Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 80.2% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Seat Belts, with 150 complaints, typically at 4.5 years.
Dodge Colt years to avoid — and the best ones
| Model year | Per run | Complaints | Runs | Enough history? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 13 | 11 | yes | |
| 1993 | 80 | 55 | yes | |
| 1992 | 7 | 6 | yes | |
| 1991 | 11 | 11 | yes | |
| 1990 | 9 | 9 | yes | |
| 1989 | 26 | 22 | yes | |
| 1988 | 20 | 19 | yes | |
| 1987 | 21 | 20 | yes | |
| 1986 | 17 | 17 | yes |
Among the 5 Dodge Colt years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 1993, 1989, 1987; the three worth hunting are 1986, 1988, 1987.
When it starts to break
| Age at failure | Complaints | Running total | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 years | 2.2% | covered | |
| 1 year | 6.6% | covered | |
| 2 years | 19.8% | covered | |
| 3 years | 35.2% | you pay | |
| 4 years | 52.7% | you pay | |
| 5 years | 60.4% | you pay | |
| 6 years | 81.3% | you pay | |
| 7 years | 91.2% | you pay | |
| 8 years | 92.3% | you pay | |
| 9 years | 96.7% | you pay | |
| 10 years | 97.8% | you pay | |
| 12 years | 100% | you pay |
Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 19.8% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 80.2% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 7% of the complaints here.
What actually fails — and at what age
On the Dodge Colt, the early trouble is Service Brakes and Hydraulic — reported at around 3.3 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Seat Belts at 4.5 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.
| System | Complaints | Typical age | Crash | Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 4.5 yrs | 3 | — | |
| Power Train | 5.6 yrs | — | — | |
| Service Brakes | 3.3 yrs | 3 | — | |
| Hydraulic | 3.3 yrs | 3 | — | |
| Electrical System | 5.3 yrs | — | 2 | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 8 yrs | — | — | |
| Structure | 5 yrs | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 1 yrs | — | 1 |
What else in this class
6 models share the Colt's vehicle class. Per production run, the Honda Civic draws 2.82 and the Ford Mustang 3.87, against 1.2 for the Colt. That is the fewest complaints of the group.
| Same class as the Colt | Complaints on record | Recall campaigns | Years built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic | 413 | 1981–2026 | |
| Ford Mustang | 315 | 1981–2026 | |
| Nissan GT-R | 9 | 2009–2026 | |
| Chevrolet Camaro | 204 | 1981–2026 | |
| Toyota Supra | 35 | 1981–2026 | |
| Nissan Sentra | 158 | 1982–2026 |
The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.
Good year or bad year — the VIN settles it.
- Check any VIN against complaints for its exact build year and plant
- Exact value for that car, adjusted for its mileage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Dodge Colt reliable?
By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.2 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 2 class rivals we compared.
Which Colt years should you avoid?
By complaints per production run, 1993, 1989, 1987. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 1986, 1988, 1987. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.
When do Colt problems usually start?
Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Seat Belts, typically at 4.5 years, followed by Power Train.
Will the warranty cover Colt problems?
Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 19.8% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 7% of the complaints here.
Is the Colt more reliable than the Honda Civic?
Yes: 1.2 complaints per production run for the Colt against 2.82 for the Honda Civic.
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