Your vehicle report
1993 Dodge Colt
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 107
- Received Feb 1995 to Jan 2012
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract27 complaints · 25% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Serpentine belt breaks or slips off11 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #97V063002Excess 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.
- Recall #97V073002The 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 2 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 15 |
| 1996 | 25 |
| 1997 | 13 |
| 1998 | 3 |
| 1999 | 27 |
| 2000 | 9 |
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 107 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 27 | 25% | – | NHTSA recall #97V063002, #97V073002 |
| Serpentine belt breaks or slips off | 11 | 10% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #97V063002May 12, 199746,000 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #97V073002May 12, 199724,000 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: anchorage
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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1993 Dodge Colt.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN