1992 Dodge Stealth Problems
- Complaints
- 92filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 101,000miles, 31 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 2campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 18 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl FWD · 16 city / 22 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1992 Dodge Stealth (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of the 1992 Dodge Stealth report two dominant problems in the sampled complaints: all-wheel-drive transfer case and transmission failures, and front seat belts that no longer retract. Transfer case complaints often involve fluid leaks found on the ground or at the dealer, followed by reports of the case locking or seizing while driving. Seat belt complaints center on lost retractor tension and slack belts, typically described after many years of use.
- Transmission and drivetrain
Transfer case leak, seizure, or all-wheel lockup
- 28 complaints (30%)
- median 124,390 mi at 13.2 yrs old (12 state mileage)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1999–2017
Owners describe a transfer case that leaks fluid, sometimes noticed as oil spots under the car, and in some cases the case later locks or seizes while driving, which can abruptly slow or stop the vehicle. Several owners say replacement of the transfer case was the fix, and some report the repair was done at their own expense. Complaints also describe difficulty getting recall work for the transfer case performed at dealers, including being told parts could not be located or that the campaign was too old to honor. A recall exists covering oil leaks from the all-wheel-drive transfer case. Reports in the sample span roughly 75,000 to 187,000 miles and appear across more than a decade of filings, often following a leak noticed before the failure.
What to check: Ask whether the transfer case recall work was completed and request documentation; check the transfer case fluid level and look for oil residue or seepage around the case and its seals.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Chrysler told me to take my car to steve landers chrysler in little rock, ar and after multiple frustrating calls with them and chrysler they a month later told me they weren't fixing my car because they couldn't find the parts when they told me where to find the parts. It's a safety recall that doesn't expire but they refuse to fix it.”
NHTSA complaint #10748856, filed 2015-08, 187,000 miles“Vehicle experienced a catastrophic 4-wheel lockup at 70mph on the interstate 5 freeway. Because all four wheels locked up, and de-clutching the vehicle did not alleviate the condition, I believe the awd transfer case failed. This failure at highway speeds could have caused a multiple car accident, but luckily, in my case, did not. However, the amount of vehicle damage to the drivetrain is currently unknown, but it is presumably substantial...”
NHTSA complaint #10031045, filed 2003-08, 105,000 miles - Seat belts
Seat belts won't retract, leaving slack
- 21 complaints (23%)
- median 90,000 mi at 14.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
- filed 1996–2008
Complaints describe front seat belts that no longer pull back into the retractor and hang loosely, so the belt stays slack instead of staying snug against the occupant. Owners say the belt sometimes must be rewound by hand and may not hold tension afterward. Some report a dealer replaced one belt under warranty earlier, and others note the problem on both driver and passenger sides. Reported across a wide mileage range in the sample, from very low mileage up to about 130,000 miles, and usually described as a gradual, ongoing condition.
What to check: Pull each front belt out fully and let go to see whether it retracts and holds tension, and check both sides since complaints mention driver and passenger belts.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The seats belts in my automobile do not retract. This causes a major safety problem due to the slack in the belt. If I were ever in an automobile accident, the seat belts wouldn't properly restrain myself or a passenger. I have talked with at least twenty owners of the same automobile, and they have the same problem with their vehicle. I urge the NHTSA to please launch an investigation into this matter.”
NHTSA complaint #10164685, filed 2006-08, 99,000 miles“My seat belt in my 1992 Dodge Stealth does not retract properly, leaving a lot of slack in the belt. The seat belt will not serve its purpose as a safety restraint.”
NHTSA complaint #10158461, filed 2006-05, 100,000 miles - Transmission and drivetrain
Transmission output shaft and synchro wear
- 27 complaints (29%)
- median 117,890 mi at 12.4 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
- owner-quoted repair $4,000 (median of 7 quotes)
- filed 1998–2017
Owners describe stripped or broken splines on the transmission output shaft where it meets the transfer case, leaving the car unable to move, and repeat failures after replacement. Others report hard shifting, grinding, or worn synchronizers in the manual gearbox. Several complaints state the transmission is not serviceable and must be replaced as a complete unit, with parts reportedly hard to obtain. Failure mileages in the sample range from roughly 51,000 to 162,000 miles, with some owners reporting a second failure within a few hundred to about 25,000 miles of a replacement.
What to check: Drive the car through all gears and listen for grinding or notchiness, ask for transmission and clutch service records, and confirm the output shaft and transfer case splines have been inspected if work was done.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Output shaft in transmission has broke twice, once when I bought the car and the whole transmission was replaced, no more than a few hundred miles later the shaft snapped again. The shop that replaced everything the first time stated that the shaft is very weak under pressure. The vehicle has been babied and taken well care of, never driven very hard, but a few times of taking off and the shaft has broken on me 2 times. …”
NHTSA complaint #10170818, filed 2006-10, 105,000 miles“I have had endless problems with this car ever since I bought it. Abs, air bag,rotors(5 times at least), fuel line, power steering leaks, transmission, rear end leaks, engine leaks, doesn't drive safely around corners, grinding noise for the past 2 years, ringing noise, tires, etc! Probably close to $15,000 in repairs over the past 5 years!”
