1989 Dodge Raider from North America - Comments

Front windshield wiper assembly jammed which caused the wiper motor to burn out. Had to replace both parts.

The inclinometer leaked liquid all over the dashboard. I do not know how to fix this.

Replaced the clutch when I bought it. Cost around $500 for parts and labor!

The heater barely functions. It takes 10 minutes to get any heat and never warms up much.

I occasionally get exhaust smell in the cabin, usually when stopped in traffic within the first 10 minutes of driving.

Breaks are getting weaker. It might need new pads or new calipers.

I bought the Raider as an extra vehicle and to drive in the winter instead of my 2001 Eclipse. It is a ton of fun to drive and has only disappointed me in a couple areas.

I have taken it off-road at Silver Lake Sand Dunes in west Michigan. This is one of the more grueling off-road tests for an ORV. It passed every test I could throw at it. It climbed every sand dune in the park with no trouble and outperformed some Jeeps. The inclinometer was great for avoiding roll-over (which does happen on the dunes.) It is a lot more fun to drive off-road than one of the big tank-sized SUVs.

My prior SUV was a 93 Cherokee with a 4cyl and 5 speed. On off-road competency I would rate these two as equals. The Jeep was a little more comfortable inside, but the Raider is more unique and fun to drive (and was cheaper to buy). The Jeep advantage was shift-on-the-fly 4 wheel drive. The Raider has auto-locking front hubs which have to be unlocked by driving in reverse for 3-6 feet.

If anyone else has had the same problem with the heater please let me know. I don't want to pay to replace the heater and am not sure that is the real problem. The engine temperature gague never gets much above the cold mark, the engine exhaust fan is always on, and I haven't found a good way to block airflow through the radiator.

Also, if anyone has successfully fixed the leaking inclinometer please let me know how.

The best part of my Raider is that it starts every time. Even in below zero fahrenheit weather. Drives great in the snow.

Email me at jalittle@comcast.net.

There is no "fix" for the leaking inclinometer, just replacement. That whole cluster with the inclinometer shows up fairly frequently on ebay, usually not too outrageously priced. You can occasionally find one in a salvage yard on a Raidler/Montero that hasn't been picked over yet.

I used to own an '89 Raider with the V6. I did not have any trouble with the inclinometer, but the engine burned a LOT of oil for not really that high a mileage (130K). It had a pretty uncomfortable ride, too, even with the adjustable suspension seat on the driver's side. It also seemed rather susceptible to rusting.

Good luck with yours!

I own an '89 with all the same problems. I am working on a fix for the inclinometer. I think the fluid inside is mineral oil and hope the unit is resealable. If you found a fix for the heat problem please share.

This is my favorite off-roader next to a Hummer (Mil-Spec).I first test drove the Raider in '88 and owned a '87 for two years (burned) now own a '89 V6 and love it.

I also owned a 89 Raider and when I first got it I had the same Problem With the heat. All it took to fix mine was a little messing around under the dash to find that the paddle in the vent system was not turning all the way when I would turn the heat on. They seam to get stuck halfway in between vent and heat, and that's why it wouldn't get hot. Free it up with a little force and put some lite grease or even some vaseline on the moving parts and it should work fine.

I have an 87 Dodge Raider. I have just replaced the cracked head. After getting it all back together, it starts great, but after it warms up it seems to cut out every once and a while. I have rechecked the vacuum hosesthey seem to be correctly placed, but I am having a hard time getting a good diagram. The muffler and connection between the converter were also both shot and I had to replace them. I am having a real difficult time finding the correct parts. but my main concern is the engine cutting out after it gets warmed up any ideas what I did wrong?

I own a 1989 Dodge Raider and it has been a pretty fun project for me, however, finding parts has been somewhat of a struggle too. I also had the same problem with the wipers getting stuck and burning the motor. I had that fixed already. I also just recently added freon to it and the A/C blows COLD. So that is a plus. The only thing I need to fix now is the fuel tank leak. I have been trying for months to locate someone with a fuel tank for it and have not been able to. I purchased one from someone else, but it did not fit. I guess it has to be from the exact same Raider or something. I have never had any problems with the heater or inclinometer, in fact I have an extra one somewhere here since I bought another meter bundle because I thought the oil pressure gauge did not work. It turns out it was the wire that connects to the oil pressure switch. Anyway, if anyone out there has any tips on where to get parts easily, shoot me an email: markalehmann@yahoo.com.

Thanks...

I see a year has passed since the last comment was added.

I've had the same wiper (now fixed) and inclinometer issues on my 1989 V-6, now with 123,000mi. I've also got a possible fix for a gas tank leak if anyone needs it. I fixed my own, though it took some effort.

Anyone with an inclinometer please respond directly. mark.de@email.sae.org or 414.465.6119.

I just recently bought a Dodge Raider 1989 V6 5spd 135k miles with a blown head gasket for 400$... took me almost 3 years to find one it was well worth the wait :)

For the Raider owners having problem with heater check your thermostat maybe it was stuck at an open position.

Here are the symptoms your gonna notice

Inside heater takes a while to heat up.

Temp gauge takes a while to get to normal operating temp.

Hope that helps.

I love my V6 89 Raider! I have had problems with it, but that's to be expected with an engine that has 170K miles.

I find that if you fix it yourself, your $400 fix usually costs about 20 ie. the front main crank seal cost me $5 bucks and 3 hours of time... the engine is actually easy to work on. They are known for oil leaks in the earlier models but that's fixed with updated seals / gaskets.

Here's a link to a info page on your 3.0 V6 http://www.aa1car.com/library/2003/us100344.htm

If you have any other questions / problems e-mail me at thump08@gmail.com.

I have a 89 Dodge Raider, and I replaced the crankshaft seal twice and it still leaks, please advise, thank you!!!

I have a 1989 Dodge Raider. It runs for a little, then stalls and won't start for a half hour or so. Replaced fuel pump, fuel filter, and fuel pump assembly, and also distributor. Any ideas?

If your Raider is cutting out when it is wet or raining out check the distributor or your spark plug cables. Mine had the same problem and that was the fix both times. Hope this helps. I sadly just sent mine to Raider heaven courtesy of the "cash for clunkers" program. One of the hardest things I've ever done.

I have a 1987 Dodge Raider 2.6 carberated engine, which I put in from a Dodge Pickup of similar era. The engine started and worked fine, but dies off as if starved from fuel. I had the fuel pump checked, and it works fine.

When I remove one of the hoses running from the pump to the carburetor, it starts up for a few minutes and dies again. Seems like a problem with fuel lines or something. Any ideas?

Thanks.

I just bought a 1989 Dodge Raider for $300. The thing runs and drives, so I didn't do too bad. When driving for awhile, the engine loses power, and will stall when you stop. The guy before me put a new fuel pump, and tank on. I replaced the distributor, rotor, and new plugs and wires. A/T temperature light stays on, never goes off. I have racked my brain trying to figure out what causes this, any ideas???

For everyone with stalling problems, the coolant sensor air temperature sensor are known for going bad. I had the same problem with my Raider. It turned out to be the air temperature sensor: which tells the ECM the air temperature. This helps with the fuel mix. If it is bad, you will have poor gas mileage, and stalling problems. The air temperature sensor is in the intake by the air filter. That's how it is on my 89 Raider. Hope that helps.