AI Damage1989 Chrysler Lebaron: common problems
Owners of the 1989 Chrysler Lebaron filed 49 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 49
- involving a crash
- 10
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 31% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 22% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 6% of all complaints
- 8 Seat belts 4% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 15 complaints (31% of all).
- Air bags: 11 complaints (22% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (16% of all).
- Powertrain: 7 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (6% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 49 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 11 | 8 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
Consumer states while traveling at 15 mph the vehicle traveling ahead suddenly came to a stop, causing a rear in collision by consumer. Consumer states the drivers side airbag deployed, and a puddy like substains from airbag caused second degree burns to consumers face. Please provide any further information. Mr
Please add vin #. Consumer was driving aproximately 5mph when she sideswiped another vehicle with the front of her vehicle, air bag deployed, and consumer was injured from the powder or residue from the air bag.
During frontal impact, the driver's side air bag did not deploy.
Rear axle separated from the vehicle, causing vehicle to spin out of control/accident.
During accident driver seatbelt buckle came loose, the driver hitting the windshield, resulting in injuries. Tt
Key came out of ignition while car still running and able to be put into gear. Car rolled backward knocking down driver causing fatal injuries. Dt
I was friving down the road and suddenly my seat broke I swerved al over the road and finally got control an pulled over and foun out that the frame of the seat broke.
White smoke was coming from underneath of vehicle, there was a clicking noise. Recall 89v237000 to replace gasket cover.
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 5,395 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Lebaron has 32 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 49, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- 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 1989 Chrysler Lebaron?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 49. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (16%), knocking, grinding or other noise (4%), seat belts (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1989 Chrysler Lebaron?
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 1989 Chrysler Lebaron 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 1989 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.