Half of all complaints arrive by 0 years of age, so 100% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Fuel System, with 5 complaints.
Dodge LANCER years to avoid — and the best ones
| Model year | Per run | Complaints | Runs | Enough history? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 4 | 3 | yes | |
| 1986 | 13 | 8 | yes |
Among the 2 Dodge LANCER years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 1986, 1987; the three worth hunting are 1987, 1986.
What actually fails — and at what age
Systems by number of complaints, with the age at which each typically goes. The age column is the useful one — it tells you what to expect next on a car you already own, and what to inspect on one you are about to buy.
| System | Complaints | Typical age | Crash | Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System | — | — | 3 | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | — | — | 3 | |
| Service Brakes | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | — | — | — | |
| Steering | — | — | — | |
| Power Train | — | — | — | |
| Seats | — | 1 | — |
What else in this class
6 models share the LANCER's vehicle class.
| Same class as the LANCER | Complaints on record | Recall campaigns | Years built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry | 161 | 1983–2026 | |
| Honda Accord | 415 | 1981–2026 | |
| Dodge Challenger | 77 | 1981–2026 | |
| Toyota Prius | 109 | 2001–2026 | |
| Hyundai Elantra | 117 | 1992–2026 | |
| Nissan Altima | 148 | 1993–2026 |
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
- Alerts if a recall lands on a car in your garage
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
Is the Dodge LANCER reliable?
By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.43 against 3.73 for the average car.
When do LANCER problems usually start?
Half of all complaints arrive by 0 years of age. The most reported system is Fuel System, followed by Engine and Engine Cooling.
Will the warranty cover LANCER problems?
Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 0% of reported failures fall inside it.
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