U.S. public vehicle records

1987 Dodge ARIES: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

9 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

60,950 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1987 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 9 complaints (22.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	1	11.1%
Braking behavior	1	11.1%
Electrical and battery issues	1	11.1%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components

Vehicle Speed Control

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner

Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Fuel Rail

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery	2
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly	2
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	2
Vehicle Speed Control	2
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	1
Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner	1
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Fuel Rail	1

Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 2; Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Fuel Rail: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 7 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

1997

1999

2004

1995: 2; 1996: 2; 1997: 1; 1999: 1; 2004: 3

Pattern summary

Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10059159 · 2004-02-17 (February 17, 2004)

TWO OF THE FRONT LOWER MOTOR MOUNTS WERE MISSING, AND THE OTHER TWO WERE LOOSE, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO VIBRATE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 59,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059159 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10060949 · 2004-02-27 (February 27, 2004)

WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. THIS NEARLY CAUSED A CRASH. ALSO, THE 4 BOLTS THAT HELD TRANSMISSION IN PLACE FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10060949 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10079393 · 2004-06-16 (June 16, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT FUMES WERE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL RAIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10079393 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 503325 · 1996-04-10 (April 10, 1996)

HEAD GASKET FAILED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 505309 · 1996-05-31 (May 31, 1996)

BATTERY FAILED TWICE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 505309 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 546763 · 1997-02-18 (February 18, 1997)

IF OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW 20 DEGREES THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO START AND IS PRONE TO ENGINE FLOODING. ONCE IT IS STARTED, THERE IS AN ENGINE "MISS" THAT IMPROVES AS ENGINE WARMS UP. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SPEED CONTROL. WHEN SIGNALING A LANE CHANGE, WITH SPEED CONTROL ON, THE ENGINE SPEED UP. IT WILL INCREASE SPEED BY FIVE TO EIGHT MPH. ARE THERE ANY RELATED RECALLS?

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 546763 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 713337 · 1999-10-15 (October 15, 1999)

MOM HANDED THE CAR OVER TO ME WITH 58,000 MILES AND SAID SHE ALWAYS HAD A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE CAR OUT OF PARK ESPECIALLLY ON AN INCLINE. I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS AS WELL AND HAD THE CABLE REPLACED IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH DODGES AND SUGGESTED I APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEFORE I PUT IT INTO PARK. AT $160. I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM SOLVED UNTIL IT STARTED AGAIN, THIS TIME STRANDING ME IN A PARKING LOT SEVERAL MILES FROM HOME. THE REPAIR THIS TIME WAS DONE AFTER THE CAR WAS TO…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 713337 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 971517 · 1995-09-01 (September 1, 1995)

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN, 20 MPH, RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BENT RIGHT OUT AT 90 DEGREES; FRAME CRADLE CRACKED IN HALF; PULLED OUT TRANMISSION, ETC.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 971517 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

