1993 Plymouth Laser 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 1993 Plymouth Laser, 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
- Transmission527.8%
- Engine316.7%
- Powertrain (other)211.1%
- Brakes211.1%
- Interior & seats15.6%
- Body & structure15.6%
- Seat belts15.6%
- Suspension15.6%
- Tires & wheels15.6%
- Electrical15.6%
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
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 PLYMOUTH LASER. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ALL FOUR OF THE VEHICLE'S WHEELS LOCKED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE, SEAL, AND YOKE FAILED, AND FLUIDS SLOWLY LEAKED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE CAUSED THE TRANSFER CASE TO LOCK. THE CONTACT ROCKED THE VEHICLE BACK AND FORTH, PUT TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE VEHICLE, AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. THERE WAS SAFETY RECALL # 98V069002 CONCERNING POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PERTAINING TO THIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED, BUT WOULD REPAIR IT AGAIN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 96,500, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,002.*AK
THE CAR KEPT STALLING EVERY TIME I TRIED TO TURN IT ON. IT WOULD NOT IDLE, BUT WOULD RUN IF YOU CONTINUALLY GAVE IT GAS. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THEY CLEANED THE STARTER PLATE, WHICH HELPED FOR A DAY, BUT THE CAR HAS STARTED DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. IT IS WORST WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE. THE CAR HAS ALSO STARTED TICKING SINCE THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED, BUT THE CAR CAR HAS HAD ALL NEW BELTS AND A NEW TENSIONER FOR THE TIMING BELT PUT INTO IT, PLUS THE EXHAUST HAS BEEN CHECKED AN NO LEAKS HAVE BEEN FOUND. *AK
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
MY CAR BROKE DOWN ON THE WAY TO WORK. I HAD IT TOWED TO BOB CROW CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH IN ROSWELL, NM. THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. BOB CROW DID NOT TOUCH THE CAR FOR A WEEK. WHEN WE CALLED THEY TOLD US WE HAD NOT PURCHASED THE CAR FROM THEM AND IT WOULD SIT UNTIL THEY WERE READY TO DO THE WORK. A MECHANIC CHALLENGED THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THEY FIRED HIM. THE OWNER, BOB CROW, SWORE AT US, TOLD US TO TAKE OUR F,,, CAR AND GET IT OUT OF THERE. WE FINALLY CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORP. THEY SAID, YES, TIMING CHAINS CAN TAKE A WHILE TO FIX, SINCE THERE WERE OTHER DAMAGES TO THE CAR. I AM REPORTING THAT BOB CROW CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH IN ROSWELL, NM, HAS HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS. MOST PEOPLE JUST GO AWAY AND DO BUSINESS ELSEWHERE. UNFORTUNATELY, I PURCHASED MY CAR BEFORE MOVING HERE; I CANNOT CHANGE THAT. I THOUGHT I HAD THE RIGHT TO REASONABLY PROMPT SERVICE. I DID NOT THINK I WOULD BE VERBALLY ABUSED AND PUNISHED FOR NOT BUYING A CAR FROM THIS DEALERSHIP.
NO SMMARY
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 PLYMOUTH LASER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, HE NOTICED OIL ON THE GROUND. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE TRANSFER CASE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V069002 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) WAS PERFORMED. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,902. UPDATED 02/26/13* LJ
VEHICLE STALLED 7 TIMES DUE TO WIRING HARNESS BURNING OUT, ONCE CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURIES.
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
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT THE ABS BRAKES ENGAGED. WHEN THIS OCCURRED BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD AND PULSATED AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS ON AN ICY SURFACE. EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURRED WHICH RESULTED IN TWO CRASHES. ON TWO OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE JUMPED OVER A CEMENT PARKING BLOCK AND RAN INTO A BRICK BUILDING. THE CONSUMER REMOVED THE ABS FUSE AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED. *AK *NM
DRIVING 45-50MPH, MADE ATTEMPT TO SLOW DOWN, TOUCHED BRAKE PEDAL LIGHTLY, SUDDENLY VEHICLE WENT INTO A SPIN 360 DEGREES FOUR TO FIVE TIMES. 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
NO SMMARY
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
THE HATCHBACK WILL NOT STAY IN THE OPEN POSITION, IT COMES DOWN SLOWLY. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE HATCH BACK SUPPORTS ARE DEFECTIVE.*JB
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
PASSENGER LAP BELT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT AFTER BEING FULLY EXTENDED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR AXLE WAS BENT IN AN ACCIDENT AND REPLACEMENT PART THAT MEETS MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATION COULD NOT BE FOUND, OWNER HAS REPLACED SEVERAL AXLES THAT DO NOT MEET THE MANUFACTURERS STANDARDS. YH
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
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD THUMPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND A TOW TRUCK WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME AND THEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ALL FLUID HAD LEAKED FROM TRANSFER CASE. THE MECHANIC ALSO FOUND A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, HOWEVER THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE RECALL WILL NOT COVER THIS REPAIR SINCE THE RECALL WORK HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED. AK
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
VEHICLE STALLED 7 TIMES DUE TO WIRING HARNESS BURNING OUT, ONCE CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURIES.
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 .