Used Mitsubishi Raider Buying Guide: 2006-2009 Dakota Twin Checks

A used Mitsubishi Raider (2006-2009) is a Dodge Dakota with a different nose, so it can be a good midsize truck buy, often for less money than the Dodge. The one to want is a 2006 V8 or a 2007-2009 V6 with both air bag inflator recalls (15V313 and 16V352) closed. Treat any truck whose driver inflator is still open as parked, because NHTSA's entry tells owners not to drive it until the repair is done. If the report shows an accident, assume the air bags and frame both need a close look.

Raiders were never common, which works for you on price and against you on parts and service. Consumer Guide's good-condition range runs $6,400 to $16,200, and it says Mitsubishi offered more generous warranty coverage than Dodge but had a spottier dealer network and uncertain resale value. I read its 2006-09 Raider review, the IIHS file and NHTSA's recall list for every model year on Monday, October 19, 2026.

Raider vs. Dakota

Mitsubishi added the Raider for 2006, its first pickup in the U.S. since 1996, and Consumer Guide describes it as basically a restyled Dakota with the same drivetrains and dimensions. The recalls back that up: every campaign on the Raider's NHTSA list was filed by Chrysler. For the shared mechanical detail, transmission quirks and the 2008 V8 change, our used Dodge Dakota buying guide goes deeper. What's different on the Raider:

Cabs: extended cab with a 6.5-foot bed and rear-hinged back doors, or double cab with a 5.3-foot bed. No regular cab.
Trims: LS and DuroCross on both, plus an XLS double cab for 2006 with a V8 and full-time AWD with low range.
Engines: a 210-hp 3.7 V6 with a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic, and for 2006 only, a 230-hp 4.7 V8 with a five-speed automatic.
2007 on: V6 only, no AWD, and no curtain air bags or leather.

Curtain side airbags were standard on the 2006 XLS and unavailable on other Raiders, per Consumer Guide. Rear-wheel ABS was standard, with four-wheel ABS optional. Our Mitsubishi VIN decoder guide helps confirm engine and drive type.

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The air bag recalls come first

15V313 covers 2006-2009 Raiders with a dual-stage driver air bag whose inflator can absorb moisture over time and rupture, throwing metal fragments. NHTSA's entry tells owners not to drive the truck until it's repaired, and says Mitsubishi would notify Raider owners, starting June 24, 2015. 16V352 covers the passenger inflator, and the model years depend on where the truck was sold or registered: 2006-2009 in the two higher-risk zones, 2006-2008 in the rest of the country. Our air bag recall check explains how those zones work.

The 2006 trucks carry three more: 14V795 (manual-transmission trucks built July 1, 2005, through July 31, 2006, where the clutch ignition interlock switch springs can break), 06V038 (four-wheel ABS control unit that can lock the rear brakes early) and 06V039 (a static spark that can upset the turn signals, headlamps or wipers). One thing surprised me when I queried NHTSA: the Raider list was shorter than the Dakota's. The Dakota's rear axle pinion nut recall for 2009-2011, for one, didn't appear under Raider. That doesn't prove a twin is immune, so run the VIN through our Mitsubishi recall check by VIN and get a printout from a Mitsubishi dealer.

When the report shows an accident

An accident on a Raider's history matters more than on most trucks of this age, for two reasons. If the air bags deployed, you want proof the replacements were genuine and that the inflator recalls still got done. Then comes structure. IIHS tested Dakotas and applies the results to the 2006-09 Raider: the crew cab was Good in the frontal offset test, but Marginal in the side test without optional side airbags, and the extended cab was Acceptable in the frontal test. Head restraints were Acceptable on seats without adjustable lumbar and Poor on seats with it. Get under the truck and look at the frame rails, bed mounts and hitch area, and check that panel gaps line up.

Known trouble spots

Consumer Guide's list for the Raider: rear brake shudder needing new shoes and adjusters (2006), popping from an intermediate steering shaft out of alignment (2006-07), cold-shift quality and a check-engine light on the 3.7 fixed by a computer reflash (2007-08), and limp-in mode stuck in second at startup on 2008-09 trucks without a transmission software update. Trailer lights on 2008-09 trucks may need a front control module update, so hook up a trailer plug tester before you buy one to tow with. Towing capacity ranges from 2,800 to 6,600 pounds, and V6 trucks are the weak end of that.

Before you pay

Search the VIN on NMVTIS for title brands and order your own history report, since a seller's printout can be old. We're a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian, Mitsubishi or Stellantis. In mid October 2026 our prices were roughly $5.50 for a guest report, $4.50 for members and $6.75 for both reports, where retail runs about $39.99 to $44.99. If checkout says something different, believe checkout.