1986 Plymouth Reliant 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 1986 Plymouth Reliant, 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
- Engine225.0%
- Driver assistance112.5%
- Electrical112.5%
- Body & structure112.5%
- Fuel system112.5%
- Powertrain (other)112.5%
- Steering112.5%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. *AK ALL POWER ASSIST SYSTEMS FAIL, SOMETIMES VEHICLE WILL RESTART RIGHT AWAY, MORE OFTEN IN SEVERAL HOURS, RECENTLY IT WOULD NOT START FOR DAYS AFTER IT WOULD STALL, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, COMPUTER POWER MODULE, AND COMPUTER LOGIC MODULE HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING, DEALER HAS ALSO REASSEMBLED THE FUEL INJECTOR, REPLACED COOLING FAN, AND TIGHTENED BELTS, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *SLC
AXLE DROPPED, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING/CONTROL. *SKD
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
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, CAR CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE. *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
WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. *AK ALL POWER ASSIST SYSTEMS FAIL, SOMETIMES VEHICLE WILL RESTART RIGHT AWAY, MORE OFTEN IN SEVERAL HOURS, RECENTLY IT WOULD NOT START FOR DAYS AFTER IT WOULD STALL, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, COMPUTER POWER MODULE, AND COMPUTER LOGIC MODULE HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING, DEALER HAS ALSO REASSEMBLED THE FUEL INJECTOR, REPLACED COOLING FAN, AND TIGHTENED BELTS, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *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
AXLE DROPPED, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING/CONTROL. *SKD
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
WHILE PUMPING FUEL INTO THE TANK THE VEHICLE WAS OFF,WITH THE KEY TO IGNITION POSITION TO VIEW THE GAS GAUGE, WENT BACK TO CHECK GAS PUMP, AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE TANK. FIRE WENT OUT ON ITS OWN, AND NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
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
AXLE DROPPED, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING/CONTROL. *SKD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
AXLE DROPPED, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING/CONTROL. *SKD
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 .