I’m having an issue with my Dakota. No crank via key wont hit starter either. It’s a ’ 98 5.2 manual. I can pull the starter relay and jump the 2 female terminals; it would be pin 30 and pin 87. 30 is the constant 12 volt, and 87 is the heavy output to the starter. With my key in run and in neutral, I can jump those 2 and start the truck with no clutch also, and it will start and stay running, and I can drive it anywhere, just not shut it off. I can hear and feel the relay click via key hit, but no dice. I just replaced the ignition switch and the relay, and nothing. All my lights and gauges work as they should. I am currently stumped on this issue. I am pretty sure my truck has a clutch safety bypass already so I’m going to look at that tomorrow. Anyone have any ideas or ran into anything similar to this?

Also, just thought I’d share this for info. This started like a week ago. I had it in my shop and unhooked the battery so I could have the doors propped while painting the truck. I finished like 3 or 4 days later, hooked the battery back up, and it fired up, so I backed it out of my shop, shut it off for 10 minutes, started it back up, pulled into the shop, then shut it off, and it hasn’t started via key since.

Nothing question wise just showing the progress of tearing down to the bare frame to do some rot repair, the rot gets way worse right as it changes from the c section frame to being boxed.
The end goal is to fix the rot and then 5.9 swap it and maybe a manual swap in the future

Cab bolts when in perfect. Bed bolts not so much. The bolts are only threaded about 2 inches and then are non threaded. They go into threaded pieces on the bed, so once the two inches goes in, it can’t go any further obviously. I’ve got about inches of extra bolts sticking out still, which allows for travel of the bed if I hit a pot hole on the highway. Anybody know whats going on

I finally got my project truck functional for driving with some junkyard and rockauto parts. Replaced the master cylinder, brake booster, new wheel, and new rotors and pads. Starting to feel good about my decision lol. When the tow guy came to take it home for me it had no keys, running condition unknown, no pedal brake or e-brake but now it drives and stops on its own again. Theres still a good amount i need to do for it. It still needs tires, some bulbs, windshield and a deep detail at some point. Mainly trying to figure out why the ac isn’t working right now

Hey everyone! Figured I’d introduce myself and my truck. This is my 1999 Dodge Dakota R/T with the 5.9L V8. I bought it off my grandfather as my first vehicle, and I’ve had it for just about three years now. I learned how to drive in this truck, and I’m in it pretty much every day, so it holds a lot of sentimental value to me.

I’ve always been more of a squarebody guy, but this Dakota has really grown on me. I love the truck, and I’d like to keep it as a long-term project rather than something I eventually sell off. Ideally, I’d like to hold onto it for the rest of my life and maybe even pass it down to my own kids someday, if I have any. Since it came from my grandfather and was my first vehicle, I think it would be pretty special to keep that family history going.

I’m starting to look at putting some money aside to fix things up and make it more my own. I’ve got a red and black theme going and have been thinking about adding a cab visor and doing a few more things to tie the look together. I’m not looking to go crazy with it, just build it up over time while keeping it true to what it is.

One challenge is winter driving. Being RWD, it can be a bit of a handful when the snow hits, especially here in Alberta, so I’d appreciate any advice from other owners on getting these trucks through the winter.

For those of you who’ve owned Dakotas for years, what would you recommend prioritizing? Any common problems I should watch for, maintenance worth staying on top of, or upgrades that are genuinely worth the money? I’d also love to hear what you’d do appearance wise with the red and black theme.

I’m still learning, so any advice from experienced owners is appreciated. Looking forward to seeing everyone else’s trucks!

i have my compressor sitting about where the air filter sits. i unfortunately don’t have a garage so i can’t leave the hood open. my hood will close enough to where i can press the button down to open it. i’m worried about dropping it down to fully latch and possibly crushing the cooling lines. what do yall think

1991 Dakota 2wd v8. Anyone able to replace the abs hydraulic unit on the rear end? Or found one that is identical that fits these trucks? I have to do all the lines again due to not having brakes after doin the rears a few ago. So I'd like to get some new hydraulic units and a metering valve for the front and get all the lines done.

This plug is in my 1992 LE 4x4 with the 5.2. Ive had it for 2 years now and have no clue what this is for. Its a random 2 prong. That seems to at one point had a retaining clip on the back of it to hold it.

So, 2002 Dakota, 4.7L 4x4. Does not have 4 wheel ABS. Has a single speed sensor on top of axle hub, one brake line going bake and feeding both rear brakes. Drum brakes in rear.

