Front left door snapped off. I can't open the drivers door from the inside. Also, both seat belts snapped, the air and heat doesn't work, the brakes locked up, which affected the steering. The transmission was replaced three timed, the vehicle would loose power and the engine would die. The catalytic converter rattled. There was a rough idle and then the vehicle would stall. The cruise control was inoperative, the tires wore out prematurely. Also, I had difficulty getting the vehicle out of park. The idler arm is in the process of breaking, the ignition broke after the keys became stuck, the fuel pump failed and the bearing and bushing needs to be replaced.
The worst 1994 Dodge Dakota problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission25
- Brakes24
- Electrical23
- Airbags22
- Steering20
- Fuel system15
- Engine14
- Seat belts11
- Seats11
- Suspension9
- Body7
- Acceleration6
- Lights5
- Tires5
- Visibility4
- Wheels4
- Locks1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1994 Dodge Dakota
No deployment 14ABS 10Headlights 7Seat belt 6Stalling 6Transmission failure 6Adaptive cruise 5Brake failure 5Fire or smoke 5
Recalls 3
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
- What is wrong
- While making a turn, the extra keys on a vehicle operator's key ring can become temporarily lodged in the screw access holes in the back cover of the steering wheel.
- Risk
- This condition can hamper the steering wheel return orcause the ignition to be turned off, resulting in loss of vehicle control and an accident.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the steering wheel back cover with a redesigned cover.
Recall number 95V088000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: control arm
- What is wrong
- Some upper control arm attaching bolts can fail due to improper heat treatment. The bolts are too soft to withstand the stresses in the steering system and can break.
- Risk
- If the attaching bolts of the upper control arm break, the vehicle can experience loss of steering control which could result in an accident.
- Remedy
- Replace the upper control arm attaching bolts.
Recall number 94V043000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting
- What is wrong
- Two fuel tank support strap attaching studs were not adequately tightened, which could cause one or both of the strap(s) to separate, mislocating the fuel tanks or allow complete separation of the fuel tank from the vehicle.
- Risk
- In either case fuel tank support strap(s) failure results in fuel leakage which could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- The fuel tank support strap attaching studs will be properly tightened.
Recall number 94V005000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 1994 Dodge Dakota
Defect investigations
Steering column separation
Mr. Larry a. Sackey submitted a petition to the federal safety agency by letter dated april 18, 2003, requesting that agencyfurther investigate the defective collapsible steering shaft system on 1987-1995 vehicles manufactured by the daimlerchrysler corporation.in part because of 49 cfr ? 30120(g), the federal safety agency has decided to limit the scope of the petition vehicles to 1993-1995 models, excluding the 1993 jeep grand cherokee and 1994-1995 dodge ram series trucks that were recalled (93v210 & 96v230) for steering column failure.if the analysis of these vehicles had identified a potential problem, the scope could have been expanded in an investigation.a review of odi's data base shows no recent complaints and a lack of a complaint trend concerning the subject issue on the subject vehicles as a whole or by individual models.therefore, the petition is denied.for details, see federal register notice volume 68, no. 130, july 8, 2003.
DP03002
Steering wheel and column
There is no summary currently available
RQ97012
Steering lock-up/impedimnt
There is no summary currently available
PE94038
Engine fires
There is no summary currently available
PE94013
Technical service bulletins for the 1994 Dodge Dakota 42
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Valve Body
- Part Description: Insulator on Lever Assy Manual Valve
- Frame cracking
- Subject regarding airbag / clock spring service for various models including 2002 model year jeep liberty
- Automatic transmission fluid usage ATF+4
- Subject regarding wire splice repairs
- Subject regarding non-deployed airbag handling procedures
- Subject regarding child seat tether anchors
- This bulletin provides a revised wire splice procedure and related parts
- Experiencing spark knock and engine oil consumption due to intake manifold pan gasket oil leak
1994 Dodge Dakota fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4‑cyl | RWD | 20 | 25 | 22 |
| 3.9L 6‑cyl | RWD | 12-15 | 14-20 | 13-17 |
| 3.9L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 14 | 18 | 15-16 |
| 5.2L 8‑cyl | RWD | 11-14 | 13-18 | 12-15 |
| 5.2L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 12-13 | 16-17 | 13-14 |
What 1994 Dodge Dakota owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Dodge dakota frame rotting out toyota recalled theirs the truck in great shape and I have seen alot of trucks with the same problem could cause death in crash.
