5 things I HATE about my Dodge Dakota !! 

I have a 2001 Dakota 5.9L magnum V8 with only 117,000 miles on it and it is a beast! Love it!

I have an 2003 slt 4.7, get this with 235,500 miles on it. Still running like a beast. Little bit of gear issues. Glad to see a good community of Dakota owners.

Love Dakotas. Found an 01 43k mile beauty that got some beginning stages of rust all over the place and I am actually replacing a panel a year to keep it perfect.

I have a 99 Dakota extended cab lowered 3” drop spindles with a 318 5 speed with 133,000 miles on it and it’s my daily driver just put $1400 worth of stainless steel duals on it at the end of March.

I have owned all 3 generations of Dakota. The only thing I hated was the rust and brakes, otherwise it has been a solid truck.

I'm a Gen 1 Raptor owner so being led to your channel from the recommendation list was really out there but I've really enjoyed your content, esp your Dakota series. The work you put out is really commendable and I appreciate you sharing it with us. As for my two cents... you may not like your paint but you love your truck. I have nothing against wraps... but a re-paint of that hydro blue would look amazing. Being a permanent thing will also save the hassle of taking it off as well. Kudos man 🤙🏻 #subbed

Nice Dakota Hayden. I have a 06 Dakota RWD 3.7 v6 quad cab that really gets 22 MPG on the highway. The engine has 270,000 miles and still kicking. I like the size, not too small or big. I'm getting signs of corrosion below the rockers like yours and inside the rear wheel wells. Not too bad. The trans went at 160K, bad valve body function. Had issues with the blend doors and had to pull the dash, replaced the 5 doors and acuator motors. The paint held up fine. Good luck.

Seems to be all normal wear and tear issues.......like tires!! Hood paint is on you too dude!! And it is a midsized pickup!! All in all a good vehicle. I have a 2004 with 100 k on it and i love it. I worked for vw for 30 years.......love my Dodge!!

I have a 1999, so one more year of wear and tear (especially on the paint). I've got the exact same clear coat failure on the top of the cab. I live on the west coast, and thankfully we don't salt our roads here. I'm going to have my cab painted, because rust has begain because the clear coat is so far gone. Thanks for the vid!

Liked the video! I reccomend painting your whole truck in raptor liner if youre going to repaint your truck. Its really inexpensive when you compare it to other ways of repainting it, and in my opinion it gives it a more aggressive look, because the body is a rough material instead of smooth. It also protects against rock chips and rust like you wouldnt believe, me and my dad have done 2 of our trucks in it and were about to do my 04 Dakota in it! Its up to you, some people like it some dont, its just my reccomendation! Its also tintable so you can get exactly the same colour or whatever colour you want, really. Keep it up!

A lot of good to know info, good work!!

You guys deserve all the growth mate! Dakotas all the way!!!

I've owned a Dakota from each Generation. My uncle owns a 97' SLT 5.2L 4x4 with 173,000 with a bunch paint fading and rust. However I love your truck, the color is my favorite.

Just got myself a '99 Dakota 5.2 V8 and it's in almost perfect condition! 150k miles and no mechanical issues whatsoever. Got it dirt cheap too and I'm in love

I'm looking at a 09 dodge dakota with the 3.7 l v6 and the 4 speed automatic. I had a 5.7 l hemi ram years ago and it was a pig on gas but I've been told the v6 doesnt actually do mutch better? Also the truck has 141k km, good buy? Are those trucks reliable?

I've got a 1998 Dak. Not much rust at all except where a tree fell on my bed and crunched it a bit during a storm. I was a stickler about washing and waxing it often in its early years. Still going with 156,000 miles on it. Getting about 16 MPG with the 6 cylinder engine. It's been a little workhorse over the years.

I have a 2001 Dakota 4x4 , the door bell starts chiming when I put it in gear and start rolling, when I stop at a stop light it stops. The headlights are also flashing, interior lights and wipers come on intermittently, anyone have any ideas what could be causing this?? Thanks

I just picked up a 1999 with the 5.2 and 32,000 original miles. In trying to find the grill inserts you have. Where did you get them?

