Total Complaints
14 filings
DODGE COLT · model year
1990 DODGE COLT
14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990DODGECOLT carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 3 fires, 2 injuries, and 1 fatality. 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 1990 COLT is seat belts with 6 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (4) and structure:body:door (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 1990 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.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
3
Fires
2
Injuries
1
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | 6 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 4 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000911VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE WAS IDLING HIGH THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CROSS THE ROAD, FLY INTO THE AIR AND FLIP 2 1/2 TIMES LANDING ON THE HOOD. NLM
19970731FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND LOOKED OUTSIDE AND THE VEHICLE WAS BURNED UP. OWNER THINKS THAT THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. ALSO OWNER STATES THAT WHEN THE DOOR IS SHUT THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT OPENS AND CLOSES WHICH CAUSES THE DRIVER TO BE INSECURE IN THE SEAT.CAN CAUSE A SAFETY CONCERN. UNDER RECAL 95V102003. *AK
19970731FireSEAT BELTS
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND LOOKED OUTSIDE AND THE VEHICLE WAS BURNED UP. OWNER THINKS THAT THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. ALSO OWNER STATES THAT WHEN THE DOOR IS SHUT THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT OPENS AND CLOSES WHICH CAUSES THE DRIVER TO BE INSECURE IN THE SEAT.CAN CAUSE A SAFETY CONCERN. UNDER RECAL 95V102003. *AK
19970530CrashFatalSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER'S BROTHER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE, AND HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT TIME OF CRASH DRIVER WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELTS, THE SHOULDER BELT HAD TO BE CUT OFF OF OCCUPANT, AND THE LAP BELT DETACHED ITSELF DURING IMPACT. *AK
19960925SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT WILL NOT RETRACT TO ITS STARTING POSITION, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OFF.
19960909SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
INTERMITTENT SHOULDER BELT FAILURE; PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT CLOSE/LOCK UP AS DESIGNED, PASSENGER NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED.*AK
19960909SEAT BELTS
MOTORBELT FAILED. *SD
19960619FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DH
19960430SEAT BELTS
THE FRONT AUTOMATIC RESTRAINT SYSTEM HAS FAILED. IT WILL ONLY RETRACT HALF WAY OR IT WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960430SEAT BELTS
THE FRONT AUTOMATIC RESTRAINT SYSTEM HAS FAILED. IT WILL ONLY RETRACT HALF WAY OR IT WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19951116SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLES FAILS TO LATCH. *SKD
19951116SEAT BELTS
MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT SNAPPED BACK TIGHTLY, PINNING DRIVER TO SEAT/OTHER TIMES MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT TIGHTEN AT ALL. *AK
19950605STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
VEHICLES DRIVER AND PASSENGER HAS BROKEN WELDS ON BEAM AREA. TT
19950224SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE DOES NOT WORK. TT
Compare 1990DODGECOLT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 DODGE COLT have?▼
The 1990 DODGE COLT has 14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 3 fires, 2 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 DODGE COLT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 DODGE COLT is SEAT BELTS with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR.
Is the 1990 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.