IllustrationDURING VEHICLE OPERATION SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER AND SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD BECAUSE THE ALTERNATOR WAS ON FIRE.*AK
1989 Dodge Dynasty
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Dodge Dynasty do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 55.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Dynasty years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 3 of 55 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports5 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
55 reportsSTEERING COLUMN FAILED.
ULTRA DRIVE TRANSMISSION FAILED, REPLACEMENT SERVICED TEN TIMES. *DH
WHILE DRIVING & PARKING IN THE DRIVEWAY, VEHICLE SHIFTED GEARS BY ITSELF.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK.
TRANSMISSION SEVERELY WORN, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JERK. *DSH
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT IS BROKEN, REAR SEAT BELT IN MIDDLE IS BROKEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *SD
AUTO-TRANSMISSION; WHILE DRIVING, TRANSMISSION FAILED DROPPING INTO LOWER GEAR W/NO WARNING @ HIGHWAY SPEED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED . TT *SLC
Official recalls
189V237000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Dec 27, 1989
THE ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET MAY DISLOCATE AND ALLOW AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AT THE GASKET.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LEAKAGE OF OIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COULD CAUSEA FIRE.
Remedy: REPLACE GASKET COVER WITH REVISED COVER, AND RTV SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED IN PLACE OF A GASKET.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE89036 · Transmission Downshifting
Opened Jan 9, 1989 · Closed Jan 31, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
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