Total Complaints
19 filings
DODGE DAYTONA · model year
1992 DODGE DAYTONA
19 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1992DODGEDAYTONA carries 19 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, and 4 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 1992 DAYTONA is engine and engine cooling:engine with 2 filings, followed by seats:front assembly:recliner (2) 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 1992 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.
19
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Injuries
4
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20061014SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
I HAD JUST PULLED THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT BACK FORWARD TO PERMIT MY 10 YEAR OLD SON TO GET IN THE BACK SEAT. I PUT THE SEAT BACK IN THE REAR POSITION, GOT IN AND SAT DOWN. THE SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD ONTO MY SON. HE WAS NOT INJURED BUT BADLY FRIGHTENED.. I HAVE A BAD LOWER BACK PROBLEM AND HAD MY REARWARD FALL NOT BEEN CUSHIONED BY MY SON"S BODY I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD A BACK INJURY. I TRAVEL AN INTERSTATE TO GO HOME FROM MY FATHER'S HOUSE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED 5 MINUTES LATER. THE OUTBOARD SEAT BOLT HAD SHEARED OFF. THE CAR , OF COURSE, WAS UNDRIVEABLE IN THAT CONDITION. MY FATHER WAS ABLE TO FIND A SUBSTITUTE BOLT, INSTALLED IT AND I WAS ABLE TO GO HOME. I INTEND TO GO TO THE DEALER AND GET AN ORIGINAL BOLT. THE SCREW HOLDING THE SEAT TRIM/SEAT RELEASE COVER ALSO SHEARED AND I CANNOT PUT IT BACK TOGETHER SO I CAN PROPERLY USE MY SEAT RELEASE HANDLE. I HAVE THE SHEARED BOLT PIECES. *NM
Mileage: 84,936
20050816SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS SEAT FELL INTO THE BACK SEAT. LUCKILY I HAD SOME DIET PEPSI ON THE FLOOR AND ON THE BACK SEAT BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED ME FROM FALLING ALL THE WAY BACK AND POSSIBLY LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ONE OF THE TWO BOLTS HOLDING THE SEAT BACK TO THE RECLINER PIECE FAILED. I ORDERED A REPLACEMENT BOLT FROM DODGE. I HAVE THE OLD BOLT. *NM
Mileage: 98,000
20050609SUSPENSION
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE 1992 DODGE DAYTONA SHAKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. CONSUMER ALSO IS REQUESTING A REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS DONE TO THE FRAME RAIL TO THE FLOOR PAN WELDS.*MR *NM
20030605ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
IT WAS LIMITED PRODUCTION ENGINE THAT HAS A PROBLEM OF EATING TIMING BELTS, CRACKING CYLINDER HEADS, AND A/C FAILURE. WHEN THE TIMING BELT BREAKS, THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY DIES AND THERE IS A LOSS OF ALL POWER ASSIST INCLUDING STEERING. ANOTHER ONE OF THESE VEHICLES I OWN WENT THROUGH 5 CYLINDER HEADS AND 7 TIMING BELTS IN 83K MILES, BECAUSE OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF THIS SPECIAL ENGINE PRODUCED, THERE PROBABLY HAVEN'T BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS, BUT IF THE SERVICE RECORDS WERE PULLED FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER FOR ALL THE CARS WITH ENGINE VIN CODE "A" THE 2.2L 16V LOTUS DOHC TURBO III, 90% WILL HAVE HAD AT LEST ONE OF THESE PROBLEMS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AND PROBABLY MANY MORE THAT WHICH CONTINUED TO OCCUR AFTER THE FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED. AN OWNERS CLUB ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://TOPICA.COM/LIST/RT_MAILING_LIST HAS OVER 300 PEOPLE, SOME WITH MULTIPLE CARS LIKE MYSELF AND WOULD BE A GOOD SOURCE TO HELP DOCUMENT THESE PROBLEMS. *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMI
Mileage: 18,000
20011115FireFatalPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
IN SEPTEMBER 2001,THE BOLT BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE MOTOR WAS FOUND TO BE MISSING WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO JUMP, AND TEARING THE TRANSMISSION LINE . TRANSMISSION FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER ENGINE. POSSIBLE CAUSE OF ENGINE FIRE? FIRE STARTED NEAR BATTERY ON WIRES POSSIBLY SHORTING THEM OUT. WHOLE CAR WAS LOST, DESTROYED BY FIRE. *AK
20011115FireFatalELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
IN SEPTEMBER 2001,THE BOLT BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE MOTOR WAS FOUND TO BE MISSING WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO JUMP, AND TEARING THE TRANSMISSION LINE . TRANSMISSION FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER ENGINE. POSSIBLE CAUSE OF ENGINE FIRE? FIRE STARTED NEAR BATTERY ON WIRES POSSIBLY SHORTING THEM OUT. WHOLE CAR WAS LOST, DESTROYED BY FIRE. *AK
20000719STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
PIN ON THE HINGES OF THE DOORS ARE TOO HEAVY & ARE WEIGHING THE VEHICLE DOWN. DOORS ARE PUTTING BIG DENT IN THE FENDER. THEY'VE BEEN REPAIRED TWICE. DEALER IS TRYING TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM.*AK
19980127STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN THE HOOD FLEW UP IN THE AIR, CAUSING THE HINGES TO SNAP. WHEN THE HINGES SNAPPED, THE HOOD HIT AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO BRING THE HOOD BACK DOWN, THE HOOD INJURED THE DRIVER IN THE PROCESS. THE HOOD HINGES AND WINDSHIELD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *AK
19980127VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN THE HOOD FLEW UP IN THE AIR, CAUSING THE HINGES TO SNAP. WHEN THE HINGES SNAPPED, THE HOOD HIT AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO BRING THE HOOD BACK DOWN, THE HOOD INJURED THE DRIVER IN THE PROCESS. THE HOOD HINGES AND WINDSHIELD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *AK
19970203STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE
DURING COLD WEATHER REAR LIFTGATE HYDRAULICS WILL NOT SUPPORT GATE. *AK
19970102SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE. *AK
19961211STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
PAINT STARTED TO BLISTER AND PEEL OFF THE BODY OF VEHICLE. *AK
19961114STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
HATCH SUPPORT FAILED.
19960718CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DRIVING VEHICLE AT 45MPH, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
19951204STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
WHEN REAR SEAT WAS OCCUPIED, TIRES WOULD RUB FENDERS. TT
19951204PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE WOULD RELEASE ON IT'S OWN. TT
19950927CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH WHEN HOOD FLEW UP AND SMASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. TT
19950712STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR TRIM GETS HOT, CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR . *AK
19950315ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING BELT BROKE ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASION. TT
Compare 1992DODGEDAYTONA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1992 DODGE DAYTONA have?▼
The 1992 DODGE DAYTONA has 19 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, and 4 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 DODGE DAYTONA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1992 DODGE DAYTONA is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER and STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR.
Is the 1992 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.