AI Damage1990 Chrysler Fifth Avenue: common problems
Owners of the 1990 Chrysler Fifth Avenue filed 36 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 36
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 31% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 19% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 11 complaints (31% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 7 complaints (19% of all).
- Powertrain: 7 complaints (19% of all).
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (17% of all).
- Air bags: 4 complaints (11% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 36 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Abs brake failed, pedal goes to the floor and hit a car. Paid chrysler $780.75 to replace antilock brake controller. Brake light comes on again, brake pedal goes to floor and chrysler wants to repair the car for $2400 to change abs system.
This was an accident where the airbag deployed and exploded. The driver developed (within 3 days) developed double chemical pneumonia (hospitalized for 15 days) - attributed to inhalation of the talcum powder used to lubricate the airbag. The driver remained in the car for approx. 30 min. Following the accident.
Could have started on fire while my 18 year old daughter was driving it to work. $245 for the rack plus $$$ for o-rings, gasket & hoses, not to mention labor. Heard & read of many similar complaints. Should have been a recall. Sounds like a defect to me!!
Consumer was approaching an intersection applied brakes and abs braking system light came on. Brakes didn't hold. Also, calipers/ rotors, and pads were replaced. Dealership was aware of problem.
The fuel injection manifold failed at two swagged fittings causing a high pressure fuel leak. Upon smelling fuel while driving the car I pulled over and found the two swagged fittings on the manifold pouring gas in the engine.
High fire hazard. Vehicle has been in shop more than a week, vin # not available to me at this time.
Ignition switch continued to overheat. Ignition switch has been replaced 3 times. The fourth switch was installed and there is an electrical engineering defect, according to the consumer.
The car has had failures of the transaxle shifted down into limp mode or second gear and staying there. I feel there is a design flaw with the electronically controlled shifting of this transaxle and should be re-called.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,253 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Fifth Avenue has 12 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 36, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Chrysler Fifth Avenue?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, fuel system, powertrain. Total complaints: 36. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (17%), smoke, burning smell, fire (17%), warning lights, check engine (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Chrysler Fifth Avenue?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1990 Chrysler Fifth Avenue from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1990 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.