AI DamageDodge Shadow: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Dodge Shadow across 14 model years: 468 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Seats 14% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 14% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 12% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 7 Seat belts 7% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 7% of all complaints
- Seats: 67 complaints (14% of all), 15 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 65 complaints (14% of all), 49 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 64 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 56 complaints (12% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 45 complaints (10% 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 · 4 cyl 1987–1994
- 2.2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl 1987–1991
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl 1988–1994named in 1 complaints
- 2.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl 1989–1992named in 1 complaints
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1992–1994
- automatic, 3-speed 1987–1994
- automatic, 4-speed 1992–1994
- manual, 5-speed 1987–1994
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 468 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 | 67 | 15 | 0 |
| Air bags | 65 | 49 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 64 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 56 | 5 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 45 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 37 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 32 | 6 | 0 |
| Suspension | 31 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 27 | 7 | 0 |
| Steering | 26 | 3 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 19 | 6 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 13 | 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.
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.
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.
My daughter hit a pot hole, her air bag deployed giving her a very bruised face, swollen, black eye, numerous scratches and cuts and a burned hand. Her car is not damaged at all except for the air bag being deployed. Emergency room doctors say this never should have happened.
The vehicle was involved in a frontal collision, and the air bags failed to deploy.
Throttle stuck open, attempted to stop vehicle. A tree stopped the vehicle and engine continued to rev high. Brakes caught on fire as a result of trying to stop vehicle.
While driving 55 mph and without warning was involved in a head-on collision. Upon impact, airbags did not deploy, and consumer sustained bodily injuries.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- 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.
Other models of this make
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.