1997-2004 Dodge Dakota Brake Fluid Type and Flush Interval

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

The 1997-2004 Dodge Dakota uses DOT 3 brake fluid that meets SAE J1703. The factory service manual for this generation says no other type of fluid is recommended or approved, and it tells you to use Mopar fluid or an equivalent from a tightly sealed container. Chrysler's printed maintenance schedule for these trucks does not list a mileage for replacing brake fluid, so the real interval is set by the condition of the fluid: flush it when it is contaminated, after any hydraulic repair, and as routine preventive maintenance because DOT 3 pulls moisture out of the air.

What brake fluid the Dakota takes, and what never to put in it

The factory manual for the AN-body Dakota is blunt about fluid. The specification section says the fluid must conform to DOT 3 specifications and SAE J1703 standards, and that no other type of brake fluid is recommended or approved for the system. The manual bleeding procedure repeats it: Mopar fluid or an equivalent quality fluid meeting SAE J1703-F and DOT 3 only, fresh from a sealed container.

Two cautions in the manual matter more than brand choice:

• Never use reclaimed fluid or fluid from a container that has been left open. An open bottle absorbs moisture from the air and contaminates the fluid before it ever reaches the truck.
• Never put any petroleum-based fluid in the brake system. The manual lists engine oil, transmission fluid and power steering fluid as examples. Petroleum products damage the rubber seals, and the manual warns this leads to brake system failure.

Before you add anything, look at the master cylinder reservoir cap and your owner's manual. They are the final word for your exact truck, and if either one says something different from this article, follow the truck.

How DOT 3 compares to the other DOT grades

DOT grades are defined by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 116 (49 CFR 571.116). The standard sets minimum boiling points for new "dry" fluid and for "wet" fluid that has absorbed water. The wet number is the one that explains why old fluid is a problem: once DOT 3 picks up moisture, its boiling point falls a long way.

The same federal standard requires every brake fluid bottle to carry warnings to follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations when adding fluid, to keep fluid clean and dry because dirt, water or petroleum contamination can cause brake failure, and to store it only in its original container kept tightly closed to prevent moisture absorption. That lines up exactly with what Chrysler printed in the Dakota manual.

How often to flush Dakota brake fluid

Read the Lubrication and Maintenance section of the factory manual and you will find the service schedules full of oil changes, coolant flushes, axle fluid changes and transmission service, but no line item for replacing brake fluid. What the schedule does call for is inspecting the brake hoses at every oil change and inspecting the brake linings at regular intervals. In practice that means the Dakota has no fixed factory flush mileage, and the decision comes from inspection.

Use these triggers:

• Any time the fluid is contaminated. The manual's test is simple: drain a little into a clear glass jar. If it separates into layers, there is mineral oil or other contamination and the system must be drained and thoroughly flushed.
• Any time the hydraulic system is opened. A new caliper, wheel cylinder, hose, line or master cylinder means bleeding anyway, and that is the cheapest moment to replace all the fluid.
• As preventive maintenance on an older truck. Every Dakota in this range is now more than twenty years old. Unless you have a receipt showing a recent flush, assume the fluid has absorbed moisture. A fluid test strip or electronic moisture tester at the reservoir takes a minute and gives you a real reading instead of a guess.
• When you tow or haul. Long downgrades with a trailer heat the brakes hardest, which is exactly where a lower wet boiling point shows up as a soft pedal.

One thing that is not a reason to flush by itself: color. The manual notes that brake fluid tends to darken over time and that this is normal and should not be mistaken for contamination. Dark fluid is a prompt to test, not proof of failure.

How the Dakota brake system is laid out

Knowing the layout tells you which bleeders you will be working on. According to the factory manual for this generation:

• Front: disc brakes with single-piston calipers and ventilated rotors.
• Rear: drum brakes with dual shoes and cast drums, so the rear bleeders are on the wheel cylinders, not calipers. The parking brake is cable operated on the rear secondary shoes.
• Booster: a vacuum power brake booster on all applications.
• Master cylinder: a two-piece unit with an aluminum body and a removable glass-reinforced nylon reservoir. The reservoir is the only serviceable part of it.
• Antilock: rear wheel antilock (RWAL) is standard; an all-wheel ABS was available as an option. The all-wheel system uses three wheel speed sensors, one at each front wheel and one on top of the rear differential housing, with a hydraulic control unit on the driver-side inner fender.
• Combination valve: a pressure differential switch that lights the red brake warning lamp if front or rear pressure is lost, plus a rear proportioning valve. It is not repairable and is replaced as an assembly.

If the red brake light is on with the parking brake released and the fluid level is correct, that switch may be telling you one hydraulic circuit lost pressure. Find the leak before you flush.

