Total Complaints
23 filings
DODGE DAYTONA · model year
1988 DODGE DAYTONA
23 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988DODGEDAYTONA carries 23 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 2 fires, 1 injury, 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 1988 DAYTONA is seat belts:front:retractor with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2) and electrical system:wiring:front underhood (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 DAYTONA, 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.
23
Complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
1
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:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 2 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000823ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ALSO FUEL ING.QUIT. *AK
20000823FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ALSO FUEL ING.QUIT. *AK
19990916STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION STEERING BECAME LOOSE AND CAUSED VIBRATION WITHIN STEERING. *AK
19990129SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH SEAT BELT INTERMITTENTLY FAILING TO RETRACT PROPERLY; CAUSING SEAT BELT TO BE INOPERATIVE. DEALER/MFR NOTIFED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PART WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL/ REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK
19980624POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
PLASTTIC PIECE ON STICK SHIFT BREAKS INSIDE THE SHIFTER, VEHICLE CAN NOT GO INTO REVERSE WHEN THIS HAPPENS.
19980220ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE HEADS FAILED.
19980220STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
CARPET IN HATCH BACK AREA MELTED DUE TO NO HEAT SHIELD BETWEEN EXHAUST AND CARPETING.
19980220STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING COLUMN BROKE.
19980220EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
MOISTURE IN TAIL LIGHTS, CAUSING TURN SIGNAL TO ROT OUT.
19980220POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT
CV BOOTS FAILED.
19980220STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION FAILED.
19980220EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER FAILED.
19980220ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING BELT BROKE.
19980220SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT FAILED.
19980220POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
19980220FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
GAS HOSE DETACHED AND SPRAYED GAS OVER ENGINE.
19980220VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
WHEN DEFROSTER IS TURNED ON GAS FUMES ENTER VEHICLE.
19970811FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP, SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERHOOD, PULLED ASIDE, OPENED HOOD, ENGULFED WITH FLAMES, DAMAGE MOSTLY IN AREA OF BATTERY, ACCORDING TO FIRE DEPT. CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK
19970506FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK
19970224CrashFatalSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
DRIVER HIT BRAKES AND BRAKES DIDN'T RESPOND/ CAR THEN SPON OUT OF CONTROL, THEN HIT A PICKUP TRUCK. *AK
Compare 1988DODGEDAYTONA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 DODGE DAYTONA have?▼
The 1988 DODGE DAYTONA has 23 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 DODGE DAYTONA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 DODGE DAYTONA is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD.
Is the 1988 DODGE DAYTONA 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.