IllustrationTHE CROSS BEAM IN THE REAR HAS CRACKED AND IT DOES NOT KEEP THE CAR STEADY AND IS VERY NOISY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
1990 Dodge Shadow
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Shadow 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: 1 of 40 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
13 crash reports5 fire reports10 injury reports
What owners actually said
40 reportsSTEERING COLUMN FIRE, WHILE DRIVING PARKED THE VEHICLE INNER THE DASH FIRE, UNDER THE HOOD CUT WIRES TO BATTERY. TT
DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT A SPEED OF 35 MPH, AIR BAG DEPLOYED PARTICALLY, LOST CONTROL, JUMPED A CURVE, CAUSING UNDER THE BODY DAMAGE. *AK
DRIVERS AIR BAG INFLATED FOR NO REASON, DRIVER PUT ON BRAKES AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONSCIOUSNESS AND HAVE AN ACCIDENT. TT
DRIVING AT SPEED 0F 55MPH APPLIED BRAKES AND WAS HIT AT 6:00 POSITION, DRIVER SEAT WENT RECLINE POSITION. TT
CONTINUOUS OIL LEAK PROBLEMS PRIOR TO OR AFTER RECALL (89V-237). *SKD
VEHICLE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITH OUT ANY REASON. WHILE PARKING. TT
FUMES FROM AIR BAG CAUSED OCCUPANT TO DEVELOP A LUNG CONDITION. "DUP 950209: 958528". TT
AIR BAG DEPLOYED UPON REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. CHEMICAL POWDERY SUBSTANCE USED FOR AIR BAG CHOKED DRIVER UNTIL SOMEONE PULLED HER OUT."DUP: SEE 958480". TT
ABS: EXPERIENCED ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FAILURE/EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION SPEED, 20 MPH. TT
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
1EA93009 · Steering Wheel Separation
Opened Apr 21, 1993 · Closed Jul 22, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available