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1988 Dodge ShadowProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 12 owner complaints about the 1988 Dodge Shadow, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints122 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem6Seat belts

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 6, 2004. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1988 Dodge Shadow has problems

12 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts61
Power train30
Engine and engine cooling31
Steering20
Equipment10
Seats10
Service brakes, hydraulic10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1988 Dodge Shadow recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Seat belts

Recall 92V-053 · Apr 13, 1992 · 115,000 vehicles

Risk. SEAT OCCUPANTS WITHOUT SHOULDER RESTRAINTS ARE SUBJECT TOINCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR VEHICLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Dodge.

Best & worst years

1988 vs. every other Shadow year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Shadow median. How we score

'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'97'98'99
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1988 Dodge Shadow, and the recalls they led to.

  1. AUTO SHOULDER BELT FAILUREEA91043 · closed Apr 20, 1992
    Led to recall 92V-053
  2. STEERING GEAR BOLTS LOOSENPE91065 · closed Aug 30, 1991
    No recall
  3. AUTO SHOULDER BELT FAILUREPE91082 · closed Oct 30, 1991
    No recall
In owners' words

What Shadow owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FAILURE, PROBLEM OCCURS IN COLD WEATHER, DEALER IS LUBRICATING BELT BUT DOESN'T CORRECT PROBLEM. TT
Complaint 976818 · Dec 19, 1995
THE SAFETY RESTRAINT MOTOR IS ON RECALL AND THE OWNERS DEALERSHIP ARE HAVING A PROBLEM GETIING THE PART. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Complaint 959813 · Feb 9, 1995

Own a 1988 Shadow?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.