U.S. public vehicle records

Plymouth RELIANT problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

49 owner complaints analyzed

12 distinct recall campaigns

99,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1981 to 1990 model years. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 3 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 49 complaints (16.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	6	12.2%
Braking behavior	4	8.2%
Steering behavior	2	4.1%
Fuel system concerns	2	4.1%
Transmission and shifting	1	2.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Vehicle Speed Control

Structure:Frame And Members

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

Steering:Rack And Pinion

Suspension:Front

Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	8
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	7
Vehicle Speed Control	6
Structure:Frame And Members	4
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	2
Steering:Rack And Pinion	2
Suspension:Front	2
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator	1

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 6; Structure:Frame And Members: 4; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 2; Steering:Rack And Pinion: 2; Suspension:Front: 2; Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 46 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2008

2010

1995: 19; 1996: 8; 1997: 6; 1998: 2; 1999: 6; 2000: 2; 2001: 1; 2002: 1; 2003: 1; 2004: 1; 2008: 1; 2010: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 604547 · 1997-10-16 (October 16, 1997)

CARBURATOR FAILED SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL AND HESITATE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 604547 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 983337 · 1996-04-23 (April 23, 1996)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 983337 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10323176 · 2010-04-07 (April 7, 2010)

1981 PLYMOUTH RELIANT K-CAR. CONSUMER STATES ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS PARENTS PURCHASED THE ABOVE MENTIONED VEHICLE. BUT, SINCE HE DID MOST OF THE DRIVING, HE ASKED THEM IF HE COULD INSTALL CRUISE CONTROL. HE THEN PURCHASED IT AND INSTALLED IT HIMSELF. THE UNIT RECEIVED ITS CONTROL PULSES FROM MAGNETS AROUND THE DRIVE SHAFT, WITH A MAGNETIC PICK UP SENSOR. AFTER ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS, THE UNIT HE INSTALLED STARTED TO ACT ERRATIC. SOMETIMES HE WOULD SET THE CRUISE SPEED, BUT WHEN HE APPROACHED TRAFFIC, HE TAPPED THE CA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10323176 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 984963 · 1996-05-29 (May 29, 1996)

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, CAR CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 984963 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8019542 · 2002-09-26 (September 26, 2002)

STEERING GEAR BOX CAME LOOSE FROM THE FRAME. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8019542 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 843280 · 1999-07-26 (July 26, 1999)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 843280 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 730683 · 2000-09-07 (September 7, 2000)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 730683 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 965234 · 1995-05-12 (May 12, 1995)

WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE WILL JERK FORWARD. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 965234 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

From yearThrough year

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1981: 4; 1982: 4; 1983: 4; 1984: 1; 1985: 1; 1986: 1; 1987: 0; 1988: 0; 1989: 1; 1990: 0

First model yearSecond model year

Year-by-year records

Plymouth RELIANT model-year comparison
Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Change in recalls
1981	2	4	Not available
1982	2	4	0
1983	1	4	0
1984	1	1	-3
1985	5	1	0
1986	4	1	0
1987	10	0	-1
1988	16	0	0
1989	7	1	+1
1990	1	0	-1

