1988 Plymouth Voyager Problems and Recalls (91 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1988 Plymouth Voyager is Body / frame (14% of 91 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Body / frame — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 91 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 1988 Plymouth Voyager?

13 of 91 filings named Body / frame (14% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Engine (10 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Fuel system. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1987 has 83 reports on file; this year has 91. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1988 Plymouth Voyager

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 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  3. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  4. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Body / frame. 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: Body / frame 13 complaints · 14.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 6
  • Fires 9
  • Injuries 8
  • Deaths 1
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 Body / frame (STRUCTURE) appears in 13 of 91 owner complaints (14.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 13 complaints, 14.3% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 13 · 14.3% Engine (ENGINE): 10 complaints, 11.0% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 fire reports 10 · 11.0% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 5 complaints, 5.5% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 5 · 5.5% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 5 complaints, 5.5% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 5 · 5.5% Steering (STEERING): 5 complaints, 5.5% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 fire reports 5 · 5.5% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 5 complaints, 5.5% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 crash reports 5 · 5.5% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 4 complaints, 4.4% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 fire reports 4 · 4.4% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 4 complaints, 4.4% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 fire reports 4 · 4.4% Tires (TIRES): 4 complaints, 4.4% of reports Tires (TIRES) 4 · 4.4% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 75 complaints, 82.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 5 crash reports 6 fire reports 75 · 82.4% 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)
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 13 14.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 10 11.0% 0 crashes · 2 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 5 5.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 5 5.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 5 5.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 5 5.5% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 4 4.4% 0 crashes · 3 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 4 4.4% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Tires (TIRES) 4 4.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 75 82.4% 5 crashes · 6 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 Jan 1988. 1995-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 1995-Q2: 22 owner reports 22 1995-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 1995-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1996-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 1996-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 1996-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 1996-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 1997-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 1997-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 1998-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1998-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1999-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2000-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2000-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 1988 Apr 2008 Recall campaign 88V010000 ◆ Recall campaign 88V010000 Recall campaign 88V107000 ◆ Recall campaign 88V107000 Recall campaign 95I001004 ◆ Recall campaign 95I001004 Recall campaign 95I001008 ◆ Recall campaign 95I001008 Recall campaign 08E033000 ◆ Recall campaign 08E033000 Investigation PE89170 ● Investigation PE89170 Investigation PE90030 ● Investigation PE90030 Investigation EA90011 ● Investigation EA90011 Investigation PE90079 ● Investigation PE90079 Investigation EA90030 ● Investigation EA90030 Investigation EA91010 ● Investigation EA91010 Investigation PE91062 ● Investigation PE91062 Investigation EA94005 ● Investigation EA94005
  • Campaign 95I001004 was reported 62 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 95I001008 was reported 62 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 13
1995-Q2 Owner reports 22
1995-Q3 Owner reports 10
1995-Q4 Owner reports 1
1996-Q1 Owner reports 7
1996-Q2 Owner reports 3
1996-Q3 Owner reports 7
1996-Q4 Owner reports 4
1997-Q1 Owner reports 1
1997-Q2 Owner reports 3
1997-Q3 Owner reports 2
1998-Q2 Owner reports 2
1998-Q3 Owner reports 1
1998-Q4 Owner reports 2
1999-Q3 Owner reports 1
2000-Q1 Owner reports 3
2000-Q2 Owner reports 3
2000-Q4 Owner reports 1
2002-Q2 Owner reports 1
2002-Q3 Owner reports 1
2003-Q2 Owner reports 1
2005-Q1 Owner reports 1
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 88V010000
Recall campaign 1 88V107000
Recall campaign 1 95I001004
Recall campaign 1 95I001008
Recall campaign 1 08E033000
Defect investigation 1 PE89170
Defect investigation 1 PE90030
Defect investigation 1 EA90011
Defect investigation 1 PE90079
Defect investigation 1 EA90030
Defect investigation 1 EA91010
Defect investigation 1 PE91062
Defect investigation 1 EA94005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

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

In short, these campaigns were filed about Fuel system.

