1981 Dodge Aries: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1981 Dodge Aries. The newest campaign is 89V052000. NHTSA received the report on 29 Mar 1989. The NHTSA record gives the component Suspension / Front / Control Arm / Lower Arm. NHTSA has 2 complaints on file for this model year. 4 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 89V052000, in the NHTSA record

Install attachment reinforcement brackets to prevent control arm detachment as a result of corrosion weakening.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 29 Mar 2018. Recall file through 29 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

4 campaigns, newest first. 760,032 units in total.

89V05200029 Mar 1989Suspension / Front / Control Arm / Lower Arm
81V11100022 Sep 1981Vehicle Speed Control
81V0930005 Aug 1981Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights / Switch
81V02100011 Feb 1981Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Fluid

89V052000Received 29 Mar 1989. 500,000 units.
Suspension / Front / Control Arm / Lower Arm
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Front suspension crossmember may corrode and fail at lower control arm rear pivot mounts if operated where salt is used to aid in snow removal.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Control arm could detach from the crossmember, adverselyaffecting directional stability, which could result in an accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install attachment reinforcement brackets to prevent control arm detachment as a result of corrosion weakening.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 29 Jun 1989.
81V111000Received 22 Sep 1981. 150,000 units.
Vehicle Speed Control
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The automatic speed control switch may stick in the "resume" position restricting return movement. This will not allow the normal brake pedal operation to deactivate the system.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The shield portion of the "resume" slide lever in the speed control unit will be replaced without charge.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 6 Oct 1981.
81V093000Received 5 Aug 1981. 110,000 units.
Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights / Switch
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The stop lamp switches installed on the subject vehicles may have inadequate internal switch contact pressure due to an incorrect formation of the switch contact terminals. This lack of switch contact continuity may render the (stop) brake warning lights inoperative.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The stop lamp switches on all involved vehicles will be replaced and properly formed terminals will be installed at no cost to owner.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 Aug 1981.
81V021000Received 11 Feb 1981. 32 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Fluid
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Brake fluid may contain an excessive amount of water. This can cause degradation of braking performance or brake failure under a variety of circumstances.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Existing brake fluid will be removed from brake system and brake system will be refilled with fresh brake fluid.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 6 May 1981.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

2 complaints, 2 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

1981 Dodge Aries: component mentions in complaints
Component		Mentions
Suspension		1
Structure		1

Complaints that report a crash: 0
Complaints that report a fire: 0
Injuries in the complaints: 0
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 7 Aug 2000

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1981 Dodge Aries, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 2000, with 2 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1981 Dodge Aries
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
EA91010	Engineering analysis	TRANS PARK SYSTEM FAILURE	Power Train	10 Dec 1990	31 Dec 1991
PE89093	Preliminary evaluation	FRAME CORROSION	Suspension	1 Mar 1989	29 Mar 1989	89V052000
PE85011	Preliminary evaluation	ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES	Engine and Engine Cooling	14 Nov 1984	31 Jul 1985	84V147000
DP82011	Defect petition	HIGH PRESSURE AC HOSE RUPTURED	Equipment / Appliance / Air Conditioner	10 Jun 1982	3 Dec 1982

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

19814
19824
19834
19841
19851
19861
19870
19880
19891

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1981 Dodge AriesThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1981 Dodge Aries: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/dodge/aries/1981/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 29 Mar 2018
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: CHRYSLER CORPORATION

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1981 Dodge Aries?: 760,032 units in 4 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Dodge Aries have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the Dodge Aries, model years 1981 to 1989. 4 of them name the 1981 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1981 Dodge Aries name most often?: Suspension: 1 of 2 component mentions.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1981 Dodge Aries open?: No. Each of the 4 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.