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#BS-1996-DODDAK-E591

1996 Dodge Dakota

Based on reports from 250 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
250
Crashes
24
Fires
6
Recalls
2
TSBs
58
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 250 complaints, 24 crashes, 6 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

frame rusting out

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
2

computer died

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

oil light comes on with no lack of oil

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited SlipHIGH

15 owners reported service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip issues — failures commonly reported around 89K miles.

!Inspect the Power Train:automatic TransmissionMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

2
0–30K
5
30–60K
8
60–90K
5
90–120K
5
120–150K
4
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (8 reports) • Median: 89K 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: Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip (15 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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip15 (6%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission14 (6%)
Air Bags:frontal12 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine11 (4%)
Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly8 (3%)
Speed Control8 (3%)
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch8 (3%)
Wheels & Tires7 (3%)

1996 Dodge Dakota: Known Issues & Problem Areas

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1996 Dodge Dakota, with 15 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 89,397 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 89K-mile mark.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1996 Dodge Dakota, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Air Bags:frontal Issues

Air Bags:frontal complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1996 Dodge Dakota, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to air bags:frontal-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1996 Dodge Dakota, with 11 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine-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

19
00
35
01
8
02
15
03
13
04
3
05
5
06
2
07
1
08
1
10
1
12
3
14
2
15
1
16

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1996 Dodge Dakota. Recent trend: decreasing.

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

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Recall History (2 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.

95V199000Nov 1995

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST

THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE COULD BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AND NOT CLAMPED TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM NIPPLE.

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. 250 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 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 →

1996 Dodge Dakota: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1996 Dodge Dakota?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1996 Dodge Dakota is related to the service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, with 15 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1996 Dodge Dakota reliable?
The 1996 Dodge Dakota has 250 complaints, 24 crash reports, and 6 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 1996 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 1996 Dodge Dakota have any recalls?
Yes, the 1996 Dodge Dakota has 2 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 29 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 89,397 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K 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 250 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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