AI Damage1991 Chrysler Imperial: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Chrysler Imperial filed 84 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 84
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 67% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 14% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 5% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 5% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 56 complaints (67% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 12 complaints (14% of all).
- Fuel system: 5 complaints (6% of all).
- Air bags: 4 complaints (5% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (5% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 84 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 | 56 | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 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.
While driving 15 mph, the brakes failed when the pedal was depressed. The contact sideswiped another vehicle. The other vehicle sustained substantial damages, but the contact's vehicle was in tact. Three weeks prior to the crash, the brakes were serviced by the dealer.
While driving, the air bag blew in the consumers face without warning. Scc
While driving, the air bag deployed without warning, hitting the consumer in the face. The consumer wrecked the vehicle. Scc
While driving, the driver side air bags deployed. The consumer lost control of the vehicle and hit a pole. The dealer was notified. Ph scc
While driving approximately 35 mph, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond as the abs warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 199,971. Updated 1/15/16
Tl* the contact owned a 1991 chrysler imperial. The contact stated that the vehicle was extremely difficult to steer and he had heard a loud popping noise each time the vehicle was driven. The vehicle had not been inspected, diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was destroyed.
The new abs module started malfunctioning in june of 2012, starting with small chirping noises then growing louder into squeals and grinding from the abs pump motor itself. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, where it was determined the pump had failed and a new one was installed.
Tl contact owns a 1991 chrysler imperial. The contact stated that the linkage for the transmission disconnected from the steering column while she was driving approximately 15 mph. The failure was not diagnosed by a mechanic. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 82,000.
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 3,956 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Imperial has 31 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 84, 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.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Chrysler Imperial?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, suspension, fuel system. Total complaints: 84. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (20%), warning lights, check engine (5%), A/C or heater (2%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 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 1991 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 1991 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.