Total Complaints
9 filings
PLYMOUTH RELIANT · model year
1986 PLYMOUTH RELIANT
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986PLYMOUTHRELIANT carries 9 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 1986 RELIANT is power train:axle assembly with 1 filings, followed by structure:frame and members (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys (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 5 investigation files overlapping the 1986 RELIANT. 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.
9
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000207FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
WHILE PUMPING FUEL INTO THE TANK THE VEHICLE WAS OFF,WITH THE KEY TO IGNITION POSITION TO VIEW THE GAS GAUGE, WENT BACK TO CHECK GAS PUMP, AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE TANK. FIRE WENT OUT ON ITS OWN, AND NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19960529VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, CAR CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE. *AK
19960423ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. *AK ALL POWER ASSIST SYSTEMS FAIL, SOMETIMES VEHICLE WILL RESTART RIGHT AWAY, MORE OFTEN IN SEVERAL HOURS, RECENTLY IT WOULD NOT START FOR DAYS AFTER IT WOULD STALL, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, COMPUTER POWER MODULE, AND COMPUTER LOGIC MODULE HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING, DEALER HAS ALSO REASSEMBLED THE FUEL INJECTOR, REPLACED COOLING FAN, AND TIGHTENED BELTS, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *SLC
19960423ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. *AK ALL POWER ASSIST SYSTEMS FAIL, SOMETIMES VEHICLE WILL RESTART RIGHT AWAY, MORE OFTEN IN SEVERAL HOURS, RECENTLY IT WOULD NOT START FOR DAYS AFTER IT WOULD STALL, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, COMPUTER POWER MODULE, AND COMPUTER LOGIC MODULE HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING, DEALER HAS ALSO REASSEMBLED THE FUEL INJECTOR, REPLACED COOLING FAN, AND TIGHTENED BELTS, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *SLC
19950525POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
AXLE DROPPED, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING/CONTROL. *SKD
19950525STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
RUSTED K-FRAME, CAUSING AXLE TO DROP/LOSS OF STEERING/CONTROL..
19950525ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
TIMING BELT REPLACED.
19950525STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING COLUMN LOOSE.
19950525ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP REPLACED.
Compare 1986PLYMOUTHRELIANT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 PLYMOUTH RELIANT have?▼
The 1986 PLYMOUTH RELIANT has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 PLYMOUTH RELIANT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 PLYMOUTH RELIANT is POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS.
Is the 1986 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 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.