How to bleed and flush a Dakota the factory way

The manual gives both a manual (two-person) method and a pressure method. The main points:

1. Clean the reservoir and caps before opening them so dirt does not fall in. The correct level is to the FULL mark on the side of the reservoir.
2. Use only fresh DOT 3 from a sealed container. Do not let the master cylinder run dry during the job; an empty reservoir draws air into the system.
3. Bleed one component at a time. Attach a clear hose to the bleed screw with its end submerged in a container partly filled with brake fluid.
4. Open the bleeder, have a helper press the pedal down, and close the bleeder once the pedal is down. Repeat until the stream is clear and free of bubbles, then move to the next wheel. The manual specifically says not to pump the pedal during bleeding, because it breaks air into small bubbles that spread through the system.
5. With pressure equipment, follow the equipment maker's instructions. The manual says a tank pressure of 15-20 psi is generally sufficient and warns never to pressure bleed without the proper master cylinder adapter.

For a full flush, keep bleeding at each wheel until the fluid coming out looks as clean as the new fluid going in. On trucks with all-wheel ABS, follow the ABS section of the service manual for anything involving the hydraulic control unit itself.

If you replace the master cylinder, bench bleed it before installation and tighten the mounting nuts to the manual value (18 N-m, 160 in-lb, for this generation). Start every brake line fitting by hand; the manual warns the port threads in the aluminum body are easily damaged.

What to replace when contamination is found

This is where a cheap mistake becomes an expensive one. If someone topped off a Dakota with power steering fluid or another petroleum product, the manual does not stop at a flush. It says to drain and flush the system and replace the master cylinder, proportioning valve, caliper seals, wheel cylinder seals, the ABS hydraulic unit and all hydraulic hoses. The tell-tale sign is swollen or deteriorated rubber parts, including a distorted reservoir cap seal.

Most flushes are not that dramatic. When you are already in the system, it is a good time to look at the parts that wear alongside the fluid:

• Front pads and rotors. Fresh fluid will not fix a pulsating pedal; the manual traces pulsation mainly to rotors with excessive runout or thickness variation. We carry EBC Yellowstuff front brake pads for the 1997-1998 Dakota 2WD 2.5 and EBC USR slotted front rotors for the 2003-2004 Dakota 2WD 3.7, plus a wider range of brake pads and brake rotors.
• Rubber brake hoses, which the factory schedule already has you inspecting at every oil change. Cracked or swollen hoses are a common cause of a spongy pedal; see our brake hoses.
• Rear shoes and wheel cylinders. A leaking wheel cylinder puts fluid on the shoes and ruins them; browse brake shoes and brake hardware kits if the drums are open anyway.
• A master cylinder if the reservoir has been contaminated or the pedal slowly sinks under steady pressure.

As a DIY job, a Dakota flush is moderate: no special tools beyond a bleed hose, a wrench for the bleed screws and a helper, or a pressure bleeder with the correct adapter. The difficulty is mostly discipline: sealed fluid, never letting the reservoir run dry, and never pumping the pedal while bleeding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use DOT 4 in my 1997-2004 Dodge Dakota?

The factory service manual for this generation specifies DOT 3 meeting SAE J1703 and says no other type of brake fluid is recommended or approved. To stay within the factory specification, use DOT 3 and check your reservoir cap and owner's manual for your exact truck.

Can I use DOT 5 silicone brake fluid in a Dakota?

No. DOT 5 is silicone based and is not the factory specification. Stick with the DOT 3 fluid the system was designed for.

How often should I change the brake fluid on a Dodge Dakota?

Chrysler's printed maintenance schedule for these trucks does not list a brake fluid replacement interval. Flush it whenever the fluid tests contaminated or high in moisture, whenever the hydraulic system is opened for repair, and on any older truck with no record of a recent flush.

My Dakota's brake fluid is dark. Is it bad?

Not necessarily. The factory manual notes that brake fluid tends to darken over time and that this is normal. Test it with a strip or moisture tester, and do the clear glass jar check: fluid that separates into layers is contaminated.

What happens if I put power steering fluid in the brake reservoir?

Do not drive it. Petroleum fluids damage the rubber seals. The manual calls for draining and flushing the system and replacing the master cylinder, proportioning valve, caliper and wheel cylinder seals, the ABS hydraulic unit and all hydraulic hoses.

Why does the brake fluid level drop without a leak?

The factory manual notes that the reservoir level decreases in proportion to normal lining wear, because the caliper pistons move out as the pads wear. If the level is abnormally low, check the calipers, wheel cylinders, lines and master cylinder for leaks before topping off.

Sources

1. Dodge Dakota (AN) 2001 factory service manual, Brakes - Base, fluid specifications - DOT 3 / SAE J1703 only, Mopar or equivalent from a sealed container, no reclaimed or open fluid, no petroleum fluids, contamination test and parts to replace
2. Dodge Dakota 2001 factory service manual, Brakes - Base description - front disc/rear drum layout, vacuum booster, RWAL standard and all-wheel ABS optional, cleaning cautions
3. Dodge Dakota 2001 factory service manual, fluid level and manual bleeding - FULL mark, bleeding sequence, do not pump the pedal, pressure bleeding at 15-20 psi
4. Dodge Dakota 2001 factory service manual, maintenance schedules - brake hose and brake lining inspections, no brake fluid replacement item
5. 49 CFR 571.116 - FMVSS No. 116, Motor vehicle brake fluids - DOT 3, DOT 4 and DOT 5 minimum dry and wet boiling points, required container warnings