Total Complaints
15 filings
DODGE SHADOW · model year
1987 DODGE SHADOW
15 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987DODGESHADOW carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 3 fires, 2 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 1987 SHADOW is fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:fuel rail with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (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 1987 SHADOW, 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.
15
Complaints
2
Crashes
3
Fires
2
Injuries
0
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020607FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED.*YH
20000219UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19980729ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, AND IF IT IS NOT ON, THE CAR DOESN'T WANT TO RUN. WHEN IT IS ON, IT RUNS SLUGGISH. ALSO REPLACED IGNITION PLUGS/ROTOR/CAPS AND FUEL FILTER.
19980729ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, AND IF IT IS NOT ON, THE CAR DOESN'T WANT TO RUN. WHEN IT IS ON, IT RUNS SLUGGISH. ALSO REPLACED IGNITION PLUGS/ROTOR/CAPS AND FUEL FILTER.
19980729FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, AND IF IT IS NOT ON, THE CAR DOESN'T WANT TO RUN. WHEN IT IS ON, IT RUNS SLUGGISH. ALSO REPLACED IGNITION PLUGS/ROTOR/CAPS AND FUEL FILTER.
19980331POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION LURCHES FORWARD WHILE ENGAGING INTO GEAR.
19960918FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
FUEL INJECTORS FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING. *AK DEALER HAD REPLACED THE ECM AND THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR, THE DEALER FOUND RECALL 88V105 REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM, HOWEVER FOUND THIS VEHICLE'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. *SLC
19960918FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL INJECTORS FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING. *AK DEALER HAD REPLACED THE ECM AND THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR, THE DEALER FOUND RECALL 88V105 REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM, HOWEVER FOUND THIS VEHICLE'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. *SLC
19960709CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
REAR-ENDED IN ACCIDENT AND BACK OF DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
19960520ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. *AK
19960517FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
FUEL IS LEAKING IN THE CARBURETOR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK *JB
19960425FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
FUEL REGULATOR HOSE FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE FIRE. *DSH
19960408CrashSEATS
FAILURE ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT, THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISON AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT RECLINED TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, ALSO BROKE. *AK
19950523SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
3 OUT 5 SEAT BELT BUCKLES HAVE FAILED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19950427FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
FUEL HOSE OVERHEATED AND SPRAYED GAS OUT OF HOSE ONTO ENGINE, CAUSING ENGINE TO SMOKE. *SKD
Compare 1987DODGESHADOW to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 DODGE SHADOW have?▼
The 1987 DODGE SHADOW has 15 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 3 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 DODGE SHADOW?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 DODGE SHADOW is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1987 DODGE SHADOW 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.