Total Complaints
23 filings
PLYMOUTH RELIANT · model year
1988 PLYMOUTH RELIANT
23 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988PLYMOUTHRELIANT carries 23 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 6 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 1988 RELIANT is vehicle speed control with 4 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (3) and steering:rack and pinion (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 1988 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.
23
Complaints
6
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
6 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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990726STEERING:RACK AND PINION
HAD NOTICED STEERING WAS OFF. TO MUCH TURNING TO GET WHEELS TO TURN. HAD MECHANIC CHECK & BOLTS WERE LOOSE & HAD THEM TIGHTENED ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE BOLTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE WERE SPLIT & COULD BE SEEN MOVING WHEN THE WHEEL WAS TURNED. ALSO NOTICED CROSSBAR WAS CRACKED. PE91065. *AK
19990726STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
HAD NOTICED STEERING WAS OFF. TO MUCH TURNING TO GET WHEELS TO TURN. HAD MECHANIC CHECK & BOLTS WERE LOOSE & HAD THEM TIGHTENED ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE BOLTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE WERE SPLIT & COULD BE SEEN MOVING WHEN THE WHEEL WAS TURNED. ALSO NOTICED CROSSBAR WAS CRACKED. PE91065. *AK
19990712CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
STARTED THE CAR FROM A PARKING LOT, AS SOON AS I PUT ON DRIVE, THE CAR WENT ON HIGH SPEED, WENT IN A CIRCULAR MOTION, I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR UNTIL I HIT TWO OTHER CARS.
19990602SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT CROSSMEMBER CORRODED, CONSUMER STUCK IT WITH A SCREW DRIVER HANDLE AND IT FELL APART. MJS
19971215CrashSEATS
WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, WHEN MAKING A TURN, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE REAR, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT TO COLLAPSE BACKWARD INTO THE REAR SEAT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19971103ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE CRANKSHAFT FAILED.
19961210ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
19961106CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT.
19960923ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE JERKS INTERMITTENTLY DURING THE SUMMER.
19960628STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK/PINION LEAK. *DH
19960601FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT) *DSH
19960601FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
VEHICLE STALLS FREQUENTLY.
19960123CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE W/CAUSE, SPEED SENSOR. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19960123CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE W/CAUSE, SPEED SENSOR. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19951026SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACED.
19951026SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
SHOULDER BELT FAILED TO SECURE DRIVER DURING ABOVE ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY.
19951026CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKE PADS REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO DISINTEGRATION, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AW
19951026SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
BRAKE CALIPERS REPLACED.
19951026SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE.
19950512POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE WILL JERK FORWARD. TT
Compare 1988PLYMOUTHRELIANT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 PLYMOUTH RELIANT have?▼
The 1988 PLYMOUTH RELIANT has 23 NHTSA complaints, 6 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 PLYMOUTH RELIANT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 PLYMOUTH RELIANT is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and STEERING:RACK AND PINION.
Is the 1988 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.