CHRYSLER LEBARON · model year

1996 CHRYSLER LEBARON

4 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996CHRYSLERLEBARON carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 1996 LEBARON is air bags:frontal with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (1) and visibility:power window devices and controls (1). 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 1996 LEBARON, 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.

4
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

4 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS1

Recent Complaints

19991229VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

CHILD WAS NEARLY SUFFOCATED BY AN AUTOMATIC CAR WINDOW.

19980818CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 55PMH. WHEN WAS REARENDED WHILE APPLYING BRAKES. ALSO, THE PASSAGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR PARTS. *AK

19980818CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 55PMH. WHEN WAS REARENDED WHILE APPLYING BRAKES. ALSO, THE PASSAGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR PARTS. *AK

19970603CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, SPEED 30MPH, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Compare 1996CHRYSLERLEBARON to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 7 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 CHRYSLER LEBARON have?
The 1996 CHRYSLER LEBARON has 4 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 CHRYSLER LEBARON?
The most-complained component for the 1996 CHRYSLER LEBARON is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS.
Is the 1996 CHRYSLER LEBARON 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.