AI Damage1991 Dodge Stealth: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Dodge Stealth filed 63 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 63
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 56% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 21% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 3% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 2% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 35 complaints (56% of all).
- Seat belts: 13 complaints (21% of all).
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (8% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (6% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (5% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 2 complaints
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 63 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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 contact stated that while driving 70 mph, the wheels seized and as the contact attempted to shift gears to unlock the wheels, the vehicle made a loud grinding noise followed by a loud explosion.
The oil leaks from the all-wheel drive transfer case which caused the bearings to be lock and damage the drive train. While driving 35 mph the vehicle became inoperable and was towed to his residence. The recall repair was performed; however, the failure recurred.
Seat belt malfunctioned since I owned the car. On (may, 200) the seat belts in the front did not retract properly. Upon talking to other car owners they had similar problems.
I have a 1991 dodge stealth and the retractor for the seat belt no longer works. When you put on the seat belt in most cases the slack is not taken up. I have not been in an accident and I hope I'm not.
My driver's side seatbelt does not work properly. When I pull it out to buckle up the extra slack does not get taken care of. It just remains loose and I don't know how well it would hold up in an accident. This seems to be most of the time but once in a while for some reason it will retract the extra slack.
This fractured the transfer case, and all the oil leaked out. Consumer indicated that at first dealer told him that they would repair the transmission free of charge if the damage was found to be caused by the locking up of the transfer case.
Consumer states that timing belt tensioner failed whiled driving causing the vehicle to stall.
Consumer stated that the vehicle would not come to a complete stop when the brakes are applied or when the emergency brake was used. The mechanic diagnosed the problem as defective brake calipers.
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 4,699 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Stealth has 34 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 63, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Dodge Stealth?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, seat belts, service brakes. Total complaints: 63. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (19%), transmission slipping (6%), knocking, grinding or other noise (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Dodge Stealth?
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 Stealth 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.