Head-to-head reliability
Dodge Dakota vs FORD F 150
How the Dodge Dakota and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Dodge Dakota vs FORD F 150: The Dakota has 162 complaints per year, with major issues in air bags and suspension, while the F-150 has 1131 per year, mainly in transmission and electrical systems. The Dakota's failures are more safety-critical. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Dodge Dakota or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Dodge Dakota
The Dodge Dakota, a mid-size pickup, shows a high complaint rate relative to its sales volume, with owners frequently reporting issues that affect safety and control. The most common problems involve air bags, suspension, and brakes, with many complaints referencing Takata recalls and sudden failures of steering and suspension components. Owners describe parts wearing out prematurely, leading to dangerous situations on the road. Overall, the Dakota appears to have significant reliability and safety concerns that a buyer should weigh carefully.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, a full-size pickup, has a much higher total number of complaints, but this is partly due to its popularity and sales volume. The dominant issues are in the powertrain, particularly the 10-speed automatic transmission, which owners report for harsh shifting, jerking, and occasional loss of power. Electrical system problems, including camera and sensor malfunctions, are also common. While the F-150 has more complaints overall, its per-year rate is also higher, but the nature of the issues tends to be less safety-critical than the Dakota's suspension and brake failures.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Dodge Dakota | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,624 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 53 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 111 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 162.4 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 76 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 2 | 1 Better |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Dodge Dakota
- 01AIR BAGS440
- 02SUSPENSION244
- 03POWER TRAIN236
- 04STEERING221
- 05SERVICE BRAKES209
Owners report Takata recall notices and persistent air bag warning lights, indicating potential non-deployment in a crash. Parts for repair were often unavailable, leaving vehicles unsafe.
Tie rods and ball joints can fail completely, often while driving, leading to loss of steering control. This is a critical safety issue that requires immediate attention.
Some complaints describe the truck not stopping safely, possibly due to transmission or brake interaction, and there are mentions of driveline differential recalls. This can affect the vehicle's ability to stop or move predictably.
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V352000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMO…”
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V3…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10R80 transmission is frequently reported for hard shifts, jerking, and clunking between gears, and in some cases, sudden loss of power while driving. This can be alarming and potentially dangerous in traffic.
Owners report warning messages for front camera malfunction and pre-collision assist not available, which can disable safety features. These issues appear on startup and may require dealer intervention.
Headlight-related recalls and complaints suggest possible failures that could reduce visibility at night, increasing the risk of accidents.
“I started noticing hard and delayed shifts from 7th into 8th gear. My RPM's were not increasing when this happened, and then on a very crowded major road I lost all power, vehicle shut off and drifted, then started up and jerked again very hard. This failure…”
“I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2020 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission shifts hard (ie: jerks, clunks) between 4-5 and 5-6 gears, and has on occasion…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Dodge Dakota — 53 recalls
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas,…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2018. Owners may…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2…
The risk: 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 occur…
The fix: 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 front…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-…
The risk: 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.
The fix: 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…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2009-2013 Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger vehicles, and 2009-2011 Dodge Dakota vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas,…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2018. Owners may…
FORD F 150 — 145 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from…
The risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and br…
The risk: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The re…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also…
The risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's num…
Buyer analysis
Dodge Dakota or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Dodge Dakota has fewer complaints per year (162.4) compared to the Ford F-150 (1131.1), but the Dakota's issues are more likely to involve critical safety systems like air bags, suspension, and brakes. The F-150's problems, while more numerous, are often related to transmission comfort and driver-assist features. In practice, the Dakota may pose a higher immediate safety risk, whereas the F-150 might be more of a nuisance and costly to repair.
Key differences
- Dodge Dakota has a higher proportion of air bag and suspension complaints, including Takata recalls and tie rod failures, which are safety-critical.
- Ford F-150's main issue is the 10-speed transmission's harsh shifting and occasional power loss, which is more of a drivability concern.
- Dodge Dakota's complaint rate is much lower (162.4/yr) than the F-150's (1131.1/yr), but the Dakota's issues are more likely to cause loss of control.
- F-150 has more electrical system complaints, including camera and sensor malfunctions, which can disable safety features.
- Inspect the front suspension for worn tie rods and ball joints; ask for service records of replacements.
- Check for open Takata air bag recalls and ensure the inflator has been replaced.
- Test drive the F-150 and pay attention to transmission shifts between 4th-5th and 5th-6th gears for harshness or clunking.
- Check for any warning messages on the dash related to front camera or pre-collision assist, and verify they clear after a restart.
Before you buy
- For the Dakota: verify all recalls have been performed, especially air bag and differential recalls.
- For the Dakota: have a mechanic inspect the steering and suspension components for wear or play.
- For the F-150: check the transmission fluid condition and service history; consider a transmission fluid flush if not documented.
- For the F-150: test all driver-assist features (camera, sensors) to ensure they work properly.
- For both: obtain a vehicle history report and have a pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic.
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Dodge Dakota or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Dodge Dakota vs FORD F 150
- Dodge Dakota total complaints
- 1,624
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Dodge Dakota total recalls
- 53
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Dodge Dakota avg complaints/year
- 162.4
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Dodge Dakota
- Dodge Dakota top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN