5.5

fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
16,478 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2002 Dodge Dakota fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2002 Dodge Dakota Owner Comments

problem #9

Mar 262009

Dakota 4WD 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2002 Dodge Dakota consumer is concerned about brake line the consumer stated the vehicle was manufactured with inferior materials. The gas tank straps broke and the transmission and brake lines had rusted and were leaking. The repair shop replaced the brake line and brake hose.

- Fort Montgomery, NY, USA

problem #8

Feb 102009

Dakota 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that the vehicle exhibited a loud dragging noise. He then discovered that one of the straps that held the fuel tank was completely corroded. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who replaced the one fuel strap. The manufacturer was then contacted and they advised him that they were unaware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. Updated 06/07/11

- St. Claire Shores, MI, USA

problem #7

May 282010

Dakota

  • 52,000 miles
I had just filled the gas tank in my 2002 Dodge Dakota pickup truck and was driving North at 70 mph on interstate 93 in New Hampshire this past Friday when the straps holding the fuel tank in place under the truck broke and the gas tank literally fell off the truck. I pulled over and saw that the tank was being suspended only by the hoses connecting the tank to the fuel filler opening. I called a tow truck which loaded the truck onto its tilt body. By the time we had gone 10 miles to a garage, the gas tank had completely separated from the hoses and had fallen to the floor of the tow truck bed, sloshing gas everywhere. Thankfully, we were able to unload the Dakota without setting off the fuel, but this could have been a huge accident. The two straps holding the fuel tank in place were made out of metal and had rusted through. It seems to me that this is an unacceptable design flaw. My vehicle could have lost its gas tank at full speed. The gas could have ignited, blown up me and my truck and caused collateral damage to other vehicles on the road.

- Amherst, NH, USA

problem #6

Mar 012007

Dakota 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Fuel mileage 02 Dakota 4X4 3.9 lv-6 gets 15 mpg. I had a 96 and 99 Dakota 4X4's ordered new as well with same engine, tires, and drive train ratio as the 02 that got 21 mpg. I know of a 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 4.0 L with same tires and drive train ratio gets 21 mpg. Why doesn't the 02 get better?

- Mayfield, KY, USA

problem #5

Oct 012006

Dakota 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles
I have had several alarming failures with my Dodge Dakota quad cab. It is a 2002 V6 auto transmission pw pl. I have had the ball joints replaced because of the recall, my transmission has failed (twice), my front hubs & spindles completely disintegrated and could have killed my family, my water pump has failed and had to be replaced, the driver side taillight seems to fail often, the vacuum hoses have all had to be replaced because of the cheap rubber used by the manufacturer fail by cracking and causing all sorts of leaks causing engine lights, loud noises under the hood, and horrible gas mileage. I have done everything possible to be proactive in my maintenance of the vehicle. I have had the major repairs done professionally. I do not understand how a 2002 vehicle can have so many potentially fatal problems and be ignored. I have searched high and low for quality bulletins but cannot find anything. My gas mileage is now down to 14 mpg and the truck is falling apart.

- Hydro, OK, USA

problem #4

Jun 162006

Dakota 4WD 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 4,600 miles
While driving at 40 mph with 46,500 kilometers a strong fuel odor had been noticed gas gauge drop from just under three quarters to below half.complaint about fuel system and really bad gas mileage. And carbon residue on exhaust seem to have been ignored by dealer.

- Edmonton, 00, USA

problem #3

Apr 152002

Dakota

  • Manual transmission
  • 0 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

There is a hesitation (dead spot) while depressing the accelorator pedal, when trying to start rolling from a stop. The rpms actually fall before they rise. This, while letting out the clutch is unsafe, causing the vehicle to stall when the power is needed the most. Have taken the vehicle 9 times and each time they say ; 1)it will get better with time 2)this is an inherant problem with the 6 cylinder & manual 3)cant duplicate (it happens every time I try to move) you actually have to play with the gas pedal in order to get past the hesitation area

- Mcdonald, PA, USA

problem #2

Feb 152003

Dakota

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,500 miles
The truck has had sever problems with acceleration and stalling. It also makes a clunking noise when turning the vehicle. There have been numerous amounts of problems with at leat 15 days total in the shop.

- Castle Rock, CO, USA

problem #1

Feb 012002

Dakota 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 200 miles
In Oct.2002 my truck shut off while driving down the road. In the past the truck had shut off in reverse or when I was at a dead stop and then press the gas, but this time I had to drive with my foot on the gas and the brake at the same time and then put it in neutral at a stop to keep the gas going. I had also had a problem with my blinkers. You turn the left one on and occasionally the right one will blink to-like "hazard lights". my dash board would also light up while driving or even when I come to a stop at a light. I put it off until the driving down the road. The dealership said it was a computer problem and the truck had been doing it since day 1, they couldn't find the problem to the blinkers. Also the A/C condesation line had a crack in it and was leaking into my passenger side floor-that was a second trip. Now my truck is haveing the same shut-off problem starting just like it did last time-so now I am looking into the "lemon law", it seems to apply so far.

- Marietta, GA, USA

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