1994 Chrysler LeBaron Problems: 16 Known Issues

On the 1985-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, the Auto Shutdown (ASD) relay powers the ignition coil, fuel injectors, and (via the fuel-pump relay) the fuel pump. When the ASD relay fails, contacts wear, or its connector corrodes, the engine cranks but gets no spark and no fuel and will not start; failure can also be intermittent, causing the car to die while driving and then restart later. On many LeBarons the relay sits on the driver's-side fender/strut tower. Because the same no-start symptom can come from the logic/power module or the pickup, the relay should be swapped or bench-tested to confirm.

On the 1985-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, the distributor pickup is a three-wire Hall-effect sensor that tells the engine computer the engine is turning so it can fire spark and injectors. These pickups are prone to heat-related, intermittent failure: the car runs fine cold but suddenly stalls once the engine bay heats up, then restarts after it cools (heat-soak). The Hall sensor can fail without setting a code, and because the computer sees no engine-rotation signal, it cuts fuel and spark entirely. On the 3.0L, an intermittent no-spark can also come from the coil or ignition module, so the pickup must be confirmed with a scope/voltage test.

On the 1985-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, early LeBarons use a two-box system (separate logic module in the kick panel and power module near the battery); 1988+ cars use the combined SMEC, and later cars the SBEC. The power-module/driver section is a known weak point: heat and vibration crack solder joints and fail the injector/ignition drivers, producing intermittent stalling, no-spark/no-fuel no-starts, or a car that runs poorly and drops into limp-in. Fault codes (read by cycling the key on-off-on) help point at it, but the module can fail without a clean code. The logic module also enters limp-in and reduces performance when it loses key sensor data.

On the 1990-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, power window motors fail from worn brushes and aged wiring. The driver side window sees the most use and fails first. Corroded connectors in the door jamb harness can also cause intermittent window operation.

On the 1990-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, leBaron instrument clusters (both standard and the digital dash) are a common failure point. The speedometer reads zero or erratically and the odometer stops counting, usually from a failed vehicle speed sensor (VSS) on the transaxle, a stripped odometer drive gear / worn speedometer cable on cable-driven clusters, or internal cluster/solder failures. On the digital dash, segments drop out or the speedometer sticks at 0. Because a dead VSS also feeds the computer, it can additionally affect shift quality and idle, not just the gauge.

On the 1990-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, the LeBaron's 2.5L 4-cylinder and 3.0L Mitsubishi V6 engines both suffer from head gasket failure. The 2.5L uses a composite head gasket that deteriorates, allowing coolant into the combustion chambers and oil passages. The 3.0L Mitsubishi V6 develops gasket failure between cylinders, causing compression loss. Both engines overheat easily due to the LeBaron's limited airflow in the engine bay, particularly the convertible model where underhood temperatures run higher.

On the 1985-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, all LeBaron engines are belt-driven overhead-cam designs with a rubber timing belt that has a finite service life (roughly 60,000 miles). The Chrysler 2.2L/2.5L four-cylinder engines are non-interference designs, so a snapped or skipped belt leaves the car stranded but does not bend valves. The belts age, harden, and can skip a tooth or shred, causing a sudden stall/no-start or rough running. The Mitsubishi-sourced 3.0L V6 is an interference engine and far less forgiving — belt neglect there risks valve-to-piston contact and bent valves. Because these cars are now decades old, many run on original or badly overdue belts, making this a leading cause of roadside breakdowns.

On the 1990-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, the Mitsubishi-sourced 3.0L V6 is well known for oil consumption caused by hardening valve stem seals and, at higher mileage, worn valve guides. As the seals shrink/harden, oil seeps past the valve stems while the car sits, then burns off on startup as a puff of blue-gray smoke that clears within 10-30 seconds. This is distinct from head-gasket failure (which burns coolant): compression is typically normal and the car steadily consumes oil between changes. Replacing seals alone often fails within 10-20k miles because worn guides provide the slop that destroys the new seals; a plugged PCV drain in the valve covers can worsen consumption. The 2.2L/2.5L fours can also develop valve-seal seep-down smoke with age, but the 3.0L V6 is the standout.

