Total Complaints
37 filings
DODGE COLT · model year
1989 DODGE COLT
37 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989DODGECOLT carries 37 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 1989 COLT is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 14 filings, followed by seat belts (8) and vehicle speed control (3). 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 1989 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.
37
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
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 | 14 |
| SEAT BELTS | 8 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001018SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT SYSTEM HAS LOCKED UP AND WON'T MOVE. IT IS NOT IN THE LATCHED POSITION. *AK
19980116EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHTS GO OUT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
19971003EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON, CAUSING BATTERY TO DIE.
19970825SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECALL # 95V103003, CONTACTED DEALER IN JAN OF 97. PART HAS BEEN ON BACK ORDER FOR (7) MONTHS. *AK
19970806SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONTACTED THOMAS DODGE FOR THE SECOND TIME AND THE PARTS HAVE NOT BEEN SHIPPED TO THE DEALER. *AK
19970724SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED ON SEAT BELT BUCKLE DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS.
19970724EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER MALFUNCTIONING DUE TO LEAKING SEALS.
19970724ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CAR HESITATES UPON ACCELERATON DUE TO MISADJUSTED TIMING.
19970724VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CAR HESITATES UPON ACCELERATING DUE TO MISADJUSTED THROTTLE BODY.
19970724EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
LEFT TAIL LIGHT IS DIM DUE TO A FAILED GROUND WIRE.
19970714CrashSEAT BELTS
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND THE SEAT BELTS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT CATCH. THE SHOULDER BELT WENT FORWARD WITH OWNER AND THE LAP BELT BROKE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
19970527SEAT BELTS
THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR IN CLOSED POSITION. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
19970425ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WHILE DRIVING BRAKE LIGHTS & TAIL LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHEN VEHICLE HIT A BUMP; TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME ; DID NOT FIX IT ON LAST VISIT. LAST FEW TIMES; WAS TOLD BY DEALER MAYBE VEHICLE HAD GROUND WIRING PROBLEMS. *AK
19970325SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE RED PLASTIC RELEASE LEVER BROKE.
19970115SUSPENSION:FRONT
WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL JERKS IN EITHER DIRECTION, TO CORRECT HAS REPLACED TWO TIRES AND ROTATED TIRES, DLR INDICATES MAY BE SUSPENSION PROBLEM, NOT FIXED. *AK
19961227SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE PARTS WERE ORDERED ON MAY 14, 1996 AND THE PARTS STILL HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED. *AK
19961114STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
TIE ROD BROKE, CAUSING FRONT WHEEL TO FALL OFF.
19960912SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FIRST CONTACT WITH THE DEALER WAS ON 4-22-96. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT RECEIVED NOTICE ON THE AVAILABILITY OF THE PARTS.*AK
19960815SEAT BELTS
MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS STAY IN THE OPEN POSITION. *SD
19960730SEAT BELTS
MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT WILL NOT RELEASE FROM ITS HOUSING. DRIVER MUST MANUALLY UNFASTEN TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. *AK
Compare 1989DODGECOLT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 DODGE COLT have?▼
The 1989 DODGE COLT has 37 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 DODGE COLT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 DODGE COLT is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 14 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1989 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.