Airbag complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 18 | 41% | 82,000 miles |
| 2010 | 16 | 46% | 60,000 miles |
| 2009 | 5 | 28% | 32,000 miles |
| 2008 | 29 | 32% | 40,000 miles |
| 2007 | 59 | 41% | 78,000 miles |
| 2006 | 126 | 44% | 79,000 miles |
| 2005 | 143 | 30% | 86,000 miles |
| 2004 | 15 | 7% | 63,000 miles |
| 2003 | 13 | 4% | 47,000 miles |
| 2002 | 28 | 4% | 59,000 miles |
| 2001 | 39 | 6% | 85,000 miles |
| 2000 | 29 | 4% | 86,000 miles |
| 1999 | 32 | 5% | 117,000 miles |
| 1998 | 32 | 6% | 134,000 miles |
| 1997 | 37 | 8% | 104,000 miles |
| 1996 | 12 | 6% | — |
| 1995 | 26 | 13% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that NHTSA campaign number: 05V313000 (air bags) exceeded a reasonable time for repair. The dealer stated that the manufacturer provided ten parts per week. The dealer placed the contact on a waiting list. The contact was also involved in a crash in which the driver and passenger frontal air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The failure mileage was 46,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that the check engine and air bag warning indicators remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 15V313000 and 16V352000 (air bags). The parts needed for the repair were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,329. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Dakota. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 18V021000 (Air Bags) and 15V313000 (Air Bags). The dealer was contacted for the recall repairs and was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact called the manufacturer and was informed that it would take a while for the parts to be obtained. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was blinking intermittently. The failure mileage was approximately 49,800.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Dodge Dakota. While driving 65 MPH, the contact lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle veered to the left and flipped over. The air bags did not deploy. In addition, it was suspected that the harness strap of the driver's seat belt did not restrain the contact during the crash. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the head, a punctured right lung, a fractured right hand, a fractured right femur, right and left knee dislocation, a fractured left ankle, perennial nerve damage, and major abdominal injuries. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was towed, but was not destroyed. A dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the crash. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
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.
Tl contact owns a 2008 Dodge Dakota clubcab 4x2. While driving at approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle was involved in a single car head-on crash in which the air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. One person was reported injured. The vehicle was totaled. The vehicle had not been inspected for the cause of failure at the time of the complaint. The failure and current mileages were approximately 40,000.
I was going down fort sill blvd and I rear ended another truck. I was going roughly 40 to 45 miles per hour. My entire front end was completely smashed in, yet my air bags still didn't deploy?? This is he second accident that they didn't deploy. I have several photos of my trucks front end and the inside showing that the air bags didn't deploy.
Related recalls (8)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2010 Dodge Ram 3500, Ram 4500/5500, 2010-2011 Dodge Dakota, 2010-2014 Dodge Challenger, 2010-2015 Dodge Challenger, Chrysler 300, and 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
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) 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.
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.
Show 3 more recalls
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.
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,…
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 investigations
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…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Dakota years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2005 (143), 2006 (126), 2007 (59), 2001 (39) and 1997 (37) model years. Airbag complaints make up 30% of all complaints for the 2005.
Is there a recall for Dodge Dakota airbag problems?
Yes — 8 recalls, including 19V-018 (inflator module, Jan 15, 2019); 18V-021 (inflator module, Jan 9, 2018); 16V-352 (inflator module, May 24, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Dakota airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 79,000 miles; 27% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (156 mentions), followed by the frontal › sensor/control module (14).
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.