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#BS-1994-DODDAK-E591

1994 Dodge Dakota

Based on reports from 240 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
240
Crashes
44
Fires
4
Recalls
4
TSBs
42
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 240 complaints, 44 crashes, 4 fires, and 4 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

paint peeling

3 complaints • Severity 7.3/10

$X,XXX
2

transmission slips

2 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

premature tire wear

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Steering: Steering Wheel/handle BarHIGH

18 owners reported steering: steering wheel/handle bar issues — failures commonly reported around 120K miles.

!Inspect the Air Bags:frontalMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

2
0–30K
3
30–60K
2
60–90K
2
90–120K
1
120–150K
8
150K+

Peak failure range: 150K+ miles (8 reports) • Median: 120K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar (18 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar18 (8%)
Air Bags:frontal16 (7%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip13 (5%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission13 (5%)
Seats:front Assembly:recliner8 (3%)
Wheels & Tires8 (3%)
Electrical System:ignition7 (3%)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump7 (3%)

1994 Dodge Dakota: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar Issues

Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1994 Dodge Dakota, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 120,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 120K-mile mark.

Air Bags:frontal Issues

Air Bags:frontal complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1994 Dodge Dakota, with 16 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to air bags:frontal-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1994 Dodge Dakota, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1994 Dodge Dakota, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

15
00
6
01
7
02
6
03
5
04
8
05
2
06
1
10
1
11
12
13

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1994 Dodge Dakota. Recent trend: increasing.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (4 recalls)

06E049000Jul 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

94V005000Feb 1994

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

TWO FUEL TANK SUPPORT STRAP ATTACHING STUDS WERE NOT ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED, WHICH COULD CAUSE ONE OR BOTH OF THE STRAP(S) TO SEPARATE, MISLOCATING THE FUEL TANKS OR ALLOW COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE FUEL TANK FROM THE VEHICLE.

94V043000Apr 1994

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

SOME UPPER CONTROL ARM ATTACHING BOLTS CAN FAIL DUE TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT. THE BOLTS ARE TOO SOFT TO WITHSTAND THE STRESSES IN THE STEERING SYSTEM AND CAN BREAK.

95V088000Jul 1995

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE EXTRA KEYS ON A VEHICLE OPERATOR'S KEY RING CAN BECOME TEMPORARILY LODGED IN THE SCREW ACCESS HOLES IN THE BACK COVER OF THE STEERING WHEEL.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Dodge Dakota is the 2000 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 240 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Dodge Dakota Model Years

201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991199019891988198719861985
View all Dodge Dakota years →

1994 Dodge Dakota: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1994 Dodge Dakota?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1994 Dodge Dakota is related to the steering: steering wheel/handle bar, with 18 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1994 Dodge Dakota reliable?
The 1994 Dodge Dakota has 240 complaints, 44 crash reports, and 4 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1994 Dodge Dakota problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1994 Dodge Dakota have any recalls?
Yes, the 1994 Dodge Dakota has 4 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Dodge Dakota problems start?
Based on 18 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 120,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 150K+ mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 240 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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