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#BS-2004-DODDAK-E596

2004 Dodge Dakota

Based on reports from 287 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
287
Crashes
12
Fires
6
Recalls
5
TSBs
53
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 287 complaints, 12 crashes, 6 fires, and 5 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

irregular shifting

7 complaints • Severity 8.6/10

$X,XXX
2

oil sludge resulting in engine failure

4 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

engine failure

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the SteeringHIGH

64 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 46K miles.

!Inspect the Suspension:frontMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

92
0–30K
54
30–60K
37
60–90K
16
90–120K
15
120–150K
14
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (92 reports) • Median: 46K 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 (64 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

Steering64 (22%)
Suspension:front16 (6%)
Electrical15 (5%)
Suspension12 (4%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor12 (4%)
Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint12 (4%)
Airbags10 (3%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission9 (3%)

2004 Dodge Dakota: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 22% of all reports filed for the 2004 Dodge Dakota, with 64 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 45,500 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 46K-mile mark.

Suspension:front Issues

Suspension:front complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2004 Dodge Dakota, with 16 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension:front-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2004 Dodge Dakota, with 15 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Suspension Issues

Suspension complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 2004 Dodge Dakota, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension-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

2
03
64
04
46
05
12
06
22
07
24
08
35
09
15
10
14
11
10
12
3
13
11
14
7
15
7
16
6
17
4
18
3
20
1
21
1
22

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2004 Dodge Dakota. Recent trend: stable.

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 (5 recalls)

04V216000Jul 2004

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE MOTOR MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER INTRUSION THAT COULD CAUSE INTERNAL CORROSION AND RESULT IN PARTIAL OR COMPLETE LOSS OF FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPING CAPABILITY.

06E026000Apr 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN 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.

08E064000Nov 2008

SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB

SKF IS RECALLING 2,805 HUB UNITS, PART NO. BR930361, SOLD AS A SERVICE PART FOR 1997-2004 DODGE DAKOTA VEHICLES AND 1999-2003 DODGE DURANGO VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2-WHEEL DRIVE & REAR AXLE ABS. DUE TO A SPECIFICATION ERROR, THE ROTOR PILOT FOR THE HUB UNIT MAY BE TOO LONG. THIS RESULTS IN THE WHEEL TO NOT BE SEATED FULLY AGAINST THE HUB FLANGE FACE DURING MOUNTING.

09E012000May 2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

09E025000Jul 2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

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

Unlock

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. 287 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 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 →

2004 Dodge Dakota: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2004 Dodge Dakota?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2004 Dodge Dakota is related to the steering, with 64 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2004 Dodge Dakota reliable?
The 2004 Dodge Dakota has 287 complaints, 12 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 2004 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 2004 Dodge Dakota have any recalls?
Yes, the 2004 Dodge Dakota has 5 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 228 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 45,500 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K 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 287 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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