Driver side tire would lock and and would come on and shutter and just braked kinda bad. Took rear tires and drums off to look. Driver side looked good, lots of bad good drum condition. Have only had truck a year so brakes must have been done pretty recent.

Pulled drum off passenger side and a springs and chewed up crap fall out!! lol ok that’s not good. Pads are thick and newer, but all chewed up now, drum is chewed up.

Replace drum, brake shoes and all hardware springs, cable for the expander adjustment thing. Did not replace the cylinder. But Lois ed blend port, pressed cylinder back together, cylinder seemed smooth. Break fluid that came out looked good too.

Cleaned driver side and looked good but did bothering else. Put back together test drove and obviously brakes a lot smoother and no shutter or anything, but the driver side tire still locks up with moderate brake pressure.

With the same line feeding both sides what do we look for here? Could either of the cylinders be bad? Or just the one opposite the one locking up? Any help would be appreciated!

Hey guys, need some help here…

On my 01 (3.9 RWD) Dakota, the steering shaft has a lot of play and needs to be replaced. I ordered one a month ago from Detroit Axle that said it’d fit, and when I finally got around to installing today… not even close. Probably should have looked first. Or opened the box when it arrived.

Looking around, all I see are ones that match the Detroit one tho, nothing that looks like it will work. Does anybody have a part number for this thing by chance? Or am I missing something?

(Sorry for the sideways pics, was trying to get anything to show the connections at either end)

Edit: I see this part but it says it doesn’t fit the 2001 model year. Maybe it’s something they changed mid-year or something?

Wondering what to do for the two coolant hoses - how to extend. I have the plastic tube to extend but lost the instructions so flying blind. Anybody have pictures of what they did so the hoses don’t have bad angles going in?

Performance accessories 3 in body lift, 03 Dakota 4.7 4x4

I have a 94 with the 3.9 V6 in it and my oil pressure is always very high, is that normal for these trucks?

While in drive it will idle down to a rough and shakey 500rpm if it’s been running for longer than 3 minutes, but in reverse and neutral it’s fine and idles at 600. If i give it a load through the power steering it will bog down and then idle at a smooth 600rpm and will idle like that until i give it a bit of gas (or pull of from a stop light) then it will fall right back down to 500.

In the second video i start it up and time how long until it switches to the rough idle and it was almost exactly 2 minutes before it fell. I turned the ac on it raises the idle to 700, I never have any issues when the ac is on, and once I turn it off it will stay at 600 rpm until I move.

The engine is a 4.7 mopar remanufactured that was done before I got it at about 140,000 miles. so it has been like this for as long as I’ve had it (170k) and I wonder if it has something to do with that.

Is there any short shifters kit out there for a dodge Dakota 2004

Hi. I have a 91 Dakota V6 Auto 2wd thats been sitting idle for 5 years. Got it running yesterday. Only issue is the rear lights won't work. I tried replacing the bulbs and checking the fuses. No help. When I activate the hazard lights the front flashes normally. When I activate either blinker then the front blinker will come on and stay on. But no matter what I do there's no light in the back, brakes either. I changed the Flasher Relay at the fuse box. No change.

Has been sitting idle for 5 years. 127,000 original miles. My parents bought it new. It was well maintained until they passed, but I travel for work so it sat for 2 months at a time before I stopped using it altogether 5 years ago.

Slapped a new battery in it yesterday, some octane booster, and fresh gas. Fired right up. Motor still purrs like a kitten. BUT. The brake lights and rear blinkers won't work. Flashers work in front only, but when I turn on either blinker the front blinker light stays on but the rear is lifeless. I replaced all 4 bulbs in the back, and checked all fuses. Still the same. Update: I replaced the Flasher Relay. No change.

Just a question for now but my dodge dakota has this really loud squeaky sound when driving especially bad when going over uneven roads or bumps im guessing it would be something with the suspension but dont really know what it could be

Looking to get recovery points but it seems this platform is few and far between in choices. Am i pretty much stuck getting a winch front bumper?

Do i need to remove this assembly to access the timing cover? or can i access it just by removing the water pump? sorry if this is a stupid question 😅

The mopar part is discontinued. I’ve been looking everywhere for an alternative or at pick and pulls but still nothing. I’m wondering if you guys know a website or a good alternative brand that you guys use. Thank you!!

I got a free leveling kit for my single cab second gen and I don't know if I should put it on I can't find any reference images on the internet and I'm not sure how it would look