PLYMOUTH BREEZE · model year

1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE

201 NHTSA complaints, 23 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1998PLYMOUTHBREEZE carries 201 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 23 crashes, 13 fires, 22 injuries, and 2 fatalities. 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 1998 BREEZE is engine and engine cooling:engine with 41 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (15) and air bags:frontal (9). 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 1998 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.

201
Complaints
23
Crashes
13
Fires
22
Injuries
2
Deaths

Total Complaints

201 filings

Crashes Reported

23 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE41
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE15
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL9
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING9
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION8
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS7
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH6
STEERING6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL5
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY4
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING3

Recent Complaints

20191216STEERING

VISIBLE WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DAMAGED POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE WAS FOUND AFTER DIAGNOSTIC CARE WAS PROVIDED. CHECKED FOR OTHER KNOWN ISSUES, FOUND RECALL # 06V001000 DESCRIBING MY EXACT ISSUE AND FALLING UNDER SIMILAR MODEL OF CAR, HOWEVER MY CAR "DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THAT RECALL" AND ALL RECALLS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ON THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 125,000

20171125FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ON 11/22/2017 A FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE DRIVERS SIDE DASHBOARD RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE BURNING TO A TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE. WAS TOWED AND KEPT BY THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR AFTER WE RELINQUISHED THE TITLE.

Mileage: 97,462

20160314SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT LOCK AND WOULD NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 216,000.

Mileage: 216,000

20151023STEERING

I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME TURNING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND LIKE A "CLICKING NOISE" ANAD FEEL WHEN I AM TURNING TO THE RIGHT. WE JUST DID FRONT END ALIGNMENT, OUTER TIE RODS AND BRAKE SYSTEM. NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM CAN BE.

20150923TIRES:BEAD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE EQUIPPED WITH FALKEN SINCERA (NA) TIRES, SIZE: 195/70/R14 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE TIRE BEAD WIRE BECAME UNRAVELED, CUT THROUGH THE BRAKES LINE, AND FRACTURED THE LOWER BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE RETURNED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50 AND THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000.

Mileage: 177,000

20141103STEERING

TOWARDS THE END OF JULY 2014, THE FRONT END STARTED MAKING CRUNCHING NOISES WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, TURNING AND OR COMING TO A STOP. I ALSO NOTICED PLAY IN THE STEERING. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR ITS OIL CHANGE ON AUGUST 19, 2014, THE SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THE TIE RODS WERE LOOSE AND BOTH OUTER TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS DONE ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2014, AT A COST OF $511.70, WHICH INCLUDED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. AT THAT TIME THE SHOP RECOMMENDED I REPLACE MY BRAKES WHICH I DID ON OCTOBER 31, 2014. THE SHOP SUGGESTED THAT I GET ANOTHER WHEEL ALIGNMENT. I STILL HAVE THE CRUNCH AND DON'T KNOW WHY. PLEASE HELP., PS: I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR HAVING PURCHASED IT NEW AT TUFANO MOTORS IN NEW BRITAIN, CT. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

20141103SUSPENSION

TOWARDS THE END OF JULY 2014, THE FRONT END STARTED MAKING CRUNCHING NOISES WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, TURNING AND OR COMING TO A STOP. I ALSO NOTICED PLAY IN THE STEERING. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR ITS OIL CHANGE ON AUGUST 19, 2014, THE SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THE TIE RODS WERE LOOSE AND BOTH OUTER TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS DONE ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2014, AT A COST OF $511.70, WHICH INCLUDED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. AT THAT TIME THE SHOP RECOMMENDED I REPLACE MY BRAKES WHICH I DID ON OCTOBER 31, 2014. THE SHOP SUGGESTED THAT I GET ANOTHER WHEEL ALIGNMENT. I STILL HAVE THE CRUNCH AND DON'T KNOW WHY. PLEASE HELP., PS: I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR HAVING PURCHASED IT NEW AT TUFANO MOTORS IN NEW BRITAIN, CT. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

20130427ENGINE

CAR HAS BEEN LEAKING OIL ON THE BACK SIDE OF HEAD AROUND THE HEAD GASKET FOR YEARS, FOUND OUT THAT MANY HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.... ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN I REMOVE THE NUMBER ONE SPARK PLUG THAT IT HAS OIL ALL OVER IT AS WELL... *TR

20120130FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 1 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE FROM THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR PANEL BEFORE CATCHING FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE BUT THERE HAD BEEN NO RESPONSE FROM THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

20111122ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT ONE OF THE HEAD GASKETS WAS BLOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 79,000.

