1990 Chrysler Imperial Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1990 Imperial report almost entirely braking problems, most involving the ABS hydraulic control unit: a hard or spongy pedal, the ABS and brake warning lights staying on, and stopping distances that increase when the pedal is pressed. Many say the dealer or manufacturer told them their VIN was outside recalls 96V099000 and 91V191000, and that replacement ABS parts were no longer available. Reports are spread across the car's life, from low mileage up to well past 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Brakes

   ABS failure, hard pedal, longer stopping distance

   • 87 complaints (81%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 17.3 yrs old (23 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 1995–2016

   Complaints describe the ABS warning light coming on and the brake pedal becoming very stiff, requiring heavy pressure and giving little or no power assist; in other cases the pedal drops toward the floor and stopping distance grows. Owners say the dealer diagnosed the ABS hydraulic control unit or pump-motor assembly, and several were told their VIN was not covered by NHTSA campaign 96V099000, often because the car had a different ABS supplier. Some report the same symptom returning after a repair. Reported from roughly 44,000 miles to about 150,000 miles, with many complaints in the 60,000-100,000 mile range and in a variety of weather and road conditions.

   Recall 96V099000

   What to check: Ask whether the ABS hydraulic unit or pump-motor has been replaced and whether the car was included in campaign 96V099000; a brake warning light that stays on, or a pedal that feels hard or sinks, is a reason to have the system inspected before driving.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have had problems with the ABS system, power assisted brake system and the suspension for over a year. About a year ago the ABS light came on and stayed on. At this point my power assisted brake system was working fine. Then about a month later the brake light also came on and stayed and I had very tight braking as well as the air ride suspension system has failed and my car now sits pretty much on the tires. These problems were covered in recall #s (91v191000 & 96v099000) however my VIN was not covered. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10183105, filed 2007-02, 87,500 miles

   “I am the original owner of a 1990 Chrysler Imperial. In january 2010, my daughter was driving it when she said the brakes totally failed. She was traveling about 30 MPH and when she pressed on the brake pedal, the car barely slowed down even with maximum force being applied. Traffic was light and she was able to stop the car without incident. I actually drove it to the dealer taking extreme care to maintain ?a lot? Of space between me and vehicles in front. The dealer confirmed that the anti lock brake pump had failed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10319088, filed 2010-03, 141,000 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brake hydraulic fluid leaks (hose, master cylinder)

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Some complaints describe brake or hydraulic fluid leaking, either from the high-pressure ABS hose or from the master cylinder area. Owners mention a brake warning light that comes on when the pedal is pressed and later stays on, and low fluid being reported. In one case a dealer declined recall work, saying the system had been contaminated with the wrong fluid. Reported from about 66,000 miles to around 140,000 miles, often noticed as a warning light before a visible leak.

   Recall 91V191000

   What to check: Check the brake fluid level and look for wet or oily residue around the ABS hose fittings and under the master cylinder; ask for service records showing brake hydraulic work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The ABS control unit failed causing loss of hydraulic brake pressure. I was told by a local mechanic that the part installed on my vehicle had been recalled by Chrysler, and that Chrysler was to fix the vehicle at their expense. However, I've been told by Chrysler my VIN isn't included in the recall. Looking online I've found hundreds of similar complaints on many websites of people with the same problem, some of which resulted in accidents, many paid for repairs out of pocket. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10455933, filed 2012-04, 89,000 miles

   “Recall 96v099000. Dealer refused to repair vehicle because brakes were contaminated. The light on the dash board (warning light) stayed on, they worked on it . Again the light came back and they told us it indicated low fluid. The dealer clamed that the brake system was contaminated because the owner used a wrong fluid and the owner was denied recall fixing.”

   NHTSA complaint #868728, filed 2000-08
3. 3
   Suspension

   Air ride suspension sags or fails

   • 5 complaints (5%)
   • median 86,750 mi at 17.1 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2007

   Complaints describe the air suspension dropping so the car sits low over the tires, or the front and rear sitting at uneven heights that block the rear view. Owners report the car bouncing hard enough to be hard to control, and dealers either could not identify the problem or advised against repairing it. Reported across a wide mileage range, including at lower mileage, and sometimes alongside ABS and brake light warnings that appear first.

   What to check: Look at ride height front and rear with the car running, listen for the air compressor cycling, and ask whether the air springs or compressor have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Front suspension almost drags on road surface and rear suspension is hiked upward ,blocking view out of rear window. I have taken this problem to two Chrysler dealears. One recommended not to fix problem but to get rid of car and the other charged $38.69 for diagnostic test and told me they did not know what the problem is. This is a safety problem which could be fatal if a high spot in the roadway is hit or by not being able to see sout of the rear window when changing lanes into on-coming traffic. …”

   NHTSA complaint #720573, filed 2000-03

   “Front air suspenion went out while driving, vehicle bounced up/down so hard vehicle was uncontrollable, suspenion dropped down on top of tires, speed 15 MPH.”

   NHTSA complaint #986652, filed 1996-07

Buying note. Braking is the main thing to verify on this model year: confirm in person that the ABS and brake lights go out, that the pedal is firm, and that any recall work on the ABS unit was actually completed. Also check ride height and look for fuel or brake fluid leaks, since replacement ABS and air suspension parts can be difficult to source.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.