Total Complaints
47 filings
PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM · model year
1989 PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM
47 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989PLYMOUTHACCLAIM carries 47 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1989 ACCLAIM is engine and engine cooling:engine with 11 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (5) and suspension:rear (4). 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 5 investigation files overlapping the 1989 ACCLAIM. 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.
47
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 11 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 5 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:MULTIPLE AXLE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030922ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED A WIRE MELTED INSIDE THE FUEL PUMP. *AK *TS ON AND OFF THE ROAD, THE WIRE WAS BOILING THE GAS AROUND THE WIRE, BUT IT DID NOT BLOW A FUSE OR MELT OTHER WIRES ON THE VEHICLE. *SCC *JB
Mileage: 200,000
20020508ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
RECALL 89 V 237 000/ENGINE VALVE COVER: PROBLEM WITH OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE GASKET. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20010529EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN HEADLIGHT COVER BECAME DIM. WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE DISTANCES CLEARLY DURING NIGHT. HEADLIGHT LENS COVER WAS VERY YELLOWISH LOOKING AND LIGHT WAS NOT ABLE TO SHINE THROUGH CLEARLY.*AK
20001013SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT IS DEFECTIVE. IT WILL NOT STAY HOOKED IN. *AK
20000928SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT IS DEFECTIVE. IT WILL NOT STAY HOOKED IN. *AK
20000612ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD GASKET TRAILING ARM RUSTED OUT. AND ALSO THERE IS A TICKING NOISE.*AK
20000327POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE ANOTHER 15,000 MILES SINCE THE FIRST INDICATION OF FAILURE. I NOTICED A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE REAR END IT WAS INTERMITTENT AND I COULD NOT ALWAYS DETERMINE THE LOCATION. THE DEALER CALMLY SAID I HAD A BROKEN AXLE - SOMEONE ELSE SAID - "GET IT WELDED" - ANOTHER SAYS NO WAY - GET A USED ONE FROM THE JUNK YARD. EVERYONE I TALK TO TELLS ME OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER REPLACEMENT IS THE SAME - NO UPGRADED QUALITY - FOR $650 (NOT FROM THE DEALER) I CAN BREATHE EASIER. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN CATAPULTED INTO THE NEXT DIMENSION YET I DON'T KNOW! *AK
19991228FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE HEATING UNIT, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE DASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19990921ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE THE CAR IS PARKED IT SLOWLY LEAKS OIL ,THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE NINETY-ONE, AND THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK
19990902ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HAIR LINE CRACK IN ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD IS CAUSING OIL TO SEEP THROUGH CRACK . *AK
19990605VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
PAINT BEGAN PEELING LESS THAN ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. WAS DISMISSED AS "IMPROPER CARE AND INDUSTRIAL FALLOUT AND MALATION". WINDSHIELD IS ATTACHED TO THIS PAINT. *AK
19990323SUSPENSION:REAR
TRAILING ARM REPLACED TWICE OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD DUE TO A GRINDING NOISE.
19990209ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILED, REPLACEMENT FAILED ALSO, RESULTING IN OVERHEATING AND LEAKAGE.
19990209ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILED, REPLACEMENT FAILED ALSO, RESULTING IN OVERHEATING AND LEAKAGE, UNABLE TO RECTIFY ENGINE PROBLEMS ON SEVERAL ATTEMPTS.
19990209VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
IDLE SPEED MOTOR FAILED.
19990209EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
CENTER STOP LAMP BULB FAILED.
19990112ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILED CAUSING OIL TO LEAK.
19981201ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED FAILURE RESULTING IN LEAKS, WATER PUMP FAILURE ALSO.
19981201ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
ENGINE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED FAILURE RESULTING IN LEAKS, WATER PUMP FAILURE ALSO.
19981201EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER CONTINUES TO FAIL, REPLACEMENTS TO COMPONENTS HOWEVER FAILURE IS NOT RECTIFIED.
Compare 1989PLYMOUTHACCLAIM to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM have?▼
The 1989 PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM has 47 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 11 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and SUSPENSION:REAR.
Is the 1989 PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.