CHRYSLER IMPERIAL · model year

1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL

110 NHTSA complaints, 7 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1991CHRYSLERIMPERIAL carries 110 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 7 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1991 IMPERIAL is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 40 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (7) and suspension:front:springs:air suspension system (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 88 investigation files overlapping the 1991 IMPERIAL, and 7 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

110
Complaints
7
Crashes
0
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

110 filings

Crashes Reported

7 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP40
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS7
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM5
SERVICE BRAKES4
SUSPENSION3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC3
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY2
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
SUSPENSION:FRONT2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH2
SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT2
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER2

Recent Complaints

20160826SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR PISTON ASSEMBLY AND THE PUMP MOTOR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PART WAS NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 96V099000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

20151209SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VARIOUS ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT WARNING INDICATORS RANDOMLY FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 96V099000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE PART WAS ORDERED ON A SPECIFIC DATE AND WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN THE PART FROM THAT DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A SECOND DEALER, BUT THE PART WAS STILL NOT AVAILABLE MONTHS LATER. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,069.

Mileage: 69,069

20151112SERVICE BRAKES

MY CAR'S ABS SYSTEM HAS FAILED. YOU HAVE TO STEP REALLY HARD ON THE BRAKE PAD TO GET THE CAR TO STOP. THE DEALER HAS TESTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE ABS PUMP IS FAILED AND COVERED BY A FEDERAL RECALL 96V099000. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED IN THE 90'S DURING THE RECALL, BUT IT'S FAILED AGAIN. CHRYSLER HAS GUARANTEED THAT THE RECALL WILL BE HONORED REGARDLESS OF WHEN (FOREVER BASICALLY) OR WHO OWNS THE CAR. THE DEALER HAS HAD MY CAR NOW 3 MONTHS STILL WAITING ON PARTS. PLEASE HELP STEP IN AND MAKE CHRYSLER HONOR THE RECALL AND FIX MY CAR.

Mileage: 69,070

20151001SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND AS THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 199,971. UPDATED 1/15/16 *CN

Mileage: 199,971

20140423STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND HE HAD HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED, DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

Mileage: 200,000

20131216SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM PUMP MOTOR ASSEMBLY FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED IN APRIL OF 2010, SHE BEGAN HAVING BRAKE ISSUES. UPON RESEARCH, IT WAS DISCOVERED THERE WAS WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION THAT CHRYSLER ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE ABS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE ABS PUMP MODULE WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $ 271.25. THE NEW ABS MODULE STARTED MALFUNCTIONING IN JUNE OF 2012, STARTING WITH SMALL CHIRPING NOISES THEN GROWING LOUDER INTO SQUEALS AND GRINDING FROM THE ABS PUMP MOTOR ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE PUMP HAD FAILED AND A NEW ONE WAS INSTALLED. THE CONSUMER CALLED CHRYSLER TO INFORM THEM, THE PUMP THAT WAS INSTALLED IN 2010 HAD FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR WARRANTY REPAIR. WHEN THE CONSUMER'S SON PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND LEFT THE PARKING LOT, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST 90% OF ITS ABILITY TO STOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE

20131216SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM PUMP MOTOR ASSEMBLY FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED IN APRIL OF 2010, SHE BEGAN HAVING BRAKE ISSUES. UPON RESEARCH, IT WAS DISCOVERED THERE WAS WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION THAT CHRYSLER ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE ABS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE ABS PUMP MODULE WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $ 271.25. THE NEW ABS MODULE STARTED MALFUNCTIONING IN JUNE OF 2012, STARTING WITH SMALL CHIRPING NOISES THEN GROWING LOUDER INTO SQUEALS AND GRINDING FROM THE ABS PUMP MOTOR ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE PUMP HAD FAILED AND A NEW ONE WAS INSTALLED. THE CONSUMER CALLED CHRYSLER TO INFORM THEM, THE PUMP THAT WAS INSTALLED IN 2010 HAD FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR WARRANTY REPAIR. WHEN THE CONSUMER'S SON PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND LEFT THE PARKING LOT, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST 90% OF ITS ABILITY TO STOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE

20100706STEERING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LINKAGE FOR THE TRANSMISSION DISCONNECTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 82,000.

