1992 Plymouth Sundance 2.2 liter from North America
Summary:
Good car, bad engine
Faults:
Timing belt/chain went out around 40,000.
Fuel pump went out somewhere in the 100,000s.
Brakes have been replaced.
Shocks/struts have been replaced.
The original engine lasted until 100,000 miles, and I was losing compression. Since I still owed on the car, had a rebuilt engine put in. Got that paid for just in time to need another engine around 160,000. Car is at 240,000 miles now, and will need a new engine anytime (when it runs, it feels very "tired"). Compression loss seems to be the repeated engine complaint.
Car would nearly overheat on hot days or stop-and-go driving conditions until a lower-temperature thermostat was put in it.
Headliner is falling down (I stapled it back up).
Flat tires galore (my fault).
Have a rust-hole beginning underneath the driver's side door (also my fault/fault of driving conditions).
General Comments:
Car had no problems that couldn't be diagnosed until recently. Has been cutting out during driving, and I no longer consider the car dependable.
I have yet to accurately diagnose what this latest problem is. Have replaced the distributor, distributor cap, rotor, plugs, wires, some relays, fuel filter, fuel pump, and done a compression test on it. Car is getting spark, enough compression and fuel (most of the time). Car runs intermittently and fails more often when it is hot, so we have come to the conclusion that perhaps the computer is bad. Fuel pump fails at will, but only recently (we replaced the fuel pump thinking it was at fault, but the new one fails too, so it's problem must be a result of other problems).
On the good side, the car is fuel-efficient, comfortable, quick, and has been very reliable until recently. I am stubborn and determined to get as much use from this car as humanly possible, so will continue to try to locate the problem/s.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 2nd August, 2002
3rd Nov 2002, 13:22
I also had the "pleasure" of owning a 1992 Plymouth Sundance. I bought the car at 101,000 miles and had problems with it from the beginning. The bottom of the driver side door became unwelded and making left turns was heart stopping. Got a new door. Then the transmission went. I've had the car for 2 months and put 6,000 miles on it. Now it's trash and I refuse to put up the money for a new transmission. Needless to say, that's the last time I will buy Plymouth ever again.