Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Plymouth Voyager owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dt: the consumer states that the strut towers rusted prematurely. It has been a problem for about 6 months. The consumer could hear the strut towers falling apart while trying to stop or hitting a bump in the road. The consumer can feel the problem when he is driving. The consumer has taken the vehicle to Chrysler dealerships and they can not repair this until there is a recall without charge. The consumer is going to have to buy the strut towers and fix them himself because he can't afford to have the dealership repair the problem. The consumer has called the manufacturer and they responded by telling the consumer that there was not a problem with the towers. This is part of the front structure of the vehicle on the sub frame.
Dt: the consumer noticed a line of rust under the hood where the vehicle mounts to the body. Front two struts mount into body where the plate corroded , and it will eventually push through. Two weeks ago replaced one of the struts on the driver's side because it pushed through plates. Contacted Plymouth , who was ignoring the problem. The upper strut tower corroded.
The left strut tower on our 1996 Plymouth Voyager van was rusted out. The right tower appears to be in good condition which seems to be odd that one is bad and the other is fine. Makes me think that there was a defect in materials. I called the dealer that we bought the van from and he was aware of the problem. We were going to drive the van on a 2000 mile vacation and I wanted to be sure that it was safe to drive. He told me that he would look at it but that it was probable safe to drive. I happened to take it to a dealer that was closer by my work. The dealer said that it would be okay to drive and maybe I would want to get it fixed at a later time. The following day I then took it to the dealer I bought it from just to be sure. That dealer said that he had never seen one so bad and that he said that it was not safe to drive. …
I'm wondering if you have ever heard of the following problem . . . We own a 1996 Plymouth Voyager minivan. The acoustics inside are terrible, you can't even hear someone talking to you from the back seat. But what is more problematic is that my ears will hurt with even the slightest opening of the windows, like there is some kind of pressure created inside when the windows are open. We have tried opening the back windows but that doesn't help. Have you ever heard of anything like this? We've taken two long trips cross country (with the windows closed) and I can't hear for several days after the trip. There's some kind of reverberation going on. Like I'm inside a pressure cooker. It's killing my ears. Thanks for any help. Larry berg boca raton, fl
Efective components include: spark plug wires/ sliding door motor/circuit board//door handles/battery/ignition switch/multifunction switch, door lock motor/ windshield motor/ latch door lift gate, and rear shock absorber and rear struts. Please attach a description of each of these defects and copies of any work you have had performed on the vehicle regarding these defects.
Paint on my red Plymouth Voyager 1996 has white spots that have faded.not the whole care just spots it looks like someone put white dots allover it.also just in the past few months I have 2 medium size spot one on the roof right above the window on driver side and one next to windshild wiper on driverside.the spots didn't judt fade to a duller red they turned white.
The gas gauge indicator reading is incorrect, the gauge reads less fuel in the tank. The sending unit was replaced. Also, when traveling the rear window shattered, causing the glass fragments to enter the passenger compartment. In addition, multiple electrical problems, causing inside/accessory lights and windshield wipers to come on by themselves.
The left and right sliding grab handle button is hard to depress, the dealer lubed both mechanisms and adjusted linkages, the right side sliding door can not be opened or unlocked manually and the dealer adjusted the door. Nlm
Driving vehicle 45 MPH, had all doors locked; pulled on handle on door from inside & it opened. Called dealer & was informed it happens like that on all voyagers. That's the way they are made.
Owner's 7 year old daughter's leg was badly cut due to the passenger side sliding door not locking in place. The very sharp anchor that holds the door to the vehicle is what caused injury.
NHTSA investigations
Sliding door latch failure
Chrysler maintains that the common factor contributing to known sliding door opening incidents is prior incorrect dealer latch adjustment.Chrysler attributes this problem to an inaccurate service manual procedure - sliding door latch/lock control, removal and installation.Chrysler furnished information showing that six of its complaints, and two of odi's, involved vehicles that had undergone prior repairs to the…
Sliding door latch failure
Analysis of known incidents indicates a declining trend over the last five calendar quarters.extensive testing of incident vehicles has failed to reproduce occurrences of full latch disengagement.no failure mode which could cause a properly latched door to lose full latch engagement while driving has been verified as a causal factor in any of the known incident vehicles during this investigation.a safety-related…
Body complaints in other Voyager years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 1996 Plymouth Voyager?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the body & structure of the 1996 Plymouth Voyager, 5% of the model year's 756 complaints. The component named most often is body › door (27 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Plymouth Voyager body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 1996 Plymouth Voyager, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1996 Plymouth Voyager body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 152,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.