1990 Plymouth Voyager: common problems

Owners of the 1990 Plymouth Voyager filed 226 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and latches, locks, linkages. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 226
involving a crash: 16

What fails most often

1 Structure 25% of all complaints
2 Latches, locks, linkages 20% of all complaints
3 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
5 Seat belts 9% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
7 Tires 3% of all complaints
8 Visibility 3% 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: 57 complaints (25% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Latches, locks, linkages: 46 complaints (20% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 44 complaints (19% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 22 complaints (10% of all).
Seat belts: 20 complaints (9% 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.

2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
2.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
3.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 3-speed
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 226 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts14 · 6%
transmission slipping11 · 5%
smoke, burning smell, fire9 · 4%
brake failure4 · 2%
door locks, latches, handles4 · 2%
stalls while driving4 · 2%
tires: bulges, blowouts4 · 2%
headlights and tail lights3 · 1%
knocking, grinding or other noise3 · 1%
warning lights, check engine3 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Structure	57	2
Latches, locks, linkages	46	6
Powertrain	44	2
Engine and cooling	22	0
Seat belts	20	1
Service brakes	19	3
Tires	7	0
Visibility	6	0
Equipment	5	0
Suspension	5	1
Electrical system	4	0
Exterior lighting	4	0
Fuel system	4	0
Seats	3	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 in park position , went to turn on ignition and applied pressure to gas pedal, lost control of car, could not stop. Had to turn off ignition to stop car. Due to loss of control consumer rearended a parked car in front of vehicle.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1997-05-20 · NHTSA complaint #812406
Piston seals on both rear brakes blew out, causing loss of all fluid/complete brake failure/accident.
Service brakes · crash · 1996-03-14 · NHTSA complaint #490923
Brakes fail causing consumer to rear end person in front of him. Tt
Service brakes · crash · 1996-01-23 · NHTSA complaint #978177
Vehicle lost control on wet roads, causing accident (kentucky state police report).
Suspension · crash · 1995-06-22 · NHTSA complaint #489417
Rear left tire is crooked going down road. Found rear axle housing rusted through and kinked.
Suspension · 2008-03-03 · NHTSA complaint #10219986
When driving there was a strong gas odor inside the cab of the vehicle. Took vehicle to dealer, and the dealer stated that 3 of the fuel injectors need to be replaced.
Fuel system · 2003-12-19 · NHTSA complaint #10051854
I was wondering how or if my vehicle was repaired in this recall-due to the severe oil leak I am currently experiencing.
Engine and cooling · 2002-01-17 · NHTSA complaint #756799
Vehicle was parked in off position for 15 minutes. Upon returning to vehicle, vehicle engine compartment was on fire.
Electrical system · 2001-09-13 · NHTSA complaint #751922

When owners complained

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

1995118
199638
199715
199813
199916
200013
20016
20025
20031
20081

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,787 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Voyager has 251 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 226, about 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.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1990 Plymouth Voyager?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, latches, locks, linkages, powertrain. Total complaints: 226. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (6%), transmission slipping (5%), smoke, burning smell, fire (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 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 1990 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 1990 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.