On the 1990-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, the LeBaron uses the Chrysler A604 (41TE) 4-speed electronically-controlled automatic transaxle. This was one of the first fully electronic automatics and its solenoid pack is the primary failure point. The solenoids develop internal leaks and electrical failures, causing erratic shifting, no-shift conditions, and limp mode (locked in 2nd gear). The transmission controller can also fail. The A604 was so problematic that Chrysler extended warranty coverage on early units.

On the 1990-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, beyond the solenoid pack, the A604 (41TE) Ultradrive on V6/turbo LeBarons is infamous for dropping into limp mode — the transmission loses the higher gears and is stuck in second and reverse only, often after a speed/input sensor fault, voltage glitch, or internal clutch problem. Early Ultradrives also suffer clutch-pack and torque-converter wear (Chrysler made many running design changes early on), and use of the wrong fluid (Dexron/Mercon instead of ATF+4) quickly destroys them because the wrong fluid is too 'grabby.' Symptoms include harsh or no shifts, a buzzing/shuddering converter, and a transmission that won't upshift past second until restarted.

On the 1989-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, leBaron overheating is common and one trap is unique to these cars: in 1989 the 2.2/2.5 switched to a counter-rotating (reverse-rotation) water pump driven off the back side of the timing/accessory belt, whereas 1980–1988 used a clockwise pump. Installing the wrong-rotation pump (or a generic replacement) pushes coolant the wrong way and the engine overheats even though the pump looks correct. Combined with the small radiators, electric-fan failures, and tired thermostats on these aging cars, owners report boiling coolant, rising temp gauge, and on turbo cars heat-soak that can crack a head or blow the gasket. Always match the pump to the engine's rotation.

On the 1985-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, the two-prong engine coolant temperature (ECT) sensor at the thermostat housing feeds temperature data to the engine computer for fuel mixture and to the cooling-fan and gauge circuits. When it fails or its connector corrodes, the computer mis-fuels the engine: the car runs rough or floods when warm, stalls once hot, and is hard to restart until it cools (a classic heat-soak no/poor-start). The temperature gauge can read erratically or peg, and the electric cooling fan may not turn on, leading to overheating. Note this is the computer's ECT sensor, distinct from the dash gauge sending unit.

On the 1985-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, chrysler's throttle-body and MPI fuel-injection LeBarons use an Automatic Idle Speed (AIS) motor (idle air control) that meters air around the closed throttle to keep the engine idling and to catch the idle when the A/C compressor cycles or when the throttle snaps shut. The AIS pintle and its passage carbon up, and the motor itself wears out, causing a rough or hunting idle, idle that surges up and down, stalling when coming to a stop or when the A/C kicks on, and sometimes a high idle that won't come down. The symptoms overlap with vacuum leaks, so the intake and vacuum lines must be checked first.

On the 1990-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, fuel injectors develop clogs and O-ring leaks from age and fuel deposit buildup. Clogged injectors cause misfires and poor fuel economy. Leaking injector O-rings create a fire hazard from fuel dripping onto the hot engine.

On the 1990-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, the LeBaron convertible's hydraulic top system suffers from cylinder leaks, pump failures, and the fabric top material degradating from UV exposure. The hydraulic cylinders develop internal seal leaks, causing the top to operate slowly or stop mid-cycle. The fabric top material shrinks and becomes brittle, developing tears at the stress points near the rear quarter windows. The rear plastic window yellows and becomes opaque, reducing rear visibility.

On the 1985-1995 Chrysler LeBaron, the heater/AC blower resistor block that controls the lower fan speeds is a common failure on these cars. When it burns out, the low and medium fan settings stop working and the blower runs only on High (which bypasses the resistor). The resistor typically overheats and fails because an aging, current-hungry blower motor draws too much current through it, so a resistor that's replaced alone often fails again if the worn motor isn't addressed. On the LeBaron the blower/resistor is buried under the dash/behind the glovebox, making access tight.