DodgeDakota19963.9L V6/dodge/dakota/1996/3-9l-v6/
AN platform

1996 Dodge Dakota — 3.9L V6

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Dakota 3.9L V6.

Body TRUCKEngine 3.9L V6Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Dodge Dakota is a midsize truck built on the AN chassis and powered by a 3.9‑liter V6 mated to a four‑speed automatic transmission, a combination that delivers a modest 14 mpg city, 19 mpg highway, and 16 mpg combined rating while requiring 4.0 qt of 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 API‑rated oil. Its most frequent owner‑reported issue falls under engine and cooling system problems, accounting for 216 complaints and prompting two recalls for the model year. Within the broader 1990‑2011 Dakota lineup, 1996 sits near the lower end of the complaint spectrum—well below the peak of 842 complaints recorded in 2000 and above the 2009 low of 18—indicating a relatively average reliability record for its generation.

Model year1997199619951992

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque85-115 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy14/19/16 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 27 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 05281090AB. Note the factory engine air filter and fuel filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 27 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter05281090AB
Engine air filter05016646AA discontinued · alt 04306113
Fuel filter52004611 discontinued
Front wiper blades4334667
Serpentine belt53011035 alt 53010277
Thermostat52028185AC alt 52028186AC

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length208.3 in
Overall width69.3 in
Overall height65.7 in
Wheelbase131.1 in
Curb weight3525 lb
Track (front / rear)58.7 / 59.4 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined14 / 19 / 16 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 85-115 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.5 Pints,
Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4 Pints,
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 qt

Engine torques

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings45 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts135 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts55 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Main Bearings85 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs30 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts85-115 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug35.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug35.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub190 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)200 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.6-0.8 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance12,000-18,000 ohms
Spark Plug Gap0.040 in
Spark Plug Torque30.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity2.00 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Oil Capacity7.75 oz
Standard BCI Group Number27
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca
Optional BCI Group Number27

Service checks

Pressure Test15; Do not allow pressure to exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature192-199 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum54.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)44.0-54.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance13-16 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance13.3-15.7 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH 10 inch DRUM / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket18-26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle95-125 ft-lbs
Brake ApplicationWITH 10 inch DRUM / WITH STANDARD
Drum Runout Limit0.008 in
Drum Nominal Diameter10 in / 9 in
Drum Maximum Machining10.06 in / 9.06 in
Drum Discard at-or-over10.09 / 9.09

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Coat new bolts with the specified engine oil.

150.0 ft. lbs.50 ft. lbs
2105.0 ft. lbs.105 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
16 ft. lbs. ( 1 ft. lb. at a time.), step 2: bolts: 5-12: 6 ft. lbs., step 3: all to 6 ft. lbs., step 4: all to 12 ft. lbs., step 5: all to 126 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 15,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 37,500 miBands (adjust) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plug Wires (replace)

Owner how-tos

Condensed service procedures for routine maintenance. Procedures that require dealer diagnostic equipment are identified and summarized only.

Common procedures

Key fob — remote (RKE) programming programming new fob buttons Dealer tool OEM · verified
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool (dealer / locksmith)
WhyTransmitter codes are written into the receiver in the passenger door module
Anti-theft (SKIS) — module initialization after immobilizer module replacement Dealer tool OEM · verified
When neededAfter Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) replacement
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool
Also requiredThe vehicle's four-digit PIN code

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1996 Dodge Dakota sits at the end of the first generation, and its 216 complaints represent a decline from the 1991–1992 spike and a slight improvement over 1995, while its 2 recalls and 1 investigation are among the lowest in the entire dataset. However, the 59 technical service bulletins (TSBs) are the highest of the first-generation years, indicating that many issues were documented but not severe enough to trigger recalls. This contrasts sharply with the 1997 redesign, where complaints nearly double to 487 and recalls jump to 12, marking the start of a steep upward trend in problems through the early 2000s. The 1996 model’s top complaint areas—engine and engine cooling (26), power train (23), and service brakes (18)—are typical for the generation, and its 23 crash complaints and 6 fire complaints are not outliers. Overall, the 1996 Dakota appears to be a relatively stable year that avoids the major quality decline of the subsequent generation, making it a reasonable used choice if a pre-purchase inspection addresses the common TSB-documented issues.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
59
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
216
Owner complaints
23 involved a crash · 6 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 216 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling26
Power Train23
Service Brakes, Hydraulic18
Structure13
Electrical System12
Air Bags11
Seat Belts10
Suspension10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E049000Exterior LightingReported 24/05/2006

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH… Remedy: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.

95V199000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power AssistReported 20/10/1995

THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE COULD BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AND NOT CLAMPED TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM NIPPLE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES TO INSURE THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE CONNECTION IS FULLY SEATED AND CLAMPED TO THE VACUUM CHECK VALVE NIPPLE AT THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 59 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
08-049-202020-04-22Electrical SystemCharging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin…
31005192019-11-20StructureUse of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with…
31006192019-11-20StructureRepair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC…
31003192019-11-20StructureUse of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with…
31-006-192019-11-20StructureRepair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

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VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Dakota. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Dakota 3.9L V6 take?

4.0 qt of Above 0 F: 10W-30 API, Below 32 F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Dakota have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 3.9L V6 get?

EPA figures are 14 city / 19 highway / 16 combined mpg.