1988 Plymouth Voyager: common problems

Owners of the 1988 Plymouth Voyager filed 91 complaints with NHTSA, most often about latches, locks, linkages and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 91
involving a crash: 6

What fails most often

1 Latches, locks, linkages 25% of all complaints
2 Structure 14% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
4 Equipment 9% of all complaints
5 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
6 Steering 7% of all complaints
7 Seat belts 5% of all complaints
8 Visibility 5% of all complaints

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

Latches, locks, linkages: 23 complaints (25% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 13 complaints (14% of all).
Engine and cooling: 10 complaints (11% of all).
Equipment: 8 complaints (9% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Fuel system: 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.

2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
3 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
automatic, 3-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 91 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire15 · 16%
seat belts4 · 4%
windows, sunroof4 · 4%
fuel system, fuel smell3 · 3%
oil leak or consumption3 · 3%
rust, corrosion3 · 3%
door locks, latches, handles2 · 2%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 2%
airbags did not deploy1 · 1%
headlights and tail lights1 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Latches, locks, linkages	23	2
Structure	13	0
Engine and cooling	10	0
Equipment	8	2
Fuel system	6	0
Steering	6	0
Seat belts	5	0
Visibility	5	1
Electrical system	4	0
Exterior lighting	4	0
Tires	4	0
Powertrain	3	0
Seats	2	1
Suspension	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.

1988 plymouth voyager air bags did not deploy when hit on the driver's side. The driver sustained a torn left rotary cuff, shoulder and back injuries. The driver referenced a clocksping recall.
Air bags · crash · 2005-07-28 · NHTSA complaint #10130253
Consumer and wife were hit from behind and both, passenger's and driver's seats collapsed, leaving occupants flat on their backs.
Seats · crash · 1998-06-10 · NHTSA complaint #824167
Cable snapped that holds up the spare tire, resulting in accident with other vehicles. Tt
Equipment · crash · 1995-07-24 · NHTSA complaint #969304
Spare tire cable broke while driving, tire bounced and jammed underneath another vehicle. Tt
Equipment · crash · 1995-04-05 · NHTSA complaint #963208
Stopped to make a left hand turn hit in rear side windows blew out and tail gate latch broke. Tt
Latches, locks, linkages · crash · 1995-03-21 · NHTSA complaint #962269
Driver noticed that the headlamp lenses are to bright. This causes poor visibility to the driver while driving. Vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the headlamp assembly needed to be replaced.
Exterior lighting · 2005-03-01 · NHTSA complaint #10113238
When the consumer left the repair shop the vehicle began to smoke. The vehicle was returned to the dealer but they were unable to find the cause of the problem. The consumers vehicle no longer operates.
Engine and cooling · 2003-06-23 · NHTSA complaint #10022366
The adjustable steering wheel constantly pivots up and down in the drivers hand. The automatic transmission lever is very difficult fto move unless the driver pivots the steering column up holding the steering column in place while moving the gear shift lever.
Steering · 2002-08-22 · NHTSA complaint #765930

When owners complained

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

199542
199623
19979
19985
19991
20007
20022
20031
20052

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,786 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Voyager has 251 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 91, below average.

What to check before buying

Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1988 Plymouth Voyager?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: latches, locks, linkages, structure, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 91. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (16%), seat belts (4%), windows, sunroof (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1988 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 1988 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 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.