1992 Dodge Stealth Problems: Transmission / driveline (91 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1992 Dodge Stealth is Transmission / driveline (49% of 91 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 91 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 1992 Dodge Stealth?

45 of 91 filings named Transmission / driveline (49% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Seat belts (21 reports).

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

The 1991 has 63 reports on file; this year has 91. 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 Stealth

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. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  3. Seat belts. Check that every belt latches, retracts and that related recalls are closed.
  4. Wheels. Look for bent rims, missing lug nuts and vibration at speed.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Transmission / driveline. 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: Transmission / driveline 45 complaints · 49.5% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 2
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 1
  • Deaths 3
Compare with 1991 →
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 Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) appears in 45 of 91 owner complaints (49.5%) in this vehicle snapshot. Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 45 complaints, 49.5% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 45 · 49.5% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 21 complaints, 23.1% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 crash reports 21 · 23.1% Wheels (WHEELS): 14 complaints, 15.4% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 14 · 15.4% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 8 complaints, 8.8% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 8 · 8.8% Engine (ENGINE): 7 complaints, 7.7% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 7 · 7.7% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 3 complaints, 3.3% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 crash reports 3 · 3.3% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 2.2% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 2 · 2.2% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 1.1% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 · 1.1% Steering (STEERING): 1 complaints, 1.1% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 · 1.1% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 61 complaints, 67.0% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 1 fire reports 61 · 67.0% 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)
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 45 49.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 21 23.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 14 15.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 8 8.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 7 7.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 3 3.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 2 2.2% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 1.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 1 1.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 61 67.0% 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 Oct 1996. 1995-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 1999-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1999-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2000-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2001-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2001-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2001-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2002-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2002-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2002-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2002-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2003-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2003-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2004-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2004-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2005-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2006-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2006-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2011-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 1995 Apr 2017 Recall campaign 96V143003 ◆ Recall campaign 96V143003 Recall campaign 02V143002 ◆ Recall campaign 02V143002 Investigation PE96004 ● Investigation PE96004 Investigation PE02013 ● Investigation PE02013
  • Campaign 02V143002 was reported 1,427 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
1996-Q1 Owner reports 1
1996-Q2 Owner reports 1
1996-Q4 Owner reports 1
1997-Q1 Owner reports 1
1997-Q2 Owner reports 2
1997-Q3 Owner reports 1
1998-Q1 Owner reports 1
1998-Q2 Owner reports 1
1998-Q3 Owner reports 1
1998-Q4 Owner reports 1
1999-Q1 Owner reports 3
1999-Q2 Owner reports 2
1999-Q3 Owner reports 1
2000-Q2 Owner reports 1
2000-Q3 Owner reports 4
2000-Q4 Owner reports 3
2001-Q1 Owner reports 3
2001-Q3 Owner reports 2
2001-Q4 Owner reports 2
2002-Q1 Owner reports 2
2002-Q2 Owner reports 2
2002-Q3 Owner reports 5
2002-Q4 Owner reports 2
2003-Q1 Owner reports 3
2003-Q2 Owner reports 1
2003-Q3 Owner reports 3
2003-Q4 Owner reports 1
2004-Q1 Owner reports 3
2004-Q2 Owner reports 2
2004-Q3 Owner reports 3
2005-Q2 Owner reports 1
2006-Q2 Owner reports 8
2006-Q3 Owner reports 3
2006-Q4 Owner reports 4
2007-Q1 Owner reports 2
2007-Q3 Owner reports 1
2007-Q4 Owner reports 2
2008-Q1 Owner reports 3
2011-Q2 Owner reports 1
2015-Q2 Owner reports 1
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q1 Owner reports 1
2017-Q1 Owner reports 2
2017-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 96V143003
Recall campaign 1 02V143002
Defect investigation 1 PE96004
Defect investigation 1 PE02013
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 Transmission / driveline and Brakes.

  1. Recall campaign 02V143002

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    LOW OIL LEVELS IN THE TRANSFER CASE COULD CAUSE BEARING DAMAGE AND RESULT IN DRIVE TRAIN LOCKUP, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSFER CASE FOR INDICATIONS OF OIL LEAKAGE. VEHICLES THAT HAVE NO OIL LEAKAGE WILL HAVE THE TRANSFER CASE OIL CHANGED. VEHICLES THAT HAVE OIL LEAKAGE WILL HAVE THE TRANSFER CASE RESEALED OR REPLACED IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DECEMBER 2, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 96V143003

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE WILL CAUSE ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE WARNING LAMP AND REDUCTION IN BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSES WITH REVISED HOSE ASSEMBLIES.
    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 91 complaints · page 1 of 4
2017-06-21Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11000499
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 DODGE STEALTH. THE CONTACT OBSERVED AN OIL LEAK ON THE GROUND, WHICH LED TO OIL LEAKING FROM THE TRANSFER CASE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE LOCAL DEALER (GEORGIA CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP LOCATED AT 12114 US-301, STATESBORO, GA, 30458) WHERE AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS OVER TEN YEARS OLD AND THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V143002 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE DURING THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. AS A RESULT, THE VIN WAS REMOVED FROM THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 112,000.
2017-03-31Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10969776
CrashFireInjuryDeath
REOCCURRING ISSUE WITH T-CASE. T-CASE HAS SEIZED UP
2017-01-26Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10947783
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 DODGE STEALTH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE LEAKED OIL AND DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE DEALER WOULD BE CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE CALLED BACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO ONE CALLED HIM BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,780....UPDATED 03/15/17 *BF
2016-01-22Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10821784
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA INFLATORS,TRANSMISSION,MAX SPEED APROX TO DRIVE 5MPH, WILL NOT GO FASTER
2015-08-15Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10748856
CrashFireInjuryDeath
CHRYSLER TOLD ME TO TAKE MY CAR TO STEVE LANDERS CHRYSLER IN LITTLE ROCK, AR AND AFTER MULTIPLE FRUSTRATING CALLS WITH THEM AND CHRYSLER THEY A MONTH LATER TOLD ME THEY WEREN'T FIXING MY CAR BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PARTS WHEN THEY TOLD ME WHERE TO FIND THE PARTS. IT'S A SAFETY RECALL THAT DOESN'T EXPIRE BUT THEY REFUSE TO FIX IT.
2015-06-04Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10723404
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 DODGE STEALTH. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. UPON ACCELERATION; THE CONTACT STOPPED AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DRIVE POWER TRAIN FAILED AND THE REAR. DRIVE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ITS WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.
2011-05-05Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10399259
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 DODGE STEALTH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CAPACITOR WAS LEAKING ACID ONTO THE MAIN COMPUTER BOARD. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.
2008-03-24Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10222217
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD 1 DAY AND MY CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING. *TR
2008-01-09Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Wheels (WHEELS)
NHTSA ODI 10214346
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 DODGE STEALTH. THE TRANSFER CASE FAILED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH. THE CONTACT MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE TRANSFER CASE WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED SINCE THE FAILURE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER IS :02V143002. THE TOTAL COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS $1,709.01. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,001. UPDATED 02/15/08. *LJ
2008-01-09Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 10214281
CrashFireInjuryDeath
SEATBELTS WILL NOT RETRACT IN MY CAR. STAY LOOSE ALL THE TIME. HAVE TO PUSH THEM BACK IN TO RETRACT. *TR

Frequently asked questions

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

Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 45 of 91 reports (49%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1992 Dodge Stealth?

NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Transmission / driveline and Brakes. 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 Stealth?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. 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