Total Complaints
5 filings
DODGE COLT VISTA · model year
1986 DODGE COLT VISTA
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986DODGECOLT VISTA carries 5 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 1986 COLT VISTA is structure:body with 2 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system (1) and seat belts:rear/other (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 1986 COLT VISTA, 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.
5
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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19980924ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH, CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED. OIL/WATER/ ANTI-FREEZE WAS ALL OVER THE STREET, AND A HOLE IN THE ENGINE. DEALER CONTACTED AND STATED THAT IT WAS THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED, AND STILL SMOKE COMES OUT OF THE ENGINE. *AK
19960214STRUCTURE:BODY
RUST HAS WEAKENED UNDER CARRIAGE WHICH SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE IS ATTTACHED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19950511STRUCTURE:BODY
THE REAR WHEEL WELL HAS A WATER LEAK IN IT AND GETS ON TO THE SEAT BELTS WHICH MAKES THEM NOT WORK. TT
19950511SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
THE REAR WHEEL WELL HAS A WATER LEAK IN IT AND GETS ON TO THE SEAT BELTS WHICH MAKES THEM NOT WORK. TT
19950223FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
MFR RECALL NO 324T. REPLACEMENT OF SOLENOID IN TOP PART OF CARBURETOR, LEFT A PART OF FUEL NOZZLE IN CARBURETOR. OWNER HAS DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS. TT
Compare 1986DODGECOLT VISTA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 DODGE COLT VISTA have?▼
The 1986 DODGE COLT VISTA has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 DODGE COLT VISTA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 DODGE COLT VISTA is STRUCTURE:BODY with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM and SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER.
Is the 1986 DODGE COLT VISTA 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.