Driving down road, about to turn right, but airbag deployed before I was off the main road. Had to stop immediately. Had slowed down to app. 10 MPH to make turn. Road clear. Had made this turn many times before (on way to work).
Night driving, smelled electrical smoke in cab. Headlamps went off then came back on after 5 to 10 seconds. Moved headlamp switch in and out but condition still persisted. Luckily I was less than one mile from home on divided hwy with no traffic. If lamp switch is off then there is no smell of electrical smoke. When lamp switch is in either the parking or the headlamp position, can smell electrical smoke and light work intermittently. This is second failure in 2 years. Lamp switch failed.
Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 55 MPH, the vehicle was involved in driver side collision. The airbags did not deploy. There was pre-impact braking. The occupant was wearing a seat belt, but suffered of hyperthermia due to the accident. A police report was taken, and the vehicle was deemed totaled.
Front seat bolt-driver side broke with seat going straight back into back seat-reaching for wallet both times it broke!
No failure just yet. Every so often the air bag, ABS light comes on once that happens the fan stops working, the power windows will not work. Now my headlights will not work at all but my parking lights will. I have tried to get the dealer to fix it under a recall they won't do it. I know it could cause a fire.
Sudden near-complete brake failure due to defective bolt holding master cylinder in place to hydraulic brake booster pressure accumulator. On 05-14-2005, my 18 year old son completed his shift at work. He went out to our 1994 dodge dakota pickup and started the engine. As he depressed the brake pedal he heard a metallic noise as if something had broken. He drove to our nearby residence at very low speed. There was no collision, but he reported significantly reduced brake performance. At our residence, my mechanic and I inspected the vehicle. I am a 21-year experienced police collision investigator. We found that the left (driver side) bolt holding the master brake cylinder to the hydraulic brake booster pressure accumulator (aka: hydroboost) had broken off. The bolt appears to be a low grade stud that is pressed into the forward cover of the hydroboost unit. The bolt / stud is of small diameter for such a critical component. It appeared to be over-tightened at the factory (most likely), or wore out due to metal fatigue (less likely as the vehicle only has approximately 51,000 miles on it). There is a second bolt holding the master cylinder to the hydroboost. The second bolt held in place, allowing reduced braking ability. The master cylinder was falling down and to the right at about a 35 degree angle. Had this defect occurred at highway speeds, or when pulling a load, a catastrophic collision would have likely occurred. The two bolts appear to be too small in diameter for any vehicle, particularly a light pickup truck. Although this vehicle is a 1994 model year, it is still in excellent condition. I live in a semi-arid area, so there is no rust. The vehicle has also never been in a collision and is parked in a garage when not in use. I purchased the vehicle new and have been the only owner. The vehicle has been otherwise extremely reliable.
I have a "pristine" dodge dakota that I purchased from the original owner. It currently has 34,500 miles on it and I recently had to replace all of the ball-joints/ upper & lower/both sides. I have heard of recalls for dakota ball-joints. Did any of the recalls cover a 1994 model ? - please advise. Thank you.
While driving 40 MPH a deer appear out of no where and was hit by consumer's vehicle. It was badly damaged and knocked off the road. Upon impact, driver's air bag failed to deploy. Steering wheel separated and caused severe damage to driver's right leg. Driver was hospitalized. Vehicle had old engine replaced. The dakota sport was totaled.*ak the consumer stated that the above information is incorrect and sent an updated version which is as follows: the consumer was driving and a deer jumped onto his vehicle. The vehicle crossed the road to the left into a ditch and flipped the vehicle over. Airbags did not deploy. The steering column broke from under the dash injuring the consumer.
Compare the 1994 Dodge Dakota
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Questions about the 1994 Dodge Dakota
Is the 1994 Dodge Dakota reliable?
Owners have filed 166 complaints about the 1994 Dodge Dakota, fewer than a typical Dakota model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1994 Dodge Dakota?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 25 complaints. Next is brakes (24).
How many recalls does the 1994 Dodge Dakota have?
3 recalls, covering steering, suspension and fuel system, gasoline.
What year does the Dodge Dakota have bad transmission?
The Dodge Dakota model years with the most transmission complaints are 1992 (110 complaints), 2001 (93 complaints) and 2002 (89 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1994 Dodge Dakota get?
Official estimates for the 1994 Dodge Dakota range from 12 to 22 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.5L 4-cyl, RWD) gets 20 city and 25 highway.
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