Most common 2009 Dodge Dakota problems
Share of the 18 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 →
2009 Dodge Dakota recalls (5)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa,…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.
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.
Power train › Driveline › Differential unit
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ram 1500 trucks manufactured from February 27, 2008, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through October 20, 2011; model year 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota trucks manufactured from February 27, 2007, through June 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through September 30,…
Remedy: On November 7, 2013 Chrysler notified owners that dealers would install a pinion nut retainer, free of charge. In July 2015, and under a consent order with NHTSA, the company agreed to offer owners three options for…
Power train › Driveline › Differential unit
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2010, Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota trucks, manufactured from July 1, 2009, through November 30, 2009, because the rear axle pinion nut may loosen due to a lack of adhesive.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a pinion nut retainer, free of charge. The recall began on June 17, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2009 Dodge Dakota:
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.
What 2009 Dodge Dakota owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
Safety recall n08/NHTSA 13v-038 was announced May 13 2013. Since that day I have repeatedly contacted the dealer,[redacted], requesting that the recall repair be performed on my 2009 Dodge Dakota. Every time I call they tell me they do not have the parts. They also tell me they have no idea when they will get the parts. It is unacceptable that four months after a recall is announced the dealer and the manufacturer are doing nothing to correct the defect. It is more unacceptable to me that it appears NHTSA is doing nothing to enforce their recalls. The notice states that my vehicle "could crash without warning"! When is NHTSA going to require Chrysler to repair these defective vehicles? This month? Next month? Next year? Is there any deadline for these repairs to be done? ,
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that NHTSA campaign number 13V038000 (power train) had exceeded a reasonable time for repair. The rear axle began to experience the bolt separation failure as listed in the recall. The manufacturer advised that the part was not available for repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 38,000 and the current mileage 39,000. Updated 10/31/13
Air bags
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that while traveling 5 MPH down hill, the vehicle crashed into a tree and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact mentioned that no warning lamps illuminated in the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The manufacturer was not contacted. The dealer was unable to determine what caused the failure. The failure mileage was 32,000 and the current mileage was 41,000.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Dakota. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V313000 (air bags); however, the part needed to perform the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer on numerous occasions, but was unable to be connected to a representative. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Electrical system
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Dakota. While attempting to start the vehicle, all the instrument panel indicators illuminated and the vehicle failed to start. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that while traveling 70 MPH, the contact inadvertently bumped the ignition key and all of the indicators on the instrument panel illuminated. A chime activated and the cruise control was turn on which cause the vehicle to resumed normal functioned. The failure recurred several times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure was unable to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was 38,000 and the current mileage was 41,000.
2009 Dodge Dakota engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 20 / 18 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 19 / 16 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.7L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 15 |
| 4.7L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Dodge Dakota a good car?
Based on 18 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Dakota rates better than average: 91% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Dakota at the same age. It is one of the best Dakota years by this measure. 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 2009 Dodge Dakota?
The transmission & drivetrain — 6 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (5) and electrical system (3).
How many recalls does the 2009 Dodge Dakota have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2009 Dodge Dakota, the most recent from January 9, 2018 (inflator module). 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 2009 Dodge Dakota problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 50% 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.