1994 Chrysler NEW Yorker Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about fuel leaks around the injection rail and about transmission behavior — hard or delayed shifting, fluid leaks, and stalling. Many complaints come from cars well past 100,000 miles, and several owners mention repeat repairs for the same fuel leak, sometimes after recall work was done.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Fuel leak from the injection rail or O-rings

   • 30 complaints (14%)
   • typically at 5.2 yrs old
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2010

   Owners describe gasoline leaking from the fuel injection rail or from the sealing O-rings at the injectors, often noticed as a strong fuel smell or as visible fuel on top of the engine. Some say the rail was replaced and the leak returned a year or two later; others report the work was done under a recall but the smell or leak came back. Complaints also mention fuel vapors inside the cabin and, in a few cases, a fire after a leak. Reported across a wide mileage range, mostly on higher-mileage cars, and some owners note the smell being worse in cold weather.

   Recall 98V184000

   What to check: Ask whether the fuel injection recall work was completed and whether the rail or O-rings have been replaced since. Check the top of the engine for a fuel smell or damp residue around the injectors.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car 1994 Chrysler New Yorker was taken in for recall work o ring leakage on fuel injectors when I picked my car up. They had to jump the battery, one day later the electrical system shorted out and I have not been able to drive my car since dealership said it was not their problem I believe it happened since I drove this car daily before they jumped the battery that day.”

   NHTSA complaint #10251404, filed 2008-12

   “From what the dealer service rep told me there are multiple fuel leaks along the fuel injector rail which is causing gasoline to leak. I have researched this problem with this particular engine and found this to be a problem with the eagle vision (1993) vehicle. This car has the same engine as the New Yorker (1994). The eagle was recalled to fix that problem. Also I have researched the complaint database and found this particular problem many times on the New Yorker and lhs. Why haven't these vehicles been recalled to fix this deadly problem?”

   NHTSA complaint #700980, filed 1998-11
2. 2
   Steering

   Front suspension and engine cradle cracking

   • 24 complaints (11%)
   • median 99,000 mi at 18.8 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2017

   Owners describe a rattling or popping from the front end, a bolt backing out at the trailing arm pivot, and in one case the front frame section giving way so the wheels dropped. Complaints also mention tie rod hardware loosening so the car kept going straight while turning, and dealers applying sealant or declining recall work for lack of tools. Reported on older, higher-mileage cars; the sample does not give a consistent mileage figure.

   Recall 99V215000

   What to check: Ask whether the lower control arm bracket and engine cradle recall was completed, and have the front end inspected for cracks at the cradle mounts and loose tie rod hardware.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Consumer heard rattling in the rear end. As he drove more and more, and went under vehicle where bolt connects to the pivot point for the trailing arm, he discovered bolt was sticking out about 2inches, and that was causing the noise.”

   NHTSA complaint #837827, filed 1999-06

   “While driving vehicle into the garage. Before reaching garage, front structure frame, supporting the transmission & wheels, had snapped. This caused the transmission to drop some & the wheels to fall off.”

   NHTSA complaint #845353, filed 1999-08
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shifting, lockup and leak problems

   • 30 complaints (14%)
   • median 135,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2006

   Complaints describe the transmission downshifting on its own, failing to move forward until the engine warms up, refusing to lock up, or grinding and losing power. Several owners report fluid leaks from transmission lines or internal seals, and a few mention stalling tied to the transmission. Dealers and transmission shops variously pointed to the valve body, an internal seal, or line fittings. Mostly on cars past 100,000 miles; a few owners note the no-forward-gear behavior only when the engine is cold.

   Recall 94V0240001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Drive the car from a cold start and check that it engages forward gears promptly, and look under the car for fluid on the transmission lines and pan.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car will not go forward until engine temp. Hand gets up to the normal operating temp. The vehicle backs up just fine but once it start forward run and change gear ok.”

   NHTSA complaint #10161904, filed 2006-07, 150,000 miles

   “Engine check light would not go out.also, transmission would not lock up. Problem was reported to the dealership. Repairs were made to vehicle which solved the problem. Please provide any further information.”

   NHTSA complaint #859665, filed 2000-04
4. 4
   Seats

   Seat tracks and power seat adjuster failure

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the front seat tracks breaking or the seat rocking and pivoting because plastic inserts or guides fail, and power seats that stop moving or move sideways. Owners say seat track repairs were done and failed again later, and several report the dealer declined to cover the track or adjuster under a seat recall. One owner reported the driver seat collapsing backward while driving. Reported from as low as about 14,000 miles up to around 100,000 miles, with repeat failures after earlier repairs.

   What to check: Move each front seat through its full range and rock it by hand to check for play, noise or a pivoting motion. Ask whether seat track or adjuster recall work was done and keep any repair receipts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Chrysler corp. Recall for power seat adjuster in 2012 , took the vehicle in three times and never got this replaced as I was told there were no parts, you would have to get out of the vehicle to move the power seat,on my last visit to the dealership in january 2013 I found that the wheels kept trying to go their own way so I went for a wheel alinement the shop showed me that the steering rack was in fact cracked in half, don't know how that came about but I paid for the replacement but still never heard from them about the adjuster, I still …”

   NHTSA complaint #11021201, filed 2017-09, 99,000 miles

   “Driver's seat belt buckle is inserted so much that it is unable to latch seat belt. Passenger's seat moves from floor where seat not in place. The buckles were fixed as a result of a rcall but the problem still goes on. The passenger seat tracks were changed but the seat does not move properly on the tracks.”

   NHTSA complaint #872365, filed 2000-10
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Stalling and loss of power while driving

   • 14 complaints (7%)
   • median 131,296 mi at 10.1 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2008

   Owners report the engine cutting out at low speed or on the highway, sometimes with no restart, and in a few cases the car was towed after stalling. Some complaints tie the stalling to electrical or wiring trouble, including an interlock or starting problem. Others describe overheating or cooling-system repairs alongside the stalling. Reported from moderate to very high mileage, with several cases above 80,000 miles.

   Recall 94V024000

   What to check: Ask about any history of stalling or no-start episodes and whether the wiring recall was performed. Have a mechanic check the harness routing near the steering tie rod and look for signs of a short.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Engine stalled twice while driving on the freeway. Regular and routine maintenance was provided in accord with the manufactures guidelines, yet the engine stalled on the freeway and will not start. I was told the engine needed to be replaced.”

   NHTSA complaint #10058856, filed 2004-02, 80,000 miles

   “Consumer was having problems with the vehicle and smelled a gasoline odor when the weather was cold. While trying to start the vehicle one morning, it would not start, and caught fire in the driveway. The dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. Vehicle was unrepairable. Various other problems consisted of tie rod/air conditioner and water pump.”

   NHTSA complaint #822699, filed 1998-04

Buying note. This model year is an old car, and the sample points to fuel leaks, transmission faults and front-end hardware as the areas most likely to need attention. Have any pre-purchase inspection focus on the fuel rail and injectors, a cold-start transmission check, and the front cradle and tie rod mounts, and ask for records showing whether the open recalls were completed.

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.