AI Damage1992 Plymouth Colt Vista: common problems
Owners of the 1992 Plymouth Colt Vista filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 13
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 62% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 15% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 15% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 8 complaints (62% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (15% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 13 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 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.
Ecm module, well known for its heat related failures in mitsubishi and plymouth colt vista models, caught on fire. The vehicle is a 1992 plymouth colt vista 1.8l, 71000 miles.
There is smoke coming from the vehicle due to oil leaking from blown engine gasket. Dealer has not seen.
Brakes squeal/grab/ pull, and car shimmies. Also, transmission has a bad smell. It grinds and doesn't shift properly. Will not hold on a hill when putting vehicle in reverse. Consumer has contacted dealer and manufacturer
Recall notice indicated replacement of entire seatbelt system on 2-door model (including rails and belt retraction systems), but only the motor for three-door models. Since there is a known problem with the seatbelt systems in these cars, I feel the manufacturer should replace the entire seatbelt system in my vehicle.
Recall work not completed on seat belts due to problems with dealer and schedule.
When driving and trying to change radio, the driver's side seat belt retractor lock in place. Pleae describe .
Sliding door on passenger side came off of track due to rail snapping. Please describe details. Tt
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 9,843 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Colt Vista has 5 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 13, above average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1992 Plymouth Colt Vista?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, engine and cooling, powertrain. Total complaints: 13. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (31%), smoke, burning smell, fire (15%), knocking, grinding or other noise (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 Plymouth Colt Vista?
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 Colt Vista 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.