Does anyone know if it's normal for my small v8 engine burns oil, but runs and sounds great, no oil on the ground. Any thoughts out there. Dodge dakota 2003.

I have a 2003 dodge Dakota crew cab with the 4.7 gets 15 mpg and my old 1998 dodge Dakota with the 5.2 gets 17 mpg

I agree with your #5. I have the 2010 Big Horn with the 6 in her. I love the truck. But I would like to know what Dodge was thinking about when they put a 3.7L in them. I loved my '03 S-10 w/the 4.3L engine. Much better motor size.

I have a 03 dakato. I installed a 5.9l .now I have too look for a pcm for it...any suggestions. I have 5 of them but none of them work for it

As the owner of a '10 dakota (3.7l v6, 4-speed auto) w/ 65k miles, I will say they're definitely awesome rigs, just a bit thirsty though. I can only come up with 3 things I dislike about my truck, but can definitely live with; 1. City mpg, I only get about 13 mpg (out of a v6) around town, 2. It has minor electrical issues with the tpms and the factory remote start doesn't always work, 3. It doesn't have 4wd (not necessary where I live in central OR, but nice to have). It does have spot rust, but only cause it was a NY truck for the first 3 years. That said, it doesn't bother me. Theres a lot more to like/love about my truck. :) I wouldn't be too concerned about the paint mismatch. It seems you can only see it up close and it's a nice color of blue. Your rust issue doesn't look all that bad (especially for a 20ish year old truck) and your aftermarket dash might have a ground issue. It's a nice looking truck, is your exhaust stock or aftermarket?

Beautiful truck 👍 Im thinking about buying one myself!

Lol mine was garage kept so paint still looked factory. Sometimes you get lucky when buying from private dealers

2003 dakota slt club cab 4x4 here with a towing pkg .... yes a towing pkg, 5 spd auto, limited slip , 3.92 gears ... i tow a 5500lb travel trailer with it. Love this body style !!

How are you planning to fix the rust on your truck?

Great video. Just purchased a 2000. What kind of lift kit did you install on yours?

How long do these last? Was thinking of buying an 05 but it has a whole 230k miles on it.. between that or a 96 ram 2500 v10 with only 180k miles

I have a 03 Dakota 4.7 4x4 4speed auto with 234,000 miles runs great. But it does really good at 19 to 20 miles per gallon highway. But yeah they do have rust issues that you have to maintain. I love it though and wouldn't get rid of it for anything.

I have a 2001 durango, so not the same but close. I have the 4.7 v8 Some issues i have are Cons: Blowby. Rod knock. Valve tick. Oil sludging. 6 blown freeze plugs. 3 noticeable cracks in the block. As well as no 4th gear. Blown out front suspension. No AC and no heater. Broken valve cover. Slightly blown headgasket. Transmission slams into gear. 9.5 mpg. 4 wheel drive kinda works sometimes. Motor leak. Trans leak. Transfercase leak. Rear diff leak. Front diff leak. Pros: starts everytime. Currently my daily. But other than that its ok.

I have a 2002 dodge Dakota and I love it glad to see another person that actually likes the dakotas!!

I have a dodge dakota setup - let me tell you about it. its got a bit of a lift when I bought it, maybe 2 inch or 3 inch - I put mud tires on it. I replaced the coils, I run copper spark plugs, I replaced all my ujoints with napa u joints. I run a wix filter (dont run K and N). Also I run 1 quart of marvel mystery oil each oil change, and I add about 6 ounces to fuel every fill up - this has brought my 2000 dakota with a 4.7 and 187k miles back to life and it runs amazing. Go ahead and change out your crankshaft and camshaft sensors with the Napa brand (this truck loves napa parts, do not even flinch about spending the money here). You can expect to get 17-20 mpg with aggressive driving on the interstate at 60-80mph. I do not go over 100mph because the tires arent rated for it. Getting 13mpg sucks, you can get way better than that. worry less about your cosmetics and worry more about health of engine and transmission and drive shafts. I have also replaced the CV shafts with detroit axles. Built right - this truck doesnt get stuck. You drive around those who are stuck. Perfect truck for offroading. You dont need big tires, I got tires in the stock size that were MTs - the 4x4 system will do most of the work for you so take care of it.

