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1991 Dodge Spirit

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1991 Dodge Spirit do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 48.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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 95 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports7 fire reports8 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

25 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 13, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

*OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT* THE VEHICLE STARTED TO HESITATE. CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES AND PULLED OFF THE ROAD. FUNCTIONAL DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED TO THE ENGINE AND UNDER CARRIAGE AREAS. *JG *JB

NHTSA ODI #10006846

Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

THE VEHICLE WOULD REV UP TO 2000 RPM POSSIBLY DUE TO IDLE SPEED MOTOR FAILURE, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AFTER THE IDLE SPEED MOTOR WAS REPLACED. *YH

NHTSA ODI #563726

Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATED THAT AFTER A LEAKAGE ON VEHICLE HAD FOUND OUT THAT HEAD GASKET HAD BEEN LEAKING DUE TO A CRACK. *AK THE DESIGN OF THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONSUMER'S INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATED THAT THERE WERE OTHER CONSUMERS WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME CYLINDER HEAD CRACK AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD RECALL IT. *YH

NHTSA ODI #881151

Mileage unknown · Dec 14, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

TWICE NOW OIL PAN HAS BEEN DAMAGED BECAUSE IT IS TOO LOW. ONCE IT WAS DAMAGED GOING ON A COUNTRY ROAD AND SCRAPEING THE CROWN IN THE ROAD AND CAUSING THE OIL PAN TO LEAK. ANOTHER TIME IN THE SNOW WE HIT AN ICE BALL FROM THE CAR INFRONT OF US CAUSING A HUGE DENT IN THE OIL PAN. THE OIL PAN IS ROUGHLY 2 INCHES LOWER THAN ANYTHI…

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TWICE NOW OIL PAN HAS BEEN DAMAGED BECAUSE IT IS TOO LOW. ONCE IT WAS DAMAGED GOING ON A COUNTRY ROAD AND SCRAPEING THE CROWN IN THE ROAD AND CAUSING THE OIL PAN TO LEAK. ANOTHER TIME IN THE SNOW WE HIT AN ICE BALL FROM THE CAR INFRONT OF US CAUSING A HUGE DENT IN THE OIL PAN. THE OIL PAN IS ROUGHLY 2 INCHES LOWER THAN ANYTHING ELSE ON THE CAR, WHICH MEANS THATANYTIME YOU HIT ANYTHING THE FIRST THING THAT GETS DAMAGED WILL BE OIL PAN AND IN RETURN COULD CAUSE MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #737796

Mileage unknown · Dec 22, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

REPEATED TRANSMISSION REPAIRS & OIL LEAKS + HEAD REPLACEMENTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716337

Mileage unknown · Nov 24, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

DUE TO DESIGN FLAW TIMING BELT BROKE ON NINE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS IN THE LAST 4 YEARS. DEALER CAN NOT DETERMINE WHAT'S CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #852387

Mileage unknown · Nov 2, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE TIMING BELT FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSS ALL POWER WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY. *YC

NHTSA ODI #852391

Mileage unknown · Oct 29, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

TIMING BELT BREAKS WHEN OPERATING AT 55-60 MPH IN 5TH GEAR WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, ON 7 OCCASIONS EXPERIENCED FAILURE. MJS

NHTSA ODI #549546

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IT BEGAN TO OVERHEAT, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES AND WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. MY SON WAS DRIVING AND HAD HIS DOG IN THE CAR GOING ON A CAMPING TRIP. HE BARELY GOT THE CAR PULLED OFF THE ROAD, AND GOT THE DOG OUT BEFORE THE ENTIRE PASSENGER COMPARTMRNT …

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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IT BEGAN TO OVERHEAT, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES AND WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. MY SON WAS DRIVING AND HAD HIS DOG IN THE CAR GOING ON A CAMPING TRIP. HE BARELY GOT THE CAR PULLED OFF THE ROAD, AND GOT THE DOG OUT BEFORE THE ENTIRE PASSENGER COMPARTMRNT WAS ALSO ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS OS INTENSE IT MELTED THE FRONT WHEELS OFF THE CAR. IT SPREAD QUICKLY THROUGH THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND PROCEEDED INTO THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. THE FIRE TRUCKS WERE ON THE SCENE FOR PROBABLY AN HOUR TRYING TO PUT THE FIRE OUT AND GET IT UNDER CONTROL. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE REASON THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE PLUS WHY IT SPREAD TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT SO QUICKLY AS TO BARELY ESCAPE ALIVE.

NHTSA ODI #710660

Mileage unknown · Feb 7, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

CAR WAS SITTING AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE DEPT. DID NOT LIST A CAUSE FOR THE FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #703005

Official recalls

3

91V122000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage

Jul 11, 1991

FRONT OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT MAY BECOME DIFFICULT TO LATCH AND OR UNLATCH DUE TO A WEBBING STIFFENER ENTERING THE BUCKLE HOUSING AND DISLODGING THE BUCKLE LATCH GUIDE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: LATCH MAY OPEN DURING ACCIDENT OR SUDDEN STOP, EXPOSINGSEAT OCCUPANT TO INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy: REPLACE BUCKLE LATCH ENGAGEMENT.

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

3

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

PE91080 · Engine Speed Fluctuation

Opened May 30, 1991 · Closed Sep 30, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

There is no summary currently available