Dodge Dakota · Engine family · 5 offered

Dodge Dakota 5.9L V8

This is the 5.9L V8 as the VIN decodes it on the Dakota — one mechanical family, every trim it was fitted to. We decode it on 1,176 VINs across 18 factory builds, and 15 listings are reported active. The configuration price reference is $13,999.

Cylinders
8
Induction
Naturally aspirated
Fuel
Gasoline
Fitted
1998–2003

◷ Updated September 22, 2026 ▤ National asking prices, refreshed nightly

$13,999
Configuration price reference
15
On sale today with the 5.9L 8-cyl
1998–2003
Model years it was fitted
18
Factory configurations
1,176
Dakota VINs decoded with it

The price reference is the median of configuration medians, not the median of all active cars. Each configuration has equal weight. Configurations with at least 3 priced listings are used when available; otherwise the reference uses the configurations with a recorded price. Model years, mileage and condition vary. Open a model-year report below for its asking prices across all engines.

Where the 5.9L 8-cyl sits in the Dakota engine lineup

Every engine family this model was sold with, ordered by size. The bar spans the model years recorded for it; the price is a reference across priced configurations, with each configuration weighted equally. Older engines look cheaper because the cars are older — overlapping years alone do not match the vehicles by age, trim, mileage or condition.

3.7L 6-cyl
2004–2011
$8,750
204 on sale
3.9L 6-cyl
1987–2003
$6,995
125 hp · 101 on sale
4.7L 8-cyl
2000–2011
$7,950
294 on sale
5.2L 8-cyl
1989–1999
$6,995
170 hp · 13 on sale
5.9L 8-cyl this page
1998–2003
$13,999
15 on sale

5 engine families, one nameplate. Open the Dodge Dakota price hub to compare them side by side, or to jump into any of the others.

Which Dakota years got a 5.9L 8-cyl engine

Every model year this engine was fitted to, newest first. The bar is how much of the family's VIN volume sits in that year — long bars are the years this engine was everywhere.

Year Share of VINs VINs On sale Builds
2003 108 2 3 2002 229 4 4 2001 225 3 4 2000 412 4 4 1999 156 1 2
1998 46 1 1

VIN counts come from our decode of the model's build patterns, not from live listings. A year link opens the full Dakota report for that year — every engine of the model, not just this one.

18 factory configurations with this engine

Each one is a distinct build as the VIN decodes it — trim, body, gearbox and equipment. Open a build sheet for its full spec and the VINs recorded on it.

2003

3 builds

2002

4 builds

2001

3 builds

2000

4 builds

1999

2 builds

1998

1 build

Showing the 17 most-built configurations of 18. Every 2003 Dakota build →

The 5.9L 8-cyl Dakota: common questions

Which Dakota years have the 5.9L 8-cyl?

1998–2003, without a break — 6 model years in our VIN decode, across 18 factory configurations and 1,176 VINs.

What does a 5.9L 8-cyl Dakota cost?

$13,999 is a configuration price reference: the median of configuration medians, with each priced configuration weighted equally. It is not a listing-level median or a valuation of an individual car. The year-by-year ladder shows VIN and inventory counts; its links open model-year price reports covering all engines.

5.9L 8-cyl Dakota on the market

Individual vehicles carrying this engine, each with its own listing-history page. The sample is pinned to fixed VIN buckets, so it does not reshuffle day to day.