AI Damage1993 Plymouth Acclaim: common problems
Owners of the 1993 Plymouth Acclaim filed 72 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 72
- involving a crash
- 12
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 21% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 19% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 15% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 15% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 15 complaints (21% of all).
- Suspension: 14 complaints (19% of all).
- Air bags: 11 complaints (15% of all), 10 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 11 complaints (15% of all).
- Electrical system: 10 complaints (14% of all).
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 72 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 11 | 10 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1 | 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 40mph front of car collided with another car and air bags did not deploy.
Upon impact, airbags did not deploy, resulting in minor injuries. Mechanic informed owner that vehicle had no airbag sensor.
While son was driving vehicle in wet weather, about 35mph, another vehicle made left turn in front vehicle. Driver applied brakes & hit other vehicle in rear. Upon impact, the driver's air bag did not deploy. No injuries.
In heavy rain storm or a heavy load on the windshield wipers, the wipers came loose and broke off, causing an accident. Dealer fixed this problem 6 times in 3 years. Dealer cannot determine the problem.
The engine suddenly accelerated and the consumer had an accident. Tt consumer states she back into a pole, and when she put the vehicle into drive, it simply took off, consumer had no control of vehicle, consumer states it only moved about 1 car lenght before she hit a truck, she states there was a roaring noise.
My 93 plymouth acclaim 4 door sedan with a 3 speed automatic transmission the transmission at stops started to slip car wouldn't even move forward at all then when I pressed on the gas pedal to bring up the engine rpms it jump forward and I herd a high pitch squealing noise from under the hood and it started to move…
My 1993 plymouth acclaim's front headlights collect water and eventually burn out the headlamps. Also causes poor visability for night driving. I would like replacement headlights since I feel I shouldn't have to pay $120.00 for each.
The consumer was traveling west bound on the highway (ohio turnpike), when the vehicle began to smoke. The consumer exited the vehicle and saw the vehicle on fire. (ohio traffic crash report)
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 4,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Acclaim has 47 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 72, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1993 Plymouth Acclaim?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, suspension, air bags. Total complaints: 72. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (8%), airbags did not deploy (7%), smoke, burning smell, fire (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1993 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 1993 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 1993 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.