Sell your 1997 Dodge Dakota for cash

The 1997 Dodge Dakota is a pickup truck that came with a choice of 2.5L 4-cyl, 3.9L 6-cyl and 5.2L 8-cyl engines. At 29 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.

Free offer for your 1997 Dakota in about 30 seconds
Free towing, running or not
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DodgeDAKOTA1997

1997 Dodge Dakota at a glance

Body style	Standard Pickup Trucks
Engines	2.5L 4-cyl, 3.9L 6-cyl, 5.2L 8-cyl
Transmissions	Manual 5-spd, Automatic 4-spd
Drive	Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Fuel	Regular Gasoline
Fuel economy	12–18 city / 16–23 highway / 13–20 combined MPG
EPA annual fuel cost	$3,350–$5,150 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles)
Tailpipe CO₂	444–684 grams per mile
Versions tested by EPA	9 configurations: Dakota Pickup 2WD, Dakota Pickup 4WD
Age	29 years

Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.

What affects its junk value

Age: at 29 years old, most of a 1997 Dakota's value comes from reusable parts and scrap metal, not resale.
Weight: as a pickup truck, it's heavier than a typical car, and scrap weight is a big part of any junk offer. See how scrap prices by weight work.
Catalytic converter: like all gas and diesel cars, it has a catalytic converter containing precious metals, one of the most valuable parts on a junk car. An offer assumes it's still in place. More on catalytic converters.
Recalls: NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 1997 Dakota. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking it.
Known problems: owners reported the most issues with the suspension, typically around 60,000 miles. If that's what failed on yours, it can still be sold as-is.

How junk car offers are calculated

1997 Dodge Dakota recalls

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls covering the 1997 Dodge Dakota. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.

Air BagsMay 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V153000

Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Sound deadener material inside the steering wheel could become detached from the cover and housing. Note: the ram pickup trucks were built at the warren assembly plant ("s" in the 11th VIN position) from may 16, 2000 through october 23, 2000; st. Louis north assembly plant ("j" in the 11th VIN…

Risk: When this occurs, the material could interfere with the clockspring ribbon and cause an open circuit. The driver air bag system will become disabled, and the air bag warning lamp will illuminate on the instrument panel.

Service Brakes, HydraulicJul 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V193000

Vehicle description: pickup trucks built with 2.5l engines. Some vehicles may have been built with inadequate clearance between the left front brake tube and the power steering hose.

Risk: A puncture of the left front brake tube can result in a loss of braking force at the front wheels, increasing the risk of a crash.

Service Brakes, HydraulicJul 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V198000

Vehicle description: pickup trucks. Some vehicles may have been built with inadequate clearance between the rear axle vent hose and the brake hose.

Risk: A puncture in the rear brake hose will result in a loss of braking force at the rear wheels.

Fuel System, GasolineJul 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V199000

Vehicle description: pickup trucks with a 131 inch wheelbase. Some of these vehicles may have been built with inadequate clearance between the fuel line and the cab underbody.

Risk: This contact can result in wear, and after extended contact, could cause a perforation in the fuel line, resulting in leakage. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.

Air BagsMay 1997 · NHTSA campaign 97V080000

The electrical circuit design allows the potential for an inadvertent air bag deployment upon vehicle ignition shut down.

Risk: Unexpected air bag deployment can result in occupant injury.

Common 1997 Dakota problems

Owners have filed 446 complaints about the 1997 Dodge Dakota with NHTSA. 42 reports involved a crash and 7 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 30 injuries.

Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.

Most-reported components

Suspension82
Suspension75
Air Bags23
Power Train21
Service Brakes, Hydraulic20
Engine and Engine Cooling16

Typical mileage when problems were reported

Suspension60,000 mi
Suspension62,000 mi
Air Bags122,000 mi
Power Train54,000 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic124,000 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling44,000 mi

1997 Dodge Dakota service bulletins

Manufacturers have filed 107 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1997 Dodge Dakota. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.

Most common bulletin topics

Electrical System11
Structure8
Engine and Engine Cooling5
Engine and Engine Cooling5
Structure5
Air Bags4

Recent bulletins

Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsApr 2020 · 08-049-20
Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging system
Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsMar 2020 · DOR-X6W2U-06
This SKU is a Clock Spring. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect the internal spring. If the internal spring is not seated, the elec
Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsNov 2019 · 31-006-19
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsNov 2019 · 31-003-19
Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or sa

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 1997 Dodge Dakota.

SuspensionEA03023 · opened Nov 2003, closed Feb 2005Led to recall 04V596000

Upper ball joint separation

Daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) is recalling the target population of approximately 600,000 my 2000 through 2003 durango and Dakota vehicles with four-wheel drive to replace the front suspension upper ball joints with redesigned parts that do not have the joint integrity concerns and have substantially improved joint

Other Dodge Dakota years

‹ Sell a 1996 Dakota · Sell a 1998 Dakota › · All Dodge Dakota years

Other 1997 Dodge models

Selling a 1997 Dakota: questions

How much is a 1997 Dodge Dakota worth for junk?

It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.

Can I junk a 1997 Dakota that doesn't run?

Yes. We buy 1997 Dakotas that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.

Can I sell a 1997 Dakota with open recalls?

Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 1997 Dodge Dakota; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What paperwork do I need to sell my 1997 Dakota?

Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.

Before you sell

Sources

EPA fuel economy data (specs and MPG)fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA recallsnhtsa.gov
NHTSA complaints, service bulletins and investigationsnhtsa.gov

Data retrieved October 2026.

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