Total Complaints
13 filings
DODGE ARIES · model year
1988 DODGE ARIES
13 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988DODGEARIES carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, 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 1988 ARIES is steering:rack and pinion with 2 filings, followed by steering: steering wheel/handle bar (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine (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 1988 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.
13
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030429FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, OPENED HOOD AND FIRE WAS SHOOTING FROM THE ELECTRICAL WIRES NEAR THE FUEL INJECTION, VEHICLE BURNED TO THE GROUND. *TS *JB ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS****761962
Mileage: 55,000
20020424STEERING:RACK AND PINION
I HAD A MECHANICS SHOP REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLEY AND IT KEEPS COMING LOOSE FROM THE FRAME, WHEN I GO AROUND A BEND IN THE ROAD THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT WHANTS TO STRAIHGTEN OUT AND THE STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE TURNED AS MUCN AS 45 DEGREES TO MAINTAIN PROPER CONTROL. WHEN THE ROAD STRAITENS OUT THE STEERING WHEEL ALWAYS ENDS UP IN A DIFFERENT POSITION.*AK
20000407UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19981127SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
VEHICLES SEAT BACK COLLAPSED.
19970226VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
UPONT STARTING THE VEHICLE THE RPMS INCREASED AND IN ADDITION UPON APPLYING FORCE TO THE GAS PEDAL THE VEHICLE SUDDLY ACCELERATED. *AK
19970122ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DISTRIBUTOR FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.
19960425SUSPENSION:REAR
REAR AXLE CONTROL ARM LOOSENED/TORQUED, CAUSING OTHER DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *DSH
19960216STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING COLUMN FELL OFF OF ASSEMBLY WHILE BEING PARKED. OWNER AWARE OF OTHER DODGE MODELS W/SIMILAR PROBLEM HAVING RECALLED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19960216STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING COLUMN FELL OFF OF ASSEMBLY WHILE BEING PARKED. OWNER AWARE OF OTHER DODGE MODELS W/SIMILAR PROBLEM HAVING RECALLED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19950621POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE REAR AXLE BROKE, CAUSING REAR WHEEL TO RUB AGAINST THE GAS TANK PIPE. TT
19950221SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
BOTH SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT DO NOT RETRACT. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT IT IS FELT THAT THEY WOULD NOT WORK. TT
19950207STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE GOING AROUND A SLIGHT CURVE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN STEERING. TT
19950207ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
Compare 1988DODGEARIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 DODGE ARIES have?▼
The 1988 DODGE ARIES has 13 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 DODGE ARIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 DODGE ARIES is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1988 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.