Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1992 Dodge Colt
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Seat Belts
750.0%
Engine & Cooling
214.3%
Doors, Latches & Locks
17.1%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
17.1%
Suspension
17.1%
Steering
17.1%
Transmission & Drivetrain
17.1%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Oct 1995peak 2May 2002
NHTSA investigations into the 1992 Dodge Colt
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA96014Opened 28 Jun 1996Closed 12 Jun 1997SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FAILURE
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ALLEGEDLY MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILS
PE96007Opened 19 Jan 1996Closed 28 Jun 1996SEAT BELTS
AUTO SHOULDER BELT FAILURE
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ALLEGEDLY MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILS
Recalls on the 1992 Dodge Colt
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 19982043,044 units in Canada
Powertrain
On certain vehicles, leakage of lubricating oil from the transfer case could result in low levels of lubrication causing possible bearing seizure and wheel lock-up. This could result in loss of vehicle control and a possible crash. Correction: Transfer case will be inspected for low fluid level, evidence of oil leakage and operational performance, and will be repaired as necessary. If the transfer case does not operate properly, it will be replaced.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Thornton, CO
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
THE PASSENGER SEATBELT DOES NOT WORK. THE SEATBELT WILL NOT SLIDE BACK AND FORTH DUE TO CABLE POPPING OUT. PLEASE ADD VIN.
NHTSA complaint #8010423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Swanzey, NH
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
GLASS WAS SCRATCHING BADLY, AND WAS GETTING WORSE. IT WAS WHITE IN COLOR. NOT ABLE TO SEE OUT OF WINDOWS. NOT VISIBLE TO DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #865848 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Durand, MI
SUSPENSION
HARMONIC BALANCER BOLT "BACKED" OUT - WAS ADVISED IT WAS MANUFACTURE DEFECT BUT BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED - WAS ADVISED THAT IF THEY HAD TO COVER EVERY MANUFACTURE DEFECT THAT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THAT THEY WOULD "GO BROKE"- I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A '93 ENGINE (COMPATIBLE W/ MY '92) WHICH HAD 30,000 MILES ON IT, 35,000 MILES AFTER INSTALLING THE ENGINE, THE HARMONIC BALANCER BOLT "BACKED" OUT AGAIN, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE UP. I WILL NEVER BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN!!!!!
NHTSA complaint #721614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WASHI9NGTON, DC
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
THE HOOD OF THE CAR FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC.
NHTSA complaint #853041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brooklyn Park, MN
SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT FROM THE RETRACTING MECHASIM , CAUSING IT TO BECOME INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #842704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Elko, NV
SEAT BELTS
RECALL # 97V073000; MITSUBISHI/DRIVER'S SIDE GUIDE RAIL/CONSUMER STARTED HAVING TROUBLE AFTER HAVING RECALL SERVICE. THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT TRAVEL ON THE RAIL. DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE CONSUMER TO CORRECT PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #834936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Orlando, FL
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS PRONE TOO WIDE/CRACKING, CAUSING THE EXHAUST TO ESCAPE INTO THE FRESH AIR INTAKE AND THEN INTO THE VEHICLE. WHEN SEARCHING FOR REPLACEMENT, DIFFICULT TO FIND ONE WITHOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA complaint #835066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Redding, CA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE TO BE USED. BELT WILL RETRACT WHEN DOOR IS UNLOCKED. BELT IS ONLY TRIGGERED BY DOOR CLOSING OR OPENING. *AK SOMETIMES THE DOOR HAS TO BE REPEATEDLY OPENED AND CLOSED TO GET THE BELT TO CROSS OVER CHEST. * YH
NHTSA complaint #831227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clearwater, FL
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STOPPED SUDDENLY WITH NO ENGINE POWER.
NHTSA complaint #523519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS FASTEN TIGHTLY, PINNING FRONT PASSENGERS AGAINST THE BACK OF THE SEAT, CAUSING DISCOMFORT/IMMOBILITY.
NHTSA complaint #508208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pearl Rive, LA
SEAT BELTS
MOTORBELT FAILS TO RELEASE WHEN IGNITION KEY IS TURNED TO OFF POSITION.
NHTSA complaint #506837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Overland P, KS
STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN
THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT SOMTIMES TIGHTENS UP WHEN IN USE . PLEASE DESCRIBE .
NHTSA complaint #801387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Corpus Chris, TX
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVERS AUTOMATIC RESTRAINT SYSTEM DOES NOT ALWAYS RETRACT, THERFORE NOT RESTRAINING THE OCCUPANT. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #984001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lynchburg, VA
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MANUAL TRANMISSION FAILURE, HAS BEEN REPLACED ON TWO OCASSIONS, THERE IS STRIPPED GEAR CAUSING FAILURE. TT
NHTSA complaint #973888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.