Total Complaints
12 filings
PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE · model year
1987 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE
12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987PLYMOUTHSUNDANCE carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 3 fires, 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 1987 SUNDANCE is electrical system:wiring:front underhood with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (1) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (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 SUNDANCE. 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
1
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030602FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK THE HOOD BLEW OPEN BECAUSE IT WAS SO HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER DUE TO A REBUILT MOTOR THAT KEPT RUNNING HOT AND STOPPING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER 15 TIMES AND THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STILL WASN'T FIXED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE USED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REFUND FOR THE REPAIR OR A NEW VEHICLE. *SCC *JB
Mileage: 148,000
20020905VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING, THE THROTTLE STUCK OPEN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN, THE CONSUMER HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND LIFT THE ACCELERATOR WITH HIS TOE IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. *SLC
20000206FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
DRIVING WHEN IT ACTED LIKE IT WAS RUNNING OUT OF GAS NO POWER, WENT FROM 35 TO 20 MPH THEN STARTED SMOKING AS I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT. WENT TO GET HELP BUT NO ONE WAS AT WORK, MEN NEXT DOOR NOTICED SMOKE AND RAN OVER WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE HOOD LATCH WOULD NOT RELEASE. POLICE DEPT RESPONDED AND TIRED TO EXTINGUISHED BUT COULD NOT GET INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FIRE SHORTED ALL WIRING. CAR WIRING WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED AND CAR WAS TOTALED. SECOND ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE DUE TO WIRING HARNESS FAILURE. LAST FAILURE WAS ON APRIL 1991. *AK
19990616FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
VEHICLE HAS A FUEL LEAK, PLACE OF LEAK UNKNOWN, BUT THE FUMES ARE VERY STRONG. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19990125STRUCTURE:BODY
LIGHT BULB UNDER AUTOMATIC GEAR SELECTOR CONSOLE ASSEMBLY WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. AFTER PURCHASING REPLACEMENT LIGHT BULB AS PER NUMBER SPECIFIED IN OWNERS MANUAL, REMOVED GEAR SELECTOR CONSOLE TO DISCOVER THAT BULB HAD NEARLY COMPLETED MELTED LENS AROUND IT. BULB WAS ENCASED IN MELTED PLASTIC AND SMELLED BURNED. BULBS MELTING PLASTIC IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. SEE ALSO MY RECENT REPORT ODI 701361 AND ALSO ODI 371625 (ANOTHER PERSON). BURNING PLASTIC MAY CAUSE FIRE IN INTERIOR OF VEHICLE AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD. CHRYSLER SHOULD RECALL THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS AND RELATED PROBLEMS OR PAY FOR PARTS/LABOR.
19981215EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
HIGH MOUNTED STOP LIGHT STARTED SMOKING DUE TO OVERHEATING. SOCKETS AND BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING MELTED CAUSING SMOKE IN INTERIOR OF VEHICLE.
19970527STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
TRUNK DOOR WON'T STAY UP WHEN OPENED.
19950917ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
THE COMPUTER MODULE WAS REPLACED . TT
19950619CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
THE CAR HIT A TREE HEAD ON AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN OCCUPANT. TT
19950522SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RELEASE MECHANISM BUTTON ON SEAT BELT BUCKLE WOULD NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. TT
19950505FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, UNKNOWN ORIGIN. TT
19950202ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. TT
Compare 1987PLYMOUTHSUNDANCE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE have?▼
The 1987 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE has 12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1987 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE 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.