PLYMOUTH BREEZE · model year

1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE

268 NHTSA complaints, 25 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996PLYMOUTHBREEZE carries 268 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 25 crashes, 2 fires, 19 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 BREEZE is engine and engine cooling:engine with 70 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (21) and power train:automatic transmission (19). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 1996 BREEZE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

268
Complaints
25
Crashes
2
Fires
19
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

268 filings

Crashes Reported

25 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE70
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE21
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION19
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL9
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP8
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING8
UNKNOWN OR OTHER7
SUSPENSION:FRONT7
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR6
STEERING:RACK AND PINION6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS6
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER4
STEERING4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC4

Recent Complaints

20071024FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE HAD SOMETHING BREAK FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUGHT FIRE AFTER COMING TO A REST ON THE SHOULDER. *KB THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)*JB

20060829CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

I WAS COMING HOME ONE EVENING FROM TOWN, AND MY BRAKES FAILED TO STOP. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD AND NEVER ONCE SLOWED ME DOWN AND I CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT WAS A PRETTY BAD WRECK AND LUCKILY NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *JB

Mileage: 242,000

20060727SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

THE PLASTIC ADJUSTMENTS ON THE SEAT BELTS HAVE FALLEN OFF 2 OF THE SEAT BELTS, THEREFORE, I ASSUME, THEY ARE NO LONGER SAFE TO USE. *NM

20060223UNKNOWN OR OTHER

APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS AGO, AFTER MAKING A LEFT TURN, I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE PROBLEM WOULD DISAPPEAR AFTER BACKING UP. AND WAS NOT ALWAYS CONSISTENT. I BROUGHT IT INTO MY GARAGE WHO CHECKED THE BELTS AND FLUID. THEY REPORTED EVERYTHING WAS FINE. YESTERDAY (2/22) LEAVING WORK I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN OUT OF THE PARKING LOT INTO THE EXIT LANE, AND LOST ALL STEERING ABILITY. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE STOPPED TO SEE IF I NEEDED HELP. WHEN I TOLD HIM I LOST THE STEERING AGAIN AND ASKED IF HE COULD LOOK. WHEN I OPENED MY DOOR TO GET OUT, FROM HIS HEIGHT HE COULD SEE SOMETHING STICKING OUT UNDERNEATH THE CLUTCH AREA. HE REACHED DOWN AND SAW THAT A CHUNK OF THE CLOTH MAT HAD BEEN SUCKED UP INTO THE STEERING COLUMN AT THE BASE OF THE FLOOR AND WAS WRAPPED FREEZING THE STEERING. IT TOOK HIM A WHILE, BUT HE WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO FREE IT. ALMOST THE ENTIRE, HEAVY CLOTH MAT WAS A GIANT BALL WRAPPED BY THE COLUMN. I WAS LUCKY THAT IT HAPPENED ON THE COMPANY CAMPUS

Mileage: 98,043

20051220ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

OIL NOTICED ON GROUND UNDER VEHICLE. MECHANIC SAYS HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL OUT OF ENGINE. HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS CAUSING OIL TO BE LEAKED ONTO GROUND WHICH CAUSES ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE TO OUR ENVIRONMENT PER EPA. THIS WEB SITE DOCUMENTS THIS AS A TREND FOR THIS PLATFORM OF PLYMOUTH VEHICLE. THERE MUST BE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF PETROLEUM OIL BEING SPILLED INTO OUR ENVIRONMENT BY THESE VEHICLES, MAYBE MORE. THESE VEHICLES ARE INJURING US ALL AND SHOULD NO LONGER BE USED UNLESS PROPERLY AND PERMANENTLY FIXED. *NM

20050727POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE TRANSAXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION INTERLOCK SYSTEM ON THE 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE.*MR THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER BUT THE REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER THE R RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NM

20050512ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DT: WITH NO WARNING THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. PROBLEM IS IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. HAS HAD BATTERY RECHARGED AND WAS TOLD BY MANUFACTURER TO GET AN ELECTRONIC ANALYSIS TEST ON THE VEHICLE BUT THE TEST IS NOT FREE. *NM

Mileage: 185,000

20050419POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT

PROBLEMS GETTING REPAIR WORK COMPLETED ON 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO PICK UP HIS VEHICLE, HE WAS TOLD NO WORK HAD BEEN PERFORMED BECAUSE THERE WAS A SPECIAL PART THAT NEEDED TO ORDERED. THE DEALER STILL HAS NOT CONTACTED THE CONSUMER. THE PROBLEM WAS A RECALL REPAIR ON THE SHIFT INTER-LOCK. RECALL#04V021000. *JB

20040920POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER ON A RECALL FOR THE PARK INTERLOCK THE DEALER CHARGED THE CONSUMER FOR PERFORMING THE REPAIRS. *AK

Mileage: 147,000

20040907CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT

WHILE PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WITH NO KEYS IN THE IGNITION, THE GEAR SHIFT OF THE FLOOR CONSOLE WAS ABLE TO BE MOVED. THE VEHICLE ROLLED AND HIT A HOUSE. THE VEHICLE HAD A CHILD INSIDE AT THE TIME THAT SUSTAINED MINOR HEAD INJURIES. THE OWNER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ONE YEAR LATER. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V021000; FLOOR SHIFT CONSOLE. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *JB *TC

20040610FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IDLED REAL HIGH, THEN SLOWED DOWN. PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE STARTED UP, BUT IT DID NOT MOVE. HAD A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER WAS BURNT OUT. THEN SHE HAD A SECOND OPINON, AND WAS TOLD THAT SHE HAD A FUEL PUMP AIR LEAK, AND THIS CAUSED HER TO HAVE POWER REDUCTION WHILE DRIVING. SHE STATES SHE HAS NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL ON HER VEHICLE.*AK

20040610ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IDLED REAL HIGH, THEN SLOWED DOWN. PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE STARTED UP, BUT IT DID NOT MOVE. HAD A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER WAS BURNT OUT. THEN SHE HAD A SECOND OPINON, AND WAS TOLD THAT SHE HAD A FUEL PUMP AIR LEAK, AND THIS CAUSED HER TO HAVE POWER REDUCTION WHILE DRIVING. SHE STATES SHE HAS NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL ON HER VEHICLE.*AK

20040530ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE 2.0 ENGINE LEAKS EXTREME AMOUNTS OF OIL FROM AREA WHERE UPPER, LOWER, AND FRONT SEAL COME TOGETHER. NOT THE SEAL ITSELF. ALSO SEEMS TO RUN HOT. IT IS NOT A PROBLEM CAUSED OVER TIME. IT IS NOT SEALED FROM NEW. ALSO INTERIOR HAS COMPLETELY DETERIORATED AS IF IT WERE 50 YEARS OLD. *LA

Mileage: 1

20040530STRUCTURE

1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE 2.0 ENGINE LEAKS EXTREME AMOUNTS OF OIL FROM AREA WHERE UPPER, LOWER, AND FRONT SEAL COME TOGETHER. NOT THE SEAL ITSELF. ALSO SEEMS TO RUN HOT. IT IS NOT A PROBLEM CAUSED OVER TIME. IT IS NOT SEALED FROM NEW. ALSO INTERIOR HAS COMPLETELY DETERIORATED AS IF IT WERE 50 YEARS OLD. *LA

Mileage: 1

20040422ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

THE OIL CONSTANTLY LEAKS. THE HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. (1998, 2000, 2002). THE HEAD GASKET IS NOW WORN AGAIN AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE TIMING BELT REPLACED ONCE DUE TO THE OIL LEAKING ON IT. NOW THE TIMING BELT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN

20040422ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I ACQUIRED A 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE IN MARCH OF 2002. THE DAY AFTER I GOT THE CAR, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. SINCE THEN, THE LIGHT HAS COME ONE A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. EACH TIME IT HAS BEEN FIXED OR LOOKED AT, THE O2 SENSOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ON HALLOWEEN 2002, I TOOK MY CAR IN TO GET A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE OF A TICKING SOUND. THE AUTO CENTER (THAT WAS DOING MY OIL CHANGE) SAID IT WAS A ROD BEARING, BUT WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A FLYWHEEL. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AND 2 DAYS AFTER I PICK UP THE CAR, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON FOR THE 4TH TIME. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PRAYING THAT THIS IS THE LAST TIME I WILL HAVE TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS FOR THE SAME THING!!!

20040422EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

I ACQUIRED A 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE IN MARCH OF 2002. THE DAY AFTER I GOT THE CAR, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. SINCE THEN, THE LIGHT HAS COME ONE A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. EACH TIME IT HAS BEEN FIXED OR LOOKED AT, THE O2 SENSOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ON HALLOWEEN 2002, I TOOK MY CAR IN TO GET A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE OF A TICKING SOUND. THE AUTO CENTER (THAT WAS DOING MY OIL CHANGE) SAID IT WAS A ROD BEARING, BUT WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A FLYWHEEL. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AND 2 DAYS AFTER I PICK UP THE CAR, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON FOR THE 4TH TIME. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PRAYING THAT THIS IS THE LAST TIME I WILL HAVE TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS FOR THE SAME THING!!!

20040422ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

THE HEAD GASKET WAS REALLY THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE THE BIGGEST BEEF ABOUT. I HAVE HAD AN OIL LEAK SINCE AT LEAST AUGUST 2002 AND THE MECHANIC THAT I'VE BEEN TAKING MY CAR TO HAS REPLACED THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH TWICE AND MOST RECENTLY THE CAM SHAFT SWITCH. AT THE LAST REPAIR, HE INDICATED THAT I HAD A TORN HEAD GASKET, A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY MODEL OF CAR. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER AND THEN CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT SOME MONETARY ASSISTANCE WITH THIS REPAIR. CHRYSLER CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER AND THEN DID NOTHING FOR TWO DAYS UNTIL I CALLED BACK AND FOUND OUT THAT THE DECISION RESTED IN THE REGIONAL MANAGER'S HANDS WHO WAS OUT OF TOWN ON VACATION FOR 4 MORE DAYS. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AGAIN AND ESCALLATED THE DECISION THROUGH A FEW LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT AND FOUND THAT MY REQUEST HAD BEEN DENIED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR AND ITS MILEAGE. THIS IRRITATES ME FOR SEVERAL REASONS. HEAD GASKETS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A MUCH LONGER LIFE SPAN THAT 72K MIL

Mileage: 72,500

20040422VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

THE HEAD GASKET WAS REALLY THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE THE BIGGEST BEEF ABOUT. I HAVE HAD AN OIL LEAK SINCE AT LEAST AUGUST 2002 AND THE MECHANIC THAT I'VE BEEN TAKING MY CAR TO HAS REPLACED THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH TWICE AND MOST RECENTLY THE CAM SHAFT SWITCH. AT THE LAST REPAIR, HE INDICATED THAT I HAD A TORN HEAD GASKET, A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY MODEL OF CAR. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER AND THEN CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT SOME MONETARY ASSISTANCE WITH THIS REPAIR. CHRYSLER CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER AND THEN DID NOTHING FOR TWO DAYS UNTIL I CALLED BACK AND FOUND OUT THAT THE DECISION RESTED IN THE REGIONAL MANAGER'S HANDS WHO WAS OUT OF TOWN ON VACATION FOR 4 MORE DAYS. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AGAIN AND ESCALLATED THE DECISION THROUGH A FEW LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT AND FOUND THAT MY REQUEST HAD BEEN DENIED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR AND ITS MILEAGE. THIS IRRITATES ME FOR SEVERAL REASONS. HEAD GASKETS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A MUCH LONGER LIFE SPAN THAT 72K MIL

Mileage: 72,500

20040217STRUCTURE

I PURCHASED MY 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE IN APRIL OF 1998 WITH 33,000 MILES ON IT AND IT CURRENTLY HAS 115,000 MILES ON IT. THE INITIAL SIGNS OF PROBLEMS BEGIN AT 50,000 MILES WITH AN OIL LEAK NO ONE COULD SEEM TO FIX (NOT EVEN THE DEALERSHIP). WITHIN A SPAN OF 82, 000 MILES: I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET TWICE AT 54,000 AND 113,000 ($1000), I HAVE HAD TWO MAJOR TUNE-UPS AT 60,000 AND 92,000 MILES ($500), I HAVE HAD ALL SENSORS REPLACED AT 101,000 MILES ($1500), I HAVE HAD THREE MAJOR BRAKE JOBS WITHIN 18 MONTHS ($1800), I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR ($250), I HAD TO HAVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED AT 75,000 MILES ($350), I HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION AT 95,000 MILES ($1500), IVE HAD NUMEROUS REPAIRS BASED ON THE READOUTS FROM THE COMPUTER ($600+), REPLACED THE OIL PAN GASKET BUT IT STILL LEAKS ($150) THE WINDOW SEALS LEAK WHEN IT RAINS (NEVER TRIED TO FIX) (THIS CAR SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY ALMOST ALL OF 2002 BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIRS) AFTER A

Mileage: 54,000

Compare 1996PLYMOUTHBREEZE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE have?
The 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE has 268 NHTSA complaints, 25 crashes, 2 fires, 19 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE?
The most-complained component for the 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 70 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.