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

49 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

6.1%Usable mileage3 / 49 records

87.8%Valid incident date43 / 49 records

100.0%Valid filing date49 / 49 records

87.8%Ordered incident and filing dates43 / 49 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 482909 ENGINE DESIGN WITH ROLLOVER/SEPARATOR VALVE, CAUSES EXCESSIVE NOISE FROM ENGINE. *SKD Look up ODI 482909 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 481426 LEFT TURN SIGNAL FAILS TO FLASH DUE TO GROUND WIRE FAILURE. Look up ODI 481426 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	220.0% ODI 525143 CRANKSHAFT BROKE WHILE DRIVING. Look up ODI 525143 at NHTSA ↗	16.3% ODI 526613 ENGINE CRANKSHAFT FAILED. Look up ODI 526613 at NHTSA ↗	228.6% ODI 505865 VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED, CAUSING OIL LEAK. *DH Look up ODI 505865 at NHTSA ↗	1100.0% ODI 10048044 · 99,000 mi WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLED. INDEPENDENT SHOP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK Look up ODI 10048044 at NHTSA ↗
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 520759 ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT) Look up ODI 520759 at NHTSA ↗	125.0% ODI 983337 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 Look up ODI 983337 at NHTSA ↗	220.0% ODI 730683 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 Look up ODI 730683 at NHTSA ↗	318.8% ODI 504298 VEHICLE STALLS FREQUENTLY. Look up ODI 504298 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Vehicle Speed Control	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	125.0% ODI 984963 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, CAR CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE. *AK Look up ODI 984963 at NHTSA ↗	110.0% ODI 810685 VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ERRATIC/SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK Look up ODI 810685 at NHTSA ↗	318.8% ODI 509664 SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT. Look up ODI 509664 at NHTSA ↗	114.3% ODI 971039 TURNED CAR ON, VEHICLE JUMPED FORWARD INTO WALL. TT Look up ODI 971039 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Structure:Frame And Members	150.0% ODI 482766 DEATH RESULTED FROM SIDE IMPACT, ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT. *AW Look up ODI 482766 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	125.0% ODI 482522 WATER PUMP REPLACED. Look up ODI 482522 at NHTSA ↗	110.0% ODI 703998 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. Look up ODI 703998 at NHTSA ↗	16.3% ODI 843280 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 Look up ODI 843280 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 976893 THE DRIVERS SEATBELT BUCKLE IS BROKEN AND IT DOES NOT LATCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT Look up ODI 976893 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	110.0% ODI 966105 DRIVER HAD TO BE CUT OUT OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BECAUSE OF IT BEING STUCK. TT Look up ODI 966105 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Steering:Rack And Pinion	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	212.5% ODI 485724 RACK/PINION LEAK. *DH Look up ODI 485724 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Suspension:Front	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	120.0% ODI 836910 WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE FRONT IS SHAKING REAL BADLY, AND THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIE RODS/ BALL JOINTS AND STRUTS.DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK Look up ODI 836910 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	16.3% ODI 545820 FRONT CROSSMEMBER CORRODED, CONSUMER STUCK IT WITH A SCREW DRIVER HANDLE AND IT FELL APART. MJS Look up ODI 545820 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	16.3% ODI 601921 ALTERNATOR FAILED. Look up ODI 601921 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	Too few reports for a range	99,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10048044 · 99,000 mi WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLED. INDEPENDENT SHOP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK Look up ODI 10048044 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

1989: 2 complaints · 1990: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
1989	0	1	2
1990	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
1989	5	1	1
1990	1	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	Vehicle Speed Control	Structure:Frame And Members	Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	Steering:Rack And Pinion	Suspension:Front	Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	—	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	0	—	0	0	0	0	0	0
Vehicle Speed Control	0	0	—	0	0	0	0	0
Structure:Frame And Members	0	0	0	—	0	1 ODI 843280 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 Look up ODI 843280 at NHTSA ↗	0	0
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	0	0	0	0	—	0	0	0
Steering:Rack And Pinion	0	0	0	1 ODI 843280 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 Look up ODI 843280 at NHTSA ↗	0	—	0	0
Suspension:Front	0	0	0	0	0	0	—	0
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

3 patterns with matching reports.

Stalling or loss of power

6 mentions · 12.2% of complaints

Median mileage: 99,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 604547

CARBURATOR FAILED SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL AND HESITATE.

Look up ODI 604547 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 983337

Look up ODI 983337 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 730683

Look up ODI 730683 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b

Hard or delayed shifting

2 mentions · 4.1% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 507828

VEHICLE JERKS INTERMITTENTLY DURING THE SUMMER.

Look up ODI 507828 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 965234

WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE WILL JERK FORWARD. TT

Look up ODI 965234 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

Brake response concerns

1 mentions · 2.0% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 10323176

Look up ODI 10323176 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule