IllustrationHEATER CORE FAILED, CAUSING STEAM/SMOKE TO CLOUD WINDSHIELD.
1988 Eagle Premier
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 Eagle Premier do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 24.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Premier 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: 0 of 54 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.
- Visibility. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 13 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 reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
54 reportsHEATER CORE BYPASS WAS PUT IN. AND IT KEPT OVER HEATING THE MOTOR CAUSING THE MOTOR TO STALL TOO HOT TO DRIVE. SEVERAL TRIPS TO DEALER AND NOTHING HAPPENED. TT *JB
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE AND WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE WORKING SOMETIMES THEY STOP WORKING . TT
CONSUMER DRIVES THE SPEEDWAY THE CAR SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR WHEN YOU GET TO 45 MILES. TT *JB
BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY WHEN APPROACHING STOP W/VEHICLE HITTING PROPANE TANK TO STOP. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
RECALL RELATED, 88V087000, IN FOR REPAIR, WAITING A YEAR FOR PARTS, RECEIVED THREE LETTERS FROM MFR. HAS BEEN ON BB FROM DEALERSHIP. TT
THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS GONE OUT AND THERE ARE NO MASTER CYLINDER PARTS AVAILABLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK COLLAPSE, THE SEAT FRAME BROKE. TT
THE ODOMETER DOES NOT WORK AND HAS HAD IT FIXED TWICE AND STILL DOES NOT WORK. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
THE TAPERED PIN THAT LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL IN PLACE AND THE PIN COMES OUT AND THE STEERING BECOMES VERY LOOSE. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
Official recalls
798V005000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor
Jan 12, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, OR WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS CAN EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED FOR AN EXTENSIVE PERIOD IN THE "SALT BELT." IF THE ROTORS ARE NOT REPLACED, THE CORROSION CAN EVENTUALLY COMPROMISE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER HUB SECTION OF THE ROTOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE REDUCED STRENGTH CAN ALLOW THE CAST IRON WEAR SURFACE TO SEPARATE FROM THE HUB, REDUCING THE BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE ROTORS WITH ROTORS THAT ARE COATED WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION.
95V213000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Nov 7, 1995
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT SYSTEMS CAN MALFUNCTION AND BECOME INOPERATIVE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LACK OF PASSIVE RESTRAINTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE COLLISION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SYSTEM TRACK AND DRIVE ASSEMBLY ON AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT SYSTEMS WHICH ARE CURRENTLY INOPERATIVE AND THOSE SYSTEMS WHEN THEY BECOME INOPERATIVE IN THE FUTURE.
94V006000 · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater Core
Jan 11, 1994
THE END CAP CONNECTING THE HEAT EXCHANGER'S CORE TO THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM COULD RUPTURE AND ALLOW HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE COOLANT ESCAPING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT COULD CONTACT THE DRIVER'S FEET AND INJURE THE DRIVER. ALSO, STEAM FROM THE HEATER LIQUID WILL CLOUD ON THE WINDOW SURFACES AND IMPAIR THE DRIVER'S VISION. IN EITHER CASE, FAILURE OF THE HEATER CORE END CAP COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: A COOLANT TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED HEATER CORE FLUID BYPASS VALVE WILL BE INSTALLED.
90V205000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Dec 17, 1990
ROUTING OF THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE MAY CAUSE EXCESSIVE HOSE FLEXING RESULTING IN PREMATURE FATIGUE CRACKING OF THE OUTER HOSE COVER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD LEAD TO HOSE FAILURE AND LOSS OF BRAKE FLUIDREDUCING BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.
Remedy: REPLACE FRONT BRAKE HOSES WITH HOSES REDESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MODIFIED ROUTING CONFIGURATION.
88V128000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Aug 1, 1988
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS EXPERIENCED ENDURANCE FAILURES OF PARK MECHANISM COMPONENTS DURING SEVERE TESTING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES WOULD BE SUBJECT TO TRANSMISSION FAILURES.
Remedy: RETROFIT TRANSMISSION.
88V087000 · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater Core
May 31, 1988
COOLING SYSTEM PRESSURES DURING OVERHEATED ENGINE OPERATION MAY EXCEED THE STRENGTH CAPABILITY OF CERTAIN COMPONENTS DUE TO INADEQUATE VENTING CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEM PRESSURE CAP.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BUILDUP OF PRESSURE MAY CAUSE HEATER CORE TO RUPTUREAND DISCHARGE HOT COOLANT AND STEAM IN THE PROXIMITY OF THE DRIVERS LEGS.
Remedy: REPLACE ALL COOLANT SYSTEM PRESSURE CAPS WITH ONE HAVING ADEQUATE VENTING CAPACITY.
88V002000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Jan 12, 1988
MASTER CYLINDER MAY HAVE BEEN MISASSEMBLED CAUSING A BLOCKED HYDRAULIC FLUID OUTLET PORT AND RESTRICTED FLUID FLOW.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL ANDPARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY.
Remedy: REPLACE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER.
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
2PE94060 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Aug 3, 1994 · Closed Dec 29, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
There is no summary currently available
PE94027 · Auto Shoulder Belt Fails
Opened Mar 18, 1994 · Closed Jul 29, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available