Total Complaints
13 filings
PLYMOUTH COLT · model year
1989 PLYMOUTH COLT
13 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989PLYMOUTHCOLT carries 13 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, 1 injury, 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 COLT is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2) and seat belts (2). 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 COLT. 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.
13
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990225SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
RECALL ON SEAT BELTS NOT PERFORM DUE TO DEALERSHIP PROBLEMS.
19990225ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR FAILED.
19990107SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECALL WORK NOT COMPLETED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.
19970325FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
19970109SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
LEFT REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED TO LATCH PRIOR TO RECALL 95V-103.003. *AK
19960718SEAT BELTS
PE96-007, AUTOMATIC LAP/SHOULDER BELT FAILURE, WILL NOT RETRACT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE (OTHER VEHICLE FROM (985817). *AK
19960619SEAT BELTS
MOTORIZED SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE, CAUSING THE PERSON TO CHOKE. *SD
19960514SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT NO LONGER RETRACTS ON THE TRACT CONSISTANTLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19950718POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
THE MANUFACTURER ASSEMBLED THE VEHICLE WITH A WRONG REAR AXLE, BEARINGS WERE MISMATCHED ON VEHICLE REAR AXLE. TT
19950420ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE REBUILT.
19950420ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING BELT FAILED 4 TIMES, ALSO GASKETS/PISTONS/RINGS AND VALVES NEED TO BE REPLACED. *SKD
19950307EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
WIRING IN BRAKE LIGHTS SCREWED INTO PLASTIC HOUSING OF TAIL LIGHT MELTED, CAUSING CONNECTION TO BE INTERMITTENT. TT
19950303SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVER'S LAP/SHOULDER SEAT BELT, MALE END WILL NOT LOCK INTO FEMALE END. TT
Compare 1989PLYMOUTHCOLT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 PLYMOUTH COLT have?▼
The 1989 PLYMOUTH COLT has 13 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 PLYMOUTH COLT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 PLYMOUTH COLT is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and SEAT BELTS.
Is the 1989 PLYMOUTH COLT 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.