IllustrationTHE AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS COMING OUT OF THE MODULE DUE TO RIP NAUGAHYDE. THE PROBELEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK *SLC
1992 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: 2 of 73 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.
- Seats. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports3 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
73 reportsWHILE DRIVING UP A HILL, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BOLT BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PASSENGER DOOR ON VEHICLE FELL OFF THE TOP. HINGES . BEFORE INCIDENT DOOR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SHUT.. DEALER COULD NOT HELP. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK BOLT BROKE. OWNER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED ON OTHER MODELS. OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY. *AK
CONSUMER TURNED ON HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. ONCE THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL WILL NOT FUNCTIONS. *AK
L/R REAR AXLES HAD A CHANNEL SUPPORT ROD, WHERE WELDED, HAD BROKEN. DRIVING UP DRIVEWAY (5 MPH) WHEN AXLES BROKE; VEHICLE STILL DRIVABLE BUT MAKES GRINDING NOISE; TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED ENTIRE L/R REAR AXLE HAS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING APPRX.55-65 MPH CONSUMER SWERVED TO AVOID OBJECT IN ROAD, VEHICLE SKIDDED, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF STEERING, APPLIED BRAKES BUT CAR CONTINUED TO SKID THEN HIT HEAD-ON INTO A DITCH BANK. THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. *AK
JUST NOW RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE. ACCIDENT OCCURRED PRIOR TO RECALL. RECALL 96V229000.
STEERING WHEEL RECALL: CAN'T GET APPOINTMENT TO GET VEHICLE REPAIRED. HAVE CALLED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE LAST CALL WAS I-21-97, AND WAS TOLD TO CALL BACK IN FOUR WEEKS. RECALL #96V229. *AK
THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG COULD DEPLOY. DEALER STATES THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM OR DANGEROUS, IT MEANS THAT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Official recalls
499V212000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
Aug 6, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER SEAT CAN FAIL AND SEPARATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE BOLT FAILS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT WITH A HIGHER STRENGTH BOLT THAT INCLUDES A SELF LOCKING NYLON PATCH.
97V078000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
May 10, 1997
THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAN FAIL AND SEPARATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE BOLT FAILS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT WITH A HIGHER STRENGTH BOLT THAT INCLUDES A SELF LOCKING NYLON PATCH.
96V229000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Nov 18, 1996
THE STEERING WHEEL ARMATURE STAMPING CAN CRACK AND SEPARATE FROM THE CENTER HUB ATTACHMENT TO THE STEERING COLUMN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE STEERING WHEEL SEPARATES FROM THE CENTER HUB ATTACHMENT TO THE STEERING COLUMN, LOSS OF CONTROL CAN OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE STEERING WHEEL FOR ARMATURE CRACKS IN THE CENTER HUB ATTACHMENT AREA. ANY STEERING WHEELS SHOWING CRACKS WILL BE REPLACED. ALL OTHER VEHICLES WILL HAVE A REINFORCEMENT PLATE INSTALLED TO PREVENT STEERING WHEEL SEPARATION IN THE EVENT CRACKING OCCURS.
92V015000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Feb 14, 1992
THE ZINC PLATING OPERATION PERFORMED ON THE UPPER STEERING COLUMN SHAFT COUPLING BOLT CAUSED HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT AND BREAKAGE OF THE BOLT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FRACTURES OF THE UPPER STEERING COLUMN SHAFT COUPLINGBOLT RESULT IN A LACK OF COUPLING LOAD ON THE SHAFT AND LOSS OF STEERINGCONTROL.
Remedy: REPLACE THE ZINC PLATED BOLT WITH A PHOSPHATE PLATED BOLT.
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
6PE96036 · Throttle Will Not Return To The Position
Opened May 14, 1996 · Closed Oct 31, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
UNCONTROLLED ENGINE SPEED CONDITION RESULTS FRO THROTTLE SHAFT BINDING
PE96008 · Safety Blt Latch Operation
Opened Jan 25, 1996 · Closed Jun 28, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
EA95029 · Steering Wheel Separation
Opened Sep 26, 1995 · Closed Nov 13, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
AFTER AN EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS, CHRYSLER HAS IDENTIFIED THE DEFECT AS A FATIGUE FAILURE, ORIGINATION IN THE HEAT AFFECTED REGION OF THE PROJECTION WELDS OF THE STEERING WHEEL HUB TO STEERING WHEEL ARMATURE ATTACHMENT.THE HUB IS THE PORTION OF THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY THAT CONNECTS IT TO THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT AND IS ATTACHED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY BY 4 WELDS.IF CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE HEAT AFFECTED REGION OF THE WELDS AND PROPAGATE THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL ARMATURE TO EACH OF THE WELDS, THE STEERING WHEEL CAN SEPARATE FROM THE HUB.THIS IS A SLOW PROGRESSIVE FAILURE WHICH NORMALLY OCCURS AT HIGH MILEAGE.IN SOME CASES COMPLAINANTS HAVE REPORTED A LOOSENESS OR WOBBLING OF THE STEERING WHEEL PRIOR TO SEPARATION.TO REMEDY THIS DEFECT, CHRYSLER WILL INSPECT THE STEERING WHEELS OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES FOR CRACKS IN THE HUB AREA.IF ANY CRACKS ARE FOUND, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BE REPLACED.ALL OTHER VEHICLES WILL HAVE REINFORCING PLATES INSTALLED WHICH WOULD PREVENT A STEERING WHEEL SEPARATION SHOULD CRACKING OCCUR.
EA95017 · Seat Back Bolt Failure
Opened May 31, 1995 · Closed May 19, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
THE DRIVER SEAT BACK CAN COLLAPSE WITHOUT WARNING RESULTING IN POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.THE LOWER BOLT (ONE OF TWO BOLTS THAT SUPPORTS THE SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY) CAN FATIGUE AND BREAK
PE95002 · Seat Back Failure
Opened Jan 13, 1995 · Closed May 31, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
There is no summary currently available
PE94069 · Interior Fires
Opened Sep 14, 1994 · Closed Jan 31, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
There is no summary currently available