Total Complaints
45 filings
PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE · model year
1988 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE
45 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988PLYMOUTHSUNDANCE carries 45 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 2 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 1988 SUNDANCE is seat belts with 8 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (4) and fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system (3). 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 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.
45
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | 8 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 3 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:REAR WINDOW | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20011029SEAT BELTS
MOTOR BELT DOES NOT FUNCTION ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK *YH
20010426ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THIS CAR HAS A POTENTIAL FOR "OIL" FIRE AND NO DEALER SO FAR HAS BEEN ABLE TO OFFER A SOLUTION. *AK
20001129FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
I CAME HOME FROM WORK ON THE 20TH OF NOVEMBER AND WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVE WAY MY CAR WEN'T UP IN FLAMES FROM WHAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID WAS A AS LEAK THAT WAS LEAKING FROM MY FUEL INJECTER ONTO MY MANIFOLD. MY CAR WAS TOTALED FROM THIS FIRE. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO ABOUT THIS. *AK
20000905UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PLEASE CALL BEGONIA FERREIRO AT 1973-344-4469
20000114POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE HAS ODOMETER TAMPERING/FRAUD. YH
20000114ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP FAILED. NLM
20000114POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS REBUILT. NLM
20000114VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED. NLM
20000114SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS
BRAKE ROTORS, SHOES AND LINING FAILED. NLM
20000114SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKE ROTORS, SHOES AND LINING FAILED. NLM
20000114ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE OVERHAULED. NLM
20000114PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE FAILED. NLM
20000114ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
MUFFLER FAILED. NLM
20000114STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED. NLM
19990817SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
REAR SEAT BELT ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY, AND WHEN TRYING TO PULL THE SEAT BELT OUT OF THE RETRACTOR, THE SEAT BELT WILL FREEZE. CONSUMER CAN'T PULL THE SEAT BELT OUT. *AK
19990217FireVISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
REAR DEFROST WIRING SHORT.
19980416ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE BLEW OUT, VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND THEN DIED OUT.
19970620LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
MAIN HOOD LATCH FAILED TO HOLD THE HOOD SHUT/SECONDARY LATCH ALSO FAILED TO ENGAGE. *AK
19970521SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE. THE NYLON TACKS FOR BELTS HAVE WORN AWAY. *AK
19970325FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING
GAS TANK MOUNTING BRACKETS RUSTED, CAUSING TANK STRAPS TO FALL DOWN.
Compare 1988PLYMOUTHSUNDANCE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE have?▼
The 1988 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE has 45 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE is SEAT BELTS with 8 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
Is the 1988 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.