Skip to content
Air bagsPart report

2002 Dodge Dakota Air bags Problems

Complaints
28about this part
Share
4%of 678 total for the year
Median mileage
58,780miles
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 28 complaints about the air bags of the 2002 Dodge Dakota, 4% of the 678 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 58,780 miles. 23 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Example complaints

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

“I had just purchased the car 2 weeks earlier. I was accelerating to merge onto the freeway and the accelerator stuck at 60 MPH. No matter what I did to the pedal, it was stuck at 60 MPH. The brakes would not work either. I was in a runaway car on a busy freeway. I tried to negotiate the traffic for 2 miles then decided I needed to get off the freeway. I started to smash into the freeway off-ramp retaining wall in the effort to slow the truck down which it did to some degree. …”

NHTSA complaint #10702732, filed 2015-03, 125,000 miles

“, I was in a car accident on december 15 because my brakes failed and was hurt across my chest. The impact was strong because for a moment I lost time, but the hospital didn't give any brain scans. My chest hurt severely for a month and I still feel pain when I lift or move a certain way. Anyway I and many other people wondered why my airbag did not go off. I was not able to get my car out of the pound for lack of money but the front was much damaged. Would this fall under the recall that going on with the takata corp.”

NHTSA complaint #10953667, filed 2017-02, 220,000 miles

“I was turning left on to wax rd at a red light going up hill when it was raining the truck right rear tire broke traction put me in a fishtail lost control of the vehicle and flipped the truck on its top damaged the driver side bent the frame caved in the roof busted my windshield I was pulled out by an pedestrian but the airbag did not deploy none of the safety features did not work but the seat belt only. Where the throttle was sticking that gave the impression that I was playing carelessly.”

NHTSA complaint #10584102, filed 2014-04, 196,730 miles

“Traveling sb on us 13, I fell asleep at the wheel. Struck 2 vehicles at approx. 50 MPH, point of impact driver's side front of truck. Insurance adjuster totaled the truck, so the impact was surely enough to warrant deployment of both front airbags. They failed to deploy, resulting in a head injury to my companion. She was taken to the hospital by ambulance, so her injuries were documented. I had a large abdominal bruise, but refused treatment so I have no documentation of my injury. …”

NHTSA complaint #10426561, filed 2011-09, 125,000 miles

“I was in a rearend collission that pushed my vehicle into the one in front . It pushed my tailgate in 20+ and shoved everything into the motor. The truck was totaled.I contacted daimler-chrysler who told me the airbags were not made to deploy in a rear end collission. Only if the vehicle is moving forward with accelleration and suddenly hit in the front.what if someone was sitting at a stopsign and another vehicle came in their lane and hit head on?”

NHTSA complaint #10118392, filed 2005-04, 58,780 miles

Air bags: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
20111841%
20101646%
2009528%
20082932%
20075941%
200612644%
200514330%
2004157%
2003134%
2002284%
2001396%
2000294%
1999325%
1998326%
1997378%
1996126%
19952613%
19942213%
199311%
199122%

Other parts of the 2002 Dodge Dakota

Suspension
226 complaints
Brakes
213 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
89 complaints
Electrical system
52 complaints
Steering
44 complaints
Engine cooling
34 complaints
Exterior lighting
21 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
20 complaints
Body and structure
18 complaints
Fuel system
17 complaints
Tires
14 complaints
Equipment
12 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2002 Dodge Dakota

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 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