AI Damage1990 Plymouth Laser: common problems
Owners of the 1990 Plymouth Laser filed 30 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 30
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 27% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 17% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 17% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 3% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 3% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 8 complaints (27% of all).
- Seat belts: 5 complaints (17% of all).
- Structure: 5 complaints (17% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 4 complaints (13% of all).
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (10% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 30 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 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
Seatbelt stays in forward position most times. When it's not working, there is nor restraint.
Metal fatigue of the front subframe resulted in limited ability to control vehicle direction and no power.
Engine and timing belt failed causing vehicle to stall while stopped, upon service dealer found 4 broken valves, one of which was lodged into head, holes in 1 piston, scarred cylinder block.
Timing belt cut off. Complete power shut off in the middle of highway at a 65 miles/ hour zone, including steering. Extremely dangerous situation almost resulting in the injury and death of the driver and other vehicle drivers on highway.
Cracks developed in tire after only 6000 miles of use and dealer would not refund for faulty product.( dot number: e4 027269 tire size: 205/55 r16 )
Recall 95v103.003/active restraints belt buckeles: recall notice received and consumer been trying to get dealer to honor it since dec/1998. Seeking help from nhtsa in this matter.
Regarding the headlights we had problems with the wiring harness more then once. Regarding the passenger side door window I was told by a body shop man that a peice was broken inside the door assembly I took the car to the dealer and because it was about 200 miles pas the 12,000 mile warranty they refused to fix it.
Head lamp doors do not go up when you select lights on..also sometimes when they are up and on they do not go down, when lights are turned off.
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 6,848 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Laser has 17 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 30, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Plymouth Laser?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, seat belts, structure. Total complaints: 30. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (13%), seat belts (7%), stalls while driving (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Plymouth Laser?
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 1990 Plymouth Laser 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 1990 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.