Exact make, model and year evidence from official US sources. Recall campaigns, ODI investigations, complaint allegations and EPA estimates remain separate.
A campaign may cover only certain production dates, plants or equipment. A zero result here is not safety clearance. Use NHTSA’s official VIN tool for the individual vehicle.
Exact model-level NHTSA results for 1990 DODGE Dakota. Campaign records are official safety actions; applicability to a particular car still requires its VIN.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4X2 PICKUP TRUCK CONVERTIBLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES (BUILT FROM NOVEMBER 1988 - JUNE 1990) AND 4X2 PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH THE SHELBY PACKAGE (BUILT OCTOBER 1988 - JUNE 1989). THE FRAME CAN CRACK AT THE STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT AND/OR THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLTS CAN FRACTURE.
Consequence
THE STEERING GEAR CAN SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE FRAME RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL ADD REINFORCEMENTS TO THE FRAME AND REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLTS. IF THE FRAME IS ALREADY CRACKED, THE STEERING GEAR WELD NUTS WILL ALSO BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 27, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
THE FRAME CAN CRACK AT THE STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT AND/OR THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLTS CAN FRACTURE.
Consequence
THE STEERING GEAR CAN SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE FRAME RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL ADD REINFORCEMENTS TO THE FRAME AND REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BOLTS. IF THE FRAME IS ALREADY CRACKED, THE STEERING GEAR WELD NUTS WILL ALSO BE REPLACED.
02 · Owner allegations
88 NHTSA complaints
Counts are not adjusted for sales, vehicle age, mileage, publicity or reporting behavior. They are allegations, not defect findings or a reliability score.
Crash mentions
5
Fire mentions
0
Injuries reported
3
Most-reported component labels
STEERING29
POWER TRAIN21
HYDRAULIC18
SERVICE BRAKES18
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4
STRUCTURE4
Complaints across nearby Dodge Dakota model years
Totals for the same nameplate, scaled against its highest year here. They are not adjusted for how many were sold, how old they are, how far they are driven, or how much publicity a fault received — an older or better-selling year will usually carry more reports. This shows where the reporting sits, not which year is better.
An investigation means ODI reviewed a possible safety issue for this exact model-year identity. Opening one is not a defect finding; closing one does not by itself clear a vehicle.
FuelEconomy.gov records are summarized as ranges where this model name has multiple engines, drivetrains or trims.
EPA configurations
7
Combined economy
11–21 mpg/MPGe
City / highway
11–19 / 11–26 mpg/MPGe
Engine displacement
2.5–3.9 L
Cylinders
4–6
Fuel type
Regular
Drive
4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · Rear-Wheel Drive
Vehicle class
Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD · Standard Pickup Trucks
Annual fuel-cost estimate
$3100–5900
05 · Evidence strength
Exact identity. Explicit limits.
No opaque score. Evidence strength is expressed through source availability, exact match method, jurisdiction and honest empty states.
exact match
Recall campaigns
3 exact US model-year records in this bounded view.
exact match
Complaints
88 exact US model-year allegations; narratives and VIN fragments are omitted.
exact match
ODI investigations
1 exact US model-year action numbers in the approved import snapshot.
canonical only
Model aliases
Only the exact NHTSA vPIC model name is published; unverified aliases are not merged.
not published
Manufacturer ownership
No rights-reviewed official ownership record is joined to this exact model-year.
PUBLIC EVIDENCE PASSPORT
Identity, freshness and provenance.
The canonical URL is this file’s permanent public identifier. Source IDs and timestamps show exactly what was matched and when; they do not turn the evidence into a verdict.
Only NHTSA vPIC, NHTSA ODI complaints and investigations, NHTSA recalls and FuelEconomy.gov contribute to this vehicle claim. CPSC equipment notices are searched separately and never joined to vehicle fitment. UK MOT, Canadian, New Zealand and European records are not merged into this US claim.
06 · Research paths
Diagnose first. Confirm fitment.
These are transparent searches, not diagnoses or endorsed parts. Recall remedies come before purchases; exact part fitment requires VIN, trim, powertrain, production date and OE number.
29 complaint labels
STEERING
Check recalls and diagnostic information before replacing anything.
Awin US and R2 affiliate inventory are not published until a US programme, merchant and exact-fitment projection are approved. No offer currently has both merchant approval and exact vehicle fitment, so commercial links never count as evidence.