Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1989 Plymouth Colt
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Seat Belts
753.8%
Engine & Cooling
430.8%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Lights
17.7%
Transmission & Drivetrain
17.7%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Mar 1995peak 2Feb 1999
NHTSA investigations into the 1989 Plymouth Colt
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA96014Opened 28 Jun 1996Closed 12 Jun 1997SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FAILURE
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ALLEGEDLY MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILS
PE96007Opened 19 Jan 1996Closed 28 Jun 1996SEAT BELTS
AUTO SHOULDER BELT FAILURE
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ALLEGEDLY MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILS
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Cleveland, OHFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
NHTSA complaint #512998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hartford, WI1 injured
SEAT BELTS
MOTORIZED SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE, CAUSING THE PERSON TO CHOKE.
NHTSA complaint #504823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
LAS Cruces, NM
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #513833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LAS Cruces, NM
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
RECALL ON SEAT BELTS NOT PERFORM DUE TO DEALERSHIP PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #513833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rochester, NY
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECALL WORK NOT COMPLETED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.
NHTSA complaint #505818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cleveland, OHFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
NHTSA complaint #512998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Claypool, IN
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
LEFT REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED TO LATCH PRIOR TO RECALL 95V-103.003.
NHTSA complaint #806142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Stockton, CA
SEAT BELTS
PE96-007, AUTOMATIC LAP/SHOULDER BELT FAILURE, WILL NOT RETRACT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE (OTHER VEHICLE FROM (985817).
NHTSA complaint #802685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hartford, WI1 injured
SEAT BELTS
MOTORIZED SEAT BELT DOES NOT RELEASE, CAUSING THE PERSON TO CHOKE.
NHTSA complaint #504823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Columbia, MD
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT NO LONGER RETRACTS ON THE TRACT CONSISTANTLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #984433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Centreville, OH
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
THE MANUFACTURER ASSEMBLED THE VEHICLE WITH A WRONG REAR AXLE, BEARINGS WERE MISMATCHED ON VEHICLE REAR AXLE. TT
NHTSA complaint #969004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Culver CIT, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING BELT FAILED 4 TIMES, ALSO GASKETS/PISTONS/RINGS AND VALVES NEED TO BE REPLACED. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #481854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Culver CIT, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE REBUILT.
NHTSA complaint #481854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newport, MI
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
WIRING IN BRAKE LIGHTS SCREWED INTO PLASTIC HOUSING OF TAIL LIGHT MELTED, CAUSING CONNECTION TO BE INTERMITTENT. TT
NHTSA complaint #961377 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shawnee, KS
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVER'S LAP/SHOULDER SEAT BELT, MALE END WILL NOT LOCK INTO FEMALE END. TT
NHTSA complaint #961120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.