1986 Dodge Colt problems
The Dodge Colt is a subcompact car that was manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors and marketed by Dodge for model years 1971 to 1994 as captive imports. Rebadged variants include the Plymouth Champ and Plymouth Colt, both were marketed by Plymouth.
The Colt was initially a rebadged variant of the rear-wheel drive Galant and Lancer families before shifting to the smaller front-wheel drive Mitsubishi Mirage subcompacts in 1979.
First generation (1971–1973)
Introduced in 1970 as a 1971 model, the first generation Dodge Colt was a federalized first-generation Mitsubishi Colt Galant. Available as a 2-door pillared coupe, 2-door hardtop coupe, 4-door sedan, and 5-door wagon, the Colt had a 1,597 cc (97.5 cu in) 4-cylinder engine. The unibody layout was traditional, front engine and rear-wheel drive with MacPherson struts in front and a live rear axle. Standard transmission was a 4-speed manual, with a 3-speed automatic being an option. The engine was initially rated for 100 hp (75 kW), but dropped to 83 hp (62 kW) in 1972 when manufacturers revised the method of measuring horsepower from gross to SAE net. For 1973, a GT hardtop coupe model was added featuring rally stripes, sport wheels, and a center console amongst other features. The Dodge Colt was Chrysler's response to the AMC Gremlin, Ford Pinto, and Chevrolet Vega. As a captive import from Mitsubishi, the Colt also competed directly with other Japanese imports, such as the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Datsun 1200.
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Common 1986 Dodge Colt problems
The 1986 Dodge Colt, based on Mitsubishi's Chariot, is known for several common problems that owners have reported over the years. While the car is generally reliable, some issues can arise, particularly if the vehicle is not properly maintained.
- Rust and Corrosion: Rust and corrosion were common issues with the 1986 Dodge Colt, particularly on the body panels and wheel wells. This issue is more prevalent in regions with harsh winter conditions and high humidity. Regularly inspecting the car for rust and addressing any issues promptly can help prevent further damage.
- Engine Timing Belt: The engine timing belt is another area of concern for the 1986 Dodge Colt. If not properly maintained, the timing belt can break and cause significant engine damage. It is crucial to follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule and replace the timing belt as needed.
- Electrical Issues: Electrical problems, such as issues with the alternator and battery, as well as faulty wiring and grounding problems, were common in the 1986 Dodge Colt. Regular inspections and maintenance of the electrical system can help prevent these issues.
- Suspension and Steering Issues: Suspension and steering issues, such as worn-out shocks and struts, misaligned wheels, and steering component failures, were also reported by owners of the 1986 Dodge Colt. Regular inspections and maintenance of the suspension and steering systems can help prevent these problems.
- Braking Problems: Braking problems, including worn-out brake pads and rotors, brake fluid leaks, and master cylinder failures, were reported by some owners of the 1986 Dodge Colt. Regular inspections and maintenance of the braking system can help prevent these issues.
- Engine Issues: Some owners have reported engine-related issues, such as oil consumption problems, power loss and misfire issues, and engine overheating and cooling system problems. Regular maintenance and inspections of the engine and cooling system can help prevent these problems.
- Transmission and Clutch Problems: Transmission and clutch problems, such as transmission slipping and gear shifting problems, clutch failure and engagement issues, and differential and drivetrain problems, were also reported by some owners of the 1986 Dodge Colt. Regular inspections and maintenance of the transmission and clutch systems can help prevent these issues.
In summary, the 1986 Dodge Colt is generally a reliable vehicle, but like any car, it can experience common problems. Regular maintenance and inspections can help prevent many of these issues and ensure the car remains safe and reliable for years to come.
What happened to the Dodge Colt?
The Colt sedan was not sold in the United States for the sixth generation (though it was sold in Canada), as it would be replaced by the Dodge Shadow/Plymouth Sundance liftbacks in the Dodge/Plymouth lineup for 1989. The sedan bodywork, however, was available to American consumers as an Eagle Summit.
Who made the Colt vehicle?
Mitsubishi Motors
About Colt
The Colt is the first nameplate used by Mitsubishi Motors for passenger vehicles, and the initial vehicle with this name, the Colt 600, debuted in 1962.
What is the sister car of the Dodge Colt?
The Dodge Colt had a twin sister in the Plymouth Colt and siblings in the Mitsubishi Mirage and Eagle Summit.
What happened to Colt cars?
For the first decade of its existence, British market Mitsubishis were sold under the "Colt" marque until the rebranding to Mitsubishi, which then brought the marque in line with the rest of the world.
What happened to the Dodge Colt?
The Colt sedan was not sold in the United States for the sixth generation (though it was sold in Canada), as it would be replaced by the Dodge Shadow/Plymouth Sundance liftbacks in the Dodge/Plymouth lineup for 1989. The sedan bodywork, however, was available to American consumers as an Eagle Summit.
Is Dodge Colt same as Mitsubishi?
The Dodge Colt nameplate was applied to several Mitsubishi models. In Japan, they were known as Galants, Mirages, and Lancers. In fact, the car for sale on eBay would have been sold as a Lancer in Japan and has the same lineage as the turbo Lancer Evolutions that arrived in the US in the 2000s.
Who manufactured the Colt car?
Mitsubishi Motors
About Colt
The Colt is the first nameplate used by Mitsubishi Motors for passenger vehicles, and the initial vehicle with this name, the Colt 600, debuted in 1962.