Great video! 04' SLT quadcab owner here with 4.7 with only 102k miles & rust free gem. Also owned a 99' sport 3.9 motor reg cab 5 spd. They are great little trucks just bad on mpg's. Wish ram/dodge still made them, I'd consider another if priced right.

I have a 2003 dodge dakota rt regular cab 2 wheel drive, 5.9 liter. It has 63000 miles. It makes a rattling noise when I start it , and when it is idling. I took it to monroe, they said it was the muffler, so they replaced it. I got it back, and I still have the same problem. I took it to a different place and they think it might be the transmission, but they are not sure. Has anyone else had this issue? Any clues as to what could cause this? Please help!!

I have an '02 Quad Cab, all black, 62k miles, I bought it new. The clearcoat on all top surfaces always fails with age. Mine has. I notice a common rust area is the top of the rear wheel wells. The outer body and the inner sheet metal is folded over and apparently holds water/salt leading to rust through issues in many Dodges. So far, mine's been ok there.

Just bought a 2000 xcab 18xxxxx . 4.7 auto 4x4 two small spots of rust, interior 9 out of 10 ,needed regular maintenance shocks , and of course the famous peeling clear coat . I owned a 4 liter jeep Cherokee and this 4.7 gets about the same mpg so I'm good with that.

I had a single cab 98 5 speed for about 12yrs i put almost 300k on it the thing i miss tge most is the sound system i put in it, i did a blowthrough with 2 18" subs and i made door pods thst had 1 8" mid and 2 4" mids and 4 1" tweeters in the pillers and it was so nice , the last sub i had in it was 1 15" in a 6th order it would do 148db at 24hz it was a low end monster sounded so good

I know im super late live the truck i got a 03 quadcrab!!5.9 fuggin love it but do u know what wheels u have ? I like em alot

How is the turning on the dodge bcuz I heard it was bad but I’m gonna buy one in a lil bit

Hey Hayden. I enjoyed your video on the 5 things you hate about your truck Lol. My question is.. Can I drop a 5.9L 8-360 motor in my 2001 Dakota? If so, what would I need to upgrade?

Most of those issues are the same for most vehicles in general. Not properly cleaning it will cause clear coat peeling and rust. Front end damage will cause issues, not trucks fault. Tires...well you get what you pay for. Plus ball joints wear out which will cause tire wear. Aftermarket gauge due to improper installation. I have one and had no issues. Gas mileage well....depends on foot and use, but that's a sacrifice to make for performance. I have an 03 qc dakota in process of motor build. I've had for 12 years now and only real issue I have is needs paint job. But other than that I love my dakota. Just wish there was more available for it like chevys and fords etc etc

Anything to worry about on a 2003 4.7 auto with 33k miles?

before the paint buddy I would get some new tires

Just got my first car, 2000 dodge dakota. I came here too learn about my new truck

I feel like you guys live on the creek going to kids castle, place just looks so familiar man

bet that gauge problem is they swapped to LED and they are burning out. i have purple in mine and mine are starting to malfunction

I own a 99 Dakota Sport 3.9 V6. Flame Red and cool tires and aluminum racing wheels. The fact that it's smaller only means it handles better and is quicker. Great truck.

how do you disconnect the alarm on a 1997 Dodge Dakota V8.

You've done a cool series of videos on your Dakota. That's going to look sharp when you get it repainted. Looks like Intense Blue. I've got a 1999 Dodge Dakota 5.9 R/T Solar Yellow and it only gets 10-11 mpg around town and it's properly tuned. I was wondering what was under the hood. I thought it would be a 5.9. So the gas mileage you're getting is about normal for the 4.7 4x4.

You got those new tires please make sure your ball joints and tie rod ends are up to snuff before you do your front end alignment. It will make those tires last longer and give you a better ride.

