AI Damage1990 Dodge Daytona: common problems
Owners of the 1990 Dodge Daytona filed 26 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 26
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 19% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 8% of all complaints
- 6 Seats 8% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (19% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (15% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (12% of all).
- Air bags: 2 complaints (8% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 26 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 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.
My girlfriend was involved in an accident, she rear ended another automobile.she states the brakes failed.on impact airbag did deploy.my concern is the failing of the brakes and her getting hurt, I noticed many same complaints on your site.
Driving to mother's house, at stop sign, vehicle was rearended, passenger went into dashboard, passenger seat belt broke, rear passenger seat belt broke.
No deployment of drivers air bag in accident. (attorney for client)
Person in front hit brakes owner hit him from behind at 36 mph and air bag did not deploy. Tt
Manufacturers diagrams show the thermal flasher located with the fuses on the lower driver's side of the dashboard. It is not there. I have emailed dodge requesting information on where it is placed. They suggested I purchase a service manual for the car.
When starting vehicle consumer noticed smoke coming from ignition and vehicle suddenly caught on fire in engine compartment. Cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Please provide any further details.
Consumer had just gotten into vehicle and started it up and front end of vehicle caught on fire. Before fire department could get there t vehicle was totaled. Consumer will contact manufacturer to see if recall 89v237000/ manufacturer's recall 467 would apply to this vehicle.
Consumer placed car in reverse and car accelrated out of control resulting in an accident.
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 7,316 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 20% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Daytona has 12 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 26, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Dodge Daytona?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, powertrain, electrical system. Total complaints: 26. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (12%), transmission slipping (12%), seat belts (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Dodge Daytona?
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 1990 Dodge Daytona 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 1990 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.