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Electrical systemPart report

1999 Dodge Dakota Electrical system Problems

Complaints
23about this part
Share
4%of 641 total for the year
Median mileage
87,000miles
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 23 complaints about the electrical system of the 1999 Dodge Dakota, 4% of the 641 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 87,000 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 3 a fire, according to the filers.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Driving down the road, everything shuts off; motor, brakes, steering. Odometer reads no bus and non of the gauges in the cluster work. After resetting the computer by unpluggin the negative terminal and vehicle cools, it starts up. This is a huge concern as I have read for many owners of similar models and years. It concerns me because I drive congested highways to and from work. This is a big safety issue and needs to be addressed and accounted for.”

NHTSA complaint #10631404, filed 2014-09, 93,540 miles

“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. I have had it scanned and no codes came up on the scanner. …”

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

“1999 Dodge Dakota wiring problem. My 1999 Dodge Dakota has a wiring problem that causes the cruise control to be stuck in the on position and causes the turn signal to freeze while at a long light. The cruise control is a dangerous situation since it can not be disengaged with the brake, you must manually turn the system off. Superior Dodge in nicholasville, ky has already charged me for 2 hours labor to try and find the problem but have had no luck finding the shorted out wire yet.”

NHTSA complaint #10043238, filed 2003-10, 56,000 miles

“I own a 1999 Dodge Dakota v-8 magnum 5.2l, it only has 138,000 miles on it. When I bought it it only had 76,600 miles. In that little time I have had to replace the upper and lower ball joints twice, and the rack and pinion, and the water pump, the thermostat, the power steering pump, the tie rods, and there is so much more wrong. Why am having to replace these things twice in such little mileage? After reading up on it through the internet I am not the only one with these problems, there are hundreds of people with the same complaints, why is there a recall on the 2000, & 1998 but not 1999? …”

NHTSA complaint #10287467, filed 2009-10, 138,000 miles

“Every time I used the lighter the fuse would blow, my radio would fail and I would have troubles with my wipers. I checked all fuses and didn't find a problem. All of a sudden my headlights will go out and once in a while if I click my high beams on and off the driving headlights will eventually come back on. I was in northern maine and I lost my power steering. I had to walk through the woods to a cabin I could see had its house light on and knock on the door for help. Once my truck was freed from being stuck I had to drive 3 miles back to the mountain w/no power steering. …”

NHTSA complaint #10071222, filed 2004-01, 62,000 miles

Related service bulletins

Electrical system: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201149%
2010617%
2009317%
20081112%
20071410%
20063011%
2005327%
20042110%
20033411%
2002528%
2001589%
2000213%
1999234%
1998193%
1997174%
19961910%
1995126%
19942314%
199386%
19922311%
199175%
199023%
198946%
198824%

Other parts of the 1999 Dodge Dakota

Suspension
342 complaints
Brakes
95 complaints
Steering
72 complaints
Engine cooling
70 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
56 complaints
Air bags
32 complaints
Tires
24 complaints
Equipment
17 complaints
Vehicle speed control
15 complaints
Fuel system
14 complaints
Other or unknown
14 complaints
Body and structure
11 complaints

← All problems reported for the 1999 Dodge Dakota

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology