1997 Dodge Viper

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure › frame and members. It has been recalled 4 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Structure › Frame and Members › Underbody Shields1
000
Structure › Frame and Members1
000
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner1
000

4 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic06E022000
Filed Mar 13, 20067,440 vehiclesBrake Parts, Inc.

Defect. CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. WHEN SUBJECT TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, AN INTERNAL SEAL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD LOSE FLEXIBILITY AND MAY CAUSE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK.

Risk. LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAD TO A DECREASE IN BRAKE LINE PRESSURE AND AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-323-0354.

Steering › Rack and Pinion › Rack01V313000
Filed Oct 4, 20017,050 vehiclesDaimlerchrysler Corporation

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES USED EXTENSIVELY IN TRACK TYPE RACING EVENTS AND SUBJECTED TO AGGRESSIVE DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD EXPERIENCECRACKING OF THE STEERING RACK MOUNTING BRACKETS.

Risk. THE CRACKS COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO SEPARATION OF THE STEERING RACK FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. SEPARATION OF THE STEERING RACK COULD RESULT IN UNEXPECTED STEERING LOOSENESS AND LAG.

Remedy. ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL HAVE A FIELD REPAIR KIT INSTALLED, CONSISTING OF LOWER FRAME RAIL REINFORCEMENT GUSSETS AND A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 20, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE INFORMATION WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Suspension › Rear01V312000
Filed Oct 4, 20014,645 vehiclesDaimlerchrysler Corporation

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES USED EXTENSIVELY IN TRACK TYPE RACING EVENTS AND SUBJECTED TO AGGRESSIVE DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD EXPERIENCE CRACKS AT THE WELDS OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTING BRACKET.

Risk. THE CRACKS COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO METAL FATIGUE AND DISLODGING OF THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTING BRACKET FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. SEPARATION OF THE DIFFERENTIAL MOUNTING BRACKET COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES AND REINFORCE THE VEHICLE'S FRAME. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 20, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module-inactive97V080000
Filed May 16, 1997125,000 vehiclesChrysler Corporation

Defect. THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT DESIGN ALLOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON VEHICLE IGNITION SHUT DOWN.

Risk. UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED MODULE.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Mar 3, 2003GA

THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM RECALL FOR FRAME WELDING, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PAY ENOUGH. DEALER AGREED TO MAKE REPAIRS. *JB

Structure › Frame and Members › Underbody Shields
Filed Dec 18, 2002KS

NHTSA#14417-01-V-313-000 STEERING RACCK MOUNTING BRACKET. THE CRACKS COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO SEPARATION OF THE STEERING RACK FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE: CONSUMER STATES THE FRAME HAS BROKE ON BOTH SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. TS

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Jun 12, 2000MD

WEAK POINT IN REAR TOW LINK MOUNT WHEN BRAKING EXCESSIVELY AND CORNERING CAUSED FRAME TO BREAK. *AK,

3 of 3 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20153100Routine
20144200Routine
20134200Routine
20061100Routine
20057100Routine
20048200Routine
20035400Routine
20021000Routine
20011300Routine
20004400Routine
19992400Routine
19983400Routine
1997 — this page3400Routine
19968300Routine
19953100Routine
19945100Routine
19932100Routine
19920100Routine

Compare every Viper 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: Mar 13, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.