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Chrysler NEW YorkerModel year report

1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker Problems

Complaints
78filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
61,000miles, 1 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl FWD · 16 city / 24 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owner complaints on this model year center overwhelmingly on the ABS brake system: a pedal that sinks to the floor, warning lights that come on, and repeated replacement of the accumulator and pump. Transmission and electrical complaints make up most of the rest, including stalling, unexpected gear changes, wiring faults and, in a few reports, engine-compartment fires. The sample is small and most complaints carry no mileage, so mileage patterns are hard to establish with confidence.

  1. Brakes

    ABS pedal goes to the floor, warning lights on

    • 16 complaints (21%)
    • typically at 7.9 yrs old
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1995–2001

    Owners describe the brake pedal sinking to the floor when stopping, with the ABS and/or brake warning lights lit on the dash and stopping distance noticeably longer. Several complaints say the accumulator assembly or ABS pump was replaced, sometimes more than once, and a few report the symptom returning months later or the dealer being unable to duplicate it. A few complaints mention replacement parts no longer being available. Complaints in the sample carry no mileage; reports span driving at low speed up to highway speeds and do not tie the symptom to a particular age or condition.

    What to check: On a test drive, press the pedal firmly and confirm it holds rather than creeping toward the floor, and check that no ABS or brake warning light stays on. Ask for records of any accumulator or ABS pump replacement.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving into a bank's teller machine line when I noticed that two brake problem indicator lights came on the dashboard. Then, I noticed that my brakes almost completely failed. I had to shift to neutral to stop the car, which took all the foot pressure I could muster. In march, 1999, I took the car into cutter dodge when the brake indicator light cvmae on and the brake became much weaker. I paid more than $431.00 plus tax to have the brakes repaired there, which included replacing brake accumulator assembly. …”

    NHTSA complaint #711056, filed 1999-09

    “Abs brake problems; the ABS warning light came on. When the vehicle was checked by the dealership, there was a problem found with the accumulator. The accumulator had to be replaced for the second time. The first time the accumulator was replaced at 20,000-30,000 miles. Please provide any further informaiton.”

    NHTSA complaint #848390, filed 1999-09
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Stalling and unexpected transmission gear changes

    Mentioned in 4 of 28 sampled complaints

    Owners report the engine cutting out at speed and then restarting, sometimes more than once on a trip, and in some cases the car shuts down entirely while turning. Others describe the transmission shifting itself, including in reverse, with one dealer attributing it to the transmission and electronic control module; another complaint notes a downshift when the engine cut out and questions whether the design is appropriate. The sample gives no mileage for these complaints; they involve driving at ordinary road speeds and turning maneuvers.

    What to check: Ask whether the transmission or control module has been serviced or replaced, and during a test drive note any hesitation, hunting between gears, or drop in engine speed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “When the vehicle is at any speed the vehicle cuts off, and starts back up. This sometimes happens twice while driving. When the vehicle is in reverse, the gear will switch all by itself. Took to dealer, and they said that the vehicle needs the transmission and electronic control module fixed. There is an investigation on the transmission downshifting. Pe89-036.”

    NHTSA complaint #822936, filed 1998-04

    “While driving at 45 MPH without prior warning, vehicle stalled, and there was some type of noise. Vehicle has been into the shop five times, and the dealer can't determine the cause.”

    NHTSA complaint #849152, filed 1999-09

Buying note. The brake system deserves the most scrutiny on this model year: confirm the pedal holds firmly under pressure, that no ABS warning light stays on, and that any accumulator or pump work is documented. Also check seat belt retraction and look for wiring repairs, and factor in that parts availability for a car of this age can be limited.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 28 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.

NHTSA recorded 78 consumer complaints for the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker. 1 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 61,000 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 10 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Equipment (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “Abs problem; the ABS warning light and brake warning light came on and after going 2 miles there was no braking ability. This caused driver to rear end vehicle ahead. A pump was replaced in the ABS in jan of 97. Dealer is not able to duplicate problem with brakes at this time.”

NHTSA complaint #816668, filed 1997-09

Transmission and drivetrain: “Front power train will not accept snow chains, so state in owner's manual. Manufacture contacted. No remedy available authorized by manuafacturer. Not being able to use snow chains (snow tires not legal) in mountainous terrain in snow and ice conditions”

NHTSA complaint #713203, filed 1999-10

Electrical system: “The consumer experienced a problem with alternator. While driving noticed that smoke was coming from hood. Panel lights failed to illuminate to alert them of the problem. When they pulled the vehicle over, they noticed that it was on fire. The vehicle burned until in it was put out by the fire department. They diagnosed that it was due to the wiring associated with the alternator. The manufacturer has been contacted.”

NHTSA complaint #830523, filed 1998-11

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 1 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 61,000 and 61,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–50100%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (1 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 61,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

19952919961997199819992000200120022004
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
New Yorker FWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic162419$3,550
New Yorker Fifth Avenue/Imperial FWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic162419$3,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 10 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

Other model years of the Chrysler NEW Yorker

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
19961275,0181—18—Not enough data
19955998,6432—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1994215120,0003—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19937393,0003—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19924768,6502—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19918494,5004—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19909283,2303—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19897861,0000—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19882940,0000—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198721—1—21—Stable
198612—4—21—Not enough data
1985758,5502—19—Not enough data
19835—2———Not enough data

All Chrysler NEW Yorker model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker?

Owner complaints on this model year center overwhelmingly on the ABS brake system: a pedal that sinks to the floor, warning lights that come on, and repeated replacement of the accumulator and pump. The issues reported most often: ABS pedal goes to the floor, warning lights on; Stalling and unexpected transmission gear changes.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker have?

NHTSA recorded 78 consumer complaints for the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 33 complaints (42% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 21.

Has the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker get?

The EPA rates the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker (New Yorker, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 16 city and 24 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1989 Chrysler NEW Yorker reported?

Among the 1 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 61,000 miles and the middle half falls between 61,000 and 61,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.