RoadVitals

1994 Dodge Shadow

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
94
Latest May 31, 2010
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Aug 6, 1999
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
3
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
23
16 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 94 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 Dodge Shadow, most frequently naming the engine, airbags and electrical categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 40 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

Aug 6, 1999
227,283 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER SEAT CAN FAIL AND SEPARATE.
The risk: 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.
The 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.
DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATIONManufacturer number 729View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

DP03002ClosedDefect Petition

STEERING COLUMN SEPARATION

Opened May 7, 2003
Closed Jul 22, 2003

MR. LARRY A. SACKEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18, 2003, REQUESTING THAT NHTSAFURTHER INVESTIGATE THE DEFECTIVE COLLAPSIBLE STEERING SHAFT SYSTEM ON 1987-1995 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION.IN PART BECAUSE OF 49 CFR ? 30120(G), NHTSA HAS DECIDED TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE PETITION VEHICLES TO 1993-1995 MODELS, EXCLUDING THE 1993 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AND 1994-1995 DODGE RAM SERIES TRUCKS THAT WERE RECALLED (93V210 & 96V230) FOR STEERING COLUMN FAILURE.IF THE ANALYSIS OF THESE VEHICLES HAD IDENTIFIED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM, THE SCOPE COULD HAVE BEEN EXPANDED IN AN INVESTIGATION.A REVIEW OF ODI'S DATA BASE SHOWS NO RECENT COMPLAINTS AND A LACK OF A COMPLAINT TREND CONCERNING THE SUBJECT ISSUE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS A WHOLE OR BY INDIVIDUAL MODELS.THEREFORE, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR DETAILS, SEE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE VOLUME 68, NO. 130, JULY 8, 2003.

STEERING:COLUMN
RQ99006ClosedRecall Query

SEAT BACK FAILURE

Opened May 13, 1999
Closed Feb 2, 2000

THE SEAT RECLINER'S LOWER BOLTS CAN FATIGUE AND BREAK CAUSING THE SET BACK TO COLLAPSE BACKWARD WITHOUT WARNING.

SEATSLed to recall 99V212000
PE96008ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

SAFETY BLT LATCH OPERATION

Opened Jan 25, 1996
Closed Jun 28, 1996

There is no summary currently available

SEAT BELTS

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Tires & wheels
Filed May 31, 2010
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON I-85 IN CARNESVILLE, GA, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK RIGHT OF MY CAR. I LOOKED BACK AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE DIRECTION OF MY BACK RIGHT TIRE. I BEGAN TO SLOW MY CAR BY LETTING OFF THE GAS. AT THIS TIME MY CAR BEGAN TO SWERVE OUT OF CONTROL, FIRST VEERING RIGHT. I TRIED TO REDIRECT THE CAR BACK TO THE ROAD AS IT WAS HEADING TOWARDS SOME TREES. THE CAR THE SWERVED OUT OF CONTROL TO THE LEFT CAUSING MY CAR TO GO TOWARD THE MEDIAN OF THE INTERSTATE. IT HIT A PATCH OF MUD AND GRASS, WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO FLIP. WHEN THE CAR STOPPED IT WAS FACING THE NORTH BOUND LANE. THE BACK RIGHT TIRE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2010 AND WAS NEW. I HAD ONLY DRIVEN ABOUT 3,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10333923
Incident
May 27, 2010
Mileage
151,250 mi
Seat belts
Filed Aug 25, 2007

FRONT PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SEATBELT DOES NOT LOCK INTO A SECURE POSITION. WHEN FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IS OPENED, SEATBELT MECHANISM DOES NOT MOVE SHOULDER BELT TO THE FULL OPEN POSITION. WHEN FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IS CLOSED WITH IGNITION KEY TURNED ON, FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT TRAVEL TO THE LOCKED POSITION. FRONT PASSENGER ONLY HAS USE OF MANUAL LAP BELT FOR ACCIDENT PROTECTION. THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT MOVE INTO THE ANCHORED LOCATION FOR PROTECTION. EACH TIME VEHICLE IS TURNED ON OR TURNED OFF, AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT MECHANISM HAS LESS MOVEMENT AND IS BARELY MOVING THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE COMPLETELY OPENED POSITION AND THE COMPLETELY LOCKED POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10200735
Incident
Aug 7, 2007
Mileage
173,125 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 8, 2006

94 DODGE SHADOW AND SOME OTHER YEARS AROUND MY AREA ARE GOING BAD HAVING TO REPLACE THE COMPUTERS AND THEY ARE COSTLY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10147172
Incident
Jan 3, 2006
Mileage
94,639 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 16, 2005

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. *JB

NHTSA ID
10133062
Incident
Jun 19, 2001
Mileage
100,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 29, 2004
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING THROUGH A LIGHT AT 10 MILES PER HOUR WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT IMPACT COLLISION, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

NHTSA ID
10101762
Incident
Nov 12, 2004
Engine
Filed Apr 6, 2004

CAM SHAFT BROKE AT 60,000 MILES ON A VACATION TRIP.... COST OF ON ROAD REPAIRS... $600. *LA

NHTSA ID
10065598
Incident
Mar 25, 2004
Mileage
60,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 18, 2004

PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERS ON DODGE SHADOW BECOME TRANSLUCENT WITH AGE. LAMPS CAN BE SEEN BY ONCOMING CARS BUT DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD AHEAD. OKAY ON WELL-LIT CITY STREETS BUT HEADLIGHTS HAVE ALMOST NO EFFECT IN THE COUNTRY. THIS IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN, AND CLEARLY IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE MANUFACTURER TO LET IT HAPPEN. *CB

NHTSA ID
10054394
Incident
Jan 18, 2004
Electrical
Filed May 13, 2003
Fire reported

ELECTRICAL, TAIL LAMP, BRAKE LAMP WIRING, AND WIRING HARNESS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10018623
Incident
Feb 1, 2003
Mileage
117,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

R2118796A

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Valve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.

0801001

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL YEAR JEEP LIBERTY. *TT

2100601

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ

0800600REV

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB

2300800B

SEATS

SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT

082700

AIR BAGS

SUBJECT REGARDING NON-DEPLOYED AIRBAG HANDLING PROCEDURES. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Dodge Shadow by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1999100
1998100
1997200
1996001
1995102
1994Viewing941357.4
19931071455.5
1992734667.4
1991895568.1
1990402165.5
1989333361.9
1988123361.5
1987123166.6
1986110
1985010

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.