Total Complaints
50 filings
DODGE SHADOW · model year
1990 DODGE SHADOW
50 NHTSA complaints, 18 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990DODGESHADOW carries 50 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 18 crashes, 5 fires, 11 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 1990 SHADOW is air bags:frontal with 13 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (5) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (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 1990 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.
50
Complaints
18
Crashes
5
Fires
11
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
18 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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 13 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 3 |
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20031116CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
MY DAUGHTER HIT A POT HOLE, HER AIR BAG DEPLOYED GIVING HER A VERY BRUISED FACE, SWOLLEN, BLACK EYE, NUMEROUS SCRATCHES AND CUTS AND A BURNED HAND. HER CAR IS NOT DAMAGED AT ALL EXCEPT FOR THE AIR BAG BEING DEPLOYED. EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTORS SAY THIS NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. *LA
Mileage: 111,632
20001103FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
RECALL 89V237000/ ENGINE:GASKET:VALVE COVER: VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH UNDER THE HOOD, LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
20000203CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG FROM AN IMPACT OF 15 MPH. DEPLOYMENT CAUSED CHEMICAL BURNS ON DRIVER'S LEFT HAND/RIGHT WRIST/CHIN, AND NECK. ALSO, RECEIVED BRUISES AND SCRATCHES. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK
19990930AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ,TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT ,DRIVER MADE A QUICK STOP AND DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING BURNS AND BRUISES ON FACE AND CHEST. *AK
19990921AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH SLAMMED ON BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING SOMEONE, AND THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER'S JAW WAS INJURED, HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. *AK
19990823CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION CAUSED BURNING TO THE DRIVER'S HANDS. YH
19990623ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THERE IS SMOKE COMING OFF OF THE ENGINE FROM LEAKING OIL. *AK
19990330AIR BAGS
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG CAUSED BURNS TO ARMS, STOMACH, CHEST, CHEST AND A BROKEN STERNUM.
19981222EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERS HAVE TURNED YELLOW, NIGHTTIME VISIBILITY IS IMPAIRED.
19980928ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
AFTER NUMEROUS REPAIRS THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME BACK ON. DEALER TRACED CAUSE TO THREE BURNED WIRES LOCATED IN STEERING COLUMN; ALSO, CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT CHARGES WERE ADDED ON EACH TIME SHE HAD TO BRING VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK
19980626FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE AT STOP WHEN ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED.
19980311ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKING.
19971215ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
SMOG PUMP QUIT WORKING. IN ADDITION, TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND CV JOINTS LEAK. *AK
19971215POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT
SMOG PUMP QUIT WORKING. IN ADDITION, TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND CV JOINTS LEAK. *AK
19971215POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SMOG PUMP QUIT WORKING. IN ADDITION, TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND CV JOINTS LEAK. *AK
19971010STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, HOOD/ROOF AND TRUNK AREAS. *AK
19970527FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE.
19970113STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
OWNER STATES THAT HER STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE, AND THAT SHE FEARS AN ACCIDENT. *AK
19961231PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO ENGAGE DUE TO GREASE USED AT FACTORY STIFFING TO THE POINT OF PREVENTING THE RATCHET DOG FROM MOVING.
19961114ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
OIL LEAK.(1ST VEHICLE ON 601635)
Compare 1990DODGESHADOW to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 DODGE SHADOW have?▼
The 1990 DODGE SHADOW has 50 NHTSA complaints, 18 crashes, 5 fires, 11 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 DODGE SHADOW?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 DODGE SHADOW is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 13 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1990 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.