AI Damage1989 Plymouth Voyager: common problems
Owners of the 1989 Plymouth Voyager filed 165 complaints with NHTSA, most often about latches, locks, linkages and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 165
- involving a crash
- 19
What fails most often
- 1 Latches, locks, linkages 26% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 19% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 9% of all complaints
- 6 Seats 5% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
- Latches, locks, linkages: 43 complaints (26% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 32 complaints (19% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 31 complaints (19% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 17 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 15 complaints (9% of all), 3 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.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 3-speed
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 165 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latches, locks, linkages | 43 | 6 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 32 | 3 | 0 |
| Structure | 31 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| Seats | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 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.
All 4 tires had an indentation in the side wall in the radial direction. The consumer feels that this could cause a blow out.
Hatch back rattles, rear windshield motors start up when up hit a bump and won't stop, front end clinks and it smokes real bad and burns a lot of oil.
My husband was rear-ended at highway speeds and when the seat belt engaged and held him into the seat, the bolt on the driver's seat broke, automatically reclining the seat. My husband was thrown backwards into the reclined seat as a result of the accident. Consciousness was momentarily lost.
Consumer was involved in a rear end collision and both driver's and passenger 'sside seatbacks broke to the reclining position, causing injuries to both driver/ passenger and the rear occupant. The vehicle was totaled.
During rear impact the driver's side seatback fall into the rear seat.
Rapid idle speed in cold ambient, involved in accident due to rapid idle condition. Tt
Upon impact, driver's seat belt buckle broke off at base where bolts into floor; vehicle broadsided by another vehicle moving slowly.
Vehicle hit on back right hand side, rear hatch latch flew open ejecting a child, she was wearing a seat belt. 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 2,430 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Voyager has 251 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 165, below average.
What to check before buying
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- 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.
Other years of this model
- Voyager 19834 sources
- Voyager 198422 sources
- Voyager 198531 sources
- Voyager 198653 sources
- Voyager 198784 sources
- Voyager 198891 sources
- Voyager 1990226 sources
- Voyager 1991520 sources
- Voyager 1992701 sources
- Voyager 1993615 sources
- Voyager 1994529 sources
- Voyager 1995336 sources
- Voyager 1996756 sources
- Voyager 1997346 sources
- Voyager 1998323 sources
- Voyager 1999273 sources
- Voyager 2000168 sources
- Voyager 999916 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1989 Plymouth Voyager?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: latches, locks, linkages, powertrain, structure. Total complaints: 165. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (10%), smoke, burning smell, fire (7%), transmission slipping (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1989 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 1989 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 1989 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.