AI Damage1990 Chrysler Imperial: common problems
Owners of the 1990 Chrysler Imperial filed 108 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 108
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 85% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 5% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 4% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 2% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 2% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 1% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 92 complaints (85% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 5 complaints (5% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 4 complaints (4% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (4% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (3% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 108 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 | 92 | 5 | 0 |
| Suspension | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 4 | 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.
The anti lock braking system warning light also illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for repairs or inspection. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The current and failure mileage was 96,565. Updated 7/26/12
About a year ago the abs light came on and stayed on. At this point my power assisted brake system was working fine. Then about a month later the brake light also came on and stayed and I had very tight braking as well as the air ride suspension system has failed and my car now sits pretty much on the tires.
Consumer's wife was driving out of the parking lot, at 45 mph, and car took off and hit a curb. Then went into the traffic and hit a wall.
Brakes: while driving approximately 25mph, approaching a stop sign and put foot on brake and there were no brakes. Raod conditions were wet and vehicle ran into the back of another vehicle.took vehicle in for repair and they put a new brake system in.
Faulty fuel rail. Fuel rail is leaking onto the hot engine block. Fire hazard.
The fuel rail on my 3.3l engine failed, the crossover tube sprayed onto the exaust and soaked the engine compartment with fuel. I was not able to purchase a replacement part from the dealer because all of the 'replasement parts' they have for 3.3l fuel rail are for 'recalls only'.
Front suspension almost drags on road surface and rear suspension is hiked upward ,blocking view out of rear window. I have taken this problem to two chrysler dealears.
Gas everywhere and could have easily caught fire if I had started car and drove off without noticing smell-my wife would have driven off and been killed most likely.
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 3,392 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Imperial has 31 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 108, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Chrysler Imperial?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, suspension, fuel system. Total complaints: 108. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (18%), warning lights, check engine (10%), smoke, burning smell, fire (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Chrysler Imperial?
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 Imperial 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 2026-11-06.