1993 Plymouth COLT: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
71 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1993 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Most common problems
Seat Belts is the most frequently named component, appearing in 45 of 71 complaints (63.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 2.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 1.4% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 45 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 10 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 5 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 2 |
| Seats | 2 |
Seat Belts: 45; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 10; Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage: 5; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 2; Seats: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 71 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 8 |
| 1996 | 18 |
| 1997 | 15 |
| 1998 | 7 |
| 1999 | 10 |
| 2000 | 8 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 1 |
1995: 8; 1996: 18; 1997: 15; 1998: 7; 1999: 10; 2000: 8; 2001: 4; 2002: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 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 484201 · 1995-07-21 (July 21, 1995)
AUTOMATIC DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BROKE PRIOR TO RECALL. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 484201 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 486605 · 1995-05-23 (May 23, 1995)
DRIVER'S AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED. *AW
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 486605 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 500729 · 1996-01-04 (January 4, 1996)
INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING KEY TO STICK IN IGNITION. *DSH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 500729 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 507027 · 1996-08-01 (August 1, 1996)
MOTORBELT FAILED. *DH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 507027 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 507936 · 1996-08-27 (August 27, 1996)
MOTORBELT RETRACTOR INOPERABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 507936 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 510580 · 1996-10-25 (October 25, 1996)
MOTORIZED SEAT BELT STOPPED MID WAY OF TRACK, WHEN FORCED THE REMAINING WAY, CABLE SNAPPED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 510580 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 514482 · 1997-02-26 (February 26, 1997)
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CABLE POPPED OUT WHILE HALF-WAY IN ITS CYCLE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 514482 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 515196 · 1997-02-28 (February 28, 1997)
CABLE FOR AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT POPPED OUT OF ITS TRACK AROUND THE DOOR, SEAT BELT NO LONGER FUNCTIONS.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 515196 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
97V063002 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
Reported: 1997-05-12 (May 12, 1997)
EXCESS LUBRICATION CAN CAUSE THE RUBBER DOOR LATCH SWITCH COVER TO DEFORM, AND THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH TO MALFUNCTION, SO THAT THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE WOULD REMAIN AT THE A-PILLAR WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED.
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH WITH A SWITCH THAT UTILIZES REDUCED LUBRICATING GREASE, IMPROVED CONTACT SURFACE, AND A DIFFERENT RUBBER ISOLATION BOOT.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V073002 · Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage
Reported: 1997-05-12 (May 12, 1997)
THE GUIDE RAIL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTAINS A COVERED CABLE AND ALSO AN ANGLED BELT GUIDE AT THE TOP END OF THE WEBBING. THE COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS CAN LEAD, OVER TIME, TO THE CABLE'S MOVEMENT EXERTING ABRADING FORCE TO THE LOWER EDGES OF THE CABLE'S CHAMBER, SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE THE CABLE TO DROP OUT OF THE CHAMBER WITH THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE BECOMING STUCK.
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REPLACEMENT GUIDE RAIL THAT INCORPORATES A DOUBLE LIP DUST SEAL AND AN ANODIC OXIDE COATING.
NHTSA campaign record ↗98V168003 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission
Reported: 1998-10-05 (October 5, 1998)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ALL WHEEL DRIVE PASSENGER VEHICLES. LOCKUP OF THE TRANSFER CASE CAN OCCUR DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ADEQUACY OF THE TRANSFER CASE OIL VOLUME, TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AND OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION OF THE TRANSFER CASE MECHANISM. IF OIL VOLUME IS INSUFFICIENT, THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF OIL WILL BE ADDED. IF THERE IS TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AFFECTED COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED. IF THE TRANSFER CASE SHOWS OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION, THE TRANSFER CASE WILL BE REPLACED.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
71 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
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.