NHTSA complaint #706407, filed 1999-05
Buying note. For this model year, focus your inspection on the all-wheel-drive transfer case and the manual transmission, and ask for proof that the transfer case recall campaign was completed. Check that both front seat belts retract and hold tension, since that is a common and inexpensive-to-verify item.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 92 consumer complaints for the 1992 Dodge Stealth. 31 of the complaints include a mileage, and 10% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 101,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury, 3 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 0 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Seat belts22 24%
- Air bags10 11%
- Engine cooling8 8.7%
- Brakes4 4.3%
- Fuel system3 3.3%
- Electrical system2 2.2%
- Equipment2 2.2%
- Steering2 2.2%
- Suspension2 2.2%
Also reported: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Engine (1), Other or unknown (1), Vehicle speed control (1).
Example complaints
Transmission and drivetrain: “Had goeke Dodge in noblesvil, in do the recall 02v143002 when I first brought it in with a leak they took three hours and came back and told me it would be ten hours labor but they would charge me eight. I then asked about recall b17 for nthe leaking tranfer case on 91-96 tt stealths, they siad what recall. Went awy for another 1/2 hr and came back and asked if I wanted a new transfer case. I said sure if they can. They ended up keeping my car for 7 days, they ordered the wrong transfer case. After I picked it up I parked on a clean piece of cardboard. The next day it was full of oil. …”
NHTSA complaint #10090724, filed 2004-09, 154,686 milesSeat belts: “Seat belts do not retract, too much slack if any body movement occurs while driving (1992 Dodge Stealth rt turbo). When brakes are applied no tension holding driver and passenger in seat (if any of passengers have moved slightly in the seat) belt must be manually retracted to correct proper tension (safety issue when driving).”
NHTSA complaint #10163174, filed 2006-07, 2,000 milesAir bags: “While driving the airbag light stays on. Owner took vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the airbag sensor has corroded. The manufacturer has been notified.”
NHTSA complaint #822073, filed 1998-03Engine cooling: “I have replaced the axle rear,internal, drive shaft, clutch, and a few more relating parts in the one year I've owned this car. It has become a very pricey car, now the water pump, timing chain tensionor, and a valve job are required. 2,700 is what I was”
NHTSA complaint #701927, filed 1999-01Mileage when problems were reported
10% of the 31 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 89,000 and 127,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 1992 Dodge Stealth version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stealth FWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 17 | 22 | 19 | $4,350 |
| Stealth FWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,700 |
| Stealth 4WD/AWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 16 | 22 | 18 | $4,550 |
| Stealth FWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,700 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 02V143002May 14, 2002Power train › Transfer case (4-wheel drive)Covers: Dodge Stealth 1991–1996
On certain passenger vehicles built by mitsubishi motor corporation for daimlerchrysler, a condition exists that allows oil to leak from the all-wheel drive transfer case.
- 96V143003Oct 8, 1996Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsCovers: Dodge Stealth 1991–1994
Under conditions of full lock steering and full suspension travel, the left or right front wheel-side brake hose can crack, resulting in brake fluid leakage.
Recall details for the 1992 Dodge Stealth → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
NHTSA investigations
- PE96004Glass sunroof shatteringClosed · Jan 17, 1996
Technical service bulletins
No technical service bulletins are on record for the 1992 Dodge Stealth.
Other model years of the Dodge Stealth
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 13 | 102,000 | 1 | — | 19 | — | Not enough data |
| 1994 | 28 | 100,750 | 2 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 39 | 90,200 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1992 | 92 | 101,000 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 63 | 107,250 | 4 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
All Dodge Stealth model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1992 Dodge Stealth?
Owners of the 1992 Dodge Stealth report two dominant problems in the sampled complaints: all-wheel-drive transfer case and transmission failures, and front seat belts that no longer retract. The issues reported most often: Transfer case leak, seizure, or all-wheel lockup; Seat belts won't retract, leaving slack; Transmission output shaft and synchro wear.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1992 Dodge Stealth have?
NHTSA recorded 92 consumer complaints for the 1992 Dodge Stealth as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1992 Dodge Stealth is reported most often?
Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 49 complaints (53% of the total), followed by seat belts with 22.
Has the 1992 Dodge Stealth been recalled?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 1992 Dodge Stealth get?
The EPA rates the 1992 Dodge Stealth (Stealth, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 16 city and 22 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 1992 Dodge Stealth reported?
Among the 31 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 101,000 miles and the middle half falls between 89,000 and 127,000 miles; 10% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.