9 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

22.2%Usable mileage2 / 9 records

55.6%Valid incident date5 / 9 records

100.0%Valid filing date9 / 9 records

55.6%Ordered incident and filing dates5 / 9 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Vehicle Speed Control	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	222.2% ODI 546763 IF OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW 20 DEGREES THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO START AND IS PRONE TO ENGINE FLOODING. ONCE IT IS STARTED, THERE IS AN ENGINE "MISS" THAT IMPROVES AS ENGINE WARMS UP. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SPEED CONTROL. WHEN SIGNALING A LANE CHANGE, WITH SPEED CONTROL ON, THE ENGINE SPEED UP. IT WILL INCREASE SPEED BY FIVE TO EIGHT MPH. ARE THERE ANY RELATED RECALLS? Look up ODI 546763 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	220.0% ODI 960489 VEHICLE PERIODICALLY GOES AT A CONSTANT SPEED OF 30-40MPH SURGING, FAILING TO STOP WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REPAIRED 3 TIMES. TT Look up ODI 960489 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 958760 REPLACED BATTERY. TT Look up ODI 958760 at NHTSA ↗	222.2% ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Ignition	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 481667 INTERMITTENT STALLING. *SKD Look up ODI 481667 at NHTSA ↗	150.0% ODI 759143 NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK Look up ODI 759143 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	19.1% ODI 512585 DISTRIBUTOR FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. Look up ODI 512585 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	222.2% ODI 10059159 · 59,900 mi TWO OF THE FRONT LOWER MOTOR MOUNTS WERE MISSING, AND THE OTHER TWO WERE LOOSE, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO VIBRATE. *AK Look up ODI 10059159 at NHTSA ↗	19.1% ODI 959683 REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK Look up ODI 959683 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 964154 AT TIMES, DRIVER'S SHOULDER/LAP BELT WILL NOT UNLATCH; OCCUPANT HAVE TO CRAWL OUT OF BELT; COULD CAUSE OCCUPANT TO BE TRAPPED INSIDE DURING COLLISION. TT Look up ODI 964154 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	220.0% ODI 804009 DRIVER'S SIDE PUSH BUTTON RELEASE IS INOPERATIVE, SEAT BELT BUCKLE WON'T DETACH, ALSO, PASSENGER'S SIDE BUCKLE PLASTIC COVER HAS FALLEN OFF. AK CONSUMER WAS STUCK IN THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT, IT WOULD NOT DETACH, CONSUMER HAD TO WIGGLE OUT OF IT, CONSUMER STATES BELTS DO NOT RETRACT WHEN NOT IN USE. SLC Look up ODI 804009 at NHTSA ↗
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	19.1% ODI 960248 BOTH SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT DO NOT RETRACT. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT IT IS FELT THAT THEY WOULD NOT WORK. TT Look up ODI 960248 at NHTSA ↗	220.0% ODI 804009 DRIVER'S SIDE PUSH BUTTON RELEASE IS INOPERATIVE, SEAT BELT BUCKLE WON'T DETACH, ALSO, PASSENGER'S SIDE BUCKLE PLASTIC COVER HAS FALLEN OFF. AK CONSUMER WAS STUCK IN THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT, IT WOULD NOT DETACH, CONSUMER HAD TO WIGGLE OUT OF IT, CONSUMER STATES BELTS DO NOT RETRACT WHEN NOT IN USE. SLC Look up ODI 804009 at NHTSA ↗
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	222.2% ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	110.0% ODI 960489 VEHICLE PERIODICALLY GOES AT A CONSTANT SPEED OF 30-40MPH SURGING, FAILING TO STOP WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REPAIRED 3 TIMES. TT Look up ODI 960489 at NHTSA ↗
Steering:Rack And Pinion	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 958760 REPLACED BATTERY. TT Look up ODI 958760 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	218.2% ODI 760954 I HAD A MECHANICS SHOP REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLEY AND IT KEEPS COMING LOOSE FROM THE FRAME, WHEN I GO AROUND A BEND IN THE ROAD THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT WHANTS TO STRAIHGTEN OUT AND THE STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE TURNED AS MUCN AS 45 DEGREES TO MAINTAIN PROPER CONTROL. WHEN THE ROAD STRAITENS OUT THE STEERING WHEEL ALWAYS ENDS UP IN A DIFFERENT POSITION.*AK Look up ODI 760954 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	Too few reports for a range	59,900 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10059159 · 59,900 mi TWO OF THE FRONT LOWER MOTOR MOUNTS WERE MISSING, AND THE OTHER TWO WERE LOOSE, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO VIBRATE. *AK Look up ODI 10059159 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

1988: 0 complaints · 1989: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
1988	0	0	0
1989	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
1988	7	4	0
1989	6	4	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery	Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	Vehicle Speed Control	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner	Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Fuel Rail
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery	—	2 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 505309 BATTERY FAILED TWICE. Look up ODI 505309 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	2 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 505309 BATTERY FAILED TWICE. Look up ODI 505309 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly	2 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 505309 BATTERY FAILED TWICE. Look up ODI 505309 at NHTSA ↗	—	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	2 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 505309 BATTERY FAILED TWICE. Look up ODI 505309 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	—	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	2 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 505309 BATTERY FAILED TWICE. Look up ODI 505309 at NHTSA ↗	2 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 505309 BATTERY FAILED TWICE. Look up ODI 505309 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	0	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	0
Vehicle Speed Control	0	0	0	0	—	1 ODI 546763 IF OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW 20 DEGREES THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO START AND IS PRONE TO ENGINE FLOODING. ONCE IT IS STARTED, THERE IS AN ENGINE "MISS" THAT IMPROVES AS ENGINE WARMS UP. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SPEED CONTROL. WHEN SIGNALING A LANE CHANGE, WITH SPEED CONTROL ON, THE ENGINE SPEED UP. IT WILL INCREASE SPEED BY FIVE TO EIGHT MPH. ARE THERE ANY RELATED RECALLS? Look up ODI 546763 at NHTSA ↗	0	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	0	0	0	0	1 ODI 546763 IF OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW 20 DEGREES THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO START AND IS PRONE TO ENGINE FLOODING. ONCE IT IS STARTED, THERE IS AN ENGINE "MISS" THAT IMPROVES AS ENGINE WARMS UP. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SPEED CONTROL. WHEN SIGNALING A LANE CHANGE, WITH SPEED CONTROL ON, THE ENGINE SPEED UP. IT WILL INCREASE SPEED BY FIVE TO EIGHT MPH. ARE THERE ANY RELATED RECALLS? Look up ODI 546763 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	0
Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 503325 HEAD GASKET FAILED. Look up ODI 503325 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	—	0
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Fuel Rail	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

1 patterns with matching reports.

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

1 mentions · 11.1% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 10079393

Look up ODI 10079393 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b