I’ve got a Dakota too mines a 2004 all wheel drive with four high and four low

Hey nice truck brother. I’m a Florida swamp boy those Dakotas keep on rolling. Evap issues rust issues, Florida swamp water salty shit. Or sulfur enriched. What can I say our fresh water is a gorgeous mixture of caustic elements lol. But man the swamps are the best and those mid size pick ups are a god send. They run and there tough as nails

Brohiem not once did you say "you know" or " I mean" and the worst is "LIKE " ! You articulate well and get to the point with no bullshit. Keep it up and I'll subscribe.

I like the smiles per gallon saying 😂

You've inspired me to make a video like this

Two years ago I bought a single owner 99 Dakota 100,000 miles with damn near no rust. And the interior is immaculent like you just bought it. 3.9 gets about 17 mpg. The only rust was the rear leaf spring shackles. Replaced them quickly. The worst thing of this truck is the HVAC airbox that has both AC and heater cores in it and You can't replace one without disconnecting the other. Extra cost when replacing a heater core because you absolutely have to disconnect the AC. Other than that , I have a great running truck. I plan to keep it as long as I can. Your truck looks great. Enjoy.

I have a Dakota graveyard with about 60 sitting on my Michigan property. All have similar issues with faded paint and rust around the rear fenders

Got a 02 Dakota quad cab with the 5.9L V8 for my first car it gets horrible gas mileage but I love it to death can’t see myself selling it. Planning on doing engine swap in the future

Loved my '98 with the 5.3.. terrible on gas but an absolute beast and fun to drive. I miss driving it. I'm sure you've already painted it, but you should do the whole truck in Line-X or a similar liner company.

My 2000 has the same faded paint issue, roof and hood. Rotted out under both V8 emblems. What finally did it in was the frame under the radiator. Otherwise runs and drives like a champ at 112,000K

The bent bumper is definitely from factory. I had to fix mine on my 99 Cummins. And I see the bent bumper everywhere and it looks like shit. I'm OCD so I had to push it up and make it look good.

I know this vid is 9 months old but if you still need to get that rust fixed towards the back of the cab on the pinch weld its likely up higher than you can see. My R/T is actually being redone inside and out and that was a little surprise waiting for me. Like yours mine only had rust in those 2 spots driver/passenger side.

I have the same truck as you is yours also always in 4wd ?

i have the same truck, same colour, same magnaflow exhaust, same motor, but a 2003. i just got it recently. read so much about terrible gas mileage, but, i've been pleasantly surprised. ya, if you are on the pedal, enjoying that rumble, then it's gonna suck it back, but, i've done a few trips, and went soft on the accelerator, and got very decent mileage.

Looks like the same shade of blue on my 98 Dakota. yours has a few upgrades that I would like to add to mine

Hows it going Hayden? I just subscibed I have a hood like yours its not metal & has a gap that you can see clear thru from fender to fende when iit is closed. Curious if you had this problem. Also Nice Truck! Mine has most of those problems too

Acrylic enamel paint ?

The area behind the headlights seems to be a common failure point on these trucks rust wise. Luckily my PA Durango has avoided that for the time being, but I got a hole all the way into the rockers

You do realize it’s a 20 year old truck! I owned a 03 extended cab, 3.9 great runner but lot of rust issues. Wait till you take fender flares off! The bumper gap is your fault not trucks. You have serious camber problem up front, check alignment. I had mine 13 years, hated to get rid of it but it was time to move on.

i have a 2000 v8 same as yours..i know its been painted original red color.(i think)..36,000 original miles..bought it this year. The only issue is the headliner has come loose right under the sun visor..tried using some spray adhesive but didnt work well...i will be waxing waxing waxing..love my truck!

my dad had an 02 v6 and the trans ended up going at almost 200k. had a little worse body than yours but it was used as a work truck in NY for over almost 14 years

I don’t consider those real problems. 1. Only the 04 4.7 has tuning support. 2. Funky wheel bolt pattern. 3. Only 03-04 had decent brakes with twin piston fronts and single piston rears. Can be upgraded further with viper brakes, ctsv brakes and Brembo’s. 4. Only the 04 has a decent dash. 5. Transmission cooling is junk stock. 6. The cats are in a terrible location and don’t work very well. 7. No mass air flow meter. 8. No negative camber adjustment . 9. No leather power seat option without going to the JGC swap. 10. You can’t turn off the passenger airbag on the Quad cabs. 11. So if it’s not a second gen and from the second half of 04 Quad cab with JGC seats and extra cab wiring , with a few delete options and cooling upgrades, it’s kinda a dud. It took me four trucks to build one good one with everything fixed including the infinity JGC stereo option and HP Tuners. Oh yeah, and the weirdly rare chrome front and rear bumper option. It’s the perfect daily driver street truck now , but I pity anyone trying to replicate it.

