Total Complaints
42 filings
DODGE SHADOW · model year
1989 DODGE SHADOW
42 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989DODGESHADOW carries 42 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 1989 SHADOW is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 4 filings, followed by seat belts (4) and power train:automatic transmission (4). 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 1989 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.
42
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:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020107SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING AND LIGHTLY TAPPING ON BRAKES SHOULDER RESTRAINT HAS FORCEFULLY PULLED HER BACK/ LOCKS AND DOES NOT RELEASE UNTIL ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS A HAZARD. *AK
20010430ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE IS LOSING OIL. ALSO, PAINT IS PEELING. *AK *SLC
20010117EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS BURN OUT OFTEN. MANY BULBS FROM DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS. REVERSE LIGHTS NO LONGER OPPERATE. *AK
20000905UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY
20000317SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
REAR BRAKE CARRIER IS CAUSING THE BRAKES TO BE INOPERATIVE, NEEDS REPLACEMENT. CONSUMER NOTICED EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKES AND CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER INDICATED A TSB FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT REFUSED TO CORRECT IT. *AK *ML
20000317SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
REAR BRAKE CARRIER IS CAUSING THE BRAKES TO BE INOPERATIVE, NEEDS REPLACEMENT. CONSUMER NOTICED EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKES AND CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER INDICATED A TSB FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT REFUSED TO CORRECT IT. *AK *ML
19990929EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
PLASTIC LENSES COVERING FRONT HEADLIGHTS ARE DISCOLORING, AND CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE COLLISION. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
19990407FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE, RESULTED IN FIRE. *YC
19980924SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#92V053000). TOOK VEHICLE IN. WAITED 1 1/2 HOURS, BELT NOT FIXED. BROUGHT VEHICLE BACK. BRAKES WORK FINE. MECHANIC SAID BELTS FIXED. DROVE HOME. NO BRAKES. DRIVER'S BELT NOT FIXED. RECEIVED CARD, SAYING PARTS ARE NOW IN. VEHICLE HAS NO BRAKES. SEAT BELTS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. CONSUMER WILL NOT DRIVE VEHICLE. *AK
19980826ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VALVE COVER GASKET IS LEAKING ON THE MOTOR. RECALL HAS BEEN ORDERED , BUT THIS PATRICULAR VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER RECALL. OWNER HAS NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
19971223SUSPENSION:REAR
REAR AXLE MAKE KNOCKING NOISE.
19970812STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
LARGE SPOTS OF PAINT ARE COMING OFF THE VEHICLE. *AK
19970320FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
19970110ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
IN COLD WEATHER THERE WAS AND EXHAUST SMELL IN THE CAR, TOOK TO DEALER THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED TWICE IN 2 YEARS. *AK
19961001SUSPENSION:REAR
VEHICLE'S REAR CONTROL ARM IS BROKEN INSIDE AND WHILE DRIVING A LOUD SNAPPING AND CLICKING NOISE IS HEARD.
19960911CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE THE CAR WAS IN THE PARK POSITION WITH THE IGNITION OFF THAT IT ROLLED BACK ABOUT (4) FEET CRASHING INTO ROCKS AND TREES. THE PARKING LOT WAS FAIRLY LEVELED. *AK *SLC
19960909POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
FAILURE OF THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY, THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED WHEN THE REAR WHEEL CAME OFF THE AXLE.*AK
19960909WHEELS
FAILURE OF THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY, THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED WHEN THE REAR WHEEL CAME OFF THE AXLE.*AK
19960725POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKED UP. *SD
19960711SEAT BELTS
MOTORBELTS FAILED. *DH
Compare 1989DODGESHADOW to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 DODGE SHADOW have?▼
The 1989 DODGE SHADOW has 42 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 DODGE SHADOW?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 DODGE SHADOW is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1989 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.