12 of the 793 complaints about the 1998 Dodge Dakota are about the lighting — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 170,000 miles.
12
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLAMPS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 214,674.
NHTSA complaint #11074988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE TRUCK HAS A ELECTRICAL ISSUE THE LIGHTS GO OFF AND ON OUT OF NO WHERE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN VERY DARK TWO LANE ROAD AND LIGHTS GO OFF. THANK GOD NOBODY TRIED PASSING IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC PR WE WOULD BE DEAD I REPLACED LIGHT SWITCH A FEW MONTHS AGO AND IT WAS FINE UNTIL RECENTLY STARTED DOING SAME THING.
NHTSA complaint #10948781 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEAD LIGHTS FLICKER AND TURN OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHETHER DRIVING OR AT A STAND STILL. THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS AND THE DODGE DURANGO. HAVE BEEN STOPPED TWICE BY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE VEHICLE IS STOCK WITH NO AFTERMARKET ADDITIONS.
NHTSA complaint #10544547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
HEADLIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTIONING - HEADLIGHTS ACT ERRATIC, SWITCH GETS HOT & SMELLS AS IF IT'S BURNING UP.
NHTSA complaint #10064041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #765363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT
WHEN ENGAGING TURN SIGNAL THERE WAS NO SIGNAL LIGHT, AND THERE WAS A LOUD GEAR GRINDING NOISE. WHEN DISENGAGING SIGNAL NOISE STOPPED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8009860 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS FLICKERING, PROBLEMS WITH SWAY BAR LINKS AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS NOTICED INSPECTION, IF PARTS FAIL COMPLETELY TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING WOULD OCCUR.
NHTSA complaint #9005495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH
ENGINE EXPERIENCES ROUGH AND LOW IDLE, AND STALLING, DEALER HAS REPLACED THROTTLE BODY, MANIFOLD GASKETS, AND VALVE BODY, HOWEVER STALLING STILL EXISTS, DEALER STATED THE COMBINATION OF STOPPING, SHIFTING, AND THE TURNING OF THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL, THERE WAS ALSO AN OIL PAN LEAK AND COOLANT LEAK, PURGE SOLENOID WAS ALSO NOISY. REVERSE LIGHTS HAD A DEFECTIVE SWITCH AND THE HEADLIGHTS HAD A DEFECTIVE SWITCH. EXHAUST WAS NOISY AND THE EXHAUST BOLTS WERE BROKEN. MOLDINGS WERE LEAKING, DEALER HAD TO ALSO REPLACE CARPET. BRAKES LOCKED UP, DEALER FOUND THEY WERE FULL OF BRAKE DUST, FRONT ROTORS GOUGED, DEALER REPLACED BRAKES AND ROTORS. STEERING GEAR BOX AND POWER STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY BOTH LEAKED. TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS, A DEFECTIVE LEAKING PRESSURE LINE, VIBRATION IN DRIVELINE, VEHICLE WOULD SLAM IN REVERSE WHEN GOING FROM DRIVE, DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED DUE TO A HUMMING NOISE, AND THE GEAR SHIFT BROKE. NEW TIRES (NO SIZE OR BRAND) DUE TO VIBRATION IN FRONT END. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #874936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
ENGINE EXPERIENCES ROUGH AND LOW IDLE, AND STALLING, DEALER HAS REPLACED THROTTLE BODY, MANIFOLD GASKETS, AND VALVE BODY, HOWEVER STALLING STILL EXISTS, DEALER STATED THE COMBINATION OF STOPPING, SHIFTING, AND THE TURNING OF THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL, THERE WAS ALSO AN OIL PAN LEAK AND COOLANT LEAK, PURGE SOLENOID WAS ALSO NOISY. REVERSE LIGHTS HAD A DEFECTIVE SWITCH AND THE HEADLIGHTS HAD A DEFECTIVE SWITCH. EXHAUST WAS NOISY AND THE EXHAUST BOLTS WERE BROKEN. MOLDINGS WERE LEAKING, DEALER HAD TO ALSO REPLACE CARPET. BRAKES LOCKED UP, DEALER FOUND THEY WERE FULL OF BRAKE DUST, FRONT ROTORS GOUGED, DEALER REPLACED BRAKES AND ROTORS. STEERING GEAR BOX AND POWER STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY BOTH LEAKED. TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS, A DEFECTIVE LEAKING PRESSURE LINE, VIBRATION IN DRIVELINE, VEHICLE WOULD SLAM IN REVERSE WHEN GOING FROM DRIVE, DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED DUE TO A HUMMING NOISE, AND THE GEAR SHIFT BROKE. NEW TIRES (NO SIZE OR BRAND) DUE TO VIBRATION IN FRONT END. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #874936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL OVERLOAD RELAY LIGHT SWITCH BURNED OUT AND MELTED, CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR DODGE RAM 1995 ON THIS PROBLEM. BUT THE 1998 DAKOTA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ALTHOUGH IT HAS SAME PART. DEALER IS ORDERED PARTS TO FIX VEHICLE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. RECALL 99V024000.
NHTSA complaint #860281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE SHOULD REPLACE VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY.
NHTSA complaint #719943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHT KNOB CAME OFF.
NHTSA complaint #607789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.