IllustrationDOOR LOCKS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE.
1994 Dodge Spirit
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Dodge Spirit do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 48.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Spirit 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: 4 of 87 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 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports3 fire reports11 injury reports
What owners actually said
87 reportsTHE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTS VERY TIGHTLY AROUND THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. PASSENGER REACH UP TO RELEASE PRESSURE OF THE BELT AND THE BELT TOOK HALF OF THE PASSENGER'S FINGER TIP OFF. THERE WAS A RECALL LISTED 94V-023 FOR SEAT BELT, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE SEAT BELT CONSUMER STATES. THE PASSEN…
Read full complaint
THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTS VERY TIGHTLY AROUND THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. PASSENGER REACH UP TO RELEASE PRESSURE OF THE BELT AND THE BELT TOOK HALF OF THE PASSENGER'S FINGER TIP OFF. THERE WAS A RECALL LISTED 94V-023 FOR SEAT BELT, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE SEAT BELT CONSUMER STATES. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT HAS ALWAYS RETRACTED TIGHTLY SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE DATED. *AK
THE GAS TANK HAS ROTTED AND GAS LEAKED OUT IN SEVERAL PLACES, CAUSING A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. *AK
DRIVER COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH NOR TURN THE IGNITION ON.
THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEPARATED FROM THE PANEL UPON CRASH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR *AK
KEY GETS STICKS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH.
WHEN A PASSENGER OPENS THE FRONT SIDE DOOR THE MOTORIZED SEA TBELT WILLEITHER LOCK THE PASSENGER TIGHTER OR IT ACTUALLY CHOKES THE PASSENGER. DRIVER MUST REACH OVER AND UNBUCKLE THE SHOULDER BELT. ALSO, AT TIMES WHEN OPENING THE DOOR THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT GOES BACK AND FORTH APPROXIMATELY 4 INCHES OF TRAVEL. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: BOUGHT CAR FEBRUARY 94, HAD NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN IN 1996. CURRENTLY, WHEN DRIVING ALONG IT DOWN SHIFTS ON ITS OWN AND SOMETIMES IT WILL POP BACK INTO GEAR, AND SOMETIMES IT JUST GOES INTO SECOND AND WILL NOT GO BACK INTO GEAR. *AK
DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE VEHICLE JUMPS OUT OF GEAR FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. *AK
STEERING COLUMN IS BROKEN. *AK
Official recalls
194V023000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Feb 8, 1994
THE SAFETY BELT ANCHORS (BUCKLE LOCK BARS) DO NOT MEET THE STATIC LOAD REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY MAY FAIL, EXPOSING THE RESTRAINED OCCUPANTS TO A GREATER RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy: THE TRAVELING SAFETY BELT LOCK BAR ASSEMBLIES WILL BE REPLACED ON THESE VEHICLES.
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
2DP03002 · 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.
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