What breaks most · 1990 to 1999 model years
Dodge Shadow problems by year
Owners have filed 408 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Dodge Shadow across model years 1990 to 1999. One year stands out: 1993 for powertrain and transmission complaints. The quietest years are 1995, 1997 and 1990.
- Years to check closely: 1993
- Fewest complaints: 1995, 1997, 1990
- Complaints on file
- 4081990 to 1999, all trims
- Worst year
- 1993107 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 8221 fires · 62 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 105kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 13Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 14 | 2 | Air bags (15) | |
| 89 | 19 | 5 | Seats (16) | |
| 73 | 14 | 4 | Seats (19) | |
| 107 | 15 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (16) | |
| 94 | 20 | 1 | Engine and cooling (15) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Steering (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Body and structure (1) |
What fails on the 1993 Dodge Shadow
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 15% |
16 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Seats | 13% |
14 | 4 | — |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 13% |
14 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 1993 Dodge Shadow |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 10% |
11 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 1993 Dodge Shadow |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 9% |
10 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 1993 Dodge Shadow |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 9% |
10 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 1993 Dodge Shadow |
| Unknown or other | 8% |
9 | 0 | — |
| Air bags | 8% |
9 | 7 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Axle broke on driver side due to manufacturer's fault which could have caused rear wheel to fall. New axle has been redisigned. *ak
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Dodge Shadow years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1993 carries the most filings on the Dodge Shadow. The 1993 alone has 107 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Dodge Shadow problem?
On the 1993 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 16 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Dodge Shadow problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Dodge Shadow complaints that include mileage is about 105,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.