Engine
1.5L 4-cyl
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
When it fails
The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.
Vehicle age when the failure occurred
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 76 of 107 complaints with a usable failure date.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Seat belts
102 complaint records2 crash reports
"SHOULDER BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOESN'T WORK DUE TO GUARDRAIL MOTOR BREAKING. CONSUMER CAN'T USE THE SHOULDER BELT. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse seat belts parts in the directory →
Power train
5 complaint records
Owners filed 5 complaint records naming this system.
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse power train parts in the directory →
Seats
4 complaint records1 crash report
"CONSUMER BELIEVES CABLE THAT WAS CUT BY CONSUMER SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN RECALL FOR MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT SYSTEM.(97V073000)...."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse seats parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| DP03002 opened May 2003 | closed Jul 2003 | Steering | STEERING COLUMN SEPARATION MR. LARRY A. SACKEY SUBMITTED A PETITION TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18, 2003, REQUESTING THAT NHTSAFURTHER INVESTIGATE THE DEFECTIVE COLLAPSIBLE STEERING SHAFT SYSTEM ON 1987-1995 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED... |
| EA96014 opened Jun 1996 | closed Jun 1997 | Seat Belts | AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FAILURE - led to recall 97V073002 THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ALLEGEDLY MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILS |
| PE96007 opened Jan 1996 | closed Jun 1996 | Seat Belts | AUTO SHOULDER BELT FAILURE THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ALLEGEDLY MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILS |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97V073002 | Seat Belts | 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. | Normally free |
| 97V063002 | Latches/Locks/Linkages | 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. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998204 1998-10-21 | Powertrain | 3,044 | On certain vehicles, leakage of lubricating oil from the transfer case could result in low levels of lubrication causing possible bearing seizure and wheel lock-up. This could result in loss of vehicle control and a possible crash. |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| R2118796A Feb 2016 | Engine And Engine Cooling | Valve Body. These may cause over drive cycling. | |
| 0800600REV Dec 2000 | Electrical System | SUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB | |
| 2300800B Nov 2000 | Seats | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT | |
| 230800 Mar 2000 | Seats | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT | |
| 080600 Feb 2000 | Electrical System | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A REVISED WIRE SPLICE PROCEDURE AND RELATED PARTS. *TT |
Show 3 more bulletins
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 233599REVA Oct 1999 | Structure | SUBJECT ON THE CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *MJS | |
| 233599 Sep 1999 | Seats | INFORMATION ON CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT | |
| 211093 Mar 1993 | Power Train | SHIFT CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE REVISION. *TW |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Pull and release every belt.A belt that retracts slowly or a buckle that will not latch matches this vehicle's seat-belt cluster.
- Drive it from a dead stop, twice, on a hill if you can.Shudder, hesitation, or a lurch under light throttle is how this vehicle's largest complaint cluster shows itself. Then ask for the transmission service history in writing; repeat repairs are a pattern, not a fluke.
- Run every power seat adjustment and check the seat frame.Motors that stall and seats that rock on their tracks are this vehicle's seat complaints.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 2 recall campaigns on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Dodge Colt →