The 2003 Dodge Dakota is a pickup truck that came with a choice of 3.9L 6-cyl, 4.7L 8-cyl and 5.9L 8-cyl engines. At 23 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.
| Body style | Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD |
|---|---|
| Engines | 3.9L 6-cyl, 4.7L 8-cyl, 5.9L 8-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd, Manual 5-spd, Automatic 5-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 11–16 city / 16–19 highway / 13–17 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,950–$5,150 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 523–684 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 10 configurations: Dakota Pickup 2WD, Dakota Pickup 4WD |
| Age | 23 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls covering the 2003 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.
On certain sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks equipped with four-wheel drive (4x4), if moisture leaks into the front suspension upper ball joint, evacuation of the lubricant and corrosion of the joint may cause the joint to wear over an extended period of time. This could cause a clunking noise in the front suspension, which…
Risk: Excessive wear in the upper ball joint may allow it to separate, which could result in loss of control of the vehicle.
On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the windshield wiper module motor may be susceptible to water intrusion that could cause internal corrosion and result in partial or complete loss of front windshield wiping capability.
Risk: Driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a crash.
On certain pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions, the headlamp and dash wiring harness may be chafed by the actuation of the clutch pedal. This could result in abnormal operation of the wipers, turn signals, horn or lighting systems.
Risk: This could affect driver visibility, could prevent a driver from sounding a warning by using the horn, and, when the turn signals are inoperative, the driver cannot use them to signal intent to turn, increasing the risk of a crash.
On certain pickup trucks, the central timer module (ctm) has an improperly sized circuit board trace that could potentially cause the right headlamp low beam to become inoperative.
Risk: If the lights fail, a visibility problem could occur, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Owners have filed 296 complaints about the 2003 Dodge Dakota with NHTSA. 16 reports involved a crash and 5 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 12 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.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2003 Dodge Dakota, by version tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dr | Not rated | — | — | ★★★☆☆ | — |
| 2 Dr | Not rated | — | — | ★★★☆☆ | — |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 50 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2003 Dodge Dakota. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
Plate - Planetary
Mechanical rocker arm, intake, 1.7 ratio.
Mechanical rocker arm, intake, 1.7 ratio.
KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 2003 Dodge Dakota.
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
‹ Sell a 2002 Dakota · Sell a 2004 Dakota › · All Dodge Dakota years
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.
Yes. We buy 2003 Dakotas that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2003 Dodge Dakota; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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