DODGE SHADOW · model year

1994 DODGE SHADOW

137 NHTSA complaints, 24 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1994DODGESHADOW carries 137 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 24 crashes, 3 fires, 19 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 1994 SHADOW is air bags:frontal with 10 filings, followed by seats:front assembly:recliner (9) and engine and engine cooling:engine (8). 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 1994 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.

137
Complaints
24
Crashes
3
Fires
19
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

137 filings

Crashes Reported

24 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL10
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER9
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE8
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE4
SUSPENSION:REAR4
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD3
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION3
UNKNOWN OR OTHER3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS3
AIR BAGS3
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR2

Recent Complaints

20100531CrashTIRES

WHILE DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON I-85 IN CARNESVILLE, GA, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK RIGHT OF MY CAR. I LOOKED BACK AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE DIRECTION OF MY BACK RIGHT TIRE. I BEGAN TO SLOW MY CAR BY LETTING OFF THE GAS. AT THIS TIME MY CAR BEGAN TO SWERVE OUT OF CONTROL, FIRST VEERING RIGHT. I TRIED TO REDIRECT THE CAR BACK TO THE ROAD AS IT WAS HEADING TOWARDS SOME TREES. THE CAR THE SWERVED OUT OF CONTROL TO THE LEFT CAUSING MY CAR TO GO TOWARD THE MEDIAN OF THE INTERSTATE. IT HIT A PATCH OF MUD AND GRASS, WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO FLIP. WHEN THE CAR STOPPED IT WAS FACING THE NORTH BOUND LANE. THE BACK RIGHT TIRE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2010 AND WAS NEW. I HAD ONLY DRIVEN ABOUT 3,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

Mileage: 151,250

20070825SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

FRONT PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SEATBELT DOES NOT LOCK INTO A SECURE POSITION. WHEN FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IS OPENED, SEATBELT MECHANISM DOES NOT MOVE SHOULDER BELT TO THE FULL OPEN POSITION. WHEN FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IS CLOSED WITH IGNITION KEY TURNED ON, FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT TRAVEL TO THE LOCKED POSITION. FRONT PASSENGER ONLY HAS USE OF MANUAL LAP BELT FOR ACCIDENT PROTECTION. THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT MOVE INTO THE ANCHORED LOCATION FOR PROTECTION. EACH TIME VEHICLE IS TURNED ON OR TURNED OFF, AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT MECHANISM HAS LESS MOVEMENT AND IS BARELY MOVING THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE COMPLETELY OPENED POSITION AND THE COMPLETELY LOCKED POSITION. *TR

Mileage: 173,125

20060108ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

94 DODGE SHADOW AND SOME OTHER YEARS AROUND MY AREA ARE GOING BAD HAVING TO REPLACE THE COMPUTERS AND THEY ARE COSTLY. *NM

Mileage: 94,639

20050816POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY

CHRYSLER CORPORATION REFUSES TO MAKE AVAILABLE REPAIR PARTS FOR THE SHIFT LINKAGE CABLES IN THE DODGE SHADOW AND SIMILAR VEHICLES. WHERE THE SHIFT CABLE ATTACHES TO THE TRANSMISSION THERE ARE PLASTIC "SNAP" GROMMETS THAT HOLD THE END OF THE SHIFT CABLE TO THE TRANSMISSION. SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN USED FOR YEARS ON SIMILAR APPLICATIONS BY VARIOUS AUTO MAKERS. WHEN THAT GROMMENT WEARS OUT, DODGE DOES NOT MAKE IT AVAILABLE AS A SEPARATE REPAIR PART AND INSTEAD WANTS TO SELL A $130.00+ (I LAST CHECKED SEVERAL YEARS AGO) COMPLETE SHIFT CABLE TO REPLACE A 50 CENT PART. I AM PERSONALLY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE ON TWO CARS (A 93 & A 94) BUT HAVE HEARD OF IT ON OTHER CARS. CHRYSLER MAKES MANY OTHER LINKAGE SNAP GROMMETS AVAILABLE AND I SEE THIS AS PURE GREED ON THEIR PART TO NOT MAKE THESE SIMPLE REPAIR PARTS AVAILABLE. I WOULD HAPPILY PAY SEVERAL $$'S APIECE FOR THESE OVER HAVING TO BUY A VERY EXPENSIVE CABLE AND ITS ASSOCIATED LABOR TO CHANGE. DISCUSSIONS WITH VARIOUS DEALER PARTS PE

Mileage: 100,000

20041129CrashAIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING THROUGH A LIGHT AT 10 MILES PER HOUR WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT IMPACT COLLISION, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

20040406ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CAM SHAFT BROKE AT 60,000 MILES ON A VACATION TRIP.... COST OF ON ROAD REPAIRS... $600. *LA

Mileage: 60,000

20040118EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERS ON DODGE SHADOW BECOME TRANSLUCENT WITH AGE. LAMPS CAN BE SEEN BY ONCOMING CARS BUT DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD AHEAD. OKAY ON WELL-LIT CITY STREETS BUT HEADLIGHTS HAVE ALMOST NO EFFECT IN THE COUNTRY. THIS IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN, AND CLEARLY IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE MANUFACTURER TO LET IT HAPPEN. *CB

20030513FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

ELECTRICAL, TAIL LAMP, BRAKE LAMP WIRING, AND WIRING HARNESS. *JB

Mileage: 117,000

20021127EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

THE RIGHT BLINKER FAILED AND WAS REPLACED.*YH *TS

20020514WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

WHILE DRIVING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF THE VEHICLE DUE TO BROKEN LUGS AND STRUCK THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM

20020314WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

WHILE DRIVING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF THE VEHICLE DUE TO BROKEN LUGS AND STRUCK THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM

20011106ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

ON THE BELT PULLY, I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVE AND THE BELT BLEW APART, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON NOW, THE LIGHTS, I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS BUT THAT DOES NOT FIX TH E PROBLEM.*AK

20011106EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

ON THE BELT PULLY, I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVE AND THE BELT BLEW APART, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON NOW, THE LIGHTS, I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS BUT THAT DOES NOT FIX TH E PROBLEM.*AK

20011106AIR BAGS

ON THE BELT PULLY, I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVE AND THE BELT BLEW APART, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON NOW, THE LIGHTS, I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS BUT THAT DOES NOT FIX TH E PROBLEM.*AK

20011025ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY STALL. THERE IS NO PRIOR WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

20010830CrashAIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH, GOING DOWN A HILL, AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE HIT A BUSH AND A TELEPHONE POLL, AND STOPPED ON IMPACT. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

20010802CrashAIR BAGS

WHILE DRIVING HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AT ABOUT 30-35MPH CAR ROLLED AND THE AIR BAG NEVER CAME OUT

20010518STEERING:RACK AND PINION

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20010309SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR ,CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

20001114SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS RECEIVING RECALL REPAIR 99V212 WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, THE SEAT WAS BROKEN AND WAS IN A RECLINING POSITION WHICH MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, CONSUMER TRADED THE CAR IN AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. *SLC

Compare 1994DODGESHADOW to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1994 DODGE SHADOW have?
The 1994 DODGE SHADOW has 137 NHTSA complaints, 24 crashes, 3 fires, 19 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 DODGE SHADOW?
The most-complained component for the 1994 DODGE SHADOW is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 10 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1994 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.