  1. Recall campaign 08E033000

    Safety recall 08E033000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THE NUTS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGING FOR THESE BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES ARE MISSING THE INTENDED PREVAILING TORQUE (SELF-LOCKING) FEATURE. IF THE INCORRECT NUT WAS TO BECOME LOOSE, THE JOINING MEMBERS MAY LOOSEN LEADING TO A SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT. THIS MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    FEDERAL MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL MOGUL AT 877-489-6659.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 88V010000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    THIS COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE WITH THE POTENTIAL FORA FIRE.
    Remedy:
    REPLACE FUEL TANKS AS NECESSARY.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  3. Recall campaign 88V107000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    FUEL COULD LEAK AT THE TANK SEAM WHICH, IN PRESENCE OFAN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    REPLACE SUSPECT FUEL TANKS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  4. Recall campaign 95I001004

    Safety recall 95I001004

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    IF THE LIFTGATE LATCH OPENS, OCCUPANTS CAN BE EJECTED RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH.
    Remedy:
    CHRYSLER DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LIFTGATE LATCH WITH A NEW STRONGER LATCH ASSEMBLY WITHOUT CHARGE. CHRYSLER BEGAN NOTIFYING OWNERS DURING NOVEMBER 1995.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  5. Recall campaign 95I001008

    Safety recall 95I001008

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    IF THE LIFTGATE LATCH OPENS, OCCUPANTS CAN BE EJECTED RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH.
    Remedy:
    CHRYSLER DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LIFTGATE LATCH WITH A NEW STRONGER LATCH ASSEMBLY WITHOUT CHARGE. CHRYSLER BEGAN NOTIFYING OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES DURING JULY 1996.
    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 10 of 91 complaints · page 1 of 4
2005-07-22AIR BAGS
NHTSA ODI 10130253
CrashFireInjuryDeath
1988 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE.*MR THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A TORN LEFT ROTARY CUFF, SHOULDER AND BACK INJURIES. THE DRIVER REFERENCED A CLOCKSPING RECALL. *NM
2005-03-01Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10113238
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE HEADLAMP LENSES ARE TO BRIGHT. THIS CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
2003-05-21Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10022366
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. WHEN THE CONSUMER LEFT THE REPAIR SHOP THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE NO LONGER OPERATES. *PH *NLM
2002-08-20POWER TRAINUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 765930
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL CONSTANTLY PIVOTS UP AND DOWN IN THE DRIVERS HAND. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEVER IS VERY DIFFICULT FTO MOVE UNLESS THE DRIVER PIVOTS THE STEERING COLUMN UP HOLDING THE STEERING COLUMN IN PLACE WHILE MOVING THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT HE COULD FORCE A 1/16TH THICK, 1 INCH WIDE PIECE OF STEEL ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY TO ARTIFICALLY HOLD THE STEERING COLUMN IN A HIGH POSITION, OVERRIDING THE ADJUSTABLE CAPABILITY OF THE STEERING COLUMN, TO STOP THE PROBLEM OF NOT BEING ABLE TO EASILY MOVE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT LEVER. PLEASE COMMENT ON THE SAFTETY OF THIS SOLUTION FOR THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS OF THIS VEHICLE. MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS MISSPELLED ON YOUR FORM. THE CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS IS [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
2002-04-19Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 8008064
CrashFireInjuryDeath
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT WORK. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED MULTIFUNCTION SWITCHES PUT IN AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING. NLM CONSUMER SOLD VEHICLE. *JG
2000-10-30Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 874150
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT CONSUMER CANNOT SEE, HIGH AND LOW BEAMS DO NOT WORK. THERE IS A SUBSTANCE ON LIGHT BULBS, PREVENTING DRIVER TO SEE. DEALERS IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
2000-06-29Engine (ENGINE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 9000929
CrashFireInjuryDeath
OXYGEN SENSOR BURNT WIRE
2000-05-16Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 722784
CrashFireInjuryDeath
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. *AK
2000-04-24Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 860827
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VISUAL DIFFICULTY WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR AND PIVOT ARMS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
2000-03-28Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 859292
CrashFireInjuryDeath
INSTALLATION ON THE WIRE HARNESS DRY ROTTED AND BURNED THE WIRES UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND IN THE DOOR PANEL. CONSUMER STOPPED FIRE FROM STARTING BY UNHOOKING THE BATTERY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1988 Plymouth Voyager?

Owners named Body / frame most often — 13 of 91 reports (14%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1988 Plymouth Voyager?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Fuel system. 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 1988 Plymouth Voyager?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck. 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