control module. Next are the brakes (83) and transmission & drivetrain (81).
How many recalls does the 2005 Dodge Dakota have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2005 Dodge Dakota, the most recent from December 20, 2017 (seat heater/cooler). 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 2005 Dodge Dakota problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 59,000 miles; 44% 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.