1993 Dodge Colt Problems: Seat belts (107 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1993 Dodge Colt is Seat belts (86% of 107 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Seat belts — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 107 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 1993 Dodge Colt?

92 of 107 filings named Seat belts (86% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (4 reports).

There are 2 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 1992 has 13 reports on file; this year has 107. 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 1993 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 2 campaigns on file below.
  2. Seat belts. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  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 92 complaints · 86.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 3
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 3
  • Deaths 0
All Dodge Colt years →
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 92 of 107 owner complaints (86.0%) in this vehicle snapshot. Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 92 complaints, 86.0% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 2 crash reports 92 · 86.0% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 4 complaints, 3.7% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 4 · 3.7% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 3 complaints, 2.8% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 3 · 2.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 0.9% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 · 0.9% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 1 complaints, 0.9% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 · 0.9% Steering (STEERING): 1 complaints, 0.9% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 · 0.9% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 1 complaints, 0.9% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 · 0.9% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 58 complaints, 54.2% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 58 · 54.2% 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) 92 86.0% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 4 3.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 3 2.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 0.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 0.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 1 0.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 0.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 58 54.2% 2 crashes · 0 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 1997. 1995-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 1995-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 1995-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 1995-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 1996-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 1996-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 1996-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 1996-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 1997-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 1997-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 1998-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 1999-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 1999-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 1999-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2000-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2000-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2000-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2001-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2001-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2001-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2003-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 1995 Jan 2012 Recall campaign 97V063002 ◆ Recall campaign 97V063002 Recall campaign 97V073002 ◆ Recall campaign 97V073002 Investigation PE96007 ● Investigation PE96007 Investigation EA96014 ● Investigation EA96014 Investigation DP03002 ● Investigation DP03002
  • Campaign 97V063002 was reported 752 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 97V073002 was reported 811 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 2
1995-Q2 Owner reports 4
1995-Q3 Owner reports 5
1995-Q4 Owner reports 4
1996-Q1 Owner reports 2
1996-Q2 Owner reports 4
1996-Q3 Owner reports 11
1996-Q4 Owner reports 8
1997-Q1 Owner reports 4
1997-Q2 Owner reports 2
1997-Q3 Owner reports 2
1997-Q4 Owner reports 5
1998-Q1 Owner reports 1
1998-Q2 Owner reports 1
1998-Q4 Owner reports 1
1999-Q1 Owner reports 11
1999-Q2 Owner reports 11
1999-Q3 Owner reports 2
1999-Q4 Owner reports 3
2000-Q1 Owner reports 3
2000-Q2 Owner reports 1
2000-Q3 Owner reports 3
2000-Q4 Owner reports 2
2001-Q1 Owner reports 3
2001-Q2 Owner reports 4
2001-Q3 Owner reports 1
2001-Q4 Owner reports 1
2002-Q2 Owner reports 3
2003-Q4 Owner reports 1
2006-Q2 Owner reports 1
2012-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 97V063002
Recall campaign 1 97V073002
Defect investigation 1 PE96007
Defect investigation 1 EA96014
Defect investigation 1 DP03002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (2)

