Total Complaints
14 filings
PLYMOUTH COLT VISTA · model year
1993 PLYMOUTH COLT VISTA
14 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1993PLYMOUTHCOLT VISTA carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 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 1993 COLT VISTA is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by seat belts (2) and visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core (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 5 investigation files overlapping the 1993 COLT VISTA. 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.
14
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010507SEAT BELTS
THIS REPORT IS IN REGARDS TO THE 1993 PLYMOUTH COLT VISTA I PURCHASED ON 04-30-01. NEITHER THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT MOTORIZED SEATBLETS ARE OPERABLE. THIS LEAVES ONLY THE LAP BELT FOR ANY TYPE OF RESTRAINT. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH THIS DEFECT COOULD LEAD TO A FATALITY.*AK
20010123EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
THE RADIO FAILED. *SLC
20010123SEAT BELTS
THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL REGARDING THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT, THE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THE RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE VEHICLE WITH FOUR DOORS, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ONLY HAS 2 DOORS AND 1 SLIDING DOOR, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT MOTORBELT WILL NOT WORK. *SLC
20001018POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
REPLACEMENT PART FAILED, AS WELL, ONE YEAR LATER. SAME SYMPTOMS...NOT DOWNSHIFTING AND STALLING ON A REGULAR BASIS WHEN ENGINE HEATED. SECOND TIME IN ONE YEAR.
19990217SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVERS SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT LOCKS IN THE RESTRAINED POSITION AND TIGHTENS, PINNING THE DRIVER TO THE SEAT. DEALER STATED IT WAS A MOTOR AND GUIDE TRACK PROBLEM AND WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL 97V073000, BUT OWNER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED.
19980930POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
19970305STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
REAR PASSENAGER'S SLIDING DOOR CAME OFF THE HIDGE OF VEHICLE WHILE IN PARK WITH NO PRIOR NOTICE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED. *AK
19970226CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN DECELERATING THE VEHICLE SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL AND WILL NOT GO. *AK
19961114STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
SLIDING DOOR SWING ARM SHEARED OFF, CAUSING DOOR TO STICK.
19961107SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN SEAT BELT IS IN USE. *AK
19960312CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN DECELERATING THE VEHICLE SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL AND WILL NOT GO. PLEASE DESCRIBE. 8AK
19960312CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN DECELERATING THE VEHICLE SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL AND WILL NOT GO. PLEASE DESCRIBE. 8AK
19950731VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
DEFROSTER DOES NOT DEFROST THE WINDOW DURING RAINY WEATHER. TT
19950731VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
REPLACED TSB SHORTLY AFTER PROBLEM.
Compare 1993PLYMOUTHCOLT VISTA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1993 PLYMOUTH COLT VISTA have?▼
The 1993 PLYMOUTH COLT VISTA has 14 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1993 PLYMOUTH COLT VISTA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1993 PLYMOUTH COLT VISTA is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS and VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE.
Is the 1993 PLYMOUTH COLT VISTA 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.