IllustrationVEHICLE WAS APPROACHING THROUGH A LIGHT AT 10 MILES PER HOUR WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT IMPACT COLLISION, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
1994 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: 6 of 94 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 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports3 fire reports14 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
15 reportsON THE BELT PULLY, I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVE AND THE BELT BLEW APART, AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON NOW, THE LIGHTS, I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS BUT THAT DOES NOT FIX TH E PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH, GOING DOWN A HILL, AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE HIT A BUSH AND A TELEPHONE POLL, AND STOPPED ON IMPACT. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AT ABOUT 30-35MPH CAR ROLLED AND THE AIR BAG NEVER CAME OUT
HORN ALWAYS BLOWS FUSES; LIGHTER BLOWS FUSES AND THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTIONED.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 20-25 MPH RAN INTO A TREE AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG. OWNER ALSO NOTES THAT CHRYSLER ENGINEERS WENT TO LOOK AT VEHICLE AFTER ACCIDENT AND TOLD OWNER AIRBAG WAS WORKING. *AK
AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE TURNING INTO DRIVEWAY ABOUT 45 DEGREE INCLINE, SPEED LESS THAN 5 MPH, RAINY WEATHER. *AK
DURING IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
FOGGY NIGHT ROAD, CAME TO AN INTERSECTION, DID NOT SEE INTERSECTION, WENT STRAIGHT ACROSS, HIT EMBANKMENT, HIT HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL, THEN AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Official recalls
199V212000 · 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.
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
3DP03002 · Steering Column Separation
Opened May 7, 2003 · Closed Jul 22, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering:column
MR. LARRY A. SACKEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18, 2003, REQUESTING THAT NHTSAFURTHER INVESTIGATE THE DEFECTIVE COLLAPSIBLE STEERING SHAFT SYSTEM ON 1987-1995 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION.IN PART BECAUSE OF 49 CFR ? 30120(G), NHTSA HAS DECIDED TO LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE PETITION VEHICLES TO 1993-1995 MODELS, EXCLUDING THE 1993 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AND 1994-1995 DODGE RAM SERIES TRUCKS THAT WERE RECALLED (93V210 & 96V230) FOR STEERING COLUMN FAILURE.IF THE ANALYSIS OF THESE VEHICLES HAD IDENTIFIED A POTENTIAL PROBLEM, THE SCOPE COULD HAVE BEEN EXPANDED IN AN INVESTIGATION.A REVIEW OF ODI'S DATA BASE SHOWS NO RECENT COMPLAINTS AND A LACK OF A COMPLAINT TREND CONCERNING THE SUBJECT ISSUE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AS A WHOLE OR BY INDIVIDUAL MODELS.THEREFORE, THE PETITION IS DENIED.FOR DETAILS, SEE FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE VOLUME 68, NO. 130, JULY 8, 2003.
RQ99006 · Seat Back Failure
Opened May 13, 1999 · Closed Feb 2, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
THE SEAT RECLINER'S LOWER BOLTS CAN FATIGUE AND BREAK CAUSING THE SET BACK TO COLLAPSE BACKWARD WITHOUT WARNING.
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