AI Damage1989 Plymouth Colt: common problems
Owners of the 1989 Plymouth Colt filed 11 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 11
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 64% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 27% of all complaints
- 3 Exterior lighting 9% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 7 complaints (64% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (27% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (9% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (9% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 1.6 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 11 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 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 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.
Recall notice to replace seat belts, dealer does not have the part.
Seat belt buckle recall work not completed due to lack of parts.
Left rear seat belt buckle failed to latch prior to recall 95v-103.003.
The manufacturer assembled the vehicle with a wrong rear axle, bearings were mismatched on vehicle rear axle. Tt
Wiring in brake lights screwed into plastic housing of tail light melted, causing connection to be intermittent. 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 10,520 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 29% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Colt has 15 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 11, below 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.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- 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 Plymouth Colt?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, engine and cooling, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 11. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (45%), headlights and tail lights (9%), smoke, burning smell, fire (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1989 Plymouth Colt?
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 Plymouth Colt 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.