1994 Dodge Shadow Problems

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

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

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

ON THE BELT PULLY, I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVE AND THE BELT BLEW APART, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON NOW, THE LIGHTS, I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS BUT THAT DOES NOT FIX TH E PROBLEM.*AK

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

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS WERE OUT DUE TO A BAD WIRE HARNESS. THE HARNESS HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK*ML

CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS RECEIVING RECALL REPAIR 99V212 WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, THE SEAT WAS BROKEN AND WAS IN A RECLINING POSITION WHICH MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, CONSUMER TRADED THE CAR IN AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. *SLC

LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLTS BROKE ON THE PASSENGER SEAT WHICH COULD CAUSE SEAT TO RELEASE FROM THE UPRIGHT POSITION. VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVER SEAT. RECALL NUMBER 99V212000. .*AK THE RECALL WAS FOR THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT FAILURE BUT MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT FAILURE. *YH

REAR HATCH LEAKS WATER, NOISY RT FRONT SUSP. CONSTANTLY HAVING PROBLEMS . HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALER SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WATER LEAKS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, TRAILING AXLE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AIR COND. IDLER NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN. THERE HAVE BEEN FORTY NINE INSTANCES OF TRAILING AXLE FAILURE REPORTED TO NHTSA. LOCAL MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME OF FIVE FAILURES THEY HAVE FOUND IN MY AREA. IT SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN OF TRIAILING AXLE FAILURES. MUST BE THE REASON THEY ARE NOT COVERED UNDER. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT A POSSIBLE RECALL BE LOOKED INTO. ALSO THE ENGINE HAS STARTED TO USE A QUART OF OIL EVER ONE THOUSAND MILES SINCE APPROXIMATELY FIFTY THOUSAND MILES. MY THOUGHTS ARE THAT WHEN YOU PAY $14,000. 00 FOR A VEHICLE THAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO GET BETTER SERVICE FROM IT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205-60X14 )

WHILE DRIVING WOULD TRY TO ROLL UP OR DOWN FRONT WINDOWS. IT WAS DIFFICULT. PULLED OVER & PUSHED WINDOW WITH HANDS, FRONT WINDOW FELL WITHOUT WARNING. THE FRONT WINDOW CLIP HAD BROKEN. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP & INFORMED NOTHING WRONG WITH WINDOWS OR WINDING MECHANISM. *AK

BOTH PASSENGER'S SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS BROKE OFF.DELAER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

REAR HATCH LEAKS WATER, NOISY RT FRONT SUSP. CONSTANTLY HAVING PROBLEMS . HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALER SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WATER LEAKS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, TRAILING AXLE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AIR COND. IDLER NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN. THERE HAVE BEEN FORTY NINE INSTANCES OF TRAILING AXLE FAILURE REPORTED TO NHTSA. LOCAL MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME OF FIVE FAILURES THEY HAVE FOUND IN MY AREA. IT SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN OF TRIAILING AXLE FAILURES. MUST BE THE REASON THEY ARE NOT COVERED UNDER. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT A POSSIBLE RECALL BE LOOKED INTO. ALSO THE ENGINE HAS STARTED TO USE A QUART OF OIL EVER ONE THOUSAND MILES SINCE APPROXIMATELY FIFTY THOUSAND MILES. MY THOUGHTS ARE THAT WHEN YOU PAY $14,000. 00 FOR A VEHICLE THAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO GET BETTER SERVICE FROM IT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205-60X14 )

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

MY CAR SLIPPED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE AND RAN ME OVER. I BROKE MY BACK IN THREE PLACES. *AK

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

FRONT PASSENGER'S RESTRAINT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. AN APOINTMENT FOR REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE. *AK

REAR HATCH LEAKS WATER, NOISY RT FRONT SUSP. CONSTANTLY HAVING PROBLEMS . HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALER SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WATER LEAKS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, TRAILING AXLE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AIR COND. IDLER NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN. THERE HAVE BEEN FORTY NINE INSTANCES OF TRAILING AXLE FAILURE REPORTED TO NHTSA. LOCAL MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME OF FIVE FAILURES THEY HAVE FOUND IN MY AREA. IT SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN OF TRIAILING AXLE FAILURES. MUST BE THE REASON THEY ARE NOT COVERED UNDER. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT A POSSIBLE RECALL BE LOOKED INTO. ALSO THE ENGINE HAS STARTED TO USE A QUART OF OIL EVER ONE THOUSAND MILES SINCE APPROXIMATELY FIFTY THOUSAND MILES. MY THOUGHTS ARE THAT WHEN YOU PAY $14,000. 00 FOR A VEHICLE THAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO GET BETTER SERVICE FROM IT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205-60X14 )

TRAILER BAR BROKE OFF DUE TO POOR DESIGN. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR ,CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

PASSING A VEHICLE AT 45 MPH. CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WITH FOOT OFF GAS TO ABOUT 65MPH. PUMPED BRAKES AND APPLIED PRESSURE TO SLOW VEHICLE. CAR DID NOT RESPOND TO BRAKING. FINALLY SLOWED TO ABOUT 45. LET FOOT OFF BRAKE AND CAR ACCELERATED "OUT OF CONTROL" UNTIL BRAKE PRESSURE SLOWED CAR AGAIN. CAUTIOUSLY LIFTED FOOT OFF BRAKE AND CAR OPERATED "NORMALLY". CONTACTED CORTESE DODGE (DEALER IN ROCHESTER, NY) AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A CABLE THAT "GOT STUCK". THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THEY HAD REPAIRED SEVERAL CARS THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM. AND "...COME TO THINK OF IT, THEY WERE ALL DODGE SHADOWS." FORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED IN A RURAL AREA WITH NO CROSS STREETS OR IMMINENT INTERSECTIONS. *AK

