AI Damage1988 Plymouth Reliant: common problems
Owners of the 1988 Plymouth Reliant filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 16
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 25% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 19% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 13% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 13% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 13% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (25% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (19% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Steering: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 16 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 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 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.
Started the car from a parking lot, as soon as I put on drive, the car went on high speed, went in a circular motion, I could not stop the car until I hit two other cars.
While driving 5 mph, when making a turn, consumer's vehicle was hit in the rear, causing the driver's side seat to collapse backward into the rear seat. Please provide further details.
Vehicle will accelerate w/cause, speed sensor. Please describe details. Tt
Had noticed steering was off. To much turning to get wheels to turn. Had mechanic check & bolts were loose & had them tightened on the left side. The bolts on the right side were split & could be seen moving when the wheel was turned. Also noticed crossbar was cracked. Pe91065.
Front crossmember corroded, consumer stuck it with a screw driver handle and it fell apart. Mjs
Drivers side seat belt anchorage was installed backwards. Tt
Oil indicator light did not alert driver in time to avoid engine damage. 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 9,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Reliant has 5 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 16, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- 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 1988 Plymouth Reliant?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, vehicle speed control, seat belts. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (13%), rust, corrosion (6%), seat belts (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1988 Plymouth Reliant?
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 1988 Plymouth Reliant 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 1988 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.