AI Damage1989 Dodge Colt: common problems
Owners of the 1989 Dodge Colt filed 33 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 33
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 76% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 9% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 6% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 3% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 3% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 3% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 25 complaints (76% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 3 complaints (9% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (9% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (6% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (3% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 1.6 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 33 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 25 | 2 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Consumer was driving about 45 mph and was involved in an accident, and the seat belts on the driver's side did not catch. The shoulder belt went forward with owner and the lap belt broke. Manufacturer was contacted.
Making left turn, drunk driver ran red light, hit vehicle on driver side, seat belt did not lock up, driver was strung around in car.
The driver's side automatic seat belt system has locked up and won't move. It is not in the latched position.
When the headlights are on and when applying the brakes the right rear tail lights go out, cause unknown.
While driving brake lights & tail lights would go out when vehicle hit a bump; took vehicle to dealer who fixed it the first time ; did not fix it on last visit. Last few times; was told by dealer maybe vehicle had ground wiring problems.
While driving steering wheel jerks in either direction, to correct has replaced two tires and rotated tires, dlr indicates may be suspension problem, not fixed.
Ball joint secured by snap ring which is .003 inches larger than slot, allowing snap ring to fall off/joint to come out.
Engine revves and then car accelerates like cruise control is on. Does not have cruise control. Tt
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,523 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Colt has 20 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 33, above average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1989 Dodge Colt?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, exterior lighting, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 33. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (42%), headlights and tail lights (6%), jerking, harsh shifts (3%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1989 Dodge Colt?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1989 Dodge Colt from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1989 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.