1988 Plymouth SUNDANCE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
27 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1988 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Most common problems
Seat Belts is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 27 complaints (29.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 7.4% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 7.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 3.7% |
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.
| Category | 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 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 1 |
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; Electrical System:Ignition:Module: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 27 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 9 |
| 1996 | 7 |
| 1997 | 3 |
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 3 |
| 2001 | 2 |
1995: 9; 1996: 7; 1997: 3; 1998: 2; 1999: 1; 2000: 3; 2001: 2
Pattern summary
Seat Belts leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 1 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 537655 · 1998-07-01 (July 1, 1998)
REAR DEFROST WIRING SHORT.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 537655 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 960541 · 1995-02-24 (February 24, 1995)
WHEN USING THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER IT DRAINS THE BATTERY. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 960541 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 513202 · 1996-12-30 (December 30, 1996)
ENGINE HEAD GASKET/VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED; ALSO REPLACED RACK AND PINION STEERING/LEFT WHEEL CYLINDER AND OXYGEN SENSOR. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 513202 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 550323 · 2000-01-10 (January 10, 2000)
RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 550323 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 515176 · 1997-02-28 (February 28, 1997)
GAS TANK MOUNTING BRACKETS RUSTED, CAUSING TANK STRAPS TO FALL DOWN.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 515176 at NHTSA ↗
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
27 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
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.
| Component | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo 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. | 1027.8%ODI 500734FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS AIR BAG, RESULTING IN INJURIES. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *DSH | 13.3%ODI 979941BUSINESS AREA HAD BROKEN WATER LINE; ROAD WAS ICY; ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, SLID INTO REAR OF VEHICLE, AIRBAG POPPED OUT, DID NOT INFLATE. *AK | 714.3%ODI 513121VEHICLE STRUCK POTHOLE CAUSING DRIVER'S FACE TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IMMEDIATELY BUT DID DEPLOY SECONDS LATER, FILLING THE VEHICLE WITH SMOKE. | 1423.3%ODI 800697DURING FRONTAL IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE.*AK | 46.8%ODI 825398CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 20 MPH REAR END COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. 826514 DUP 0F 825398; POSTED ON 09-07-1999. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 27.4%ODI 802769CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK COLLAPSED, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK | 26.1% | 25.6%ODI 701292WHILE STOPPED IN A LEFT TURN LANE THE VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND. THE IMPACT CAUSED BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATBACKS TO COLLAPSE BACKWARD, CAUSING NECK STRAIN TO THE PASSENGER AND NECK & LOWER BACK STRAIN TO THE DRIVER. | 516.7%ODI 481006NO LATCH ON FRONT SEATS TO PREVENT SEATS FROM BENDING FORWARD. | 36.1%ODI 810592SEATBACK BROKE WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *AK | 610.0%ODI 528533WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE FRONT SEAT MOVES FORWARD. THE FRONT SEAT DOESN'T LOCK. | 58.5%ODI 10018265THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL # 99 V 212 000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB *SCC | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 18.3% | 27.4%ODI 513202ENGINE HEAD GASKET/VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED; ALSO REPLACED RACK AND PINION STEERING/LEFT WHEEL CYLINDER AND OXYGEN SENSOR. *AK | 618.2% | 411.1% | 13.3%ODI 981240THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND THE MOTOR MOUNTS FELL OFF THE VHEICLE. *AK | 36.1% | 46.7% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 414.8% | 39.1% | 25.6% | 26.7% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 11.7%ODI 813383WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO WARNING.THE CAR THEN HAS TO SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES TO START AGIAN. *AK | 46.8%ODI 483800ENGINE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION, VEHICLE DISPLAYING SYMPTOMS FOR 2ND TIME. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 829.6% | 412.1%ODI 482176PASSENGER'S AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED AFTER RECALL (92V-053). *SKD | 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. | 23.4%ODI 10052909MY 94 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE CAR HAS UNSAFE CAR SEAT BELTS (CAN COME UNDONE WHEN BUMPED BY AN ELBOW, HAND, OR ANOTHER CHILD'S CAR SEAT INSTALLED NEXT TO IT). I AM CONTACTING MY LOCAL DEALER TO MAKE AN COMPLAINT AND ASK FOR A REPLACEMENT TO GEN4 DESIGN SEATBELTS. AS A PARENT, WHY WOULD YOU INSTALL UNSAFE SEATBELTS? WHY ISN'T THERE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL? *LA | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 18.3%ODI 567088WHILE 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 | 13.7% | 26.1% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 12.0% | 35.0%ODI 513830THROTTLE STICKS, WHEN SHIFTING, CLUTCH DEPRESSED AND WHILE IN GEAR AND ACCELERATING. | 35.1% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0% |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 13.7%ODI 971869PLACE IN PARK WHILE IDLING, THEN VEHICLE JUMPED TO REVERSE AND ROLLED BACK, DRIVER JUMPED IN AND GOT RAN OVER, FINALLY STOPPED VEHICLE BY PASSENGER. TT | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 513.9% | 13.3%ODI 970021AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR WHILE SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT PRESSING THE BUTTON. TT | 12.0%ODI 969777AUTO-TRANS: FAILURE OF OVERDRIVE SNAP RING CAUSING COMPLETE TRANS FAILURE. KT | 11.7%ODI 741383PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE - 35,700 MI. - DAMLIER CHRYSLER WILL NOT PARTICIPATE AT ALL IN REPAIR - $1600/$1850 REPAIR COSTS - THIS TRANSMISSION HAS KNOWN HIGH FAILURE RATE DUE TO DESIGN FLAWS. *AK | 11.7%ODI 985887WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE SHIFTEDFROM D DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT BEING TOUCHED. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seats | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo 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. | 26.7%ODI 818319DEALERSHIP HAD TO ORDER NEW SEAT BECAUSE BEFORE RECALL NOTICE BOLT HAD ALREADY BROKEN. THIS WAS IN AUG OF 1997. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALERSHIP ABOUT ONCE A WEEK, STILL HAS NOT PROVIDED SEAT. *AK | 24.1% | 46.7%ODI 536935VEHICLE REARENDED WHILE AT STOP. FRONT SEAT BOLT BROKE CAUSING SEAT TO FALL BACK. | 23.4%ODI 848458REPORTING A RECALL FAILURE; AFTER DEALER REPLACING SEATBACK BOLT CONSUMER NOTICED SEAT WOULD FALL FORWARD FREELY. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS NORMAL. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR HELP IN THIS MATTER. CHECKED MY OWNER MANUAL AND LEARNED THAT WAS NOT NORMAL, AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY DEALER IS REFUSING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM CORRECTLY. *AK | 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 | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
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
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | 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.
1995: 2 complaints · 1998: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1998 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 0 | 1 | 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 | Seat Belts | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | Steering:Rack And Pinion | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | Electrical System:Ignition:Module | Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | — | 0 | 1ODI 981329THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM WAS NOT PROPERLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL SO NOW IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL (92V-053). *AK ALSO VEHICLE BLOWING SMOKE INJECTORS WERE REPLACED.*JB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 1ODI 981329THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM WAS NOT PROPERLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL SO NOW IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL (92V-053). *AK ALSO VEHICLE BLOWING SMOKE INJECTORS WERE REPLACED.*JB | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering:Rack And Pinion | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 1ODI 513202ENGINE HEAD GASKET/VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED; ALSO REPLACED RACK AND PINION STEERING/LEFT WHEEL CYLINDER AND OXYGEN SENSOR. *AK | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 513202ENGINE HEAD GASKET/VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED; ALSO REPLACED RACK AND PINION STEERING/LEFT WHEEL CYLINDER AND OXYGEN SENSOR. *AK | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 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.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.