Total Complaints
8 filings
DODGE VIPER · model year
1996 DODGE VIPER
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996DODGEVIPER carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 1996 VIPER is structure:body:roof and pillars with 2 filings, followed by structure:frame and members (1) and unknown or 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 1 investigation file overlapping the 1996 VIPER. 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.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20110120ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE VIPER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING, HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAIDED OIL LINES IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE HAD RUBBED TOGETHER AND BURST. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD NO PARTS AVAILABLE FOR REPAIR FOR THAT TYPE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. UPDATED 03/03/11
Mileage: 40,000
20060829POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
1. NO PARTICULAR EVENT LEAD TO THE FAILURE 2. DIFFERENTIAL RING GEAR BOLTS/NUTS BECAME LOOSE CAUSING THE BOLTS/NUTS TO BECOME LODGED BETWEEN THE RING GEAR AND CASE CAUSING THE CASE TO CRACK. GEAR OIL LEAKED FROM THE CASE. POSSIBLE RESULTS MAY BE SEIZURE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL,SUDDEN STOPPAGE, AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. 3. 1996 DODGE VIPER R/T 10 WITH 42,000 MILES SINCE NEW 4. PARTS MAY BE AVAILABLE, PHOTOS AVAILABLE FROM INSURANCE COMPANY
Mileage: 41,900
20060419STEERING:RACK AND PINION
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY THE VEHICLE LOST STEERING. THERE WAS NO CRASH BUT THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE DRUG THE GROUND. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN ALERTED AND AGREE THE VEHICLE IS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL, # 01V313000 CONCERNING STEERING: RACK AND PINION. THE DEALER IS REFUSING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF A FRACTURE IN THE FRAME. THE RECALL INDICATES A FRAME SEPARATION CAN ACCRUE, HOWEVER BOTH REFUSE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WITHOUT CHARGE.
Mileage: 35,000
20030624STEERING
WORK HASN'T BEEN DONE RECALL #998 TO REPLACE FRAME OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DEALER NAME IS HOPKINS DODGE SERVICE ,MANAGER [XXX], [XXX]. NO ONE HAS CONTACTED HIM ON HIS REPAIR IN 24 DAYS . DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, PARTS ARE AVAILABLE, WORK HASN'T BEEN DONE AS OF YET.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
20030321UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL #998 ON THE VEHICLE AND HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN FINDING A DEALER TO REPAIR. *SCC *NLM
20021211STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DO RECALL CAUSE THERE WAS'NT ANY TECHICIAN THAT COULD DO THE WORK. MR
19960517STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
THE CONVERTABLE TOP ALMOST FLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960416STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60MPH THE CANVAS ROOF ALMOST FLEW OFF. *AK
Compare 1996DODGEVIPER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 DODGE VIPER have?▼
The 1996 DODGE VIPER has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 DODGE VIPER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 DODGE VIPER is STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 1996 DODGE VIPER 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.