AI Damage1992 Dodge Stealth: common problems
Owners of the 1992 Dodge Stealth filed 92 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 92
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 53% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 24% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 3% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 2% of all complaints
- 8 Equipment 2% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 49 complaints (53% of all).
- Seat belts: 22 complaints (24% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 10 complaints (11% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 8 complaints (9% of all).
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (4% 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.
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 92 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 | 49 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 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 driver's side seatbelt came undone when involved in an accident. Please describe.
The contact observed an oil leak on the ground, which led to oil leaking from the transfer case without warning. The contact notified the local dealer (georgia chrysler dodge jeep located at 12114 us-301, statesboro, [ZIP]) where an appointment was scheduled for diagnostic testing.
The contact stated that the transfer case leaked oil and damaged the transmission without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the dealer would be contacted and the contact would be called back.
As a result, the vehicle would sporadically stall without warning. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance to the contact. The vehicle was repaired. The failure and current mileage was 89,000.
I was driving down the road 1 day and my car just stopped running.
The seatbelts do not retract anymore. All hinges have been cleaned, but retractable spring mechanism does not pull seatbelt back into car anymore. If pulled, even extremely hard and fast, the belt does not lock, it simply extends to the maximum length. The seatbelts are completely non-functional.
Seat belts do not retract; as if the spring in the retration/tensioning system doen't work. This allows for a loose seat belt, which would not properly protect you in an accident. This problem is on going.
It felt like the clutch was slipping. When he took the vehicle to the service dealer, they initially thought it was part of a recall for the transfer case, they ordered the parts. The service dealer states that because the vehicle isn't locked up right now it isn't part of the recall.
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 3,758 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Stealth has 34 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 92, 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.
- 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.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1992 Dodge Stealth?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, seat belts, air bags. Total complaints: 92. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (24%), airbag warning light (5%), oil leak or consumption (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 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 1992 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 1992 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.