Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1976 Aspen.
The 1976 Dodge Aspen enters the record as a model year defined less by its mechanical ambition than by the sheer volume of corrective action it prompted, with eight recalls standing against just a single logged owner complaint — a ratio that suggests most issues were addressed through manufacturer campaigns rather than lingering into private grievance. That lone complaint, however, spans a notably broad set of systems, touching service brakes (hydraulic), the gasoline fuel system, and latches, locks, and linkages, hinting at scattered quality-control struggles across multiple subsystems rather than one concentrated failure point. For a researcher mapping the Aspen's reliability trajectory, this inaugural model year sits at the problematic starting line of the nameplate's history, where the sheer recall count signals a vehicle that required extensive early remediation and sets a cautionary baseline against which later years can be measured.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 197.6 in |
| Overall width | 72.8 in |
| Overall height | 53.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 108.7 in |
| Curb weight | 3296 lb |
Condensed service procedures for routine maintenance. Procedures that require dealer diagnostic equipment are identified and summarized only.
| Tool required | DRBIII scan tool (dealer / locksmith) |
| Why | Transmitter codes are written into the receiver in the passenger door module |
| When needed | After Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) replacement |
| Tool required | DRBIII scan tool |
| Also required | The vehicle's four-digit PIN code |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1976 Dodge Aspen dominate in one area — the service brakes, hydraulic,fuel system, gasoline,latches/locks/linkages, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 8 recall campaigns target the service brakes, hydraulic,fuel system, gasoline,latches/locks/linkages, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the service brakes, hydraulic,fuel system, gasoline,latches/locks/linkages pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE CARBURETOR ACCELERATOR PUMP SEAL CAN BECOME DISTORTED DUE TO CONTACT WITH CERTAIN TYPES OF GASOLINE. NORMALLY, WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THE ACCELERATOR PUMP IS ACTIVATED TO… Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE CARBURETOR ACCELERATOR PUMP SEAL WITH A NEW SEAL HAVING IMPROVED DISTORTION RESISTANCE AND WILL ENSURE PROPER ADJUSTMENT. THIS WILL BE DONE FREE OF…
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE HOOD SECONDARY CATCH SYSTEM MAY BE MISALIGNED WHICH MAY CAUSE THE SECONDARY CATCH TO MALFUNCTION. CONSEQUENTLY, THE HOOD MAY NOT BE SECURELY LATCHED. Remedy: DEALER WILL ADJUST THE CATCH SYSTEM TO FULLY SECURE THE HOOD, WITHOUT CHARGE.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.