1993 Dodge Colt

Routine

Owners filed 107 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seat belts. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seat Belts50
102
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor17
101
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage13
000
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly6
000
Seat Belts › Front › Webbing5
000
Seats › Front Assembly › Power Adjust2
000
Seat Belts › Front2
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
000
Visibility › Windshield1
000
Structure › Body › Door1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage97V073002
Filed May 12, 199724,000 vehiclesChrysler Corporation

Defect. THE GUIDE RAIL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTAINS A COVERED CABLE AND ALSO AN ANGLED BELT GUIDE AT THE TOP END OF THE WEBBING. THE COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS CAN LEAD, OVER TIME, TO THE CABLE'S MOVEMENT EXERTING ABRADING FORCE TO THE LOWER EDGES OF THE CABLE'S CHAMBER, SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE THE CABLE TO DROP OUT OF THE CHAMBER WITH THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE BECOMING STUCK.

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REPLACEMENT GUIDE RAIL THAT INCORPORATES A DOUBLE LIP DUST SEAL AND AN ANODIC OXIDE COATING.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch97V063002
Filed May 12, 199746,000 vehiclesChrysler Corporation

Defect. EXCESS LUBRICATION CAN CAUSE THE RUBBER DOOR LATCH SWITCH COVER TO DEFORM, AND THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH TO MALFUNCTION, SO THAT THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE WOULD REMAIN AT THE A-PILLAR WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED.

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH WITH A SWITCH THAT UTILIZES REDUCED LUBRICATING GREASE, IMPROVED CONTACT SURFACE, AND A DIFFERENT RUBBER ISOLATION BOOT.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seat Belts
Filed Jan 31, 201267,194 milesAZ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DODGE COLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CABLE WAS CAME LOOSE AND CAUSED THE SEAT BELTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES PRIOR TO THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,194 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed May 15, 2006108,000 milesCA

THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SEAT BELTS FOR MY 1993 DODGE COLT IN 1997. I HAD THEM FIXED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL, BUT THEY FAILED AGAIN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS AN AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT SLIDE FOR THE SHOULDER HARNESS ON BOTH FRONT SEATS AND IT DOES NOT WORK. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND UNACCEPTABLE. I AM AFRAID TO USE MY CAR, AFRAID WE'LL DIE IN A CRASH. PLEASE GET THE MANUFACTURER TO RECALL THIS AGAIN OR AT LEAST ALLOW ME ANOTHER "FIX" SO THAT WE CAN BE SAFE. TIA. *NM

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Dec 10, 2003150,000 milesCA

CONSUMER WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A RETRACTABLE SEAT BELT PROBLEM. THE CABLE CORD CAME LOOSE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE CABLE CORD WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY SEAT BELT REPAIRS NOT MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. *AK *CB THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED BACK IN 1997. *JB

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 27, 2002PA

THIS IS FOLLOW-UP TO ODI ID#543609. PASSIVE RESTRAINT ON DRIVERS SIDE FAILED & REPAIRS WHICH THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE DRIVE MOTOR BELT FAILED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. CALLS TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE HAVE FAILED. THE RECALL IS FOR FAILED RESTRAINTS WHICH MINE HAS DONE BUT THE MFG SAYS THE MOTOR IS NOT COVERED EVEN THOUGH THE MOTOR BELT WAS "STRIPPED" BECAUSE THE CABLES GOT STUCK IN THE TRACKS. THIS CAR IS OLD BUT ONLY HAS 53K MILES ON IT. THE SEAT BELTS ARE REQUIRED BY FEDERAL & STATE LAWS & SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MFG FOR ANY FAILURE OTHER THAN COLLISION OR INTENTIONAL DAMAGE. PLEASE HELP ME.*AK

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 26, 2002PA

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED AGAIN AFTER RECALL WAS DONE SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I CALLED DEALER & TEHY SAID THEY WOULD REQUEST THE PARTS & REPAIR AGAIN. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER THEY CALLED ME & SAID THAT THE RECALL ONLY COVERED THE TRACK HARDWARE & THAT THE BELT MOTOR WAS STRIPPED. THEY REFUSED TO INSTALL THE RECALL PARTS THEY HAD WITHOUT REPLACING THE MOTOR AT A COST OF OVER $600. I TURNED THIS DOWN & WAS CHARGED $35 FOR THEIR TROUBLE???. I THINK IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT CHRYSLER OWN UP TO THIS PROBLEM! THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THESE CARS ON THE ROAD WITH SEAT BELTS THAT DON'T WORK. I THOUGHT SEATS BELTS HAD TO BE REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIPS NO MATTER HOW THEY FAILED? SOMEBODY PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFOR MYSELF, FAMILY OR OTHERS ARE INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Jun 26, 2002PA

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED! BEARINGS WERE ALL PITTED & LOPSIDED. GARAGE ATTEMPTED TO GET A USED REPLACEMENT WITHOUT SUCCESS. SEVERAL TRANSMISSION SHOPS TOLD ME THAT THEY THINK EVERY ONE MADE HAS FAILED? I COULDN'T GET A USED REPLACEMENT WITHIN A 100 MILE RADIUS! I FINALLY GOT A SHOP TO INSTALL A REBUILD KIT AT A TOTAL COST OF APROX $900. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE NO OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS TRANS FROM WHAT I HEARD TRYING TO GET MINE REPAIRE.*AK

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Oct 3, 2001NY

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS ON RECALL AND FIXED, AFTER IT WAS REPLACED THE SEAT BELT TRACK FELL APART. *YH

Structure › Body
Filed Jul 6, 2001FL

ROOF STRUTS IN VEHICLE WERE RUSTED AND REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP IN SUMMER OF 1999. TWO YEARS LATER, STRUTS WERE RUSTING AGAIN. DEALERSHIP WAS REFUSING TO ASSIST CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Jun 27, 2001NY

SEAT BELT IS RAVELING, CONSUMER HAD RECALL 97V073002 COMPLETED REGARDING THE GUIDE RAIL. *SLC

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed May 21, 2001NY

RECALL 97 V 073 002/DRIVER'S SIDE GUIDE RAIL: DRIVER'S SIDE PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STAY IN FORWARD POSITION, AND NOT SECURE OCCUPANT. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THIS VEHICLE NOT COVER UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE DEALER DAMAGED THE DOOR IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE SEAT BELT. THE SEAT BELT STILL DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. *YH

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed May 21, 2001FL

GUIDE CLIP ON RIGHT SIDE OF SEAT FOR BELT IS MADE IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CUTS INTO BELT ITSELF, CAUSING BELT TO SHRED SEVERLY. VERY HAZARDOUS AND WILL NOT RESTRAIN PERSON IN VEHICLE IF EVER AN ACCCIDENT SHOULD OCCUR.*AK

Seat Belts
Filed Apr 2, 2001NY

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT CABLE HAS COME OUT OF PLACE WHICH CAUSED SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERABLE. ALSO, RECALL NUMBER 97V073002 DEALT WITH SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK DEALER VALIDATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEM AND AGREED TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE BELT SYSTEM, HOWEVER A REPRESENTATIVE DECIDED THAT CONSUMER NEEDED TO PAY HALF OF THE COSTS. *SLC

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Feb 23, 2001AL

THE FIRST 2 RECALLS WERE PERFORMED BY BLACKWELL DODGE. SINCE THIS TIME, MY SEATBELTS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND ARE NOW NON-WORKING. WITH REPEATED CALLS TO DODGE, NO HELP OR SOLUTION HAS BEEN OBTAINED. THE ONLY RESPONSE I HAVE RECEIVED THROUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT DODGE IS THAT IS NOT THEIR FAULT AND THEY REPLACED THE PARTS REQUIRED OF THEM BY THE RECALL. THEY CLAIM THE PROBLEM IS WITH A "SENDER UNIT" AND/OR A "SENSOR PROBLEM" ON THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT SYSTEM. THEY WERE ALSO QUICK TO INFORM ME THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE PARTS. SEATBELTS ARE A MATTER OF HIGH PRIORITY. I FEEL DODGE HAS INSTALLED DEFECTIVE PARTS AND ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS, BUT REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY FEEL IT IS NOT THEIR "PROBLEM". IF THEIR PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE, THEN THEY SHOULD BE REPLACE WITH NEW WORKING PARTS AT THEIR EXPENSE. HOW CAN A CAR COMPANY NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NUMBER ONE SAFETY FEATURE AS REQUIRED BY LAW WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONS? I HOPE THIS MATTER WILL BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE DODGE IS NOT AND HAS NOT BEEN HELPFUL IN THIS MATTER. I AND MY PASSENGERS ARE FACING UNDO RISK BY THE LACK OF WORKING RESTRAINTS. WE ARE LIMITED TO THE MANUAL LAPBELT. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATE AND REMEDIED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER -- EITHER BY REPAIRING THE SEATBELTS TO LIKE NEW WORKING CONDITION OR REPLACING THESE AUTOMATIC NIGHTMARES WITH MANUAL SEATBELTS. THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT BECAUSE I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE FIRST ONE LAS

Seat Belts
Filed Feb 21, 2001TX

CABLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FELL OUT OF THE GUIDE RAIL, RESULTING IN A SEAT BELT THE WILL NOT RESTRAIN PROPERLY. THIS SAME DEFECT WAS RECALLED ON THE TWO DOOR 1993 DODGE COLTS BUT NOT ON THE FOUR DOOR COLTS ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Cooling Unit and Lines
Filed Jan 2, 2001NV

DODGE RE-CALLED THIS CAR IN 1995 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HOSE, BUT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

Seat Belts
Filed Nov 29, 2000IL

THE RIGHT FRONT MOTORBELT TRACK WORE OUT CAUSING THE CABLE TO FALL OUT, THE MOTORBELT WILL NOT MOVE. *SLC

Seat Belts
Filed Oct 24, 2000NV

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS INOPERABLE DUE TO THE GUIDERAIL MALFUNCTIONING. NHTSA RECALL 97V073002/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 728 DEALT WITH SAME PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

Seat Belts
Filed Aug 11, 2000CA

RECALL 97V073: GUIDERAIL. REMEDY FAILED. *AK SEAT BELT FAILED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE RECALL WAS ISSUED AND WAS FIXED. IT HAS FAILED AGAIN AND FIXED BUT CONTINUES TO FAIL. *YH

Seat Belts
Filed Jul 26, 2000PA

MY COLT FIRST HAD TROUBLES WITH THE SEATBELT IN 1996. THA AUTOMATIC BELTS WOULD GET STUCK OR NOT MOVE EITHER FORWARD OR BACK. IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF BY THE DEALER AT NO CHARGE. WHEN I GOT THE RECALL IN JAN1998 IT AGAIN WENT IN AFTER JUST STARTING TROUBLE AGAIN. NOW IN 2000 THEDRIVER SIDE HAS DONE IT AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN FIXED AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME. *AK

Seat Belts
Filed Jul 18, 2000NY

RECALL 97V073002/DRIVER'S SIDE GUIDE RAIL: PASSENGER SIDE CABLE DROPPED OUT OF CHAMBER AND SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE BECOME STUCK, LEAVING OCCUPANT WITHOUT PROPER RESTRAINT. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT RECALL WAS ONLY FOR DRIVER'S SIDE, AND ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER COST. *AK *ML

20 of 107 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1993
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
19962000Routine
199418000Routine
1993 — this page107200Routine
199214200Routine
199117110Routine
199012121Fatalities reported

Compare every Colt year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 12, 1997. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.