2005 Dodge Dakota Problems, Recalls & Reliability
598 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2005 Dodge Dakota, alongside 7 recall campaigns and 5 defect investigations. It scores 58/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 85,333 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2005 Dodge Dakota sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1990–1991, 1993, 2007–2008, 2010–2011.
Avoid
Where 2005 sits among all Dakota years
What owners report
“I called dealer to get the recall addresses, i was told they do not have the part and they don't know when they will get it in.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Dakota
“I have a 05 dodge dakota with a brake pulsating problem that the dealer made an attempt to repair. It was very pronounced in hard braking. The repair seemed to work at first; however, it has now returned.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Dakota
“Shifts into 4 wheel drive by itself. Svc 4 wheel light comes on sometimes. Becomes difficult to drive.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Dakota
“Around 50,000 miles upper and lower ball joints making popping sounds. Took to local repair shop . Replaced all 4 , then popping stopped. Way to early for ball joint replacement. Occured while moving 5 mph and turning either direction.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Dakota
“Just like other 2005 dodge dakota owners reported with the steering rack pinion failed. Fluid leak at steering rack pinion which caused vehicle to pulled to right. It failed to turned back to right after failed. Could have been worst if not for me went to an open field. No injury or damaged…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Dakota
“I was picking up my boys from school when i smelled something burning. Then i saw smoke coming from my drivers side seat. I turned off the heat to the seat. When i got out of the truck, there was a burn mark in the seat and on my jacket.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Dakota
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 410 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 60,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 29,300 and 98,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (7)
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain 2005 Dodge Dakota pickup trucks equipped with heated seats. These driver and passenger seats may develop hot spots that can result in the seat cushion or seat back having burn holes.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners and dealers will update the seat heating system control features, free of charge. The recall began December 27, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009…
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8,…
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners.…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Dodge Dakota, 2005 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C and 300 SRT8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. For vehicles that were sold, or are currently registered, in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii,…
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 42RLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE CUP PLUG THAT RETAINS THE PARK PAWL ANCHOR SHAFT MAY BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. IF THE SHAFT MOVES OUT OF POSITION, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSIONS AND INSTALL A BRACKET TO ENSURE THE PARK PAWL ANCHOR SHAFT IS RETAINED IN THE PROPER POSITION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 28, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT…
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG, THE CURTAIN FASTENERS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TIGHTENED.
Fix: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE SIDE AIR BAG CURTAIN FASTENERS TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 17, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Component: AIR BAGS
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their…
Component: STEERING
ON MARCH 9, 2006 ODI UPGRADED PRELIMINATRY EVALUATION PE05-056 TO ENGINEERNING ANALYSIS EA06-004 TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF LOOSE OR MISSING STEERING SHAFT COUPLING BOLTS AND STEERING COLUMN RETAINING BOLTS IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2004 THROUGH 2006 DODGE DURANGO SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND MY 2005…
Led to recall campaign 13V172000.
Technical service bulletins
64 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 2005 Dodge Dakota. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2005 Dakota TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2005 Dodge Dakota reliable?
The 2005 Dodge Dakota drew 598 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 58/100, scored against the model's worst year (2000).
What are the most common 2005 Dodge Dakota problems?
The top reported problems for the 2005 Dodge Dakota are airbags (143 complaints), brakes & stability (99), and transmission & drivetrain (83).
At what mileage do 2005 Dodge Dakota problems show up?
Owners most often report 2005 Dodge Dakota problems around 60,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 29,300 and 98,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Dodge Dakota have recalls?
7 recall campaigns apply to the 2005 Dodge Dakota. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.