Most common 1997 Plymouth Voyager problems
Share of the 346 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Plymouth Voyager complaints by model year
Best Voyager years: 2000, 1999. Years to avoid: 1996. Compare all years →
1997 Plymouth Voyager recalls (6)
Air bags › Frontal
On certain Mini vans, the clockspring assembly May have been wound incorrectly during the vehicle assembly process.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the clockspring assembly on all vehicles with 70,000 miles or less. An extended lifetime warranty will also be placed on this component for all affected vehicles, regardless of mileage.
Seat belts › Rear/other
On certain minivans, some trim material can loosen and drop into the rear outboard seat belt assembly, causing the seat belt to become inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trim with foam blockers and inspect and replace all 3rd row seat belt assemblies. Owner notification began June 3, 2002.
Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system
Vehicle description: Mini vans built with 3.3l and 3.8l engines have fuel rails with nitrole rubber o-ring seals that can degrade over time. Fuel leakage from the underhood fuel injection fuel rail could result, increasing the likelihood of a vehicle fire.
Remedy: Dealers will install a seal on the vehicle fuel rails to prevent external leakage of fuel from the fuel rail crossover tube, should the existing o-rings continue to degrade. Owner notification began on January 25, 2002.
Child seat
Vehicle description: Mini vans equipped with integrated child seats. The shoulder harness restraint on the integrated child seat can become difficult to extract when the safety belt latch plate becomes contaminated.
Remedy: Dealers will clean the latch mechanism. An extender will be added to the emergency release anchor for the child seat safety belts so that the release clips are more visible and accessible to the operator in the event…
Tires › Bead
Vehicle description: passenger minivans equipped with p215/65r15 Goodyear conquest tires mounted on steel wheel. The tires can experience a sudden air pressure loss without warning.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tires that were mounted on steel wheels.
Wheels › Rim
The steel road wheels were damaged by the equipment used to match mount the wheel to the tire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace all road wheels (and full size spare tires) with new wheels.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 7 possible defects involving the 1997 Plymouth Voyager:
Integrated child seat belt lockup
Odi continues to receive complaints alleging latching/retractor mechanism problems.Chrysler's assessment of the problem indicates that owners of the vehicles are not adhering to the cleaning requirements for the seat.the seat appears to malfunction if crumbs of food or beverage residue accumulates on the latching tongue in thewell located between the child's legs.odi has 19 complaints of retract lockup.seven of…
Dc minivan fuel injector rail leak
There is no summary currently available
Post-collision fuel system integrity
There is no summary currently available
Rear seat belt malfunction
This investigation was opened January 16, 2002, based on seven reports alleging the third row seat belt retractors failed on certain 1997 and 1998 model year caravan and voyager vehicles.the reports indicated a tar like substance entered the retractor mechanism, thus causing the retractor to jam or bind.in this condition the seat belt is rendered inoperable, as the webbing cannot retract or be withdrawn from the…
Post collision fuel system
Integrated child seat belt lockup
This investigation is closed.Chrysler corporation has submitted a defect information report identifying a safety defect and outlining the proposed remedy.recall number 98v-185 has been assigned to this safety recall.
Air bag clockspring
There is no summary currently available
What 1997 Plymouth Voyager owners say
Air bags all 64 →
Consumer experienced symptoms of the clockspring recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who indicated that the cockspring was not the cause of the problem. The dealer indicated that in order to dignose the proble the consumer would have to pay a diagnostic fee. The consumer took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the problem as a faulty clockspring and repl;aced it. The consumer request rimbursement for the expenses paid to repair the vehicle.
While driving on rural road police officer made an illegal u turn right in front without signaling or activating emergency lights, causing the consumer to strike the front left corner of the panel on vehicle. Upon impact, neither airbag deployed and seat belt didn't retract. Took vehicle to the dealer. They found a short in the heater control module, which caused computer failure in the body control module, disabling the air bags.
Engine & cooling all 58 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Plymouth Voyager. While traveling approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle erupted into flames. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and noticed that the engine was not running. The vehicle would not change gears and was coasted to the side of the road. The contact was able to extinguish the flames with a water hose from a residential home. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was waiting for a response to determine how the failure occurred and if the vehicle could be repaired. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 98V185000 (child seat), 02V076000 (seat belts), and 02V293000 (air bags), but the contact not receive notification of the recalls to receive the repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided no remedy. …
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 15 MPH there was a smell of fuel and smoke was coming from the air vents. Someone behind the vehicle alerted the driver that the vehicle was on fire. The driver pulled off of the road and exited the vehicle. The vehicle was engulfed in flames and was totaled. The fire department and the police department were notified. The fire department determined the fire originated from the hood and spread throughout the vehicle. Updated 07/03/06.
Transmission & drivetrain all 55 →
We just had our van into the dealer ship last week it was surging while I was driving it. The dealer said it was the transmission and fixed the problem. Three days later it was doing the same thing and also shifted into neutral while I was driving on the freeway at 65 MPH. I had my one year old with me at the time. It was a very scary experience. Had we known that Chrysler had and still has defective transmissions we never would have purchased this vehicle. In looking on the internet I have seen many complaints about Chrysler's transmission as far back as the 1989 model. How can they get away with this for so long? I consider this van to be a lemon. Unfortunatly the lemon law states that the problem has to have happened within the first 18,000 miles. What recourse do I have in returning this obvious lemon?
It all began with a "bump" in the transmission when the ac was on. Soon after that startedtransmission would lock into "limp home" mode betwen 30 and 35 MPH. It kicked into limp home mode on the highway, while I was driving 65 and put my family in jeapordy. I parked in in the driveway and left it there for 2 months. When I decided to try it again to get it to a mechanic, it wouldn't even go in reverse. Brought it to a Chrysler dealership in the area to be repaired at the tune of $2,000 for an overhaul. Metal all throughout the tranny. The dealership we bought it from denies any TSB's on the vehicle and has been quite nasty to us, so we brought it to another Chrysler dealer. How do we go about getting this paid for by daimler Chrysler?
1997 Plymouth Voyager engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 23 / 20 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Plymouth Voyager a good car?
Based on 346 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Voyager rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Voyager at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Plymouth Voyager?
The air bags — 64 complaints, 18% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the engine & cooling (58) and transmission & drivetrain (55).
How many recalls does the 1997 Plymouth Voyager have?
There are 6 recalls for the 1997 Plymouth Voyager, the most recent from November 7, 2002 (frontal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Plymouth Voyager?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2000 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1996. See the full Plymouth Voyager years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Plymouth Voyager problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 90,000 miles; 16% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.