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Engine & cooling

1992 Dodge Dakota Engine problems

Owners have filed 15 complaints about the 1992 Dodge Dakota's engine & cooling with NHTSA - 7% of all its complaints, most recently on March 12, 2021. They describe 0 crashes, 3 fires and 5 injuries. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.

Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
5
Deaths
0

Engine complaints

Electrical systemEngine & coolingFuel systemFire5 injuries

Well my truck when I am driving down the rd at night the lights will turn off out of no where and I almost got in a couple of wrecks because of it flickering and I have changed and fixed everything and it still dose it so it like a wire issue or something but I don't feel safe at all driving at night because of it then my engine will like stop or something when I am driving and jerk my truck on the side of the road and backfire hella bad like guns are going off and it's blew my muffler up...

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10 times and blew my catillac converter up 5 times and blew my headers off and broke the bolts inside my heads and I only have 169 k miles on it this should not be happening because this is dangerous and a safety issue for me and others on the rd and it can cause a wreck like I came really close I was going done the free way and it like stopped then jerked me into the barrier but thank god I avoided it then driving at night and the lights flickering off and on and jerking like it dose I had 2 wheels in a 5ft ditch because of that going 55 mph I would have died if I went fully in it then for the backfire and blowing my whole exhaust up I have seen 5 people wreck because of my exhust system they where fine but there car wasn't because of my exhust and I only get like 4 mpg I live like 10 miles from work and I have to fill it everyday because it sucks hella gas just only 20 miles round trip from full it's basically on empty like the next day I go to the gas station my gas light comes on

Filed Incident Electrical system · Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11402594
Engine & cooling

Tl*the contact owns a 1992 dodge dakota. He heard a chatter noise and the lifter needed to be tightened. The mechanic stated that the lifter failed in the cam shaft which affected the engine. The dealer stated that there was no recall for this year, make, and model vehicle. The failure and current mileage was 164,000. *Ak

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 10189417
Engine & cooling

On days over 90 degree temperature the engine will rev very loud at first start, while vehicle will barely move. The dealer replaced the fan clutch twice and rebuilt the transmission, however the remedies did not help. *Jb this problem has also occurred while at traffic lights, when driven at low speeds then kick into normal speed, make noise, and then stop. *Scc

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 10017875
Engine & coolingFuel systemBody, doors & structure

The door assembly on the driver-side failed when the lower hinge collapsed into the door. This caused the door to be misaligned, preventing the latch from engaging latch bolt. The fuel gauge reads 1/4 shortly after fueling and will stay their until the tank is almost empty. The radiator core fins disinegrated and/or fell out of the radiator, causing the engine to overheat.*Ak

Filed Incident Engine and engine cooling · Fuel system, other · StructureNHTSA 754980
Engine & cooling

While driving vehicle completely shuts down without warning, cause unknown. Please give any further details.*Ak

Filed Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 892899
Engine & cooling

The vehicle was experiencing symptoms of the technical service bulletin # 09-07-97(timing chain), consumer was not aware of the bulletin and the vehicle broke down and was repaired due to timing belt failure, consumer is requesting reimbursement for repair and feels the repair was misdiagnosed. *Mjs

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 557706
Engine & cooling

The engines have high failure rate of bushing for oil pump drive shaft. This causes excessive wear of distributor, which will break off the end of the rotor, causing instant engine failure, loss of power steering assist. The is no warning, so is very dangerous to pull over in heavy traffic (i was very nearly rearended). This failure is listed as a known problem on internet sites such as car point and the repair parts on on national backorder. If a inexperienced driver has this occur, and does not correctly respond serious accidents will occur. Dodge does not have a repair policy on this. I am an engineer, can give more much more detail.*Ak

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 736078
BrakesEngine & cooling

The consumer applied brakes while traveling about 40mph, and vehicle just lost total power.*Ak

Filed Incident Service brakes, hydraulic · Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 865437
BrakesFire

Master cylinder failed 3 times, once resulting in a fire. *Ak

Filed Incident Service brakes, hydraulicNHTSA 515279
Engine & cooling

Radiator developed a leak around the top, where the top and body come together.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 513901
Engine & cooling

Vehicle was parked with engine off, when restarted overheating of radiator occurred, temperature gauge went up, opened the hood and radiator cap exploded. *Ak

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 801287
Engine & coolingElectrical systemFire

Vehicle was parked, caught on fire (electrical), also replaced radiator due to a leak. *Ak

Filed Incident Engine and engine cooling · Electrical systemNHTSA 951658
Engine & cooling

PLATE INSIDE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BROKE. *DH

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 507270
Engine & cooling

Water pump failed, causing cooling leage out of shaft vent. *Ak

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 506073
Engine & cooling

ENGINE STALLS OCCASIONALLY. *DH

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 505190

Dodge Dakota engine complaints by year

Dakota engine problems, every year

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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