Dodge Dakota regular cab
1997-2004 modelsMODERATE OVERLAP FRONT TEST
OVERALL EVALUATION:
| Structure/safety cage | Injury measures | Restraints/dummy kinematics | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head/neck | Chest | Leg/foot, left | Leg/foot, right | ||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Important: Frontal crash test ratings can be compared only among vehicles of similar weight.
Good
Acceptable
Marginal
Poor
Test details:
The Dodge Dakota was redesigned for the 1997 model year.
Restraints/dummy kinematics — Dummy movement wasn't well controlled. There was far too much upward movement of the steering wheel and floor buckling tilted the driver seat forward and toward the door. After the dummy moved forward into the airbag, it rebounded toward the driver door, and its head hit the inside of the door above the armrest.
Injury measures — Measures taken from the chest indicate low risk of injuries in this body region in a crash of this severity. A high head acceleration and high neck forces occurred when the dummy's head hit the steering wheel through the airbag, indicating that injuries to the head and neck would be likely. Forces on both tibias indicate that injuries to the lower legs would be possible. Head acceleration from the door hit was low.
Left to right:
- Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test.
- Post-crash damage shot.
- Smeared greasepaint (inset photo at bottom right) indicates where the dummy's head dipped below the windowsill and hit the driver door during the offset test.
Additional features:
- Antilock brakes (optional); rear-wheel antilock brakes standard
Tested vehicle specifications:
- 1998 Dodge Dakota Sport (2wd regular cab)
- Class: Small pickup
- Weight: 3,589 lbs.
- Side airbags: none
- Wheelbase: 112 in.
- Length: 196 in.
- Width: 72 in.
- Engine: 3.9 L V6
- EPA ratings: 16 mpg city | 21 mpg highway
