1992 Dodge Daytona Problems: Body / frame (17 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1992 Dodge Daytona is Body / frame (35% of 17 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Body / frame — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 17 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 1992 Dodge Daytona?

6 of 17 filings named Body / frame (35% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Engine (2 reports).

There are 2 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Steering and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1991 has 13 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 1992 Dodge Daytona

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. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  3. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  4. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Body / frame. 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: Body / frame 6 complaints · 35.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 2
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 1
  • Deaths 2
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 Body / frame (STRUCTURE) appears in 6 of 17 owner complaints (35.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 6 complaints, 35.3% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 crash reports 6 · 35.3% Engine (ENGINE): 2 complaints, 11.8% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 · 11.8% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 1 complaints, 5.9% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 crash reports 1 · 5.9% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 5.9% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 1 · 5.9% Parking brake (PARKING BRAKE): 1 complaints, 5.9% of reports Parking brake (PARKING BRAKE) 1 · 5.9% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 1 complaints, 5.9% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 · 5.9% Steering (STEERING): 1 complaints, 5.9% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 · 5.9% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 1 complaints, 5.9% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 · 5.9% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 1 complaints, 5.9% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 · 5.9% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 14 complaints, 82.3% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 1 fire reports 14 · 82.3% 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)
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 6 35.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 2 11.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 5.9% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 5.9% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Parking brake (PARKING BRAKE) 1 5.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 5.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 1 5.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 5.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 5.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 14 82.3% 2 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 Feb 1992. 1995-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1995-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 1995-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1996-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 1998-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Feb 1992 Oct 2006 Recall campaign 92V015000 ◆ Recall campaign 92V015000 Recall campaign 93V114000 ◆ Recall campaign 93V114000
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1995-Q1 Owner reports 1
1995-Q3 Owner reports 2
1995-Q4 Owner reports 2
1996-Q3 Owner reports 1
1996-Q4 Owner reports 2
1997-Q1 Owner reports 2
1998-Q1 Owner reports 1
2000-Q3 Owner reports 1
2001-Q4 Owner reports 1
2002-Q2 Owner reports 1
2005-Q2 Owner reports 1
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
2006-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 92V015000
Recall campaign 1 93V114000
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 Steering and Body / frame.

