1990 Eagle Talon: common problems

Owners of the 1990 Eagle Talon filed 73 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 73

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 56% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 25% of all complaints
3 Seat belts 4% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
6 Structure 3% of all complaints
7 Suspension 3% of all complaints
8 Visibility 3% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Powertrain: 41 complaints (56% of all).
Engine and cooling: 18 complaints (25% of all).
Seat belts: 3 complaints (4% of all).
Service brakes: 3 complaints (4% of all).
Electrical system: 2 complaints (3% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speednamed in 1 complaints

Drive: FWD, AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 73 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

oil leak or consumption4 · 5%
smoke, burning smell, fire4 · 5%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 3%
overheating, coolant loss2 · 3%
seat belts2 · 3%
transmission slipping2 · 3%
vibration2 · 3%
A/C or heater1 · 1%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 1%
rust, corrosion1 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Powertrain	41	0	0
Engine and cooling	18	0	0
Seat belts	3	0	0
Service brakes	3	0	0
Electrical system	2	0	0
Structure	2	0	0
Suspension	2	0	0
Visibility	2	0	0
Equipment	1	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Parking brake	1	0	0
Steering	1	0	0
Vehicle speed control	1	0	0
Other	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.

The belt snapped and I have had nothing but vibration since. I would assume that a broken steel belt in a tire is not a good thing, if tire failure was to occur; loss of vehicle control would be inevitable.
Engine and cooling · 2004-04-26 · NHTSA complaint #10067800
Bracket has pulled lose from the rivets and cracked into two seperate pieces.
Structure · 2001-04-27 · NHTSA complaint #744497
There are air pockets developing in inside of glass.
Visibility · 2001-04-24 · NHTSA complaint #886685
While driving about 25 mph transfer case locked up. Recall 98v069002/transfer case dealt with the same problem. But, this vehicle was not included due to vin. Also, oil leaked when engine was turned off and then restarted.
Powertrain · 2000-03-17 · NHTSA complaint #858771
The car had only been driven 1.5 miles that day. Parked 30 minutes engine off. Then engulfed in a fire
Engine and cooling · 1999-12-28 · NHTSA complaint #716530
Rear brake line going into caliper is pointed in direction of rim. If not tied down to lock and change direction, it will rub rim and damage it. Dealer contacted and is aware of problem, cannot remedy. Problem still exists.
Service brakes · 1999-05-25 · NHTSA complaint #836727
Vehicle starts knocking and pulling from side to side, vibration gets worse when acceleratng, cv joint bearing broke off of motor. Dealer contacted, and cannot remedy the problem. Problem still exists. Provide further information.
Powertrain · 1999-02-25 · NHTSA complaint #835224
The welds are cracked along the rear stabilizer bar. The stabilizer bar broke from the frame. The dealer would not do anything to the vehicle due to being out of warranty.
Suspension · 1999-01-20 · NHTSA complaint #833794

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19958
19965
199713
199825
199914
20002
20013
20022
20041
20071

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 4,331 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Talon has 59 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 73, above average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1990 Eagle Talon?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine and cooling, seat belts. Total complaints: 73. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: oil leak or consumption (5%), smoke, burning smell, fire (5%), knocking, grinding or other noise (3%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Eagle Talon?

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 Eagle Talon 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.