1988 Dodge Dakota problems & reliability
55 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1988 Dodge Dakota. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1988 Dodge Dakota vehicles were involved in 4 fatal crashes with 4 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering → | 26 | 47% |
| Power Train → | 10 | 18% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 7% |
| Structure | 3 | 5% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 4% |
| Equipment | 2 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 4% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 4% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Re: steering recall as issued... Nhtsa action # pe96003 for dodge dakota vehicle. Recall was for steering box "other than rack and pinion" steering. I'm the original owner of this vehicle and have had a issue with a wandering vehicle at highway speeds for many years. Dealer could never find a problem. I found the…”
Steering · filed Apr 2, 2008
“The consumers vehicle experienced the same defect described in recall recall number 88 v 074 (wheel, lugs, nuts). The consumers vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *nlm”
Wheels · filed Mar 26, 2003
“Spare tire mounting cable corroded, causing spare tire to separate from under body mount, and allowing spare tire to fall in the street.”
Equipment · filed Aug 27, 2001
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
1 manufacturer communication (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1988 Dodge Dakota.
Information regarding front brake caliper mounting to steering knuckle thread repair. *tt
050399 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 23, 1999
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1988 Dodge Dakota in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1988 Dodge Dakota?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.