FaultScore

BMW 530XI vs Dodge Shadow

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure BMW 530XI Dodge Shadow
Complaints on file 243 598
Model years covered 2006–2007 1986–1999
Worst model year
Best model year
Crashes reported 7 99
Fires reported 24 33
Injuries reported 3 71
Deaths reported 0 2
Most complained-about part Airbags Engine & Cooling
Share of complaints involving harm 14% 34.3%

BMW 530XI by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 65 26.7%
Engine & Cooling 29 11.9%
Body & Structure 16 6.6%
Lights 15 6.2%
Steering 13 5.3%
Seat Belts 13 5.3%
Transmission & Drivetrain 9 3.7%

Dodge Shadow by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Engine & Cooling 72 12.0%
Seats 68 11.4%
Airbags 67 11.2%
Brakes 33 5.5%
Seat Belts 33 5.5%