IllustrationTRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS FROM DRIVE TO LOW AND STAYS IN LOW UNTIL THE CAR IS SHUT OFF
1989 Chrysler New Yorker
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all New Yorker years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 78 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports5 fire reports3 injury reports
Power Train complaints
21 reportsFRONT POWER TRAIN WILL NOT ACCEPT SNOW CHAINS, SO STATE IN OWNER'S MANUAL. MANUFACTURE CONTACTED. NO REMEDY AVAILABLE AUTHORIZED BY MANUAFACTURER. NOT BEING ABLE TO USE SNOW CHAINS (SNOW TIRES NOT LEGAL) IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN SNOW AND ICE CONDITIONS
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE STALLED, AND THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF NOISE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO THE SHOP FIVE TIMES, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK
MY VEHICULE WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
NO SUMMARY
VEHICLE IN FOR CHECK UP. MECHANIC NOTICED DIRT & GREASE BUILD UP ON AXLE HOUSING. THIS CAUSED AXLE TO MAKE NOISES. MECHANIC REPLACED AXLE HOUSING. *AK
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF, AND STARTS BACK UP. THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS TWICE WHILE DRIVING. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE, THE GEAR WILL SWITCH ALL BY ITSELF. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS THE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FIXED. THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION ON THE …
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WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF, AND STARTS BACK UP. THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS TWICE WHILE DRIVING. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE, THE GEAR WILL SWITCH ALL BY ITSELF. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS THE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FIXED. THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION ON THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTING. PE89-036. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.
CORRODED BATTERY CABLES CAUSED COMPUTER TO READ "ENGINE OFF".
TRANSMISSION FAILED 5 TIMES.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1PE89036 · Transmission Downshifting
Opened Jan 9, 1989 · Closed Jan 31, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
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