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Dodge DakotaModel year report

1999 Dodge Dakota Problems

Complaints
641filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
60,000miles, 329 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
16 mpgcombined, 3.9L 6-cyl RWD · 14 city / 19 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1999 Dodge Dakota (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about front-end wear, particularly upper and lower ball joints and related tie-rod or wheel bearing work, frequently at moderate mileage. Brake line corrosion and a handful of airbag non-deployment reports also appear in the sample. Many complaints note the truck was not covered by later-model-year campaigns for the same front-end parts.

  1. Suspension

    Worn upper and lower ball joints

    • 296 complaints (46%)
    • median 55,000 mi at 5.6 yrs old (207 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 28 quotes)
    • filed 2000–2017

    Owners describe clunking, popping or creaking from the front end, especially at low speed or while turning into parking spaces, and shimmy or shaking through the steering wheel. Several say a shop or alignment technician found the ball joints loose or the grease boots torn, and some report the upper and lower control arms were replaced as complete units. Complaints frequently mention that later model years received a campaign for the same parts while this year was excluded by VIN. Reported across a wide range, though many fall between roughly 30,000 and 90,000 miles.

    What to check: Have a mechanic check upper and lower ball joint play and the condition of the grease boots before purchase, and ask whether the control arms or joints have already been replaced and at what mileage. An alignment that cannot be brought into spec is a common tip-off.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have had my upper and lower ball joints replaced a few times under warrenty along with the intermediate steering shaft ! Always replaced with the same factory part prone to failure !at $100.00 deductable per incident along with the cost of a front end alignment after each repair (not covered) - and now my extended warrenty is up and it will cost me more for the privledge to own this useless truck !”

    NHTSA complaint #10104874, filed 2004-12, 5,700 miles

    “Premature wear of ball joints in my 1999 Dodge Dakota. Vehicle has less that 48000 on it and was told when I went for an alignment that my ball joints were wearing out. Shouldn't be wearing out so soon. Have not replaced yet, dealer mechanic claims he has seen quite a few of these.”

    NHTSA complaint #10045058, filed 2003-10, 48,000 miles
  2. Brakes

    Corroded steel brake lines

    • 59 complaints (9%)
    • median 68,500 mi at 6.5 yrs old (39 state mileage)
    • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1998–2014

    Complaints describe steel brake lines along the frame rusting through and bursting, in one case while approaching an intersection, and in another a corroded section found on the long line running to the rear. One owner reports the brake line rubbing against the frame. Others mention the pedal going to the floor, brake warning lights, and seized rear brakes or wheel cylinders. Mostly reported between about 45,000 and 155,000 miles, often on older trucks in rust-belt use.

    Recall 00V193000Recall 00V198000

    What to check: Look underneath along the frame rails for rusted or flaking brake lines, and ask whether any lines or hoses have been replaced; a pressure test or inspection by a shop is worthwhile on an older example.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Brakes. The steel brake lines are mounted to the top of the frame with a bracket directly under the master cylinder and to the rear of the fender well. The lines have rusted through and burst whlile I was approaching an intersection. Fortunately no cars were in front of me and I was able to stop safely. I was amazed as to how rusty the are and left to be that subject to the elements.”

    NHTSA complaint #10123855, filed 2005-06, 60,000 miles

    “Brake line failure, rear brakes seized. Replaced rear brake shoes and wheel cylinders 6,500 miles ago (approximately 1 1/2 years ago). Several weeks ago 9/23/2011 my truck suffered rear brake line failure - steel line that runs from front to back - failure adjacent left rear tire within frame housing. I discovered the line wall failure within an area of extreme corrosion of the line - approximately six inches of the brake line with remaining nine plus feet of the line in like new condition. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10428898, filed 2011-10, 79,600 miles
  3. Steering

    Front wheel bearing and hub wear

    • 74 complaints (12%)
    • median 69,500 mi at 6.0 yrs old (53 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $850 (median of 8 quotes)
    • filed 2000–2015

    Owners report wheel bearing noise and, in one case, a hub assembly letting go so that the front wheel separated from the truck. Others describe grinding or shimmy felt through the steering wheel on turns, and tie rods and wheel bearings replaced alongside the ball joints. Several say the dealer declined to cover the repair. Reported mostly between about 30,000 and 160,000 miles.

    What to check: Listen for humming or grinding that changes with vehicle speed and check for play or roughness by rocking each front wheel; ask whether bearings or hubs have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have had to replace both front wheel bearings, they failed. Now I have to replace front ball joints. Why is this not being recalled? Is my safety not a concern to Dodge or NHTSA? I have already been stranded on the highway at midnight, thanks.”

    NHTSA complaint #10253436, filed 2009-01, 160,000 miles

    “Dealer replaced twice both upper and lower ball joints, also, the transfer case was replaced. Dealer notified. Please provide further information. 1999 Dodge Dakota has had the following repairs peformed: replacement of transfer case, upper and lower ball joints, wheel bearings, right hub assembly, right rotor, right axle assembly, and front shocks.”

    NHTSA complaint #10047834, filed 2003-11, 118,000 miles
  4. Engine cooling

    Stalling and rough running

    • 52 complaints (8%)
    • median 59,794 mi at 5.8 yrs old (28 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2019

    Owners describe the engine dying at stops or while driving and then refusing to restart for a while, sometimes with an erratic oil pressure or battery gauge and a squealing belt. One owner reports a foul exhaust smell and no stored fault codes when scanned. Others mention a leaking intake manifold gasket and a rattling or failed catalytic converter found during service. Scattered across the range, from about 15,000 to 122,000 miles.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask about any history of stalling or no-start episodes and whether the intake gaskets or catalytic converter have been replaced; a scan for stored codes and a check for exhaust rattles are useful.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Often when I start my truck the oil pressure gauge will go all the way up, the gauge for the battery stays down, and when it does start, the serpentine belt will squeal, sometimes it will start and idle, other times it will not idle, unless I keep my foot on the gas, as soon as I take my foot off the gas it will stall, after about 15 minutes, everything will go back to normal and it runs fine, but lately, its been doing it more often, when it does this, there is a foul smell coming out of the exhaust. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11257872, filed 2019-09, 110,000 miles

    “Im not always in a good place to stop when it dies on me,I almost got hit by a car a few times because of this, it dies and wont restart for awhile, I think its in the computer.”

