WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED A WIRE MELTED INSIDE THE FUEL PUMP. *AK *TS ON AND OFF THE ROAD, THE WIRE WAS BOILING THE GAS AROUND THE WIRE, BUT IT DID NOT BLOW A FUSE OR MELT OTHER WIRES ON THE VEHICLE. *SCC *JB
1989 Plymouth Acclaim
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Plymouth Acclaim do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 60.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Acclaim 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 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 6 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 reportsRECALL 89 V 237 000/ENGINE VALVE COVER: PROBLEM WITH OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE GASKET. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN HEADLIGHT COVER BECAME DIM. WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE DISTANCES CLEARLY DURING NIGHT. HEADLIGHT LENS COVER WAS VERY YELLOWISH LOOKING AND LIGHT WAS NOT ABLE TO SHINE THROUGH CLEARLY.*AK
MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT IS DEFECTIVE. IT WILL NOT STAY HOOKED IN. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET TRAILING ARM RUSTED OUT. AND ALSO THERE IS A TICKING NOISE.*AK
I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE ANOTHER 15,000 MILES SINCE THE FIRST INDICATION OF FAILURE. I NOTICED A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE REAR END IT WAS INTERMITTENT AND I COULD NOT ALWAYS DETERMINE THE LOCATION. THE DEALER CALMLY SAID I HAD A BROKEN AXLE - SOMEONE ELSE SAID - "GET IT WELDED" - ANOTHER SAYS NO WAY - GET A USED ONE FROM THE JUN…
Read full complaint
I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE ANOTHER 15,000 MILES SINCE THE FIRST INDICATION OF FAILURE. I NOTICED A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE REAR END IT WAS INTERMITTENT AND I COULD NOT ALWAYS DETERMINE THE LOCATION. THE DEALER CALMLY SAID I HAD A BROKEN AXLE - SOMEONE ELSE SAID - "GET IT WELDED" - ANOTHER SAYS NO WAY - GET A USED ONE FROM THE JUNK YARD. EVERYONE I TALK TO TELLS ME OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER REPLACEMENT IS THE SAME - NO UPGRADED QUALITY - FOR $650 (NOT FROM THE DEALER) I CAN BREATHE EASIER. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN CATAPULTED INTO THE NEXT DIMENSION YET I DON'T KNOW! *AK
WHILE THE CAR IS PARKED IT SLOWLY LEAKS OIL ,THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE NINETY-ONE, AND THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK
HAIR LINE CRACK IN ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD IS CAUSING OIL TO SEEP THROUGH CRACK . *AK
PAINT BEGAN PEELING LESS THAN ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. WAS DISMISSED AS "IMPROPER CARE AND INDUSTRIAL FALLOUT AND MALATION". WINDSHIELD IS ATTACHED TO THIS PAINT. *AK
ENGINE FAILED, REPLACEMENT FAILED ALSO, RESULTING IN OVERHEATING AND LEAKAGE.
Official recalls
189V237000 · 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
1PE89036 · Transmission Downshifting
Opened Jan 9, 1989 · Closed Jan 31, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
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