Mileage: 82,000

20100615SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

EMAILED REC'D ON BEHALF OF (NE) ISSUE WITH CHRYSLER CORPORATION CAR WARRANTY FOR HIS 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ABS BRAKE REPAIRS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT REPAIR IS VEHICLE PROPERLY AND THEY CHARGED HIM FOR LABOR THREE TIMES. THE CONSUMER STATED HE ALMOST RAN A RED LIGHT THREE WEEKS AGO BECAUSE THE BRAKES HAD FAILED AGAIN. THE CONSUMER FINALLY WENT TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT AND ABS PUMP. THE CONSUMER STATED CHRYSLER SENT A CHECK FOR $700.00, HE IS REQUESTING THE FULL AMOUNT FOR THE ABS REPAIRS.( RECALL 96V099000) *JB

20090310SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE IN 2005 A DEALERSHIP SUPPOSED TO REPAIR UNDER RECALL BUT SYSTEM HAS FAILED AGAIN JANUARY 2009. CHRYSLER REFUSES TO REPAIR, CAR HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT. REQUEST ASSISTANCE TO GET CHRYSLER TO REPAIR. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

20080507CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT SIDESWIPED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGES, BUT THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS IN TACT. THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE BRAKES WERE SERVICED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT IS AFRAID TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME DEALER; HOWEVER, IT IS THE ONLY CHRYSLER DEALER IN HIS LOCAL AREA. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 96V099000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK) AND 91V191000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: FOUNDATION COMPONENTS: HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS) WERE REFERENCED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 144,000.

Mileage: 144,000

20080402SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD TO EXCESSIVELY APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. A PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND NOTICED WIRES STICKING OUT OF THE ANTILOCK CONTROL UNIT. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V099000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTI LOCK). THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 103,000.

Mileage: 103,000

20031117SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS RECALL 91V191000 CONCERNING BRAKE LINE FAILURE. HOWEVER, RECALL REPAIRS HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED BECAUSE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS. *AK *PH *NM

20031022SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

AT 98,000 MI VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE REPAIR. DEALER DID ONLY WHAT WAS REQUIRED ON THE RECALL. IT WAS ONLY A PARTIAL REPAIR, AND CONSUMER DID NOT GET MORE THAN 40,000 MILES OUT OF THE REPAIRS. ABS BRAKES WERE STILL OPERATING POORLY. *AK

Mileage: 98,000

20030912SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT

I HAVE READ ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE ABS SYSTEM FOR THE CHRYSLER IMPERIAL. I PURCHASED A 1991 IMPERIAL IN FEBRUARY OF 2000. IN MAY OF 2000 I HAD TO HAVE SOME REPAIR WORK DONE ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM. SUCH AS REPLACEMENT OF THE PUMP MOTOR AND THE ACCUMULATOR FOR THE AMOUNT OF $623.61 LABOR AND PARTS. ONCE AGAIN IN NOVEMBER OF 2002 I HAD TO HAVE THE ACCUMULATOR PRESSURE SWITCH REPLACED, LISTED AS DUAL FUNCTION PRESSURE SWITCH HOLDING PRESSURE AT 2000 PSI. THIS REPAIR JOB COST ME $466.82 OUT OF POCKET INCLUDING LABOR AND PARTS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF I QUALIFY UNDER THE RECALL FOR REIMBURSEMENT CONSIDERING THE VEHICLE WAS NOT 10 YEARS OLD AND THE MILEAGE WAS JUST AT 100036 IN MAY OF 2000 AND 120331 IN NOVEMBER OF 2002. TO THIS DAY I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. AS OF NOW THE ANTI-LOCK LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. I AM TO AFRAID TO TAKE IT BACK TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP FOR I CAN NOT AFFORD ANOTHER 400 TO 600 DOLLARS OUT OF POCKET. PLEASE INFORM OF

Mileage: 100,036

20030303CrashAIR BAGS

WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG BLEW IN THE CONSUMERS FACE WITHOUT WARNING. SCC *JB

Mileage: 177,560

20030203CrashAIR BAGS

WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING, HITTING THE CONSUMER IN THE FACE. THE CONSUMER WRECKED THE VEHICLE. SCC

20030114FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FUEL RAIL CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING GAS TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

20030106CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A POLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PH SCC

20021101POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

UNDER 25 MPH, TRANSMISSION FAILED, NO REVERSE, NO FOWARD GEARS. DT

Compare 1991CHRYSLERIMPERIAL to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 7 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL have?
The 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL has 110 NHTSA complaints, 7 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL?
The most-complained component for the 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 40 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM.
Is the 1991 CHRYSLER IMPERIAL safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.