The Dodge ARIES has 13 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 1981–1989. On average a defect was admitted 8.33 years after the car was built, the slowest took 24 years. The most recalled system is Service Brakes, Hydraulic (5 campaigns). Owners also filed 28 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Dodge ARIES
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 5 Read
What's wrong. Location of hydraulic brake tube to both rear wheels causes interference and chafing between the tubes and rear suspension trailing arm pivot brackets
Fix. Dealer will inspect rear wheel brake tubes and reroute to ensure proper tube to pivot bracket clearance. Any damaged tubes will also be replaced
What's wrong. Hydraulic brake tubing routed to the left rear wheel brake system may have been bent out of shape during assembly and could chafe against the exhaust system hanger bolt
Fix. Dealer will inspect and relocate tube, if necessary. A retaining clip will be installed to ensure adequate clearance for the tubing; any damaged tubes will also be replaced
What's wrong. On the involved vehicles, improper routing of the hydraulic brake tube could cause it to chafe against the park brake cables. Eventually, the brake tube may fail and brake fluid leakage may occur
Fix. Dealer will reroute the hydraulic brake tube, if necessary, without charge to owner
Suspension 3 Read
What's wrong. Federal mogul is recalling 6,903 aftermarket ball joint assemblies shipped between november 9, 2007 and march 26, 2008, which may have been packaged with incorrect nuts. The part numbers packaged with incorrect nuts are: k7147, k7329, k8683, and 104353. These parts were made for use on the various vehicles listed above
Risk. The nuts included in the packaging for these ball joint assemblies are missing the intended prevailing torque (self-locking) feature. If the incorrect nut was to become loose, the joining members may loosen leading to a separation of the ball joint. This may result in loss of vehicle control, possibly resulting in a…
Fix. Federal mogul will notify owners and replace the parts free of charge. The recall began on may 22, 2008. Owners can contact federal mogul at 877-489-6659
What's wrong. Federal mogul is recalling 6,903 aftermarket ball joint assemblies shipped between november 9, 2007 and march 26, 2008, which may have been packaged with incorrect nuts. The part numbers packaged with incorrect nuts are: k7147, k7329, k8683, and 104353. These parts were made for use on the various vehicles listed above
Risk. The nuts included in the packaging for these ball joint assemblies are missing the intended prevailing torque (self-locking) feature. If the incorrect nut was to become loose, the joining members may loosen leading to a separation of the ball joint. This may result in loss of vehicle control, possibly resulting in a…
Fix. Federal mogul will notify owners and replace the parts free of charge. The recall began on may 22, 2008. Owners can contact federal mogul at 877-489-6659
What's wrong. Federal mogul is recalling 6,903 aftermarket ball joint assemblies shipped between november 9, 2007 and march 26, 2008, which may have been packaged with incorrect nuts. The part numbers packaged with incorrect nuts are: k7147, k7329, k8683, and 104353. These parts were made for use on the various vehicles listed above
Risk. The nuts included in the packaging for these ball joint assemblies are missing the intended prevailing torque (self-locking) feature. If the incorrect nut was to become loose, the joining members may loosen leading to a separation of the ball joint. This may result in loss of vehicle control, possibly resulting in a…
Fix. Federal mogul will notify owners and replace the parts free of charge. The recall began on may 22, 2008. Owners can contact federal mogul at 877-489-6659
Engine And Engine Cooling 1 Read
What's wrong. The engine valve cover gasket may dislocate and allow an engine oil leak at the gasket
Risk. The leakage of oil in the engine compartment could causea fire
Fix. Replace gasket cover with revised cover, and rtv sealant will be applied in place of a gasket
Electrical System 1 Read
What's wrong. Battery cap vents may be partially or completely blocked with plastic flashing. Consequence of defect: a build up of internal gas pressure could occur which could result in case rupture, particularly during post charging. Should a person be in the vicinity of the battery when the case ruptures, they may be injured by the released gases and/or acid
Fix. Rework batteries by probing both vent orifices to eliminate any vent obstruction
Fuel System, Gasoline 1 Read
What's wrong. The potential for fuel leakage exists in the engine compartment at the fuel reservoir seam and its hose connections. The fuel reservoir is a silver colored can mounted to the air cleaner
Fix. The hoses and the metal tube that attaches to the fuel reservoir will be replaced with new components. The dealer will also replace or reseal the reservoir
What's wrong. The potential for fuel leakage exists in the engine compartment at the fuel reservoir seam and its hose connections. The fuel reservoir is a silver colored can mounted to the air cleaner
Fix. The hoses and the metal tube that attaches to the fuel reservoir will be replaced with new components. The dealer will also replace or reseal the reservoir
Vehicle Speed Control 1 Read
What's wrong. The automatic speed control switch may stick in the "resume" position restricting return movement. This will not allow the normal brake pedal operation to deactivate the system
Fix. The shield portion of the "resume" slide lever in the speed control unit will be replaced without charge
What's wrong. The automatic speed control switch may stick in the "resume" position restricting return movement. This will not allow the normal brake pedal operation to deactivate the system
Fix. The shield portion of the "resume" slide lever in the speed control unit will be replaced without charge
Exterior Lighting 1 Read
What's wrong. The stop lamp switches installed on the subject vehicles may have inadequate internal switch contact pressure due to an incorrect formation of the switch contact terminals. This lack of switch contact continuity may render the (stop) brake warning lights inoperative
Fix. The stop lamp switches on all involved vehicles will be replaced and properly formed terminals will be installed at no cost to owner
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 8.33 years |
| Slowest campaign | 24 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 50% |
| Campaigns on record | 13 |
Which ARIES years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Suspension | |
| 1988 | Suspension | |
| 1987 | Suspension | |
| 1986 | Suspension | |
| 1985 | Suspension | |
| 1984 | Suspension | |
| 1983 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | |
| 1982 | Vehicle Speed Control | |
| 1981 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Dodge ARIES have?
13 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 1981–1989. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my ARIES still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 8.33 years, and the slowest campaign came 24 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.