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 97V063002

    Safety recall 97V063002

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 97V073002

    Seat belts

    Report date
    Component:
    Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
    Consequence:
    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.
    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 107 complaints · page 1 of 5
2012-01-31Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 10446063
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 DODGE COLT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CABLE WAS CAME LOOSE AND CAUSED THE SEAT BELTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES PRIOR TO THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,194 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
2006-05-15Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10157541
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SEAT BELTS FOR MY 1993 DODGE COLT IN 1997. I HAD THEM FIXED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL, BUT THEY FAILED AGAIN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS AN AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT SLIDE FOR THE SHOULDER HARNESS ON BOTH FRONT SEATS AND IT DOES NOT WORK. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND UNACCEPTABLE. I AM AFRAID TO USE MY CAR, AFRAID WE'LL DIE IN A CRASH. PLEASE GET THE MANUFACTURER TO RECALL THIS AGAIN OR AT LEAST ALLOW ME ANOTHER "FIX" SO THAT WE CAN BE SAFE. TIA. *NM
2003-12-10Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10048291
CrashFireInjuryDeath
CONSUMER WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A RETRACTABLE SEAT BELT PROBLEM. THE CABLE CORD CAME LOOSE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE CABLE CORD WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY SEAT BELT REPAIRS NOT MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. *AK *CB THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED BACK IN 1997. *JB
2002-06-27Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 763554
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THIS IS FOLLOW-UP TO ODI ID#543609. PASSIVE RESTRAINT ON DRIVERS SIDE FAILED & REPAIRS WHICH THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE DRIVE MOTOR BELT FAILED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. CALLS TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE HAVE FAILED. THE RECALL IS FOR FAILED RESTRAINTS WHICH MINE HAS DONE BUT THE MFG SAYS THE MOTOR IS NOT COVERED EVEN THOUGH THE MOTOR BELT WAS "STRIPPED" BECAUSE THE CABLES GOT STUCK IN THE TRACKS. THIS CAR IS OLD BUT ONLY HAS 53K MILES ON IT. THE SEAT BELTS ARE REQUIRED BY FEDERAL & STATE LAWS & SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MFG FOR ANY FAILURE OTHER THAN COLLISION OR INTENTIONAL DAMAGE. PLEASE HELP ME.*AK
2002-06-26Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 763511
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED! BEARINGS WERE ALL PITTED & LOPSIDED. GARAGE ATTEMPTED TO GET A USED REPLACEMENT WITHOUT SUCCESS. SEVERAL TRANSMISSION SHOPS TOLD ME THAT THEY THINK EVERY ONE MADE HAS FAILED? I COULDN'T GET A USED REPLACEMENT WITHIN A 100 MILE RADIUS! I FINALLY GOT A SHOP TO INSTALL A REBUILD KIT AT A TOTAL COST OF APROX $900. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE NO OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS TRANS FROM WHAT I HEARD TRYING TO GET MINE REPAIRE.*AK
2002-06-26Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 763508
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED AGAIN AFTER RECALL WAS DONE SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I CALLED DEALER & TEHY SAID THEY WOULD REQUEST THE PARTS & REPAIR AGAIN. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER THEY CALLED ME & SAID THAT THE RECALL ONLY COVERED THE TRACK HARDWARE & THAT THE BELT MOTOR WAS STRIPPED. THEY REFUSED TO INSTALL THE RECALL PARTS THEY HAD WITHOUT REPLACING THE MOTOR AT A COST OF OVER $600. I TURNED THIS DOWN & WAS CHARGED $35 FOR THEIR TROUBLE???. I THINK IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT CHRYSLER OWN UP TO THIS PROBLEM! THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THESE CARS ON THE ROAD WITH SEAT BELTS THAT DON'T WORK. I THOUGHT SEATS BELTS HAD TO BE REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIPS NO MATTER HOW THEY FAILED? SOMEBODY PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFOR MYSELF, FAMILY OR OTHERS ARE INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
2001-10-03Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 563593
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS ON RECALL AND FIXED, AFTER IT WAS REPLACED THE SEAT BELT TRACK FELL APART. *YH
2001-07-06Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 892073
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ROOF STRUTS IN VEHICLE WERE RUSTED AND REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP IN SUMMER OF 1999. TWO YEARS LATER, STRUTS WERE RUSTING AGAIN. DEALERSHIP WAS REFUSING TO ASSIST CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
2001-06-27Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 561793
CrashFireInjuryDeath
SEAT BELT IS RAVELING, CONSUMER HAD RECALL 97V073002 COMPLETED REGARDING THE GUIDE RAIL. *SLC
2001-05-21Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 888779
CrashFireInjuryDeath
RECALL 97 V 073 002/DRIVER'S SIDE GUIDE RAIL: DRIVER'S SIDE PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STAY IN FORWARD POSITION, AND NOT SECURE OCCUPANT. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THIS VEHICLE NOT COVER UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE DEALER DAMAGED THE DOOR IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE SEAT BELT. THE SEAT BELT STILL DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. *YH

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1993 Dodge Colt?

Owners named Seat belts most often — 92 of 107 reports (86%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1993 Dodge Colt?

NHTSA lists 2 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 1993 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