    NHTSA complaint #10464397, filed 2012-07, 122,000 miles

Buying note. Front-end wear, particularly ball joints, is the most common theme in these complaints, so a thorough suspension inspection and service history matter more than mileage alone on this model year. Brake line condition and airbag system function are also worth checking, since rust and non-deployment reports appear in the sample.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 641 consumer complaints for the 1999 Dodge Dakota. 329 of the complaints include a mileage, and 35% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 60,000 miles. Of all complaints, 49 involved a crash, 6 a fire, 27 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 17 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Fuel system (14), Other or unknown (14), Body and structure (11), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (8), Exterior lighting (7), Seat belts (6), Wheels (4), Engine (2), Seats (2), Latches, locks and linkages (1).

Example complaints

Suspension: “Dodge dealer advised me that upper ball joints on my 1999 Dodge Dakota 4wd were dry and needed replacement. The truck had 18562 miles. Having already seen the cbs special , I knew there would eventually be a recall. The recall is for 2000-2003. My 1999 has the same problem. It now has 23505 miles, with the same dry ball joints in need of replacement.”

NHTSA complaint #10104950, filed 2005-01, 18,562 miles

Brakes: “Driving to the grocery store about 30 MPH needing to brake and the front brakes were gone. Right front caliper bolt broke thread and the caliper came off the spindle, steering caused more grinding and then I thought of the emergency/parking brake. I have replaced the same spindle before, but parts are not available now or before. I can';t find a used/new spindle to repair it and it just passed inspection.”

NHTSA complaint #11046501, filed 2017-11, 153,000 miles

Steering: “I have a 99 Dodge Dakota with 59,000 miles. I am currently having my second 4wd transfer case replaced. First replacement was at 41,000 miles. I use my 4wd approx 20 times a year and for short distances. I have replaced the u joints twice, the A/C compressor once due to it being located in a terrible place. Oh, lets discuss the ball joints as well.”

NHTSA complaint #10107773, filed 2005-01, 59,111 miles

Engine cooling: “I took my truck in because the oil pressure was intermittently dropping to 0 then back up to 40. The dealer performed multiple electrical tests before going to the problem. I dont feel I should have to pay for the tests done when the oil pump has a known problem posted all over the consumer affairs and NHTSA websites. They should have checked that first.”

NHTSA complaint #10033419, filed 2003-08, 83,900 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

35% of the 329 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 41,000 and 82,000 miles.

3%0–105%10–2527%25–5033%50–7517%75–1009%100–1506%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (329 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 60,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’99’02160’05’08’11’14’17’21
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1999 Dodge Dakota version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Dakota Pickup 2WD2.5L 4-cyl5-speed manual172219$3,550
Dakota Pickup 2WD3.9L 6-cyl5-speed manual142017$3,950
Dakota Pickup 2WD3.9L 6-cyl4-speed automatic141916$4,200
Dakota Pickup 2WD5.2L 8-cyl4-speed automatic121714$4,800
Dakota Pickup 2WD5.2L 8-cyl5-speed manual121614$4,800
Dakota Pickup 2WD5.9L 8-cyl4-speed automatic111513$5,150
Dakota Pickup 4WD3.9L 6-cyl5-speed manual141815$4,450
Dakota Pickup 4WD3.9L 6-cyl4-speed automatic131714$4,800
Dakota Pickup 4WD5.2L 8-cyl5-speed manual121614$4,800
Dakota Pickup 4WD5.2L 8-cyl4-speed automatic121513$5,150

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1999 Dodge Dakota → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 17 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 17 bulletins →

Other model years of the Dodge Dakota

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20114442,0006—1764 · TypicalFalling
20103549,9007—1731 · FewerFalling
20091844,0005—17—Falling
20089153,4332—1750 · TypicalFalling
200714550,1964—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200628555,0005—16Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200547058,6306—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200420651,0001—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200329634,4954—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200267839,1005—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200167850,0007—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200080652,0005—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199964160,0004—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199854568,5005—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199744672,4175—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199618988,7501—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199520898,4250—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1994166120,0003—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199313480,0001—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1992216112,5001—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199112875,0004—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199063—3—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198963124,9903—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19885583,0253—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19872069,0002—18—Stable

All Dodge Dakota model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Dodge Dakota?

Owners of this model year most often write about front-end wear, particularly upper and lower ball joints and related tie-rod or wheel bearing work, frequently at moderate mileage. The issues reported most often: Worn upper and lower ball joints; Corroded steel brake lines; Front wheel bearing and hub wear.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1999 Dodge Dakota have?

NHTSA recorded 641 consumer complaints for the 1999 Dodge Dakota as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1999 Dodge Dakota is reported most often?

Suspension is named most often, in 342 complaints (53% of the total), followed by brakes with 95.

Has the 1999 Dodge Dakota been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1999 Dodge Dakota get?

The EPA rates the 1999 Dodge Dakota (Dakota Pickup 2WD, 3.9L 6-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 14 city and 19 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1999 Dodge Dakota reported?

Among the 329 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 60,000 miles and the middle half falls between 41,000 and 82,000 miles; 35% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.