Common 1987-1996 Dodge Dakota Problems

Some of the worst issues 1st generation Dakota owners have to deal with.

  1. Stuck in Park

    Can't shift the car into reverse or drive! Now what? This is most commonly reported from Dodge Avenger owners, but there have also been similar complaints about other Dodge makes as well as other Chrysler and Jeep vehicles having a similar …

    Continue reading article "Stuck in Park" Red arrow points at a disassembled gear shifter
  2. What Are We Missing?

    We know there's more problems than this. Let us know which one you'd like to see us cover next.

    Continue Red arrow points at a disassembled gear shifter

What Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

What Breaks the Most

Years to Avoid

1st Generation (1987–1996) Dakota Key Numbers

  1. 9 model years

    Grouping all models by their year can reveal some baddies.

  2. 72 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  3. 17th in reliability

    Overall reliability rank out of 54 eligible generations.