Total Complaints
28 filings
DODGE COLT · model year
1988 DODGE COLT
28 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988DODGECOLT carries 28 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 4 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 COLT is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 16 filings, followed by seat belts:front:anchorage (4) and seat belts:front:webbing (2). 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 COLT, 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.
28
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 16 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000419SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE AND THE LATCH WILL NOT CATCH IN THE BUCKLE
19990113TIRES
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS TIRE IN 1998. THE TIRES WERE ONLY TWO MONTHS OLD WHEN THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE TIRE CAME OFF THE RIM AND CAUSED ME TO SPIN INTO A GUARDRAIL. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE ROAD TO CAUSE THE ACCIDENT. IT WAS REPORTED AS A BLOW OUT BUT THE TIRE ITSELF WAS NOT DAMAGED, IT CAME OFF THE RIM. I NEED TO KNOW IF I HAVE A VALID COMPLAINT TO TAKE TO THE MANUFACTURER OR IF THEY ARE NOT LIABLE FOR THIS PRODUCT ONCE IT IS SOLD TO THE TIRE DEALER. THE COMPANY NAME I GAVE, AVELLINO'S, IS THE TIRE DEALER. I WILL BE SPEAKING WITH THEM TOMORROW ABOUT THE TIRES BUT WILL KEEP THE FAULTY TIRE FOR EVIDENCE. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT MIGHT HELP ME PLEASE SEND IT TO MY EMAIL ADDRESS. THANK YOU.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 165/80R13 )
19980619SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECALL 95V103003, SEAT BELT BUCKLES. IT HAS BEEN APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS SINCE CONSUMER HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE'S PROBLEM REMEDIED. THUS FAR, THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER KEEP TELLING HER THAT THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. SHE HAS COMPLETED ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER, AND HAS NO REMAINING INFORMATION ON THE RECALL THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY SENT TO HER. *AK
19980220SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT FAILED.
19980217SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
DEALER MADE THE APPOINTMENT KNOWING THERE WAS NO PARTS.
19970409POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, HEARD NOISE, SUDDENLY TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP, LOST VEHICLE POWER, USED MOMENTUM TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD, COULD HAVE CAUSED CRASH, TRANSMISSION REBUILT. *AK
19970102FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE FUEL LINE SYSTEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19961119SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR PARTS SINCE AUGUST. LEFT NOTICE WITH DEALER. DEALER HAS NO RECORD OF THIS AND CANNOT REPLACE BUCKLE WITHOUT REMOVING HARNESS, DOESN'T KNOW IF MANUFACTURER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PAYMENT. *AK
19960918SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECEIVED 1ST RECALL NOTICE IN FEB AND 2ND RECALL NOTICE IN AUGUST CONCENING SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECALL REPAIRS. DEALER STILL DOES NOT HAVE PARTS IN STOCK. DEALER DID NOT SAY THAT HE WOULD ORDER THE PARTS. (95V-103.003). *AK
19960807POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
5SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION, WHEN PLACED INTO NEUTRAL THE ENGINE RACES AND THE THROTTLE SEEMS STUCK.*AK
19960807VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
5SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION, WHEN PLACED INTO NEUTRAL THE ENGINE RACES AND THE THROTTLE SEEMS STUCK.*AK
19960619SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT RECALL REPAIRS NOT COMPLETED DUE TO UNAVAILABLE PARTS. *SD
19960418SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE AND WAS TOLD PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. RECALL #95V103003. *AK
19960418SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE AND WAS TOLD PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. RECALL #95V103003. *AK
19960404SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
OWNER REFUSED RECALL REPAIRS TO HIS SEAT BELT BUCKLES DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS. *DSH
19960404SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT RECALL REPAIRS DELAYED DUE TO SCHEDULING DIFFICULTY. *SD
19960229SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE PLASTIC BROKE, FELL INTO BUCKLE, CAUSING FAILURE OF SEAT BELT. TT
19960205SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT IS BROKEN RECEIVED RECALL LETTER DEALER REPLACED PART SEAT BELT IS STILL BROKEN . TT
19951004SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
#PE94-093 THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS BROKE . TT RED PLASTIC BROKE OFF AND FELL INSIDE BELT CATCH MAKING IT MALFUNCTIONS. *YH
19950830SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CAME LOOSE . TT
Compare 1988DODGECOLT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 DODGE COLT have?▼
The 1988 DODGE COLT has 28 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 DODGE COLT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 DODGE COLT is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 16 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING.
Is the 1988 DODGE COLT 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.