INTERMITTENT STALLING - ENGINE STALLS WHEN GAS PEDAL IS RELEASED. *AK

PASSING A VEHICLE AT 45 MPH. CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WITH FOOT OFF GAS TO ABOUT 65MPH. PUMPED BRAKES AND APPLIED PRESSURE TO SLOW VEHICLE. CAR DID NOT RESPOND TO BRAKING. FINALLY SLOWED TO ABOUT 45. LET FOOT OFF BRAKE AND CAR ACCELERATED "OUT OF CONTROL" UNTIL BRAKE PRESSURE SLOWED CAR AGAIN. CAUTIOUSLY LIFTED FOOT OFF BRAKE AND CAR OPERATED "NORMALLY". CONTACTED CORTESE DODGE (DEALER IN ROCHESTER, NY) AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A CABLE THAT "GOT STUCK". THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THEY HAD REPAIRED SEVERAL CARS THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM. AND "...COME TO THINK OF IT, THEY WERE ALL DODGE SHADOWS." FORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED IN A RURAL AREA WITH NO CROSS STREETS OR IMMINENT INTERSECTIONS. *AK

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

THE RIGHT BLINKER FAILED AND WAS REPLACED.*YH *TS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

REAR HATCH LEAKS WATER, NOISY RT FRONT SUSP. CONSTANTLY HAVING PROBLEMS . HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALER SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WATER LEAKS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, TRAILING AXLE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AIR COND. IDLER NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN. THERE HAVE BEEN FORTY NINE INSTANCES OF TRAILING AXLE FAILURE REPORTED TO NHTSA. LOCAL MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME OF FIVE FAILURES THEY HAVE FOUND IN MY AREA. IT SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN OF TRIAILING AXLE FAILURES. MUST BE THE REASON THEY ARE NOT COVERED UNDER. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT A POSSIBLE RECALL BE LOOKED INTO. ALSO THE ENGINE HAS STARTED TO USE A QUART OF OIL EVER ONE THOUSAND MILES SINCE APPROXIMATELY FIFTY THOUSAND MILES. MY THOUGHTS ARE THAT WHEN YOU PAY $14,000. 00 FOR A VEHICLE THAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO GET BETTER SERVICE FROM IT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205-60X14 )

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. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK. TOOK VEHICLE TO SHOP TO BE FIXED, AND TECHNICIAN FOUND MANY LITTLE HOLES ON THE FUEL TANK WITHOUT ANY RUST ON IT. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD MANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE BEFORE FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

GAS TANK CRACKED/CAME APART AT SEAM, CAUSED GASOLINE LEAKAGE WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT, FIRE HAZARD. *AK CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR REPLACEMENT TANK. *SLC

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

VALVE STEM REPLACED ON TIRE.

WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR I DID TEST THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM AND IT SEEMED TO BE IN PROPER WORKING CONDITION AND FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. ALSO, SINCE A/C WAS AN OPTION I PAID FOR I EXPECTED TO GET IT. FOUR DAYS LATER I TURNED ON THE A/C AND ALL THAT WOULD BLOW OUT WAS WARM AIR. I HAD PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY SO I WAS NOT TO ALARMED. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY TESTED IT AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING CORRECTLY. I THEN TESTED IT MYSELF AND AGAIN ALL THAT BLEW WAS WARM AIR. I PROCEEDED TO TRY TO WORK WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND ENDED UP BRINGING THE CAR BACK 4 OR 5 TIMES FOR THEM TO LOOK AT THE A/C. BY THEN I WAS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED AND DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTOMOTIVE SHOP TO HAVE THEM PERFORM A FULL CHECK OF THE SYSTEM. THEY DID DO A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM AS WELL AS A CHECK FOR ANY LEAKS AND ADDING ONE AND A HALF POUNDS OF FREON. THEY REPORTED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAKS AND YES THE FREON WAS LOW SO THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE PROBLEM. WHEN WE TURNED ON THE A/C, NOW WITH THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FREON, IT STILL WOULD NOT BLOW ANYTHING OTHER THAN WARM AIR. I FEEL THAT IF THE DEALERSHIP HAD CHECKED IT THOROUGHLY ALL THOSE TIMES THE CAR WAS IN THEIR SHOP THEY WOULD HAVE KNOWN IT WAS THAT LOW ON FREON AND WHAT'S MORE I FEEL LIKE I WAS SOLD THE CAR WITH THE A/C OPTION AND THEY EITHER KNEW FROM THE START IT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY BUT NEVER DISCLOSED THAT TO ME OR ELSE THEY FOUND IT DID NOT WORK AFTER THE FACT AND RATHER THAN DO THE CORRECT THING AND REPLACE IT, SINCE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, OR REPAIR WHAT WAS NOT FUNCTIONING THEY CHOOSE TO PLAY GAMES AND GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND. ONE OF THE DECIDING FACTORS IN MY PURCHASING THIS CAR WAS THAT IT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AIR CONDITIONING, SINCE THE AVERAGE TEMP. IN THE SUMMER HERE IS 110 DEGREES, AND HAD I KNOWN THE CARS AIR CONDITIONING DID NOT WORK I WOULD NEVER HAVE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE!

AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSOR FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF THE VEHICLE DUE TO BROKEN LUGS AND STRUCK THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM