1987 Plymouth Voyager: common problems

Owners of the 1987 Plymouth Voyager filed 84 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and latches, locks, linkages. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 84
involving a crash: 16

What fails most often

1 Structure 23% of all complaints
2 Latches, locks, linkages 21% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 17% of all complaints
4 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
6 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
7 Seats 6% of all complaints
8 Service brakes 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.

Structure: 19 complaints (23% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Latches, locks, linkages: 18 complaints (21% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 14 complaints (17% of all).
Seat belts: 8 complaints (10% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 6 complaints (7% 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
2.6 L · petrol · 4 cyl
3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 3-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 84 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire9 · 11%
seat belts4 · 5%
unintended acceleration3 · 4%
fuel system, fuel smell2 · 2%
headlights and tail lights2 · 2%
oil leak or consumption2 · 2%
rollaway, parking brake2 · 2%
rust, corrosion2 · 2%
brake failure1 · 1%
A/C or heater1 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Structure	19	7
Latches, locks, linkages	18	4
Engine and cooling	14	0
Seat belts	8	2
Vehicle speed control	6	0
Fuel system	5	0
Seats	5	4
Service brakes	5	1
Powertrain	4	1
Electrical system	2	0
Equipment	2	0
Exterior lighting	2	0
Steering	2	0
Tires	2	0

What owners report

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

Consumer was driving at approxmately 20-30 mph when hit vehicle in front.electronic seat which is suppose to lock up or stop on any type of impact was inoperative, causing the seat to go forward. Consumer hit dash board/chest. Hit steering wheel. Seat did not maintain position on impact. Electronic seat did not hold.
Seats · crash · 1999-02-17 · NHTSA complaint #820577
While driving vehicle struck a deer. Upon impact, the hood latch bolt separated from the hood, causing the hood to fly up. Manufacturer will be contacted.
Latches, locks, linkages · crash · 1998-07-22 · NHTSA complaint #825716
Owner was involved in an accident and the driver's/ passenger's side seat belt harness did not hold. Owner further notes that investigator did look at seat belts and determined that they did not retrtact, also they did not lock.
Seat belts · crash · 1997-05-28 · NHTSA complaint #812041
Consumer was involved in a rearend collision in which the driver's and passenger's bucket seatbacks fell backwards, causing the driver to lose vehicle control. Please give further details.
Seats · crash · 1996-11-18 · NHTSA complaint #805232
Backed vehicle out of garage, engaged gear in park, got out, left engine running, moments later vehicle jumped out of gear, rolled backwards, stopped only after hitting small tree, no warning.
Powertrain · crash · 1996-08-28 · NHTSA complaint #801460
Rear hatch latch/lock failed, causing passenger to be thrown from rear of vehicle on curb, resulting in her death.
Latches, locks, linkages · crash · 1995-09-21 · NHTSA complaint #469986
When broad sided on rear drivers side, the hatch gate opened. Tt
Structure · crash · 1995-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #963651
Vehicle was broadsided on right side and van tippedover and rear door flew open. Tt
Structure · crash · 1995-04-07 · NHTSA complaint #963400

When owners complained

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

199545
199618
19979
19984
19992
20002
20012
20021
20081

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,956 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Voyager has 251 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 84, below average.

What to check before buying

Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
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 1987 Plymouth Voyager?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, latches, locks, linkages, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 84. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (11%), seat belts (5%), unintended acceleration (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Plymouth 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 1987 Plymouth 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 1987 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.