2007 Dodge Dakota Problems: Airbags (142 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2007 Dodge Dakota is Airbags (39% of 142 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Airbags — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 142 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2007 Dodge Dakota?

55 of 142 filings named Airbags (39% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (21 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Electrical, and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2006 has 283 reports on file; this year has 142. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2007 Dodge Dakota

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 4 campaigns on file below.
  2. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Airbags. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Airbags 55 complaints · 38.7% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 11
  • Fires 2
  • Injuries 8
  • Deaths 0
All Dodge Dakota years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Airbags (AIR BAGS) appears in 55 of 142 owner complaints (38.7%) in this vehicle snapshot. Airbags (AIR BAGS): 55 complaints, 38.7% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 5 crash reports 55 · 38.7% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 21 complaints, 14.8% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 crash reports 21 · 14.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 12 complaints, 8.4% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 12 · 8.4% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 10 complaints, 7.0% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 10 · 7.0% Steering (STEERING): 9 complaints, 6.3% of reports Steering (STEERING) 9 · 6.3% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 6 complaints, 4.2% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 crash reports 1 fire reports 6 · 4.2% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 6 complaints, 4.2% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 crash reports 6 · 4.2% Engine (ENGINE): 5 complaints, 3.5% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 fire reports 5 · 3.5% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 5 complaints, 3.5% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 5 · 3.5% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 35 complaints, 24.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 6 crash reports 35 · 24.7% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 55 38.7% 5 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 21 14.8% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 12 8.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 10 7.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 9 6.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 6 4.2% 2 crashes · 1 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 6 4.2% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 5 3.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 5 3.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 35 24.7% 6 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Apr 2007; the first recall shown was reported in Sep 2006. 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2008-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2008-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2010-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2010-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2012-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2015-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2016-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2016-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Sep 2006 Apr 2026 Recall campaign 06V341000 ◆ Recall campaign 06V341000 Recall campaign 14V795000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V795000 Recall campaign 15V313000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V313000 Recall campaign 16V352000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V352000 Investigation PE14013 ● Investigation PE14013 Investigation PE14016 ● Investigation PE14016 Investigation EA15001 ● Investigation EA15001 Investigation EA21002 ● Investigation EA21002
  • Campaign 14V795000 was reported 1,611 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V313000 was reported 1,784 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V352000 was reported 2,147 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 4
2008-Q1 Owner reports 5
2008-Q2 Owner reports 3
2008-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 2
2009-Q2 Owner reports 3
2009-Q3 Owner reports 3
2009-Q4 Owner reports 2
2010-Q1 Owner reports 7
2010-Q2 Owner reports 3
2010-Q3 Owner reports 5
2010-Q4 Owner reports 2
2011-Q1 Owner reports 2
2011-Q2 Owner reports 1
2011-Q3 Owner reports 2
2011-Q4 Owner reports 4
2012-Q1 Owner reports 8
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 3
2013-Q4 Owner reports 2
2014-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q3 Owner reports 3
2015-Q1 Owner reports 3
2015-Q2 Owner reports 3
2015-Q3 Owner reports 17
2015-Q4 Owner reports 6
2016-Q1 Owner reports 4
2016-Q2 Owner reports 9
2016-Q3 Owner reports 5
2016-Q4 Owner reports 5
2017-Q1 Owner reports 10
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q2 Owner reports 3
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 2
2020-Q4 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
2026-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 06V341000
Recall campaign 1 14V795000
Recall campaign 1 15V313000
Recall campaign 1 16V352000
Defect investigation 1 PE14013
Defect investigation 1 PE14016
Defect investigation 1 EA15001
Defect investigation 1 EA21002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Transmission / driveline, Electrical, and Airbags.

  1. Recall campaign 06V341000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    IF THE DRIVE WHEELS LOCKED UP, LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL COULD OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 2, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 14V795000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    Broken springs can result in a no-start condition, or cause unintended movement when the ignition is cranked, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
    Remedy:
    Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the clutch ignition interlock switch, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P80.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 15V313000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    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. Dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began for Chrylser on June 8, 2015. The recall for Mitsubishi started on June 24, 2015. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Mitsubishi owners may call 1-888-648-7820. Chrysler's number for this recall is R25. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V817 in its entirety. Vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 16V352000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    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 company. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on March 27, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S43. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-7700.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 142 complaints · page 1 of 6
2026-05-04Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11735542
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2007 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that a dealer technician came to the contact’s residence and performed an air bag recall repair. Following the repair, the vehicle became inoperable. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and that a burning odor was coming from the area near the air bag. The battery warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
2025-04-26Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11656999
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The manufacturer sent a third party to fix an airbag recall. Before the third-party technician touched my truck for the recall, both my horn and cigarette lighter worked. Now, after their repair, neither works. Therefore, something they did caused an electrical fault. I advised whoever sent the technician and they said they would send the guy back. No one will answer my calls and no one has fixed my issue.
2022-09-11TIRESUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11483906
CrashFireInjuryDeath
While driving eastbound at approximately 70 mph, I heard a loud bang, a whooshing sound, and felt a sudden change in the handling of the vehicle. I pulled to the shoulder, and found that the entire inside and outside sidewalls of the right rear tire had shredded.
2021-10-03Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
NHTSA ODI 11435315
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The windshield popped off in one corner, it was due to the lack of a weather seal the truck was not equipped with. The lack of seal created a Reservoir of water that cannot be seen and made rust along the edges. This rust ate away the glue and lead to leaks and finally I had to replace the entire windshield because it was no longer safe to drive with when it rained. The water leaked in and obstructed my view while driving.
2020-12-07Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11378337
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND AND VEHICLE GOES IN TO 4LO BY ITSELF. WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED AND TURNED OFF YOU CAN HEAR 4WD ENGAGING BY ITSELF.
2019-09-29Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11258896
CrashFireInjuryDeath
AXEL SNAPPED IN HALF FRONT LEFT DAMAGED , I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AT A VERY LOW SPEED
2019-08-05Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11241728
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING, THE THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ON. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE SMOKE WAS FROM THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, BRAKE FLUID SQUIRTING FROM THE BRAKE LINE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY HELP. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,700.
2018-12-19Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11162439
CrashFireInjuryDeath
NO RETURN CALL FROM DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT ONE DEALER SAID THEY WILL CALL BACK IF PARTS IN STOCK NO CALL BACK
2018-06-19Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11102609
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE DAKOTA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ENGAGED IN PARK, IT ROLLED AWAY WITHOUT WARNING. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE TAIL LIGHTS AND BUMPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS WIFE SUSTAINED A BACK INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED OR TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,850. *TT *JS
2018-06-05STRUCTUREUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11100087
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR OPENS UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE IN MOTION, WHEN LOCKED OR NOT.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2007 Dodge Dakota?

Owners named Airbags most often — 55 of 142 reports (39%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2007 Dodge Dakota?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Electrical, and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2007 Dodge Dakota?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources