1994 DODGE SHADOW Recalls, Complaints & Safety

WHILE DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON I-85 IN CARNESVILLE, GA, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK RIGHT OF MY CAR. I LOOKED BACK AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE DIRECTION OF MY BACK RIGHT TIRE. I BEGAN TO SLOW MY CAR BY LETTING OFF THE GAS. AT THIS TIME MY CAR BEGAN TO SWERVE OUT OF CONTROL, FIRST VEERING RIGHT. I TRIED TO REDIRECT THE CAR BACK TO THE ROAD AS IT WAS HEADING TOWARDS SOME TREES. THE CAR THE SWERVED OUT OF CONTROL TO THE LEFT CAUSING MY CAR TO GO TOWARD THE MEDIAN OF THE INTERSTATE. IT HIT A PATCH OF MUD AND GRASS, WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO FLIP. WHEN THE CAR STOPPED IT WAS FACING THE NORTH BOUND LANE. THE BACK RIGHT TIRE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2010 AND WAS NEW. I HAD ONLY DRIVEN ABOUT 3,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

Crash 1 injured

FRONT PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SEATBELT DOES NOT LOCK INTO A SECURE POSITION. WHEN FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IS OPENED, SEATBELT MECHANISM DOES NOT MOVE SHOULDER BELT TO THE FULL OPEN POSITION. WHEN FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IS CLOSED WITH IGNITION KEY TURNED ON, FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT TRAVEL TO THE LOCKED POSITION. FRONT PASSENGER ONLY HAS USE OF MANUAL LAP BELT FOR ACCIDENT PROTECTION. THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT MOVE INTO THE ANCHORED LOCATION FOR PROTECTION. EACH TIME VEHICLE IS TURNED ON OR TURNED OFF, AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT MECHANISM HAS LESS MOVEMENT AND IS BARELY MOVING THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE COMPLETELY OPENED POSITION AND THE COMPLETELY LOCKED POSITION. *TR

94 DODGE SHADOW AND SOME OTHER YEARS AROUND MY AREA ARE GOING BAD HAVING TO REPLACE THE COMPUTERS AND THEY ARE COSTLY. *NM

CHRYSLER CORPORATION REFUSES TO MAKE AVAILABLE REPAIR PARTS FOR THE SHIFT LINKAGE CABLES IN THE DODGE SHADOW AND SIMILAR VEHICLES. WHERE THE SHIFT CABLE ATTACHES TO THE TRANSMISSION THERE ARE PLASTIC "SNAP" GROMMETS THAT HOLD THE END OF THE SHIFT CABLE TO THE TRANSMISSION. SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN USED FOR YEARS ON SIMILAR APPLICATIONS BY VARIOUS AUTO MAKERS. WHEN THAT GROMMENT WEARS OUT, DODGE DOES NOT MAKE IT AVAILABLE AS A SEPARATE REPAIR PART AND INSTEAD WANTS TO SELL A $130.00+ (I LAST CHECKED SEVERAL YEARS AGO) COMPLETE SHIFT CABLE TO REPLACE A 50 CENT PART. I AM PERSONALLY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE ON TWO CARS (A 93 & A 94) BUT HAVE HEARD OF IT ON OTHER CARS. CHRYSLER MAKES MANY OTHER LINKAGE SNAP GROMMETS AVAILABLE AND I SEE THIS AS PURE GREED ON THEIR PART TO NOT MAKE THESE SIMPLE REPAIR PARTS AVAILABLE. I WOULD HAPPILY PAY SEVERAL $$'S APIECE FOR THESE OVER HAVING TO BUY A VERY EXPENSIVE CABLE AND ITS ASSOCIATED LABOR TO CHANGE. DISCUSSIONS WITH VARIOUS DEALER PARTS PERSONNEL SIMPLY RESULTS IN A SHRUG OF THE SHOULDERS. THE DESIGN OF THE SHIFT SYSTEM KEEPS THE PARTS FROM COMING APART BUT LEADS TO VERY SLOPPY/DIFFICULT SHIFTING WHEN THIS PART IS WORN. THERE ARE TWO OF THESE ON EACH VEHICLE. I CAN NOT TELL YOU IF THEY ARE IDENTICAL OR NOT, BUT I SUSPECT THEY ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SIZES TO KEEP THEM FROM GETTING CROSSED DURING ASSEMBLY. *JB

VEHICLE 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

Crash

CAM SHAFT BROKE AT 60,000 MILES ON A VACATION TRIP.... COST OF ON ROAD REPAIRS... $600. *LA

PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERS ON DODGE SHADOW BECOME TRANSLUCENT WITH AGE. LAMPS CAN BE SEEN BY ONCOMING CARS BUT DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD AHEAD. OKAY ON WELL-LIT CITY STREETS BUT HEADLIGHTS HAVE ALMOST NO EFFECT IN THE COUNTRY. THIS IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN, AND CLEARLY IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE MANUFACTURER TO LET IT HAPPEN. *CB

ELECTRICAL, TAIL LAMP, BRAKE LAMP WIRING, AND WIRING HARNESS. *JB

Fire

THE RIGHT BLINKER FAILED AND WAS REPLACED.*YH *TS

WHILE DRIVING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF THE VEHICLE DUE TO BROKEN LUGS AND STRUCK THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM

ON 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

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY STALL. THERE IS NO PRIOR WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*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

Crash

WHILE DRIVING HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AT ABOUT 30-35MPH CAR ROLLED AND THE AIR BAG NEVER CAME OUT

Crash 1 injured

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR ,CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS RECEIVING RECALL REPAIR 99V212 WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, THE SEAT WAS BROKEN AND WAS IN A RECLINING POSITION WHICH MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, CONSUMER TRADED THE CAR IN AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. *SLC

INTERMITTENT STALLING - ENGINE STALLS WHEN GAS PEDAL IS RELEASED. *AK

THE CAR HAS PLASTIC LENS COVERS OVER A SEALED UNIT ON THE HEADLIGHTS. MOISTURE COLLECTS ON THE INSIDE OF THE PLASTIC ENCLOSURE AND THE PLASTIC HAS BECOME CLOUDED TO THE POINT THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. THE PROCEDURE TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS I AM TOLD WILL TAKE ALMOST 2 HOURS IN LABOR THEREBY NECCESSITATING AN UNREASONABLE CHARGE DUE TO DESIGN FLAWS. ALSO THE ADJUSTMENT DEVICE TO AIM HEADLIGHTS DOES NOT FUNCTION DUE TO POOR DESIGN. TO CURE MY PROBLEM WILL REQUIRE ME TO BUY COMPLETELY NEW HEADLIGHTS AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE REPLACEMENTS. HAS THIS ISSUE BEEN ADDRESSED BEFORE? IF SO DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE? THANK YOU, JOHN BAUGH. *AK

LOWER SEAT BACK ATTACHING BOLTS BROKE ON THE PASSENGER SEAT WHICH COULD CAUSE SEAT TO RELEASE FROM THE UPRIGHT POSITION. VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVER SEAT. RECALL NUMBER 99V212000. .*AK THE RECALL WAS FOR THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT FAILURE BUT MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PASSENGER SIDE SEAT FAILURE. *YH

PASSING A VEHICLE AT 45 MPH. CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WITH FOOT OFF GAS TO ABOUT 65MPH. PUMPED BRAKES AND APPLIED PRESSURE TO SLOW VEHICLE. CAR DID NOT RESPOND TO BRAKING. FINALLY SLOWED TO ABOUT 45. LET FOOT OFF BRAKE AND CAR ACCELERATED "OUT OF CONTROL" UNTIL BRAKE PRESSURE SLOWED CAR AGAIN. CAUTIOUSLY LIFTED FOOT OFF BRAKE AND CAR OPERATED "NORMALLY". CONTACTED CORTESE DODGE (DEALER IN ROCHESTER, NY) AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A CABLE THAT "GOT STUCK". THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THEY HAD REPAIRED SEVERAL CARS THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM. AND "...COME TO THINK OF IT, THEY WERE ALL DODGE SHADOWS." FORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED IN A RURAL AREA WITH NO CROSS STREETS OR IMMINENT INTERSECTIONS. *AK

BOTH PASSENGER'S SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS BROKE OFF.DELAER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE. ALL FOUR, FRONT AND REAR MOUNTS BROKE AT 40,000 MILES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

EXTERIOR PAINT CHIPPING ALL AROUND THE CAR, HAVE PERFORMED REGULAR WAXING THROUGHOUT LIFE OF THE CAR. IS THERE ARE RECALL ON THIS PAINT, IT SEEMS THAT A SIX-SEVEN YEAR OLD CAR SHOULD NOT DO THIS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITH SUMMARY. *AK

REAR HATCH LEAKS WATER, NOISY RT FRONT SUSP. CONSTANTLY HAVING PROBLEMS . HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALER SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WATER LEAKS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, TRAILING AXLE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AIR COND. IDLER NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN. THERE HAVE BEEN FORTY NINE INSTANCES OF TRAILING AXLE FAILURE REPORTED TO NHTSA. LOCAL MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME OF FIVE FAILURES THEY HAVE FOUND IN MY AREA. IT SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN OF TRIAILING AXLE FAILURES. MUST BE THE REASON THEY ARE NOT COVERED UNDER. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT A POSSIBLE RECALL BE LOOKED INTO. ALSO THE ENGINE HAS STARTED TO USE A QUART OF OIL EVER ONE THOUSAND MILES SINCE APPROXIMATELY FIFTY THOUSAND MILES. MY THOUGHTS ARE THAT WHEN YOU PAY $14,000. 00 FOR A VEHICLE THAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO GET BETTER SERVICE FROM IT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205-60X14 )

PAINT WAS PEELING OFF HOOD. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *AK

MY CAR SLIPPED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE AND RAN ME OVER. I BROKE MY BACK IN THREE PLACES. *AK

Crash 1 injured

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS WERE OUT DUE TO A BAD WIRE HARNESS. THE HARNESS HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK*ML

WHILE DRIVING WOULD TRY TO ROLL UP OR DOWN FRONT WINDOWS. IT WAS DIFFICULT. PULLED OVER & PUSHED WINDOW WITH HANDS, FRONT WINDOW FELL WITHOUT WARNING. THE FRONT WINDOW CLIP HAD BROKEN. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP & INFORMED NOTHING WRONG WITH WINDOWS OR WINDING MECHANISM. *AK

THE TEMPRATURE GUAGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RUN HOT AFTER THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE.

DRIVE BELT TENSIONER PULLEY PROGRESSIVELY MISALIGNED ITSELF OVER TIME, CAUSING THE ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT TO COME OFF . THIS LEAVES THE DRIVER WITH NO POWER STEERING, NO CHARGING SYSTEM, AND A DAMAGED ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT. THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED ON 02/24/1997. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPEND ON 1/14 2000. I BELIEVE A T.S.B EXISTS CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. IN MY OPINION, IT SHOULD BE A RECALL. THIS CAN RESULT IN A MOTORIST WITH A WEAK BATTERY STRANDED. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED RECALL COMPONENT FAILURE PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE (99V-212). MJS

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH BOLTS WITHIN THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE,CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO FALL BACKWARDS AND LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK UNDER CONTROL AND TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *AK

PAINT IS SEVERLY PEELING ON HOOD AND ROOF-EVERY TEAL DODGE THAT I HAVE SEEN THE PAINT HAS BEEN PEELING. I HAVE E-MAIL THE DODGE CORP. 2 TIMES AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE. PLEASE HELP!!! PAINT, NO SAFETY DEFEC T. *AKY

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 25 MPH CONSUMER HEARD SOME NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR REINFORCEMENT AXLE BAR BROKE, CAUSING A LOUD NOISE. WHEN CONSUMER WAS MARKING A RIGHT TURN ON MARCH 13TH, THE OTHER PART OF THE REAR AXLE BAR CAME FLYING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, AND NOISE THAT WAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. STOPPED WHEN THE REINFORCEMENT AXLE BAR CAME OFF. *AK

WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR I DID TEST THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM AND IT SEEMED TO BE IN PROPER WORKING CONDITION AND FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. ALSO, SINCE A/C WAS AN OPTION I PAID FOR I EXPECTED TO GET IT. FOUR DAYS LATER I TURNED ON THE A/C AND ALL THAT WOULD BLOW OUT WAS WARM AIR. I HAD PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY SO I WAS NOT TO ALARMED. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY TESTED IT AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING CORRECTLY. I THEN TESTED IT MYSELF AND AGAIN ALL THAT BLEW WAS WARM AIR. I PROCEEDED TO TRY TO WORK WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND ENDED UP BRINGING THE CAR BACK 4 OR 5 TIMES FOR THEM TO LOOK AT THE A/C. BY THEN I WAS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED AND DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTOMOTIVE SHOP TO HAVE THEM PERFORM A FULL CHECK OF THE SYSTEM. THEY DID DO A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM AS WELL AS A CHECK FOR ANY LEAKS AND ADDING ONE AND A HALF POUNDS OF FREON. THEY REPORTED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAKS AND YES THE FREON WAS LOW SO THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE PROBLEM. WHEN WE TURNED ON THE A/C, NOW WITH THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FREON, IT STILL WOULD NOT BLOW ANYTHING OTHER THAN WARM AIR. I FEEL THAT IF THE DEALERSHIP HAD CHECKED IT THOROUGHLY ALL THOSE TIMES THE CAR WAS IN THEIR SHOP THEY WOULD HAVE KNOWN IT WAS THAT LOW ON FREON AND WHAT'S MORE I FEEL LIKE I WAS SOLD THE CAR WITH THE A/C OPTION AND THEY EITHER KNEW FROM THE START IT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY BUT NEVER DISCLOSED THAT TO ME OR ELSE THEY FOUND IT DID NOT WORK AFTER THE FACT AND RATHER THAN DO THE CORRECT THING AND REPLACE IT, SINCE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, OR REPAIR WHAT WAS NOT FUNCTIONING THEY CHOOSE TO PLAY GAMES AND GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND. ONE OF THE DECIDING FACTORS IN MY PURCHASING THIS CAR WAS THAT IT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AIR CONDITIONING, SINCE THE AVERAGE TEMP. IN THE SUMMER HERE IS 110 DEGREES, AND HAD I KNOWN THE CARS AIR CONDITIONING DID NOT WORK I WOULD NEVER HAVE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE!

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER SEATBACK BOLT BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT BACK TO FALL BACK, ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND COMING TO A STOP, BRAKES WILL GO STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD, AND CONSUMER HAS TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GET THE BRAKES BACK UP, INSPECTION SHOWED FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LINE. . *AK

PAINT PEELING OF HOOD, FENDERS AND ROOF. *AK

WHILE AJUSTING THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT, THE LOWER SEATBACK ATTACHING BOLT FAILED, CAUSING SEAT TO FALL BACKWARD.CONSUMER LEARND OF A MFR. RECALL FOR A 1992 VEHICLE / NHSTA RECALL# 97V-078. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

HORN ALWAYS BLOWS FUSES; LIGHTER BLOWS FUSES AND THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTIONED.