AI Damage1992 Plymouth Acclaim: common problems
Owners of the 1992 Plymouth Acclaim filed 63 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 63
- involving a crash
- 11
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 19% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 14% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 11% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- Air bags: 12 complaints (19% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 12 complaints (19% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 9 complaints (14% of all).
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (11% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 7 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 63 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 12 | 7 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 2 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Air bag nor seat belts protected the consumer during an accident when the consumer hit the back of another vehicle at 45mph. Dealer cannot duplicate the problem.
Three witnesses saw daughter put on her seat belt. Another occupant in vehicle was injured.
In a head on collision the driver side air bag did not deploy.please describe. Tt
While driving smoke appeared in vehicle due to defective ignition wiring harness. Also replaced gasket/thermostat/radiator cap.
Vehicle experienced sudden acceleration and the driver lost control, as a result of the accident the driver was killed.
The ignition switch caught on fire while driving. The dealer has been notified.
The vehicles upper steering column shaft fractured while driving and loss steering control of vehicle. Dealer has been notified and informed that the vehicle vin# was not covered under the recall92v015. Mr
Transmission failed to go into neutral, reverse, park, then started leaking fluids.
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 4,699 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Acclaim has 47 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 63, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- 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 1992 Plymouth Acclaim?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, powertrain, suspension. Total complaints: 63. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), stalls while driving (5%), jerking, harsh shifts (3%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 Plymouth Acclaim?
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 1992 Plymouth Acclaim 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 1992 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.