AI Damage1991 Dodge Daytona: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Dodge Daytona filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seats and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Seats 31% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 15% of all complaints
- 3 Latches, locks, linkages 15% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 8% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- Seats: 4 complaints (31% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 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 13 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
The head rest flew into the back window & cracked it. The driver seat became unanchored & was in the back of the car upon impact. The vehicle was totaled. Contacting the manufacturer.
Consumer was in an accident and the drivers air bag inflated and blew out smoke . Tt
The left front tire blew out, as the driver attempted to pull off the road the vehicle hit a pot hole in the median and the driver lost control of the vehicle striking a cable divider (ohio traffic crash report). Nlm
Bolt on the seat recliner mechanism failed, causing injury to consumer when seat fell forward during stop.
Air conditioner compressor malfunctioned, causing air conditioning to stop functioning.
Vehicle was making groaning noises due to trailing arm failure. Also rear end slides and spins out of control.
Electrical short; in for repair of fuel tank sending unit, causing the fuel gauge to register incorrectly. After repairs, experienced overheating due to an electrical short under the dash and while driving smelled plastic melting/fuse failure.
In cold weather the rear hatchback wouldn't hold . Hatchback falls on consuner's head, may cause head injury when loading or unloading cargo.
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 9,843 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Daytona has 12 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 13, about average.
What to check before buying
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
- 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 1991 Dodge Daytona?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seats, engine and cooling, latches, locks, linkages. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: tires: bulges, blowouts (15%), A/C or heater (8%), fuel system, fuel smell (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 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 1991 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 1991 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.