What kind of car is a Colt?
Mitsubishi introduced the "Colt" name in 1962 on the Mitsubishi Colt 600, the first of a line of small family cars complementing their Mitsubishi 500, the company's first post-war passenger car.
1986 Dodge Colt car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Dodge Colt problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Seat belts problems
- Structure problems
- Engine and engine cooling problems
- Fuel system problems
- Gasoline problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 1986 Dodge Colt vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
1986 Dodge Colt complaints
The NHTSA has received 23 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 1986 Dodge Colt.
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2002-09-01
- VIN: JPEBA24K8G0
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL REGARDING THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES WITH A LIFETIME WARRANTY. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE HAD ALWAYS BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE BACK SEAT BELT BUCKLES. THE PROBLEM WAS BOTH BACK SEAT BELT BUCKLES WERE STUCK IN THE SEAT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED, HOWEVER THEY STATED THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF RECALL. PROBLEMS STILL EXIST WITH THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. CONSUMER HAS ORIGINAL RECALL DOCUMENT. TS *TT *JB
SEAT BELTS,STRUCTURE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1999-11-01
- VIN: JB3BA26K2GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS,STRUCTURE
- Summary: FOR YEARS, WATER LEAKING INSIDE TRUNK. DON'T KNOW WHERE LEAK COMING FROM. ROTTED AWAY ENTIRE INTERIOR OF TRUNK. AROUND OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1999, NOTICED SEAT BELT WON'T CLIP INTO PLACE, AND IF IT DOES AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, IT'S STUCK INSIDE. WHEN PRESS BUTTON "PRESS" NOTHING HAPPENS. *AK
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-07-07
- VIN: JB3BA26K3GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: REAR DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE. THE SEAT BELTS ARE IN THE LOCK POSITION, CANNOT DISENGAGE THE BELT FROM THE BUCKLE. *AK
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- VIN: JP3BA24KXGU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: TOOK VEHICLE IN TO BE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL AND THE DEALER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECALL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: RECALL NOTICE ON SEAT BELT, DEALER SAID NO PARTS AVAILABLE AND WILL NOT CALL CUSTOMER WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE.
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-08-30
- VIN: JB3DA24K5GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED TWICE; ONCE DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS, SECOND TIME DEALER RECEIVED WRONG PARTS, CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO RETURN A THIRD TIME, HAS STILL NOT HEARD FROM DEALER (95V-103-003). *AK
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-07-19
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Summary: CRANSHAFT BROKE, ALLOWING HARMONIC BALANCER TO FLY ACROSS THE INTERSTATE. *AK
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1992-02-28
- VIN: JP3BA46F7GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: THE REAR SEAT BELTS WILL NOT LATCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- VIN: JB3BA26KXGU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: CAMPAIGN 95V103003 FOR SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAS BEEN DENIED BY MFR EVEN THOUGH ALL SEATBELT DISPLAYS TK 52 SHOW SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE. *AK
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1995-02-15
- VIN: JB3BA26K0GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: INTERNAL PLASTIC PART OF FRONT PASSENGER'S BUCKLE BROKE, CAUSING SEAT BELT BUCKLE TO NOT LATCH. TT
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1993-01-01
- VIN: JB3BA26K7GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: MANUFACTURER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY SEAT BELT BUCKLES BUT THE SAME PROBLEM EXIST IN THEM. TT
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- VIN: JB3BA26K8GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: #PE94-093 THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HARD TO UNLATCH . TT
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1994-05-01
- VIN: JB3BA46K5GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS INOPERATIVE DUE TO PART OF BUCKLE BREAKING OFF AND FALLING INSIDE, WHICH CAUSES TO JAM. TT
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1995-01-01
- VIN: JP3BA46K3GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: PASSENGER SIDE BUCKLE WILL JAM, AND DRIVER SIDE BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH PE94-093 ACTIVE. TT
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1994-07-01
- VIN: JP4FH41D8GZ
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT DON'T RESTRAIN PROPERLY. TT
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1994-07-01
- Fire: 1
- VIN: JP4FH41D8GZ
- Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
- Summary: CARBURETOR FIRE. *AK
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1992-08-01
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE DIDN'T RESTRAIN WOULD NOT STAY IN PLACE. TT
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1995-04-17
- VIN: JB3B824K2GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH FOR PROPER USE OF SAFETY RESTRAINTS. TT
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: VEHICLE SEAT BELT DRIVER SIDE BUCKLES RED PUSH IN BUTTON BROKE AND PIECES ARE INSIDE.THUS MAKING SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE.(PE94-093). TT
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1994-12-01
- VIN: JP3BA24K5GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: SEAT BELT DIFFICULT TO DISENGAGE.
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1995-02-03
- VIN: JP3BA24K1GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: SEAT BELT BUCKLE ON DRIVER SIDE WILL NOT LATCH. TT
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1994-04-01
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BUCKLE IS BROKEN. TT
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1995-02-03
- VIN: JB3BA24K2GU
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT HAD TO BE OPENED WITH A SCREWDRIVER. TT
1986 Dodge Colt recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 1 recalls for different components of the 1986 Dodge Colt.
- Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION
- Components: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
- Summary: THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
- Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
- Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.
Additional sources
More sources of information about 1986 Dodge Colt problems:
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Other years of Dodge Colt
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