Back when i had my 02 Sport by biggest gripe (Aside from gas milage ha) was the bed size, was either too small, or too big for just about every other camper cover i came across while looking for one, which I never did.

Damn i thought the 4.7 would get better gas mileage than that. I got an rt 5.9 v8 dakota and i get like 16 mpg highway and prolly 10-12 city

Love the grill where did you get it

What kinda wheels are those ?? I want a set for mines.. love the truck !! Good videos take care stay safe

Had my Dakota for 20+ years. Could never understand why Chrysler didn't put wheel well protectors on them. I also had bad rust and brake issues on mine. Strong motor though. 4.7L

It may be small but they are mighty trucks. There low profile and wide stance helps with there handling. I have one. You can't stop the rust. My dakotas tailgate just rusted out. They are tough and durable. Altho I wish their suspension was set a tiny bit softer.

So all of these issues are because you wrecked the truck, can't take care of paint, have a sticker on the speedometer, running bald tires, and complain about a v8 gas milage.

I have a 2006 Dakota , it's a great truck.

Why is your intake box still in there ?

How about that air cleaner set up where'd you get and cost?

I have the rt and she is balding as well I used plasti dip on the hood .. I lost my bumper to cancer driver side only was rotted out but it’s a dakota thing for sure .and I have the pinch seam as well I used naval jelly and por 15/ maybe in future

I have 2 of these trucks ones a rust bucket the other is a quad cab from california both has the 4.7 ive had decent luck with them plus there not to hard to figure out good trucks

Smiles per gallon brother that’s what it’s all about. I love my Dakota and I’ll keep it until the day I die.

My friend has a 2001one with 50,000 niles. It's cherry , and for sale. It sat in heated garage . He got it when his dad died.

The fenders rot bad cause there’s two skins where salt gets in the lip

I have a 1995 magnum V8 with only 85,000 miles. Was my Grandfather's. At the time I had a suspended license. Told my Mom and I the truck is mine but only after I get my license back. That truck was his baby! Now she's my baby! Thanks Grandpa! Miss you!

What kind of intake is on the Dodge Dakota I need to get that s*** sweet

DUDE THE SAME BLUE WITH THE DOUBLE STRIPES GOING DOWN. I HAVE THE SAME TRUCK, -PREPING TO DO THE SAME BLUE WITH THE DOUBLE SPORT LINES.

The rust issue for sure and the heater core buried inside the dashboard. Oh, throw in the splined front axle shafts if you have a 4x4, otherwise it has a great body style.

Hands down that gen dakota and 2nd gen ram are the hardest meanest looking trucks ever made i love mine but I’m in the upper peninsula of Michigan and she’s rotted but still got nuts with the 5.2

I just bought one .2👍 2000 4 door it's a ok ride. Time will tell HFTCD.

What wheels do you have on it?

I just got a 2001...Did a full brake job because everything was warped and the bakes still suck. They are fine when they are cold, but SUPER grabby when hot. I'm ready to just spend the money and get the disc coversion kit. The brakes are by far the worst part of the truck. Other than that I really like it.

i have a 99 dakota 5.2 my fender flare flew off because there was so much rust

Running the 2002 Dakota 4 x 4 214 k on it I did have to do some body work and I recently put in a new motor and trans just because love my Dak

I have a 02 Dakota 4 door it had 4.7in it now it has 4bt Cummins in it and 5spd 4x4

I have a 2006 Dodge Dakota. I love it, even though it does drink gas. As long as you don’t put your foot in it. I bought it from my cousin, in fact it’s the same color as yours. I have got a lot of work done to it. My cousin Never did any Work on it. But even though that happened I still Love my Truck.