Total Complaints
9 filings
DODGE VAN · model year
1994 DODGE VAN
9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1994DODGEVAN carries 9 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, 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 1994 VAN is power train:automatic transmission:cooling unit and lines with 2 filings, followed by power train (1) and fuel system, other (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 1994 VAN, 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.
9
Complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Injuries
0
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20021101STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
FINGERS BENT AND TWISTED. INDEX, MIDDLE AND THUMBS ARE BENT TO CONFORM TO THE STEERING WHEEL. INDEX AND MIDDLE FINGERS ARE BENT TOWARDS THE BABY FINGERS. THUMBS ARE BENT AWAY FROM HAND FROM GRIPPING THE STEERING WHEEL TO APPLY THE NEEDED FORCE TO TURN THE WHEEL. INFORMATION SUPPLIED ON MY BEHALF BY MY UNCLE MIKE TOMICH 989- 665-2311 PICTURES OF MY HANDS CAN BE VIEWED AT HTTP://PHOTOS.YAHOO.COM/MIKETOMICH DT
20000717POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 40,000 MILES. *MJS
20000427EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE AIRCONDITIONER RECHARGED WITH FREON. OUR MECHANIC CAN NOT FIND THE LEAK AND BELIEVES IT TO BE IN THE EVAPORATER WHICH IS A VERY EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING JOB TO GET AT. I THINK IT SHOULD BE COATED WITH A CORROSIVE RESISTANT MATERIAL AT THE FACTORY. THE DEALER HERE IN OUR TOWN SAYS HE HAS A WHOLE BOXFULL OF DEFECTIVE EVAPORATORS, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED OR THE WARRANTY EXTENDED. *AK
19991021CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO SUSTAIN BURNS AND OTHER INJURIES. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19990603SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE DRIVING SEAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE MOVED BACK ON THE TRACK WITHOUT RELEASING THE MECHANISM. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED WITHIN A ONE-MONTH PERIOD. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED.*AK
19980420FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
FAULTY FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT.
19970930POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
THE HIGH PRESSURE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLING UNIT AND LINE THAT CONNECTS TO THE FRONT OF TRANSMISSION, THE QUICK DISC CONNECTING SEAL IS ALLOWING THE PRESSURE TO SHOOT OUT OF THE TRANMISSION ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE OWNER STATES THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 1994-1997 LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. OWNER SAYS THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE IDENTICAL AS FAR AS THE TRANSMISSION AND THE CHASSIES GO. *AK
19970616FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
THE TRANSMISSION OIL HOSE LEAKED OIL ONTO THE HOT MANIFOLD, CAUSING A FIRE WHILE THE VAN WAS BEING DRIVEN. *AK
19970317FirePOWER TRAIN
OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BURST INTO FLAMES AND THAT IT STARTED FROM THE FRONT BELT HOUSING, CAUSE OF FIRE HAS BEEN UNDETERMIND.
Compare 1994DODGEVAN to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1994 DODGE VAN have?▼
The 1994 DODGE VAN has 9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 DODGE VAN?▼
The most-complained component for the 1994 DODGE VAN is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER.
Is the 1994 DODGE VAN 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.