PAINT PEELING. *AK
1989 Plymouth Sundance
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Plymouth Sundance do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 27.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sundance years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 33 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
33 reportsVEHICLE HAD AN OIL LEAK. AND AFTER HAVING REPAIRED LEAK A FEW TIMES WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THAT PART. ALSO, HAS A PROBLEM WITH SEAT BELTS. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL ON DRIVERWAY. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED, AND TECHNICIAN STATED HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH LACK OF ACCELERATION AND HESITATION WHILE DRVING AT 35 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF INDEPENDENT AND DEALER SHOPS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK
PROBLEM: CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD;ACTS LIKE THE IGNITION IS SUDDENLY INTERRUPTED. WILL START BACK UP IN A MINUTE OR LESS. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW CAUSE OR WHAT TO LOOK FOR. HELP! *AK
WE WERE NOTIFIED OF A RECALL INVOLVING THE AUTOMATIC SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WERE GIVEN A SMALL TUBE OF LUBRICANT TO USE ON THE TRACKS. LATER, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO MANUALLY MOVE IT TO THE POINT AT WHICH IT WOULD NORMALLY BE WHEN THE SEAT WAS OCCUP…
Read full complaint
WE WERE NOTIFIED OF A RECALL INVOLVING THE AUTOMATIC SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WERE GIVEN A SMALL TUBE OF LUBRICANT TO USE ON THE TRACKS. LATER, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO MANUALLY MOVE IT TO THE POINT AT WHICH IT WOULD NORMALLY BE WHEN THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED AND THE SHOULDER BELT WAS IN USE. WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING THIS BELT IN THIS MANUAL MANNER FOR OVER FOUR YEARS. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THE PARTS INVOLVED IF THE VEHICLE HAD EXCEEDED ITS "ECONOMIC LIFE". WHEN ASKED WHAT THAT "LIFE" EXPECTANCY WAS, I WAS TOLD "ANYTHING OVER 100,000 MILES". THE PARTS WERE NOT REPLACED. I WAS ADVISED THAT I COULD PURCHASE REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR A COST IN EXCESS OF $200 PER ASSEMBLY. I DID NOT REPLACE THE PARTS, NOR DID THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE IS STILL IN USE AND THE BELTS ARE LAWFULLY SUPPOSED TO BE FUNCTIONING AS "AUTOMATIC" BUT THEY DO NOT. THE SHOULDER HARNESS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE RECEIVES LESS USE, BUT IS ALSO SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. HOW DO WE GET THE DEALER TO COMPLY AND REPAIR THIS VEHICLE? NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 92V053000L COMPONENT: INTEIOR SYSTEMS PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELTS; MANUFACTURER: CHRYSLER CORPORATION; POTENTIONAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 115000. OUR VEHICLE APPEARS TO BE ONE OF THOSE AFFECTED. NOW WHAT?
BACK WHEELS WERE MAKING NOISY. TOOK CAR TO GARAGE AND WHEN THEY PUT IT ON THE LIFT THE PASSENGER'S REAR HUB FELL OFF. THE ONLY THING KEEPING IT ON WAS THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR. THE LOOSE HUB HAD WORN A GROOVE INTO THE AXLE. *AK
REAR PLASTIC PORTION OF THE BUMBER FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
ELECTRICAL PORTION OF THE SHOULDER SEAT BELTS ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DO NOT OPERATE. DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK
Official recalls
292V053000 · Seat Belts
Apr 13, 1992
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER RESTRAINT SYSTEMS CAN MALFUNCTION AND BECOME INOPERATIVE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SEAT OCCUPANTS WITHOUT SHOULDER RESTRAINTS ARE SUBJECT TOINCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: REPLACE THE SYSTEM DRIVE AND RAIL ASSEMBLY WITH REVISED COMPONENTS.
89V237000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Dec 27, 1989
THE ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET MAY DISLOCATE AND ALLOW AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AT THE GASKET.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LEAKAGE OF OIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COULD CAUSEA FIRE.
Remedy: REPLACE GASKET COVER WITH REVISED COVER, AND RTV SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED IN PLACE OF A GASKET.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3EA91043 · Auto Shoulder Belt Failure
Opened Oct 30, 1991 · Closed Apr 20, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
PE91082 · Auto Shoulder Belt Failure
Opened Jun 5, 1991 · Closed Oct 30, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
PE91065 · Steering Gear Bolts Loosen
Opened Apr 16, 1991 · Closed Aug 30, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
Illustration