Total Complaints
8 filings
PLYMOUTH RELIANT · model year
1985 PLYMOUTH RELIANT
8 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985PLYMOUTHRELIANT carries 8 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1985 RELIANT is engine and engine cooling:engine with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system:radiator assembly (1) and electrical system:wiring (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 1985 RELIANT. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
8
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 | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990420SUSPENSION:FRONT
WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE FRONT IS SHAKING REAL BADLY, AND THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIE RODS/ BALL JOINTS AND STRUTS.DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
19990420STEERING:LINKAGES
WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE FRONT IS SHAKING REAL BADLY, AND THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIE RODS/ BALL JOINTS AND STRUTS.DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
19990112FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
CARBURATOR FAILED SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL AND HESITATE.
19970918FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
19950705SUSPENSION:REAR
DEALER INSTALLED A TRAILING ARM WHICH BROKE. TT
19950420ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILED TWICE. *AW
19950420ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR REPLACED DUE TO ANTIFREEZE LEAK.
19950420ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
LEFT TURN SIGNAL FAILS TO FLASH DUE TO GROUND WIRE FAILURE.
Compare 1985PLYMOUTHRELIANT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 PLYMOUTH RELIANT have?▼
The 1985 PLYMOUTH RELIANT has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 PLYMOUTH RELIANT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 PLYMOUTH RELIANT is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING.
Is the 1985 PLYMOUTH RELIANT 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1985 PLYMOUTH RELIANT; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.