1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager: common problems

Owners of the 1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager filed 261 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 261
involving a crash: 16

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
2 Air bags 18% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 18% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
5 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
6 Steering 8% of all complaints
7 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
8 Visibility 6% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Powertrain: 49 complaints (19% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 47 complaints (18% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 46 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 42 complaints (16% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Fuel system: 22 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 261 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

airbag warning light27 · 10%
smoke, burning smell, fire15 · 6%
steering or power steering problems15 · 6%
warning lights, check engine14 · 5%
fuel system, fuel smell13 · 5%
stalls while driving11 · 4%
A/C or heater10 · 4%
rust, corrosion8 · 3%
hesitation when accelerating7 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise7 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Powertrain	49	4
Air bags	47	5
Engine and cooling	46	1
Electrical system	42	2
Fuel system	22	1
Steering	22	2
Vehicle speed control	17	2
Visibility	16	0
Seat belts	14	3
Service brakes	12	2
Structure	12	1
Suspension	10	0
Equipment	8	0
Tires	7	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The front window shattered and glass was in our eyes but our airbags did not deploy. We were stuck upside down my seat belt was stuck and my husband had to pull me out of the driver side window. I had to treat for tmj problems, stress and trauma in my neck and back for a few years and I still have some issues.
Air bags · crash · 2018-07-20 · NHTSA complaint #11112744
Drivers airbag did not deploy. The vehicle was hit in the left passenger slide door. The passenger by the left sliding door was killed. The accident occurred on 10/15/04.
Air bags · crash · 2004-10-12 · NHTSA complaint #10094360
When foot is on brake pedal, car surges forward, causing an accident. Dealer has found no cause for problem, which continues to occur. (date below is approximate for accident).
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2003-06-23 · NHTSA complaint #10023576
Also, horn does not work, remote entry on driver's side door does not work, air bag warning light stays on, fuel gauges does not work, a/c heater blink on and off,inside dome light blinks on and off, steering column freezes, cruise control works on and off.
Air bags · crash · 2001-05-07 · NHTSA complaint #9002210
The seat belt did not work. There was no sensation of being held back and no shoulder injury. My face hit the steering column and I suffered multiple facial fractures and cuts, requiring 25 stitches. I have permanent nerve damage on my face and lips.
Seat belts · crash · 1999-06-07 · NHTSA complaint #707275
While driving on dry payment applied the brakes and the abs brakes did not work. At this incident the truck had 500miles. The dealer said the brakes were fine since then the driver has to double the amount of distance between any vehicle to have enough stopping time.
Service brakes · crash · 1998-03-20 · NHTSA complaint #821622
The contact noticed an extensive fuel leak coming from the vehicle. The contact was not notified of nhtsa campaign number: 00v268000 (fuel system, gasoline). The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence due to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 196,559.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2016-09-27 · NHTSA complaint #10910054
The drivers side strut tower is rusting out, but not on the top like most of them do. 3/4 of the side of the tower is rusted and gone. The passenger side still looks good. I have gone to several shops but no one can help me.
Structure · 2016-05-08 · NHTSA complaint #10863840

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19961
199712
199816
199930
200028
200148
200246
200330
200423
20053
20062
20075
20083
20092
20111
20123
20132
20152
20163
20181

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,563 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 4% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Voyager has 128 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 261, above average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
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.
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 1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, air bags, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 261. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (10%), smoke, burning smell, fire (6%), steering or power steering problems (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager?

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 1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager 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 1997 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 2026-11-06.