AI Damage2001 Plymouth Prowler: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Plymouth Prowler filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 21
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Suspension 52% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 33% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 5% of all complaints
- Suspension: 11 complaints (52% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 7 complaints (33% of all).
- Air bags: 2 complaints (10% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (5% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 21 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Tl*- the contact said that the font spanking ball joint has a recall that has not been addressed. The contact said that he had made a right turn and accelerated to 16 mph when the ball joint failed. The contact said that he will have the car towed to a shop and that he will save all parts and the repair order.
The ball joints are weak. Have been from the beginning. The don't last as long as with other cars and break fairly easy. It's a problem that needs to be addressed asap. I was very lucky, mine broke as I was pulling into a parking spot at a restaurant. I had just gotten off the interstate doing highway speed.
The steering wheel locked. I was able to guide the vehicle to the right edge of the roadway. There was no warning.. Noise or any other indication of the failure. Just the pop of the failed ball joint separating and then the right front of the car scraping on the pavement.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 plymouth prowler. The contact stated that the mechanism which held the hood open failed and the hood dropped down onto his head. The failure recurred a total of five times. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on four occasions and was repaired.
Tl contact owns a 2001 plymouth prowler. The air bag indicator light illuminated and would not dim. Afterwards, the check air bag indicator light illuminated. A local mechanic diagnosed the clock spring as the failure. The current and failure mileages were 10,100. Updated 05/04/07.
The failure of the "clock spring" in the steering column has caused the airbags to be disabled, and the airbag warning light is on. The cruise control functions on the steering wheel failed also.the "clockspring" provides the electrical connection to the driver side airbag and switches in the steering wheel.
My 2001 plymouth prowler hood fell on my left wrist without any warning causing a severe bruise that lasted several weeks. Initially I thought the wrist was broken but an x-ray showed it wasn't.
Hood shocks do not support hood weight. I have had the hood crash down several times, but no one was hurt. Other owners of plymouth/chrysler prowlers have reported changing the hood shocks several times with no solution.
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 8,077 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Prowler has 12 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 21, above average.
What to check before buying
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Plymouth Prowler?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, structure, air bags. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (5%), steering or power steering problems (5%), warning lights, check engine (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Plymouth Prowler?
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 2001 Plymouth Prowler 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 2001 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.