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#BS-1988-PLYREL-305C

1988 Plymouth Reliant

Based on reports from 23 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 23 complaints, 6 crashes, 1 fires, and 1 recalls. This is the worst model year for this vehicle.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Speed ControlHIGH

4 owners reported speed control issues.

!Inspect the Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasolineMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Speed Control (4 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Speed Control4 (17%)

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline3 (13%)

Steering:rack And Pinion2 (9%)

Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:support Device/strut1 (4%)

Seat Belts:front:anchorage1 (4%)

Power Train:automatic Transmission1 (4%)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum1 (4%)

Seat Belts:front:webbing1 (4%)

1988 Plymouth Reliant: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 17% of all reports filed for the 1988 Plymouth Reliant, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 1988 Plymouth Reliant, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Steering:rack And Pinion Issues

Steering:rack And Pinion complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1988 Plymouth Reliant, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering:rack and pinion-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:support Device/strut Issues

Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:support Device/strut complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1988 Plymouth Reliant, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:support device/strut-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

08E033000May 2008

SUSPENSION

FEDERAL MOGUL IS RECALLING 6,903 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES SHIPPED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9, 2007 AND MARCH 26, 2008, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS. THE PART NUMBERS PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS ARE: K7147, K7329, K8683, AND 104353. THESE PARTS WERE MADE FOR USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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This is the worst model year for the Plymouth Reliant according to owner complaint data. The biggest problem area is engine.

1988 Plymouth Reliant vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

Class avg

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 23 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Plymouth Reliant Model Years

1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981

View all Plymouth Reliant years →

1988 Plymouth Reliant: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1988 Plymouth Reliant?

The most commonly reported issue with the 1988 Plymouth Reliant is related to the speed control, with 4 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 1988 Plymouth Reliant reliable?

The 1988 Plymouth Reliant has 23 complaints, 6 crash reports, and 1 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.

How much does it cost to fix 1988 Plymouth Reliant problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 1988 Plymouth Reliant have any recalls?

Yes, the 1988 Plymouth Reliant has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Plymouth Reliant problems start?

Mileage data is limited for this vehicle. The full report analyzes available data to identify failure patterns by mileage range.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.