1996 Dodge Dakota reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 1996 Dodge Dakota — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 250
- on record
- Top problem area
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
- 15 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 0
- none on record
- Reported harm
- 24 reported crashes · 11 injuries · 1 death · 6 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#2,126
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Dodge median
-105
median 355 across 271 Dodge records
Vs 1994-1998
+5
median 245 complaints in 551 records
Top component share
6%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 15 complaints
What owners report fails — 1996 Dodge Dakota
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP 15
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 14
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL 12
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE 11
- SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY 8
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1996 Dodge Dakota
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1996 Dodge Dakota units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Dodge Dakota reliable?
NHTSA has 250 consumer complaints on record for the 1996 Dodge Dakota. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (15 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1996 Dodge Dakota units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Dodge Dakota?
Owners most often report problems with: service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (15), power train:automatic transmission (14), air bags:frontal (12), engine and engine cooling:engine (11). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1996 Dodge Dakota?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.