Total Complaints
4 filings
DODGE ARIES · model year
1986 DODGE ARIES
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986DODGEARIES carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 ARIES is power train:automatic transmission with 1 filings, followed by steering:rack and pinion (1) and electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 1986 ARIES, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
4
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010212ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE DRIVEN SINCE INCIDENT. *CJ
19950117STEERING:RACK AND PINION
BOLTS WERE LOOSE WITHOUT NUTS THAT HOLD THE RACK AND PINION TO THE FRAME FELL OUT TT
19950117ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
REPLACED BATTERY. TT
19950110CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ENGINE RUNNING OPENED DOOR VEHICLE SLIPPED FROM PARK TO REVERSE. TT
Compare 1986DODGEARIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 DODGE ARIES have?▼
The 1986 DODGE ARIES has 4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 DODGE ARIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 DODGE ARIES is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:RACK AND PINION and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY.
Is the 1986 DODGE ARIES safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.