RoadVitals

1981 Plymouth Reliant

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest Apr 7, 2010
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
4
Latest Mar 29, 1989
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
4
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
0 injuries, 1 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1981 Plymouth Reliant, most frequently naming the body & structure and other / unspecified categories. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 4 NHTSA investigations name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure150.0%
  • Other / unspecified150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

4 campaigns cover this model year

View all 4

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
89V052000

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

Mar 29, 1989
500,000 units potentially affected
The defect: FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER MAY CORRODE AND FAIL AT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR PIVOT MOUNTS IF OPERATED WHERE SALT IS USED TO AID IN SNOW REMOVAL.
The risk: CONTROL ARM COULD DETACH FROM THE CROSSMEMBER, ADVERSELYAFFECTING DIRECTIONAL STABILITY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
The remedy: INSTALL ATTACHMENT REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS TO PREVENT CONTROL ARM DETACHMENT AS A RESULT OF CORROSION WEAKENING.
CHRYSLER CORPORATIONView on NHTSA.gov
81V111000

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Sep 22, 1981
150,000 units potentially affected
The defect: THE AUTOMATIC SPEED CONTROL SWITCH MAY STICK IN THE "RESUME" POSITION RESTRICTING RETURN MOVEMENT. THIS WILL NOT ALLOW THE NORMAL BRAKE PEDAL OPERATION TO DEACTIVATE THE SYSTEM.
The remedy: THE SHIELD PORTION OF THE "RESUME" SLIDE LEVER IN THE SPEED CONTROL UNIT WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE.
CHRYSLER CORPORATIONView on NHTSA.gov
81V093000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

Aug 5, 1981
110,000 units potentially affected
The defect: THE STOP LAMP SWITCHES INSTALLED ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY HAVE INADEQUATE INTERNAL SWITCH CONTACT PRESSURE DUE TO AN INCORRECT FORMATION OF THE SWITCH CONTACT TERMINALS. THIS LACK OF SWITCH CONTACT CONTINUITY MAY RENDER THE (STOP) BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS INOPERATIVE.
The remedy: THE STOP LAMP SWITCHES ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES WILL BE REPLACED AND PROPERLY FORMED TERMINALS WILL BE INSTALLED AT NO COST TO OWNER.
CHRYSLER CORPORATIONView on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA91010ClosedEngineering Analysis

TRANS PARK SYSTEM FAILURE

Opened Dec 10, 1990
Closed Dec 31, 1991

There is no summary currently available

POWER TRAIN
PE89093ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

FRAME CORROSION

Opened Mar 1, 1989
Closed Mar 29, 1989

===

SUSPENSIONLed to recall 89V052000
DP86010ClosedDefect Petition

FRAME AND CHASSIS COMPONENTS

Opened May 21, 1986
Closed Aug 20, 1986

FRAME AND CHASSIS COMPONENTS

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PE85011ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

Opened Nov 14, 1984
Closed Jul 31, 1985

There is no summary currently available

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGLed to recall 84V147000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Other / unspecified
Filed Apr 7, 2010

1981 PLYMOUTH RELIANT K-CAR. CONSUMER STATES ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS PARENTS PURCHASED THE ABOVE MENTIONED VEHICLE. BUT, SINCE HE DID MOST OF THE DRIVING, HE ASKED THEM IF HE COULD INSTALL CRUISE CONTROL. HE THEN PURCHASED IT AND INSTALLED IT HIMSELF. THE UNIT RECEIVED ITS CONTROL PULSES FROM MAGNETS AROUND THE DRIVE SHAFT, WITH A MAGNETIC PICK UP SENSOR. AFTER ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS, THE UNIT HE INSTALLED STARTED TO ACT ERRATIC. SOMETIMES HE WOULD SET THE CRUISE SPEED, BUT WHEN HE APPROACHED TRAFFIC, HE TAPPED THE CANCEL BUTTON, THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO SPEED UP. THERE WAS NO EFFECT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONSUMER THEN PURCHASED ANOTHER CRUISE CONTROL UNIT AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10323176
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
Body & structure
Filed Jan 5, 1995
1 death reported

DEATH RESULTED FROM SIDE IMPACT, ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT. *AW

NHTSA ID
482766
Incident
Jan 5, 1995

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Plymouth Reliant by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1990101—
1989722—
1988161257.3
1987101240.8
1986423—
1985523—
1984122—
1983143—
1982243—
1981Viewing244—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.