Total Complaints
2 filings
DODGE COLT · model year
1996 DODGE COLT
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996DODGECOLT carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 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 1996 COLT is seat belts with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system (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 1996 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.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19981126ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
1500 4X4 I PURCHASED A 1996 DODGE TRUCK, AND UP UNTIL NOW I HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS. I HAVE REPLACED ALMOST EVERY SINGLE FREEZE PLUG ON THE ENGINE EXCEPT FOR THE ONES ON THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THESE FAILURES HAVE ALL BEEN WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. I EXPECT THE FRONT ONES TO FAIL IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. I HAVE TALKED TO A FEW MECHANICS, AND THEY SAY THESE SHOULDN'T BE WEARING OUT AS FAST AS THEY ARE.
19970604SEAT BELTS
CONSUMER RECEIVED MFR RECALL LETTER IN JAN. OF 97, THEN CONTACTED DELAND DODGE OF FLORIDA FOR REPAIR DATE, WHICH WAS SET FOR 1/97. CONSUMER HAS GONE BACK A NUMBER OF TIMES TO DELAND DODGE ABOUT REPAIRS FOR DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT BUTTONS AND HAVE NOT HAD REPAIRS DONE YET AS OF TODAY. DELAND DODGE 2322 S. WOODLAND BLVD. DELAND, FL. 32724 (GARY /PARTS DEPT.)-904-734-7800. *AK
Compare 1996DODGECOLT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 DODGE COLT have?▼
The 1996 DODGE COLT has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 DODGE COLT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 DODGE COLT is SEAT BELTS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM.
Is the 1996 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.