Total Complaints
12 filings
PLYMOUTH RELIANT · model year
1987 PLYMOUTH RELIANT
12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987PLYMOUTHRELIANT carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 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 1987 RELIANT is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (2) and seats:front assembly:recliner (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 1987 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.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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:GASOLINE | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020926STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
STEERING GEAR BOX CAME LOOSE FROM THE FRAME. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR
20010126ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE MOUNT COLLAPSED ON TOP OF VELOCITY JOINT. ALSO, CRACKED DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKE HOSE DUE TO WEIGHT OF ENGINE. *AK
20010126SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
ENGINE MOUNT COLLAPSED ON TOP OF VELOCITY JOINT. ALSO, CRACKED DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKE HOSE DUE TO WEIGHT OF ENGINE. *AK
20000918ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THIS CAR INTERMITENTLY STALLS IT SOMETIMES STARTS RIGHT UP OTHER TIMES IT TAKES 15 MIN. TO RESTART PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN CHANGED LOGIC MODULE COMPUTER , FUEL INJECTER, MAP SENSER, IGNITION WIRES AND SPARK PLUGS ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AND SHUTOFF RELAY THIS CAR WAS TAKEN TO A CHRYSLER DEALER AND NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND SO IAM WONDERING IF THERE WERE ANY RECALL ITEMS FOR THIS CAR I SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY ON THIS CAR WITH OUT FINDING A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM
20000914ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THIS CAR INTERMITENTLY STALLS IT SOMETIMES STARTS RIGHT UP OTHER TIMES IT TAKES 15 MIN. TO RESTART PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN CHANGED LOGIC MODULE COMPUTER , FUEL INJECTER, MAP SENSER, IGNITION WIRES AND SPARK PLUGS ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AND SHUTOFF RELAY THIS CAR WAS TAKEN TO A CHRYSLER DEALER AND NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND SO IAM WONDERING IF THERE WERE ANY RECALL ITEMS FOR THIS CAR I SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY ON THIS CAR WITH OUT FINDING A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM
19990303STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE K-FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BROKE BRINGING THE CAR TO A HALT. THE MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED IT SAID THIS IS A COMMON FAULT WITH THE K-CARS. HE ALSO SAID I WAS VERY LUCKY I WAS GOING VERY SLOW. HE SAID IF IT HAD BUSTED ON THE INTERSTATE WHILE GOING 60 MPH, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. HAS THERE EVER BEEN A RECALL ON THE K-CARS? EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED, I'LL BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE MECHANIC SAID EACH TIME I'M IN THE CAR.
19990217ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. DEALER NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN WET OR DAMP WEATHER. *SLC
19990208STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
WHEN TRYING TO USE THE REAR GATE OF THE VEHICLE TO PUT THINGS INTO OR GETTING ITEMS OUT OF THE REAR GATE, THE REAR GATE WILL FALL DOWN ON THE CONSUMER'S HEAD BECAUSE THER ISN'T ENOUGH SUPPORT TO HOLD THE REAR GATE UP WHENEVER CONSUMER IS TRYING TO PUT ITEMS IN OR GET ANYTHING OUT. *AK
19980107ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CRANKSHAFT BROKE WHILE DRIVING.
19970404VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ERRATIC/SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK
19950531SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER HAD TO BE CUT OUT OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BECAUSE OF IT BEING STUCK. TT
19950525SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
LOCKING MECHANISM ON SEAT TRACK WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE. SHIFTS FORWARD WHILE DRIVING. TT
Compare 1987PLYMOUTHRELIANT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 PLYMOUTH RELIANT have?▼
The 1987 PLYMOUTH RELIANT has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 PLYMOUTH RELIANT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 PLYMOUTH RELIANT is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER.
Is the 1987 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.