59 of the
598 complaints filed about the Dodge Shadow
are about the transmission —
10% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1993.
59
Complaints
10%
Share of all complaints
5
Crashes
1
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
DT: THE VEHCILE IS A 1993 DODGE SHADOW ES. THE PROBLEM STARTED SOMETIME IN MARCH 2001. THE CONTACT HAD JUST PULLED INTO A FUEL STATION AND PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, WHEN SHE NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD IN HE STEERING WHEEL AREA. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY FOUND THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD MELTED THE WIRING HARNESS. THEY REPLACED THE WIRE TO THE PARKING SWITCH AND THE PROPORTIANAL VALVE, IGNITION SWITCH, AND WIRING CONNECTOR TO THE SWITCH. THEY REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION ALSO, BECAUSE IT WAS SLIPPING THEY ADDED NEW CLUTCHES. IN MARCH OF 2005 THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED AND IT STILL WOULD NOT START. SHE HAD TAKEN IT TO THE SHOP AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE INLINE FUSES. THEN ON JULY 8, 2005 AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN OFF FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES IT WAS STILL HOT. THEY TOOK IT HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. ABOUT AN HOUR OR MORE LATER IT WOULD NOT START. THE DOME LIGHT, HEAD LIGHTS, AND ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE ON. THE NOISE WHEN OPENING THE DOOR WAS STILL ON. ALL THE NEEDLES ON THE GAUGES WERE GOING IN CIRCLES. THEN IT WENT DEAD. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AND IT IS STILL THERE. THEY CAN NOT FIND WHY IT KEEPS BLOWING FUSES.
NHTSA complaint #10139693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
CHRYSLER CORPORATION REFUSES TO MAKE AVAILABLE REPAIR PARTS FOR THE SHIFT LINKAGE CABLES IN THE DODGE SHADOW AND SIMILAR VEHICLES. WHERE THE SHIFT CABLE ATTACHES TO THE TRANSMISSION THERE ARE PLASTIC "SNAP" GROMMETS THAT HOLD THE END OF THE SHIFT CABLE TO THE TRANSMISSION. SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN USED FOR YEARS ON SIMILAR APPLICATIONS BY VARIOUS AUTO MAKERS. WHEN THAT GROMMENT WEARS OUT, DODGE DOES NOT MAKE IT AVAILABLE AS A SEPARATE REPAIR PART AND INSTEAD WANTS TO SELL A $130.00+ (I LAST CHECKED SEVERAL YEARS AGO) COMPLETE SHIFT CABLE TO REPLACE A 50 CENT PART. I AM PERSONALLY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE ON TWO CARS (A 93 & A 94) BUT HAVE HEARD OF IT ON OTHER CARS. CHRYSLER MAKES MANY OTHER LINKAGE SNAP GROMMETS AVAILABLE AND I SEE THIS AS PURE GREED ON THEIR PART TO NOT MAKE THESE SIMPLE REPAIR PARTS AVAILABLE. I WOULD HAPPILY PAY SEVERAL $$'S APIECE FOR THESE OVER HAVING TO BUY A VERY EXPENSIVE CABLE AND ITS ASSOCIATED LABOR TO CHANGE. DISCUSSIONS WITH VARIOUS DEALER PARTS PERSONNEL SIMPLY RESULTS IN A SHRUG OF THE SHOULDERS. THE DESIGN OF THE SHIFT SYSTEM KEEPS THE PARTS FROM COMING APART BUT LEADS TO VERY SLOPPY/DIFFICULT SHIFTING WHEN THIS PART IS WORN. THERE ARE TWO OF THESE ON EACH VEHICLE. I CAN NOT TELL YOU IF THEY ARE IDENTICAL OR NOT, BUT I SUSPECT THEY ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SIZES TO KEEP THEM FROM GETTING CROSSED DURING ASSEMBLY.
NHTSA complaint #10133062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TRANSMISSION FAILED, ENGINE FAILED AT 69,000 MILES, EXCESS OIL CONSUMPTION REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, REAR AXLE REINFORCEMENT BAR BROKE AT 52,000 MILES , OUTER TIEROD ENDS REPLACED AT 49,000 MILES, LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER FAILED AT 10,000 MILES, ENGINE THERMOSTAT FAILED AT 12,000 MILES, AIR CONDITIONING BELT IDLER FAILED AT 17,000, AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR AND EVAPORATOR FAILED AT 67,000 MILES, RECALL ON DRIVERS SEAT BACK RETAINING BOLT... CAR HAS HAD NOTHING BUT ONE PROBLEMS.......WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLE........
NHTSA complaint #750568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TRANSMISSION FAILED, ENGINE FAILED AT 69,000 MILES, EXCESS OIL CONSUMPTION REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, REAR AXLE REINFORCEMENT BAR BROKE AT 52,000 MILES , OUTER TIEROD ENDS REPLACED AT 49,000 MILES, LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER FAILED AT 10,000 MILES, ENGINE THERMOSTAT FAILED AT 12,000 MILES, AIR CONDITIONING BELT IDLER FAILED AT 17,000, AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR AND EVAPORATOR FAILED AT 67,000 MILES, RECALL ON DRIVERS SEAT BACK RETAINING BOLT... CAR HAS HAD NOTHING BUT ONE PROBLEMS.......WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLE........
NHTSA complaint #750568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PLACE VEHICLE FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR DRIVE VEHICLE WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO THE SELECTED GEAR. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED TRANSMISSION THREE TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #869355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT THINGS STARTES HAPPENING,IT WAS USED WITH NO WARRANTY,MY FAULT BUT I CAN'T AFORD TO FIX DODGE'S MISTAKES. WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE I WAS GOING TO WORK AND WAS LATE BESIDES ALMOST WRECKING. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE. I WANT TO TRADE IT IN AND GET SOMETHING ELSE BUT NO ONE WILL TAKE THIS CAR.
NHTSA complaint #727480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 -35 MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE'S REAR DROPPED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REAR AXLE BROKE IN HALF. *AK
NHTSA complaint #862150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON VARIOUS OTHER INTERNET SITES. I DON'T WANT TO NOR CAN I AFFORD ANOTHER TRANSMISSION OR ANOTHER CAR FOR THAT MATTER. I WANT THIS PROBLEM SOLVED AS CHEAPLY AS POSSIBLE.I AM NOT ABLE TO CONTACT CHRYSLER VIA INTERNET.NEED A WAY TO CONTACT THEM TO HAVE THEM PAY FOR THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #712194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS PIECE OF CRAP CAR. FIRST THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT AND THEN PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE CYLINDERS AND NOW I HAVE SOME SORT OF SHORT SOMEWHERE IN THE CAR THAT CAUSES THE RADIO TO GO OUT. I NOTICED THE TACHOMETER WAS JUMPING UP TO LIKE 5000RPM BY ITSELF AND THEN IT WOULD DROP TO ZERO. THIS HAPPENED FOR A WHILE. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RADIO GOES OUT AND SO DOES EVERYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FUSE. I PROCEEDED TO REPLACE THE FUSE 15 TIMES UNTIL I TOOK A AMPERAGE READING WITH A MULTIMETER AND FOUND THAT 35 AMPS WAS FLOWING TO THAT FUSE THAT WAS BLOWING. THE NORMAL AMPERAGE IS 7 AMPS. FINALLY THE FUSE TOOK AND WHEN I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD OUT IT WENT AGAIN. SO I FIGURE A SHORT SOMEWHERE. MY FUEL SYSTEM IS ACTING UP ALSO. I HAD MY SYSTEM CLEANED AND IT STILL STALLS AND HESITATES. I WRIT ONLY BECAUSE MY UNCLE OWNS THE SAME CAR AND HAS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL INJECTION AND THE TRANSMISSION. CHRYSLER CORP WAS NO HELP. SURE THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR TONS OF CASH BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED.
NHTSA complaint #711444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 25 MPH CONSUMER HEARD SOME NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR REINFORCEMENT AXLE BAR BROKE, CAUSING A LOUD NOISE. WHEN CONSUMER WAS MARKING A RIGHT TURN ON MARCH 13TH, THE OTHER PART OF THE REAR AXLE BAR CAME FLYING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, AND NOISE THAT WAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. STOPPED WHEN THE REINFORCEMENT AXLE BAR CAME OFF.
NHTSA complaint #836130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.