AI Damage1993 Plymouth Duster: common problems
Owners of the 1993 Plymouth Duster filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 33% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 25% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 17% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 17% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (33% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (25% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (25% of all).
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (17% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 2 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 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.
No deployment of air bag during collision (head on), seat belts in the rear failed. Dup of 532600.
Seat belt broke during accident. 526819 dup 0f 532600; posted on 09-07-1999.
Vehicle was involved in a frontal impact at the driver's side while traveling 35mph and there was no deployment of driver's airbag.
The motor mounts was replaced (15) months ago with 43,000 miles on the vehicle. The vehicle now has 57,000 miles and the motor mounts need replacing again. This vehicle is front wheel drive.
Torsion bar shattered; also serpentine belt popped off and rough idle when starting.
Husband driving noticed smoke in glove compartment, opened up & noticed flames, stopped vehicle, opened door and saw real heavy & black smoke, vehicle became engulfed in flames, fire dept arrived & put flames out. Was towed. Insurance co. Notified.
At an incline between 30-35 mph, a severe front end shimmy/vibration is experienced. The vehicle has been to the dealer 6 times and a solution has not been found.
While driving at 35 mph car began to accelerate by itself, the rpms were at 4 and temp gauge went to hot, the braking system would override, but upon release of pedal, vehicle would accelerate atones .this occurred with no prior warning.
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 10,160 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Duster has 6 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 12, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1993 Plymouth Duster?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, air bags, service brakes. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (17%), brake failure (8%), oil leak or consumption (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1993 Plymouth Duster?
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 Duster 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.