CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON TO SEE OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER. THE SIDE AIRBAG INFLATABLE CURTAIN (SABIC) ON ABOUT 4200 MY 2008-2010 DODGE DAKOTA VEHICLES MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY SIDE IMPACT TEST. THE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT CONTROLLER MODULE WILL BE REPROGRAMMED.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2008 Dodge Dakota airbags problems
severe 28 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
28
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
3crashes
4injuries
What stands out
Airbags accounts for 31% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 8 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 28 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2008 Dakota carries two Takata airbag recalls (campaigns 15V313000 and 16V313000) addressing front passenger inflator rupture risk. Owners waited months to over a year for replacement parts that were repeatedly unavailable, with dealers telling them to expect delivery "in a few days," then "a few weeks," then "next year"—never with firm dates. One owner noted Chrysler insisted parts be requested individually, forcing a waiting-list approach. Some vehicles were eventually repaired, but many owners remained unable to trade the truck or allow passengers due to the safety hazard.
More troubling: two owners report their airbags did not deploy during actual crashes. One was a head-on collision at 50 mph with one injury and a totaled vehicle; the other was a rear-end impact at 40–45 mph with a crushed front end. A third owner describes an abnormal noise from the steering wheel during high heat and humidity, which dealers couldn't diagnose or replicate. The combination of known Takata defect, parts-availability chaos, and real-world non-deployment failures paints a clear picture: this truck's airbag system is unreliable and potentially dangerous.
Same Dodge Dakota airbags reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2011
Failure modes owners describe
Takata airbag inflator rupture risk (front passenger)
Takata-supplied airbag inflators in front passenger position subject to rupture, creating a safety hazard. Multiple NHTSA campaigns (15V313000 and 16V352000) issued to address this defect.
When: Model year 2008; recall notices issued 2015–2016
Symptoms owners cite: No symptoms reported by owners before failure; Defect is latent; identified through manufacturer testing
Repairs/costs cited: Recall repairs required replacement of Takata airbag inflator assemblies. However, parts remained unavailable for extended periods.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 15V313000 (2015) and 16V352000 (2016) issued. Chrysler/Dodge advised dealers parts would be requested individually and were on backorder. High-humidity states flagged as priority. Parts eventually distributed but delays extended into 2017.
Airbag non-deployment in front-end collisions
Front passenger and/or driver airbags failed to deploy during head-on and rear-end impacts at highway speed, despite significant structural damage to vehicle.
When: At impact; mileage ~40,000 miles reported in one case
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during head-on crash at 50 mph; No airbag deployment during rear-end collision at 40–45 mph; Vehicle totaled; occupant injury reported in one incident; Owner reports this occurred in two separate accidents
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles were totaled; no repair information provided by owners. One owner noted having photos of crushed vehicle interior showing non-deployment.
Airbag noise under high-humidity/high-temperature conditions
Abnormal noise emitted from steering wheel area, only evident during high humidity and excessive heat conditions. Likely unrelated to structural defect but suggests sensor or deployment mechanism sensitivity to environmental conditions.
When: Occurs during high humidity and excessive heat; no specific mileage provided
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal noise from steering wheel during parking in excessive heat; Noise only heard under high-humidity temperature conditions
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to replicate or diagnose the noise. Vehicle remained unrepaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner was included in NHTSA Campaign 15V313000. Dealer unable to determine parts availability.
Synthesized from 28 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Dodge dakota. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v313000 (air bags). However, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Dodge dakota. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v313000 (air bags). However, the part to do the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 Dodge dakota. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v352000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge dakota. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v313000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The VIN was invalid. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Takata recall
2008 Dodge dakota. Consumer writes in regards to replacement parts not available in a reasonable time frame to repair recall notice 16v-352. *smd
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge dakota. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v313000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact was informed that the recall parts would be available next year…
Had airbags trouble with your 2008 Dodge Dakota?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2008 Dodge Dakota?
It's a meaningful issue. 28 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 28 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 39,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/Dodge/Dakota.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.