1993 Plymouth Laser Problems: Transmission / driveline (14 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1993 Plymouth Laser is Transmission / driveline (50% of 14 owner reports). There are 1 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 14 complaints · 1 recalls

What problems show up on the 1993 Plymouth Laser?

7 of 14 filings named Transmission / driveline (50% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Brakes (2 reports).

There are 1 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1992 has 35 reports on file; this year has 14. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1993 Plymouth Laser

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 1 campaigns on file below.
  2. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  3. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Transmission / driveline. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Transmission / driveline 7 complaints · 50.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 2
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 0
  • Deaths 0
All Plymouth Laser years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) appears in 7 of 14 owner complaints (50.0%) in this vehicle snapshot. Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 7 complaints, 50.0% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 7 · 50.0% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 2 complaints, 14.3% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 crash reports 2 · 14.3% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 7.1% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 · 7.1% Engine (ENGINE): 1 complaints, 7.1% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 · 7.1% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 1 complaints, 7.1% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 · 7.1% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 1 complaints, 7.1% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 · 7.1% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 1 complaints, 7.1% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 · 7.1% Wheels (WHEELS): 1 complaints, 7.1% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 1 · 7.1% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 11 complaints, 78.6% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 11 · 78.6% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 7 50.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 14.3% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 7.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 1 7.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 7.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 7.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 7.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 1 7.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 11 78.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1995; the first recall shown was reported in Apr 1998. 1995-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2000-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 1994 Jan 2013 Recall campaign 98V069002 ◆ Recall campaign 98V069002 Investigation PE94074 ● Investigation PE94074 Investigation PE97040 ● Investigation PE97040 Investigation EA98002 ● Investigation EA98002 Investigation DP03002 ● Investigation DP03002
  • Campaign 98V069002 was reported 18 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1995-Q1 Owner reports 1
1996-Q4 Owner reports 1
1998-Q1 Owner reports 1
1998-Q3 Owner reports 1
1999-Q1 Owner reports 1
1999-Q2 Owner reports 1
2000-Q1 Owner reports 1
2000-Q2 Owner reports 2
2000-Q3 Owner reports 1
2004-Q2 Owner reports 1
2006-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 98V069002
Defect investigation 1 PE94074
Defect investigation 1 PE97040
Defect investigation 1 EA98002
Defect investigation 1 DP03002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (1)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Transmission / driveline.

  1. Recall campaign 98V069002

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ADEQUACY OF THE TRANSFER CASE OIL VOLUME, TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AND OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION OF THE TRANSFER CASE MECHANISM. IF OIL VOLUME IS INSUFFICIENT, THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF OIL WILL BE ADDED. IF THERE IS TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AFFECTED COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED. IF THE TRANSFER CASE SHOWS OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION, THE TRANSFER CASE WILL BE REPLACED.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 8 of 14 complaints · page 1 of 1
2013-01-14Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10492904
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2007-04-30Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10189259
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2006-01-06Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Wheels (WHEELS)
NHTSA ODI 10147121
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2004-05-20Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10067504
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2000-08-01Suspension (SUSPENSION)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 553359
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2000-06-07Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 723721
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2000-05-24Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 862467
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHEN DRIVING TRANSFER CASE LOCKS UP DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION. ALSO, WILL HAVE TO TIGHTEN TRANSMISSION BOLT EVERY TWO OR THREE DAYS. *AK
2000-01-13Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 717284
CrashFireInjuryDeath
COMPLAINED ABOUT TRANSMISSION BEHAVIOR (SLIPPING INTO GEAR, NOT ENGAGING IMMEDIATELY WHEN PUT IN GEAR), WHEN I HAD FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. AT 5204 MILEAGE, I RETURNEDTO THE DEALER ,AND HAD TRANSMISSION EXAMINED (I HAVE THE REPAIR ORDER), AND WAS TOLD ALL THE NEW TRANSMISSIONS BEHAVED THIS WAY. IT WAS VERY IRRITATING AND THE PROBLEM PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE. HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT TOTALLY STOP FUNCTIONING UNTIL ON MY WAY TO WORK 7/22/98 AT MILEAGE 67927. I CONTACTED ANOTHER CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP IN THE AREA (SINCE THE ONE I PURCHASED FROM HAD CLOSED), AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE I WAS OVER THE 60000 MILE WARRANTY. I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION CUSTOMER SUPPORT, AND WAS ALSO TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. HOWEVER, THEY OFFERED ME $131.00 FOR HAVING MY CAR REPAINTED DO TO THE DETERIORATING PAINT CONDITIONS I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THIS CAR (ANOTHER VERY LONG STORY AND BATTLE). SINCE I COULD NOT GET ANY HELP AT THE DEALERSHIP, I TOOK THE CAR TO HONEYCUTT TRANSMISSION & AUTO REPAIR, 2734 S. WILMINGTON STREET, RALEIGH, NC 27603 ([redacted] WHERE THEY MADE ADJUSTMENTS AND GOT ME RUNNING AGAIN. THREE MONTHS LATER, I EXPERIENCED ANOTHER TOTAL FAILURE AND HAD THE CAR TOWED AGAIN TO HONEYCUTT. THIS TIME THEY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $1,686.06. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT NEED REPLACING AT OVER $3,000.00. *AK

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1993 Plymouth Laser?

Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 7 of 14 reports (50%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1993 Plymouth Laser?

NHTSA lists 1 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Transmission / driveline. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1993 Plymouth Laser?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources