The 1989 Dodge Spirit has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 634,000 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
THE ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET MAY DISLOCATE AND ALLOW AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AT THE GASKET.
THE LEAKAGE OF OIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COULD CAUSEA FIRE.
REPLACE GASKET COVER WITH REVISED COVER, AND RTV SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED IN PLACE OF A GASKET.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“Odometer quit working but speedometer still works, need odometer for update on state inspection. *tr”
“I have a 1989 dodge spirit (white in color). About 3 or 4 months ago it started peeling paint off of it. I was driving down the rode when I heard this weird ripping noise. I looked in the rearview mirror to see white flakes flying off of my car, so I pulled off in a parking spot & got out to see…”
“Consumer states vehicle would accelerate intermittently while driving. Vehicle taken to the dealer and informed that the problem was the idle control motor. Nlm”
“467. Consumer has defective engine gaskets that leak all around the valve cover. Dealer contacted, and vehicle does not comply to recall due to vin. Problems still exists. Provide further information. *ak”
“On the transmission it is very slow shifting between 1st and 2nd. Also the reverse went out completely,and had to get the transmission rebuilt for $1019. Now the problem is occurring again. He shifter is made of plastic, and it's beginning to wear away, and will shift from drive to nuetral by…”
“On the transmission it is very slow shifting between 1st and 2nd. Also the reverse went out completely,and had to get the transmission rebuilt for $1019. Now the problem is occurring again. He shifter is made of plastic, and it's beginning to wear away, and will shift from drive to nuetral by…”
“Rear suspension has a hairline crack which causes the rear end to drop. Please provide further information. *ak”
“The rear axle shaft broke, the rod assembly makes a loud noise , contact dealership no parts available, cannot drive vehicle. *ak”
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Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1989 Dodge Spirit as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.