  1. Recall campaign 92V015000

    Steering

    Report date
    Component:
    Steering (STEERING)
    Consequence:
    FRACTURES OF THE UPPER STEERING COLUMN SHAFT COUPLINGBOLT RESULT IN A LACK OF COUPLING LOAD ON THE SHAFT AND LOSS OF STEERINGCONTROL.
    Remedy:
    REPLACE THE ZINC PLATED BOLT WITH A PHOSPHATE PLATED BOLT.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 93V114000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    THE IMPROPERLY WELDED AREAS COULD CAUSE BODY PANELFLEXING AND SHEET METAL CRACKING, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN STRUCTURAL DAMAGE,COMPROMISING THE VEHICLE IMPACT PROTECTION CAPABILITY. THIS COULD INCREASE THELIKELIHOOD OF INJURY TO OCCUPANTS IF THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A COLLISIONACCIDENT.
    Remedy:
    SECURE THE FLOOR PAN TO THE FRONT FRAME RAILS BY BOLTING BOTH FRAME RAILS TO THE FLOOR PAN.
    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
2006-10-14Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10170836
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I HAD JUST PULLED THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT BACK FORWARD TO PERMIT MY 10 YEAR OLD SON TO GET IN THE BACK SEAT. I PUT THE SEAT BACK IN THE REAR POSITION, GOT IN AND SAT DOWN. THE SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD ONTO MY SON. HE WAS NOT INJURED BUT BADLY FRIGHTENED.. I HAVE A BAD LOWER BACK PROBLEM AND HAD MY REARWARD FALL NOT BEEN CUSHIONED BY MY SON"S BODY I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD A BACK INJURY. I TRAVEL AN INTERSTATE TO GO HOME FROM MY FATHER'S HOUSE IN ALBUQUERQUE AND I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED 5 MINUTES LATER. THE OUTBOARD SEAT BOLT HAD SHEARED OFF. THE CAR , OF COURSE, WAS UNDRIVEABLE IN THAT CONDITION. MY FATHER WAS ABLE TO FIND A SUBSTITUTE BOLT, INSTALLED IT AND I WAS ABLE TO GO HOME. I INTEND TO GO TO THE DEALER AND GET AN ORIGINAL BOLT. THE SCREW HOLDING THE SEAT TRIM/SEAT RELEASE COVER ALSO SHEARED AND I CANNOT PUT IT BACK TOGETHER SO I CAN PROPERLY USE MY SEAT RELEASE HANDLE. I HAVE THE SHEARED BOLT PIECES. *NM
2005-08-16Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10132985
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS SEAT FELL INTO THE BACK SEAT. LUCKILY I HAD SOME DIET PEPSI ON THE FLOOR AND ON THE BACK SEAT BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED ME FROM FALLING ALL THE WAY BACK AND POSSIBLY LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ONE OF THE TWO BOLTS HOLDING THE SEAT BACK TO THE RECLINER PIECE FAILED. I ORDERED A REPLACEMENT BOLT FROM DODGE. I HAVE THE OLD BOLT. *NM
2005-06-03Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 10124764
CrashFireInjuryDeath
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE 1992 DODGE DAYTONA SHAKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. CONSUMER ALSO IS REQUESTING A REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS DONE TO THE FRAME RAIL TO THE FLOOR PAN WELDS.*MR *NM
2002-06-02Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10009858
CrashFireInjuryDeath
IT WAS LIMITED PRODUCTION ENGINE THAT HAS A PROBLEM OF EATING TIMING BELTS, CRACKING CYLINDER HEADS, AND A/C FAILURE. WHEN THE TIMING BELT BREAKS, THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY DIES AND THERE IS A LOSS OF ALL POWER ASSIST INCLUDING STEERING. ANOTHER ONE OF THESE VEHICLES I OWN WENT THROUGH 5 CYLINDER HEADS AND 7 TIMING BELTS IN 83K MILES, BECAUSE OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF THIS SPECIAL ENGINE PRODUCED, THERE PROBABLY HAVEN'T BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS, BUT IF THE SERVICE RECORDS WERE PULLED FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER FOR ALL THE CARS WITH ENGINE VIN CODE "A" THE 2.2L 16V LOTUS DOHC TURBO III, 90% WILL HAVE HAD AT LEST ONE OF THESE PROBLEMS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AND PROBABLY MANY MORE THAT WHICH CONTINUED TO OCCUR AFTER THE FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED. AN OWNERS CLUB ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://TOPICA.COM/LIST/RT_MAILING_LIST HAS OVER 300 PEOPLE, SOME WITH MULTIPLE CARS LIKE MYSELF AND WOULD BE A GOOD SOURCE TO HELP DOCUMENT THESE PROBLEMS. *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****762546
2001-11-10Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 754359
CrashFireInjuryDeath
IN SEPTEMBER 2001,THE BOLT BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE MOTOR WAS FOUND TO BE MISSING WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO JUMP, AND TEARING THE TRANSMISSION LINE . TRANSMISSION FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER ENGINE. POSSIBLE CAUSE OF ENGINE FIRE? FIRE STARTED NEAR BATTERY ON WIRES POSSIBLY SHORTING THEM OUT. WHOLE CAR WAS LOST, DESTROYED BY FIRE. *AK
2000-07-19Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 865689
CrashFireInjuryDeath
PIN ON THE HINGES OF THE DOORS ARE TOO HEAVY & ARE WEIGHING THE VEHICLE DOWN. DOORS ARE PUTTING BIG DENT IN THE FENDER. THEY'VE BEEN REPAIRED TWICE. DEALER IS TRYING TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM.*AK
1998-01-27Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 820218
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN THE HOOD FLEW UP IN THE AIR, CAUSING THE HINGES TO SNAP. WHEN THE HINGES SNAPPED, THE HOOD HIT AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO BRING THE HOOD BACK DOWN, THE HOOD INJURED THE DRIVER IN THE PROCESS. THE HOOD HINGES AND WINDSHIELD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *AK
1997-02-03Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 808557
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DURING COLD WEATHER REAR LIFTGATE HYDRAULICS WILL NOT SUPPORT GATE. *AK
1997-01-02Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 513215
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE. *AK
1996-12-11Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 512182
CrashFireInjuryDeath
PAINT STARTED TO BLISTER AND PEEL OFF THE BODY OF VEHICLE. *AK

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1992 Dodge Daytona?

Owners named Body / frame most often — 6 of 17 reports (35%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1992 Dodge Daytona?

NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Steering and Body / frame. 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 1992 Dodge Daytona?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck. 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