1988 Chrysler Lebaron Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Chrysler Lebaron, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Steering616.7%
- Seat belts616.7%
- Engine513.9%
- Airbags411.1%
- Body & structure411.1%
- Fuel system25.6%
- Electrical25.6%
- Interior & seats25.6%
- Powertrain (other)12.8%
- Driver assistance12.8%
- Brakes12.8%
- Tires & wheels12.8%
- Transmission12.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE PAINT CHIPPED OFF MY CAR. THEN THE ENGINE BLEW FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THEN MY HEATER WENT OUT, BUT TO START WITH . WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IT HAD A POWER STEERING LEAK WHICH WAS FIXED TWICE BUT STILL LEAKS. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND THE TIMING BELT BLEW WHEN THE DELER PUT IN THE NEW TIMING BELT THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT. THEY WANT TO FIX THINGS THAT DON'T RELATE TO THE CRUISE CONTROL IN THE PROCESS. I WON'T LET THEM. I JUST WANT THE CRUISE CONTROL FIXED. I WOULD ALSO LIKE A NEW PAINT JOB.
STEERING COLUMN BROKE WHILE DRIVING. PLASTIC AROUND ADJUSTER BROKE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALERS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
PUSH BUTTON LOCKING MECHANISM ON THE DRIVER'S LAP AND SHOULDER BELT COMBINATION WOULD NOT UNLOCK, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BECOME TRAPPED IN THE SEAT WHICH RESULTED IN THE OCCUPANT CUTTING THE SEAT BELT OFF BEFORE EXITING THE VEHICLE. *AK *ML
SEAT BELTS DO NOT RELEASE PROPERLY AND DIFFICULT TO FASTEN. ALSO IT APPEARED FASTENED, BUT HAD NOT LOCKED IN PLACE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE PAINT CHIPPED OFF MY CAR. THEN THE ENGINE BLEW FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THEN MY HEATER WENT OUT, BUT TO START WITH . WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IT HAD A POWER STEERING LEAK WHICH WAS FIXED TWICE BUT STILL LEAKS. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND THE TIMING BELT BLEW WHEN THE DELER PUT IN THE NEW TIMING BELT THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT. THEY WANT TO FIX THINGS THAT DON'T RELATE TO THE CRUISE CONTROL IN THE PROCESS. I WON'T LET THEM. I JUST WANT THE CRUISE CONTROL FIXED. I WOULD ALSO LIKE A NEW PAINT JOB.
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY IN TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING. THERE HAS BEEN SERVERAL INSTANCES AND DEALERSHIP HAS NOT DETERMINED WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
HIT GUARDRAILS, AIRBAG DEPLOYED SEVERELY BURNING NECK/ FACE/EAR AND BRUISING CHEST. *AK
UPON IMPACT W/AIR BAG DEPLOYING, THE DRIVER WAS CUT ACROSS ABOVE AND MIDDLE OF NECK. SHE NEEDED 110 STITCHES DUE TO INJURY.*AK *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
PAINT ON THE VEHICLE IS FADING AWAY. THERE ARE BIG WHITE PATCHES EVERYWHERE.
HOLES WHERE K FRAME ATTACHES TO MAIN FRAME BECOME ENLARGED, ALLOWING SUSPENSION TO MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE, CAUSING EXCESSIVE PLAY IN STEERING.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE STALLS WHILE MAKING A LEFT TO RIGHT TURN IF GAS TANK IS SLIGHTLY BELOW THE 1/2 TANK MARK. DEALER HAS NO REMEDY & ADVISED CONSUMER TO KEEP THE GAS TANK FULL BECAUSE THE FUEL PUMP IS IN THE GAS TANK.*AK
VEHICLE HAS HAD (2) UNKNOWN FIRES. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF CONDITION BUT REFUSES TO ASSIST FURTHER. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE PAINT CHIPPED OFF MY CAR. THEN THE ENGINE BLEW FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THEN MY HEATER WENT OUT, BUT TO START WITH . WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IT HAD A POWER STEERING LEAK WHICH WAS FIXED TWICE BUT STILL LEAKS. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND THE TIMING BELT BLEW WHEN THE DELER PUT IN THE NEW TIMING BELT THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT. THEY WANT TO FIX THINGS THAT DON'T RELATE TO THE CRUISE CONTROL IN THE PROCESS. I WON'T LET THEM. I JUST WANT THE CRUISE CONTROL FIXED. I WOULD ALSO LIKE A NEW PAINT JOB.
VEHICLE HAS HAD (2) UNKNOWN FIRES. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF CONDITION BUT REFUSES TO ASSIST FURTHER. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT HIT THE STEERING CAME BACKWARD AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT MOVED FORWARD . TT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS PUSHED BACKWARDS TO WARDS THE DRIVER, AND THE FRONT SEAT COLLAPSED AND MOVED FORWARD TOWARDS THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE HAS A DESIGN AND OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *YH
BROKEN WELDS IN BACK OF DRIVERS BUCKET SEAT. EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR AXLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE HEAD GASKETS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, AND THE THROTTLE GETS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT BRAKE LINE RUPTURED AND CONSUMER HAD NO BRAKES. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THREE TIRES BLEW OUT, POSSIBLE AT THE BEAD. TIRE SIZE P19570R15 NAME WINGFOOT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE TRANS DISINGAGED AND BECAME AS IF DROPPED INTO NEUTRAL,WHILE DRIVING. TRANS WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN ANY GEAR. VEHICLE ROLLED WHEN IN PARK. VEHICLE NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION AFTER ONLY 44,500 MILES. TRANS FAILURE WHILE IN GEAR COULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .