Total Complaints
120 filings
PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM · model year
120 NHTSA complaints, 17 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991PLYMOUTHACCLAIM carries 120 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 17 crashes, 5 fires, 20 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 ACCLAIM is air bags:frontal with 12 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (10) and suspension:rear (9). 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 1991 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.
Total Complaints
120 filings
Crashes Reported
17 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 12 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 10 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 9 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 8 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 7 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 6 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 5 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 3 |
| SEATS | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 2 |
1991 PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM, UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON IR 76 IN THE RIGHT LANE, WHEN THE DRIVER PULLED OVER ONTO THE RIGHT BERM BECAUSE OF ENGINE TROUBLE, WHICH THE VEHICLE THEN IGNITED INTO FLAMES AND WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE FIRE MAY HAVE ORIGINATED IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AREA OF THE MUFFLER. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0381-91)*JB
CAR WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR CAUSING THE DRIVERS SEAT TO BREAK AND FALLING BACK INTO THE REAR SEAT AND LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR AND CONTINUING ANOTHER 200 FEET BEFORE BEING ABLE TO RECOVER AND STOP THE VEHICLE. *JB
Mileage: 171,000
PLYMOUTH ACCLAIM 1991, SPRINGS IN FRONT DOORS TOO STRONG. *BF *JB
BAD PAINT WHICH IS NOW PEELING OFF THE HOOD AND ROOF, THOUGH THE REST OF THE CAR IS JUST FINE.*AK
Mileage: 72,000
THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED ANOTHER VEHICLE TO SATISFY HIM AS A LONG TIME CUSTOMER. MR SCC *JB
CONSUMER DROVE OVER AN EXPOSED PORTION OF A RAILROAD TRACK AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER SUSTAINING BURNS FROM THE DEPLOYMENT CHEMICALS. *JB
THE PAINT ON THIS VEHICLE IS JUST FALLING OFF IN SPLOTCHES. A MECHANIC FRIEND OF MINE SAID THAT WAS TYPICAL OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL. HE CLAIMS THE MANUFACTURER USED THE INCORRECT PRIMER AND FINAL PAINT. *JB
AT 28-32 MPH VEHICLE JERKS/SHIFTS TO SECOND GEAR, AND RPMS GO TO 3000-4000. VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT THIS POINT. TRANSMISSION IS STUCK IN SECOND GEAR,.CONSUMER HAS TO SHUT OFF ENGINE TO GET OUT OF SECOND GEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONLY ONCE AT 55 MPH, ALL OTHER TIMES AT 28-32MPH.*AK
VEHICLE SEEMS TO DOWNSHIFT, OR NOT GET ENOUGH GAS, DRIVING IT WILL GO INTO LOWER GEAR, ENGINE WILL REV, ODOMETER GOES OVER 5, IN ORDER TO KEEP IT FROM SHUTTING OFF, I DRIVE IT IN LOWER GEAR. FIRST STARTED AFTER DRIVING APP. 50 MILES, NOW IT WON'T STAY RUNNING. HAVE REPLACED THE COIL, DID NOT HELP*AK
VEHICLE SEEMS TO DOWNSHIFT, OR NOT GET ENOUGH GAS, DRIVING IT WILL GO INTO LOWER GEAR, ENGINE WILL REV, ODOMETER GOES OVER 5, IN ORDER TO KEEP IT FROM SHUTTING OFF, I DRIVE IT IN LOWER GEAR. FIRST STARTED AFTER DRIVING APP. 50 MILES, NOW IT WON'T STAY RUNNING. HAVE REPLACED THE COIL, DID NOT HELP*AK
COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH OF VEHICLE. ALSO EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS BLOWING OUT BLUE SMOKE FROM PIPE AREA. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
VEHICLE WAS STOLEN, TRAVELING WET ROAD, APPROX. 40MPH, LOST CONTROL, HIT AND BROKE TELEPHONE POLE, FRONTAL DAMAGE,BENT FRAME, AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAR PURCHASED 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO INCIDENT, THIEF FLED SCENE. *AK
THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON TWO SIMILAR VEHICLES, ALSO ON EVERY SPIRIT, ACCLAIM, SUNDANCE, SHADOW I'VE SEEN ON THE ROAD OR IN THE JUNKYARD. THIS PIECE OF CONDUIT RUNNING BETWEEN THE SPINDLE PLATES HAS CRACKED ON EVERY ONE I'VE COME ACROSS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR, THINKING IT WAS OK BUT THE DEALER OR PREVIOUS OWNER HAD SHOVED RUBBER HOSING UP INTO THE VOICE BETWEEN AXLE AND TUBE TO KEEP IT QUIET. THE MANUFACTURER/DEALERSHIP WANTS OVER $1200 TO FIX BY COMPLETE REPLACEMENT, SAYS IT HAS TO BE DONE BUT WON'T EXPLAIN WHAT THIS TUBE IS SUPPOSED TO ACCOMPLISH OR WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF NOT REPLACED. COULD THIS BE A SAFETY ISSUE? I COULD AFFORD TO FIX IF I KNEW IT WASN'T JUST GOING TO BUST AGAIN, BUT HOW ABOUT ALL THE POORER FOLK OUT THERE WHO WILL JIMMY IT UP AND PASS IT ALONG? THIS IS A CASE OF REALLY POOR DESIGN. I'VE HEARD OF THESE FAILING AT 40,000 MILES OR LESS. THE WELD CRACKS OR THE TUBE CRACKS AT EITHER SPINDLE PLATE. IF IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, WHY HAVE THE THING ON THER
THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON TWO SIMILAR VEHICLES, ALSO ON EVERY SPIRIT, ACCLAIM, SUNDANCE, SHADOW I'VE SEEN ON THE ROAD OR IN THE JUNKYARD. THIS PIECE OF CONDUIT RUNNING BETWEEN THE SPINDLE PLATES HAS CRACKED ON EVERY ONE I'VE COME ACROSS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR, THINKING IT WAS OK BUT THE DEALER OR PREVIOUS OWNER HAD SHOVED RUBBER HOSING UP INTO THE VOICE BETWEEN AXLE AND TUBE TO KEEP IT QUIET. THE MANUFACTURER/DEALERSHIP WANTS OVER $1200 TO FIX BY COMPLETE REPLACEMENT, SAYS IT HAS TO BE DONE BUT WON'T EXPLAIN WHAT THIS TUBE IS SUPPOSED TO ACCOMPLISH OR WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF NOT REPLACED. COULD THIS BE A SAFETY ISSUE? I COULD AFFORD TO FIX IF I KNEW IT WASN'T JUST GOING TO BUST AGAIN, BUT HOW ABOUT ALL THE POORER FOLK OUT THERE WHO WILL JIMMY IT UP AND PASS IT ALONG? THIS IS A CASE OF REALLY POOR DESIGN. I'VE HEARD OF THESE FAILING AT 40,000 MILES OR LESS. THE WELD CRACKS OR THE TUBE CRACKS AT EITHER SPINDLE PLATE. IF IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, WHY HAVE THE THING ON THER
THE ENGINE REVS WHILE STOPPED, CONSUMER HAS TO PRESS HARD ON BRAKES IN ORDER FOR VEHICLE NOT TO MOVE FORWARD, THE PROBLEM OCCURS MORE WHEN THE VEHICLES AIR CONDITIONING/DEFROST SYSTEM IS ON, WHEN MECHANIC REPAIRS THE VACUUM LEAKS, IT HELPS FOR A WHILE, BUT THEN THE PROBLEM RESURFACES. NLM
CONSUMER WILL PUT HEATING UNIT ON HEAT SETTING OR VENT SETTING AND WHEN ACCELERATING, IT KICKS INTO DEFROST MOVING THE AIR CIRCULATION FROM PROPER VENTILATION TO DASH VENTILATION, ALSO CAUSING ENGINE TO REV UP.
SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE DASH VENTS. *AK
SPORADIC BEHAVIOR, VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE PAST 30 MPH. *AK
FEL PUMP FAILURE.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE JUST STOPPED. TRANSMISSION FAILURE, WON'T GO FORWARD AND THE ENGINE RACED. TOWED TO THE DEALER. *AK
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.