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#BS-2001-DODDAK-E596

2001 Dodge Dakota

Based on reports from 945 owners and 14 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
945
Crashes
58
Fires
12
Recalls
14
TSBs
72
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 945 complaints, 58 crashes, 12 fires, and 14 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

brakes cause wheels to be hot and smoking

8 complaints • Severity 7.8/10

$X,XXX
2

paint is peeling

6 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

power window failure

5 complaints • Severity 8.8/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball JointHIGH

162 owners reported suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint issues — failures commonly reported around 50K miles.

!Inspect the Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball JointMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

146
0–30K
219
30–60K
125
60–90K
38
90–120K
28
120–150K
42
150K+

Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (219 reports) • Median: 50K 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: Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint (162 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

Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint162 (17%)
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint77 (8%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor54 (6%)
Electrical36 (4%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission33 (3%)
Brakes26 (3%)
Airbags25 (3%)
Wheels & Tires24 (3%)

2001 Dodge Dakota: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint Issues

Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint complaints account for 17% of all reports filed for the 2001 Dodge Dakota, with 162 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 50,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 50K-mile mark.

Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint Issues

Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2001 Dodge Dakota, with 77 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2001 Dodge Dakota, with 54 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 2001 Dodge Dakota, with 36 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-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

1
00
62
01
92
02
186
03
276
04
85
05
39
06
31
07
38
08
14
09
29
10
14
11
5
12
13
13
12
14
11
15
4
16
7
17
7
18
9
19
2
20
3
21
1
23
4
25

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2001 Dodge Dakota. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

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

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Recall History (14 recalls)

00V366000Nov 2000

CHILD SEAT

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." SOME OF THE OWNER'S MANUALS FOR THESE VEHICLES ARE MISSING INSTRUCTIONS THAT PROVIDE A STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE, INCLUDING DIAGRAMS, FOR PROPERLY ATTACHING A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM'S TETHER STRAP TO THE TETHER ANCHORAGE.

01V077000Apr 2001

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE. THE ELECTRIC SHIFT TRANSFER CASE MAY NOT FULLY ENGAGE INTO GEAR WHEN THE OPERATOR MOVES THE TRANSFER CASE SELECTOR SWITCH.

01V233000Jul 2001

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: QUAD CAB PICKUP TRUCKS. THE FRONT OUTBOARD LOWER SEAT BELT ANCHOR BOLTS MAY NOT BE TIGHTENED CORRECTLY.

03V389000Nov 2003

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, THE HEADLAMP AND DASH WIRING HARNESS MAY BE CHAFED BY THE ACTUATION OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL. THIS COULD RESULT IN ABNORMAL OPERATION OF THE WIPERS, TURN SIGNALS, HORN OR LIGHTING SYSTEMS.

03V505000Mar 2004

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS AND 4X2 PICKUP TRUCKS, THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL MAY HAVE GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATINGS (GAWR) THAT EXCEED THE MAXIMUM TIRE LOAD CAPACITY AS DEFINED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."

+ 9 more recalls in the full report

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. 945 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 14 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 →

2001 Dodge Dakota: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2001 Dodge Dakota?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2001 Dodge Dakota is related to the suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint, with 162 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2001 Dodge Dakota reliable?
The 2001 Dodge Dakota has 945 complaints, 58 crash reports, and 12 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 2001 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 2001 Dodge Dakota have any recalls?
Yes, the 2001 Dodge Dakota has 14 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 598 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 50,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K 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 945 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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