| Component | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 116.7%ODI 565713RESPOND TO REQUEST FOR COMPENSATION DUE TO DRIVER RECEIVING INJURIES PRIOR TO RECEIVING NOTICE OF RECALL (95V-103-003, SUMMARY SENT) FOR SEAT BELT BUCKLES IN A 1987 PLYMOUTH COLT AND SENT A VOQ FOR FUTURE USE. CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE. *LD *JS *JS | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 218.2%ODI 504823MOTORIZED SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE, CAUSING THE PERSON TO CHOKE. *SD | 444.4% | 342.9% | 1076.9%ODI 489444AUTOMATIC MOTOR BELT DESIGN CAUSES DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S TO FORGET TO FASTEN LAP BELT. *SKD | 4563.4% | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 571.4%ODI 481341DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS RELEASE MECHANISM CHIPPED, CAUSING PIECES TO FALL INTO LOCKING MECHANISMS, RESULTING IN BUCKLES JAMMING. *SKD | 466.7%ODI 507998RECALL WORK DENIED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS ON SEAT BELT BUCKLES. | 857.1% | 327.3%ODI 505818SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECALL WORK NOT COMPLETED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. | 111.1%ODI 964487SHOULDER/LAP BELT BUCKLES INOPERATIVE, RELEASE MECHANISM BROKE INSIDE BUCKLE, MALE WON'T GO INTO FEMALE PORTION. TT | 114.3%ODI 516865THE RECALL PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ARE UNAVAILABLE, THUS THE REPAIRS HAVE NOT BE DONE. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 22.8%ODI 739486THIS FAILURE IS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 97V073002. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO SANTA ROSA DODGE, WHO HAD ORIGINALLY REPAIRED THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE RECALL WAS MADE IN 1997. THIS TIME THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM UNLESS I PAID FOR IT. IO CONTACTED THE MANUFATURER AT THE NUMBER PROVIDED ON THE RECALL NOTICE AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO FOR ME (THEY GO BY WHAT THE DEALER SAYS). AT THIS TIME I HAVE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE WITH A DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT BECAUSE THIS DEALER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *AK | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 114.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 19.1%ODI 984433THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT NO LONGER RETRACTS ON THE TRACT CONSISTANTLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK | 111.1%ODI 964766PASSENGER SEATBELT RETRACTOR DOES NOT WORK, SEATBELT IS AT FULL EXTEND. TT | 114.3%ODI 983911THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS RETRACT TOO TIGHTLY AND CHOKE THE OCCUPANTS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1014.1% | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 114.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 17.1% | 19.1% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 57.0%ODI 800478AUTOMATIC SHOULDER/LAP BELT STOPPED WORKING, WITHOUT WARNING, PASSENGER WOULD BE RESTRAINED WITH LAP BELT ONLY.*AK | 0UnavailableNo 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. | 19.1%ODI 481854TIMING BELT FAILED 4 TIMES, ALSO GASKETS/PISTONS/RINGS AND VALVES NEED TO BE REPLACED. *SKD | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 22.8% | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 114.3% | 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. | 22.8% | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 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. | 22.8%ODI 806694KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION, DEALER SAYS KEY IS NOT BENT, INGNITION PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK *JB | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 218.2%ODI 481854TIMING BELT FAILED 4 TIMES, ALSO GASKETS/PISTONS/RINGS AND VALVES NEED TO BE REPLACED. *SKD | 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. | 0UnavailableNo 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 | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
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
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | 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.
1993: 13 complaints · 1994: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 54 | 17 | 0 |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 | 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 | Seat Belts | Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | — | 0 | 1ODI 870305DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT WAS STUCK. SHE COULD PUSH ON THE BOTTON TO RELEASE AND UNRELEASE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED.*AK AFTER THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED, THE CUSTOMER BEGAN TO MANUALLY BUCKLE THE SHOULDER STRAP BUT THE CABLE BLOCKS THE DRIVER'S BLIND SPOT MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO MAKE A TURN. *YH | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 1ODI 870305DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT WAS STUCK. SHE COULD PUSH ON THE BOTTON TO RELEASE AND UNRELEASE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED.*AK AFTER THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED, THE CUSTOMER BEGAN TO MANUALLY BUCKLE THE SHOULDER STRAP BUT THE CABLE BLOCKS THE DRIVER'S BLIND SPOT MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO MAKE A TURN. *YH | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 1ODI 866656KEY STICKING INTO THE IGNITION SWICH, AND TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE UNLESS THE OVERDRIVE BUTTON IS PUSHED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAIL. *AK | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 866656KEY STICKING INTO THE IGNITION SWICH, AND TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE UNLESS THE OVERDRIVE BUTTON IS PUSHED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAIL. *AK | 1 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Seats | 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.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.