AI Damage1991 Dodge Shadow: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Dodge Shadow filed 89 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seats and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 89
- involving a crash
- 19
What fails most often
- 1 Seats 18% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 16% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 9% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- Seats: 16 complaints (18% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 14 complaints (16% of all), 12 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 9 complaints (10% of all).
- Structure: 9 complaints (10% of all).
- Steering: 8 complaints (9% 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
- 2.2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 2.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 89 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 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 14 | 12 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 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 vehicle was involved in a frontal collision, and the air bags failed to deploy.
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.
While driving 55 mph and without warning was involved in in a head-on collision. Driver's side seat belt snapped in half, causing minor injuries.
While driving 35 mph had slowed down, consumer applied accelerator and accelerator pedal stuck. Applied brakes and brakes didnot stop vehicle. Vehicle kept accelerating, hitting vehicles and a gas pump. Vehicle totaled, driver injured.
Seat back collapsed prior to recall notice resulting in back injury to consumer.
Intermittent stalling. Dealer replaced fuel pump/ignition module and distributor, but vehicle continued to stall without warning, often in midst of highway-speed rush hour traffic- 50-60 mph.
While driving about 65 mph coming off an exit ramp and hit brakes, the cruise control wouldn't shut off, causing the vehicle to crash into another vehicle.
Driving to airport about 45mph applied brakes to avoid hitting another vehicle; no brakes; turned off road to another; had flashers going & honking horn; another vehicle rearended shadow & driver's seatback went forward; threw driver into side window bar; driver passed out; was emergency room.
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 3,835 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Shadow has 33 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 89, above average.
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.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Dodge Shadow?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seats, air bags, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 89. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (6%), airbags did not deploy (4%), seat belts (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Dodge Shadow?
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 Shadow 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.