12 of the 250 complaints about the 1996 Dodge Dakota are about the seat belts — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 78,000 miles.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WAS FRACTURED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
NHTSA complaint #10788427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE DAKOTA. HE STATED THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELTS HAVE FALLEN APART. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE SEAT BELT AND WAS FORCED TO CRAWL OUT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE RECALLS; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE SEAT BELTS. THEY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS; BUT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR. THE SEAT BELTS HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN APPEARS TO BE INVALID.
NHTSA complaint #10192903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
TL*-THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS 1996 DODGE DAKOTA HAS HAD 2 REPLACEMENT OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LATCH IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND THE SPRINGS CONTINUE TO FALL FROM IT. HE STATED THAT HE HAS TO REPLACE THIS AGAIN AND FELT THAT THIS WAS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT USED ON THIS VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000.
NHTSA complaint #10185742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
OCTOBER 27, 2006 I TOOK 2 FRIENDS TO TOWN AND WHEN THE PERSON IN THE MIDDLE SEAT COULD NOT GET THE SEAT BELT TO RELEASE AFTER SEVERAL TRIES I CUT THE SEAT BELT TO GET HIM OUT. NOVEMBER 2, 2006 I WAS PICKING UP MY HUSBAND FROM THE DOCTORS OFFICE AND MY SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE AND AGAIN I HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT, SO I COULD GET OUT. ON A RECENT TRIP OF 2400 MILES THE OIL GAUGE WAS PASSED THE MIDDLE OF THE GAUGE WHICH NEAR THE (H) WHEN THIS STARTED HAPPENING THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT AND I HAD TO STOP AND LET THE MOTOR COMPLETELY COOL DOWN BEFORE THE LIGHTS WOULD WORK AGAIN IN THE DASH. ON THE WAY HOME FROM MICHIGAN THE ACCELORATOR PEDEL FELL OFF IN THE MOUNTAINS IN GEORGIA AND I HAD TO PUT THE PLASTIC HOLDERS ON VERY CAREFULLY SO I COULD GET TO THE NEXT TOWN AND THERE A AUTO PARTS STORE EMPLOYEE PUT A (C) CLAMP ON THE HOLDER TO SECURE THE PEDAL ENOUGH FOR ME TO MAKE IT HOME. I STILL HAD 400 MILES TO GO AND WAS VERY APPREHENSIVE ALL THE WAY HOME AND NOW WITH THE SEAT BELT FAILURES I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THE TRUCK . WE ARE RETIRED AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE OR WE WOULD PUT THIS IN THE JUNK YARD. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD TRUCK UP UNTIL NOW AND WE HAVE NEVER ABUSED IT IN ANY WAY AND NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10172541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERABLE. THE BUCKLES ON THE BELTS DO NOT SNAP.
NHTSA complaint #10117283 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PLASTIC COVERS CAME OFF OF DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THEN SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE BECAUSE ASSEMBLY HAD BROKEN. THE ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE PRIED APART WITH A SCREWDRIVER SO THAT I COULD GET OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10016472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FAULTY SEAT BELT BUCKLES, THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY ON ALL THREE BUCKLES IN THE FRONT SEAT HAS COMPLETELY BROKEN.
NHTSA complaint #752592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILLNOT HOLD TOGETHER WHEN PRESSURE PUT ON, IT WILL LOCK. SEATBELT WILLNOT HOLD TOGETHER.
NHTSA complaint #889929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE COMES UNDONE WHILE IN USE. OCCUPANT TRANSPORTED UNRESTRAINED, TO BE REPLACED BY DEALER, PARTS ON BACK ORDER.
NHTSA complaint #815396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM BELT BUCKLE AFTER PRESSING THE RED RELEASE BUTTON.
NHTSA complaint #805406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT LATCH ON ACCELERATION OR TURNING; ALSO, TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #511170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER SEATBELT STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR WILL NOT PULL OUT, DEALER REFUSED TO FIX IT. TT
NHTSA complaint #977262 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.