21 of the 650 complaints about the 1997 Dodge Dakota are about the electrical system — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 125,000 miles.
21
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HEADLIGHTS KEEP FAILING. HAVE CHANGED HEADLIGHT SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES, BUT FAILS AGAIN. TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. CRUISE CONTROL IS DIFFICULT TO ACTIVATE. SOMETIMES TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR
NHTSA complaint #10911071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THE WIRE HARNESS THAT PLUGS THE HEADLIGHTS INTO THE DASHBOARD MELTED. *AK ALSO THE PARKING LIGHT AND THE HIGH BEAMS DIDN'T WORK. *SC
NHTSA complaint #10099437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THREE COMPUTER MODULES WERE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #568315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WHEN TURNING OFF BRIGHT LIGHTS HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #894837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE TURNED ON IGNITION SWITCH, WITHIN SECOND A LOUD EXPLOSION CAME FROM UNDER HOOD. AFTER OPENING HOOD NOTICED TOP OF BATTERY WAS SHATTERED, AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COVERED WITH ACID. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #891324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE TURNED ON IGNITION SWITCH, WITHIN SECOND A LOUD EXPLOSION CAME FROM UNDER HOOD. AFTER OPENING HOOD NOTICED TOP OF BATTERY WAS SHATTERED, AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COVERED WITH ACID. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #891324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
REAR WIRING HARNESS IS PINCHED BETWEEN FRAME AND THE BED ASSEMBLY WHICH HAS CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK THE DEALER SOLDERED THE THREE BROKEN WIRES.
NHTSA complaint #879121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (WIRING HARNESS) AND BATTERY MALFUNCTIONED.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)YH
NHTSA complaint #551031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (WIRING HARNESS) AND BATTERY MALFUNCTIONED.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)YH
NHTSA complaint #551031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ON APRIL 20,1999 REGULATOR,OIL PAN,IDLE AIR CONTROL AND WINDOW BELT FAILD.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)YH
NHTSA complaint #551031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE THE FIRE, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, ON A COUPLE OF TIMES, A CODE 12 WAS DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. A MECHANIC FROM THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE CODE MEANT THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #859081 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
BROKEN WIRES IN THE STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. OWNER HAS HAD THE WIRING FIXED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC.*AK
NHTSA complaint #858353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHEN TURNING ON THE TRUCK OR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOES DEAD. DODGE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE INSTUMENT CLUSTER, DASH WIRING HARNESS AND AN ENGINE CONTROLL MODULE. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE PROBLEM BURNED IT OUT TWICE. $2000.00 AND MOUNTING. ANOTHER PART ON ORDER. 5TH TIME TO DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #718948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
TRANSMISSION ACTING SLUGGISH. WAS NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR PROPERLY. WOULD BUCK SEVERELY. PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING, VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT FOR NO REASON. HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 4-5 TIMES. AT DEALERSHIP, MECHANIC CHANGED BATTERY, MAP SENSOR & THE COMPUTER CHIP. PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED. FINALLY INDICATED TRANSMISSION WAS WORN OUT & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH A REBUILT ONE.
NHTSA complaint #855835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
TRANSMISSION ACTING SLUGGISH. WAS NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR PROPERLY. WOULD BUCK SEVERELY. PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING, VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT FOR NO REASON. HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 4-5 TIMES. AT DEALERSHIP, MECHANIC CHANGED BATTERY, MAP SENSOR & THE COMPUTER CHIP. PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED. FINALLY INDICATED TRANSMISSION WAS WORN OUT & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH A REBUILT ONE.
NHTSA complaint #855835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
CAR STALL DUE TO COMPUTER FAILURE. YH
NHTSA complaint #609343 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
CONSUMER HAD TURNED OFF IGNITION WITH KEY STILL IN SWITCH. VEHICLE FAILED TO TURN OFF. WOULD IDLE 2600-3200 WHEN VEHICLE FIRST TURNED ON. WOULD KEEP STALLING OUT IF NOT HIGH IDLING. WOULD KEEP PRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO SLOW IT DOWN. BEEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 5 TIMES FOR PROBLEM THAT'S NOT SOLVABLE.
NHTSA complaint #851057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY FAILED. MJS
NHTSA complaint #608142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
ABS LIGHT STAYS ON DUE TO FAILURE OF THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS.
NHTSA complaint #607624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM OF THE IGNITION CONTROL UNIT, THE VEHICLE SURGES/BUCKS/A NOISE IN THE DRIVELINE AND SHIFTS TOO HARD, WHICH MAY CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. THERE IS A TSB ON THE SURGING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.
NHTSA complaint #833495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES TO ZERO,/COMPLETELY OUT, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER. DRIVER CANNOT TELL HOW FAST VEHICLE IS TRAVELING. POTENTIAL FOR CRASH, VEHICLE WITH DEALER FOR INSPECTION/REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #816583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.