1991 Dodge Colt Problems: Seat belts (17 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1991 Dodge Colt is Seat belts (53% of 17 owner reports). There are 1 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Seat belts — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 17 complaints · 1 recalls

What problems show up on the 1991 Dodge Colt?

9 of 17 filings named Seat belts (53% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (2 reports).

There are 1 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1990 has 12 reports on file; this year has 17. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1991 Dodge Colt

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 1 campaigns on file below.
  2. Seat belts. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Seat belts. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Seat belts 9 complaints · 52.9% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 1
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 2
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) appears in 9 of 17 owner complaints (52.9%) in this vehicle snapshot. Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 9 complaints, 52.9% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 9 · 52.9% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 11.8% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 2 · 11.8% Engine (ENGINE): 2 complaints, 11.8% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 · 11.8% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 5.9% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 · 5.9% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 1 complaints, 5.9% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 crash reports 1 · 5.9% Steering (STEERING): 1 complaints, 5.9% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 · 5.9% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 13 complaints, 76.5% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 13 · 76.5% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 9 52.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 11.8% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 2 11.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 5.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 5.9% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 1 5.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 13 76.5% 1 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1995; the first recall shown was reported in May 1995. 1995-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1995-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1995-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1996-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 1996-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Dec 1994 Jan 2003 Recall campaign 95V103003 ◆ Recall campaign 95V103003 Investigation PE94093 ● Investigation PE94093 Investigation PE96007 ● Investigation PE96007 Investigation EA96014 ● Investigation EA96014
  • Campaign 95V103003 was reported 77 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1995-Q1 Owner reports 1
1995-Q3 Owner reports 1
1995-Q4 Owner reports 1
1996-Q2 Owner reports 2
1996-Q3 Owner reports 2
1996-Q4 Owner reports 2
1997-Q1 Owner reports 1
1997-Q2 Owner reports 2
1997-Q3 Owner reports 1
1999-Q3 Owner reports 1
2000-Q1 Owner reports 1
2000-Q2 Owner reports 1
2003-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 95V103003
Defect investigation 1 PE94093
Defect investigation 1 PE96007
Defect investigation 1 EA96014
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (1)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Seat belts.

  1. Recall campaign 95V103003

    Seat belts

    Report date
    Component:
    Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
    Consequence:
    THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 17 complaints · page 1 of 1
2003-01-23Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10004544
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HAD SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. TS SCC
2000-04-03Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 784590
CrashFireInjuryDeath
BOTH MOTORIZED SHOULDER HARNESSES FAIL TO MOVE WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED. NLM
2000-03-13Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 858373
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WIRING HARNESS FROM THE BATTERY TO THE FIREWALL SHORT CIRCUITED, CAUSING AN UNDER HOOD FIRE. *AK
1999-07-13Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 547237
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ECU MODULE COMPUTER MODULE FAILED CAUSING COMPLETE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. MJS
1997-07-01Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 603440
CrashFireInjuryDeath
RECALL REPAIR NOT PERFORMED ON SEAT BELT BUCKLES DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS.
1997-06-11Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 518455
CrashFireInjuryDeath
SHOULDER STRAP TIGHTENS AROUND THE NECK AND SHOULDERS.
1997-06-03Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 812722
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE FUEL INJECTOR IN THE FUEL PUMP AREA JUST DOWN AND ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN IN FULL OPERATION. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK
1997-01-13Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 807578
CrashFireInjuryDeath
UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN 95V103003 DEALER REPLACED ONLY THE BUCKLE/LATCH PLATE INSERTS BUT WON'T LOCK INTO BUCKLE, DEALER REFUSES TO FIX, AND INDICATES THAT THE RECALL DIDN'T REQUIRE FIXING LATCH PLATE. *AK
1996-10-25Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 510605
CrashFireInjuryDeath
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER RESTRAINTS ARE POSITIONED IN AN IMPROPER LOCATION/ PULLS UP AGAINST NECK AND FACE OF FRONT OCCUPANTS.
1996-10-03Engine (ENGINE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 479700
CrashFireInjuryDeath
EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS A HOLE IN IT, CAUSING FUMES TO LEAK INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1991 Dodge Colt?

Owners named Seat belts most often — 9 of 17 reports (53%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1991 Dodge Colt?

NHTSA lists 1 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Seat belts. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1991 Dodge Colt?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources