IllustrationVIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION CAUSED BURNING TO THE DRIVER'S HANDS. YH
1990 Dodge Shadow
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Shadow years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 40 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
13 crash reports5 fire reports10 injury reports
What owners actually said
40 reportsENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKING.
SMOG PUMP QUIT WORKING. IN ADDITION, TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND CV JOINTS LEAK. *AK
PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, HOOD/ROOF AND TRUNK AREAS. *AK
ENGINE FIRE.
OWNER STATES THAT HER STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE, AND THAT SHE FEARS AN ACCIDENT. *AK
BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO ENGAGE DUE TO GREASE USED AT FACTORY STIFFING TO THE POINT OF PREVENTING THE RATCHET DOG FROM MOVING.
CONSUMER STATES THAT HIS GRANDSON WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE INGNITION. *AK
DRIVNG ON FREEWAY, A LITTLE ROUGH ROAD AND AIR BAG POPPED OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
OIL LEAK.(1ST VEHICLE ON 601635)
Official recalls
189V237000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Dec 27, 1989
THE ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET MAY DISLOCATE AND ALLOW AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AT THE GASKET.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LEAKAGE OF OIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COULD CAUSEA FIRE.
Remedy: REPLACE GASKET COVER WITH REVISED COVER, AND RTV SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED IN PLACE OF A GASKET.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA93009 · Steering Wheel Separation
Opened Apr 21, 1993 · Closed Jul 22, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available