← New search

1991 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

Other model years Selected 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: 0 of 89 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.

  • Seats. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 14 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 →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports2 fire reports18 injury reports

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 1999
Electrical SystemFuel System, GasolinePower Train

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 …

Read full complaint

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 ODI #711444

Official recalls

5

99V212000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner

Aug 6, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER SEAT CAN FAIL AND SEPARATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BOLT FAILS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT WITH A HIGHER STRENGTH BOLT THAT INCLUDES A SELF LOCKING NYLON PATCH.

97V078000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner

May 10, 1997

THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAN FAIL AND SEPARATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BOLT FAILS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT WITH A HIGHER STRENGTH BOLT THAT INCLUDES A SELF LOCKING NYLON PATCH.

96V229000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar

Nov 18, 1996

THE STEERING WHEEL ARMATURE STAMPING CAN CRACK AND SEPARATE FROM THE CENTER HUB ATTACHMENT TO THE STEERING COLUMN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE STEERING WHEEL SEPARATES FROM THE CENTER HUB ATTACHMENT TO THE STEERING COLUMN, LOSS OF CONTROL CAN OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE STEERING WHEEL FOR ARMATURE CRACKS IN THE CENTER HUB ATTACHMENT AREA. ANY STEERING WHEELS SHOWING CRACKS WILL BE REPLACED. ALL OTHER VEHICLES WILL HAVE A REINFORCEMENT PLATE INSTALLED TO PREVENT STEERING WHEEL SEPARATION IN THE EVENT CRACKING OCCURS.

90V194000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Nov 19, 1990

THE TWO AIR BAG SYSTEM FRONT IMPACT SENSORS MAY NOT BE SECURED TO THEIR MOUNTING BRACKETS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IF THEFRONT IMPACT SENSORS ARE NOT ATTACHED.

Remedy: REPAIR TO ASSURE PROPER ATTACHMENT OF FRONT IMPACT SENSORS TO BRACKETS.

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

5

PE96036 · Throttle Will Not Return To The Position

Opened May 14, 1996 · Closed Oct 31, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

UNCONTROLLED ENGINE SPEED CONDITION RESULTS FRO THROTTLE SHAFT BINDING

PE96008 · Safety Blt Latch Operation

Opened Jan 25, 1996 · Closed Jun 28, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

There is no summary currently available

EA95029 · Steering Wheel Separation

Opened Sep 26, 1995 · Closed Nov 13, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering

AFTER AN EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS, CHRYSLER HAS IDENTIFIED THE DEFECT AS A FATIGUE FAILURE, ORIGINATION IN THE HEAT AFFECTED REGION OF THE PROJECTION WELDS OF THE STEERING WHEEL HUB TO STEERING WHEEL ARMATURE ATTACHMENT.THE HUB IS THE PORTION OF THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY THAT CONNECTS IT TO THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT AND IS ATTACHED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY BY 4 WELDS.IF CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE HEAT AFFECTED REGION OF THE WELDS AND PROPAGATE THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL ARMATURE TO EACH OF THE WELDS, THE STEERING WHEEL CAN SEPARATE FROM THE HUB.THIS IS A SLOW PROGRESSIVE FAILURE WHICH NORMALLY OCCURS AT HIGH MILEAGE.IN SOME CASES COMPLAINANTS HAVE REPORTED A LOOSENESS OR WOBBLING OF THE STEERING WHEEL PRIOR TO SEPARATION.TO REMEDY THIS DEFECT, CHRYSLER WILL INSPECT THE STEERING WHEELS OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES FOR CRACKS IN THE HUB AREA.IF ANY CRACKS ARE FOUND, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BE REPLACED.ALL OTHER VEHICLES WILL HAVE REINFORCING PLATES INSTALLED WHICH WOULD PREVENT A STEERING WHEEL SEPARATION SHOULD CRACKING OCCUR.

EA95017 · Seat Back Bolt Failure

Opened May 31, 1995 · Closed May 19, 1997

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats

THE DRIVER SEAT BACK CAN COLLAPSE WITHOUT WARNING RESULTING IN POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.THE LOWER BOLT (ONE OF TWO BOLTS THAT SUPPORTS THE SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY) CAN FATIGUE AND BREAK

PE95002 · Seat Back Failure

Opened Jan 13, 1995 · Closed May 31, 1995

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats

There is no summary currently available