Mileage: 79,000

20110724STEERING

I HAVE NOTICED THAT A WHITE SMOKE HAS BEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, NOTICEABLY WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF, OR WHEN I AM STOPPED. I HAVE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND IT SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM BEHIND THE ENGINE, ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I DID REPLACE THE VALVE COVER CASKET, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE ISSUE, AND CLEANED THE ENGINE. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL OCCURRING... I NOTICE SATURATION ON THE TWO LINES RUNNING BEHIND THE ENGINES, BUT NOT SURE IF IT A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. HOWEVER, I AM NOT LOOSING OIL NOR ANTIFREEZE. ALSO, THEY ARE NOT MIXING IN THE ENGINE. IT IS JUST HAPPENING THERE. I DID FIND ON FORUMS AND ON NHTSA THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 1999-2000 MODEL YEAR FOR THE STRATUS/BREEZE/CIRRUS WITH A 2.4 LTR ENGINE, AND THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY THE HIGH PRESSURE RETURN LINE FOR THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE NOT YET CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL IN THE P/S. I HAVE HEARD THAT OTHER CARS HAVE CAUGHT FIRE, AND THAT P/S FLUID IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE... I CALLED DAIMLERCHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THAT

Mileage: 131,000

20110724EQUIPMENT

I HAVE NOTICED THAT A WHITE SMOKE HAS BEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, NOTICEABLY WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF, OR WHEN I AM STOPPED. I HAVE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND IT SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM BEHIND THE ENGINE, ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I DID REPLACE THE VALVE COVER CASKET, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE ISSUE, AND CLEANED THE ENGINE. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL OCCURRING... I NOTICE SATURATION ON THE TWO LINES RUNNING BEHIND THE ENGINES, BUT NOT SURE IF IT A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. HOWEVER, I AM NOT LOOSING OIL NOR ANTIFREEZE. ALSO, THEY ARE NOT MIXING IN THE ENGINE. IT IS JUST HAPPENING THERE. I DID FIND ON FORUMS AND ON NHTSA THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 1999-2000 MODEL YEAR FOR THE STRATUS/BREEZE/CIRRUS WITH A 2.4 LTR ENGINE, AND THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY THE HIGH PRESSURE RETURN LINE FOR THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE NOT YET CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL IN THE P/S. I HAVE HEARD THAT OTHER CARS HAVE CAUGHT FIRE, AND THAT P/S FLUID IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE... I CALLED DAIMLERCHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THAT

Mileage: 131,000

20110724STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

I HAVE NOTICED THAT A WHITE SMOKE HAS BEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, NOTICEABLY WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF, OR WHEN I AM STOPPED. I HAVE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND IT SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM BEHIND THE ENGINE, ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I DID REPLACE THE VALVE COVER CASKET, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE ISSUE, AND CLEANED THE ENGINE. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL OCCURRING... I NOTICE SATURATION ON THE TWO LINES RUNNING BEHIND THE ENGINES, BUT NOT SURE IF IT A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. HOWEVER, I AM NOT LOOSING OIL NOR ANTIFREEZE. ALSO, THEY ARE NOT MIXING IN THE ENGINE. IT IS JUST HAPPENING THERE. I DID FIND ON FORUMS AND ON NHTSA THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 1999-2000 MODEL YEAR FOR THE STRATUS/BREEZE/CIRRUS WITH A 2.4 LTR ENGINE, AND THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY THE HIGH PRESSURE RETURN LINE FOR THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE NOT YET CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL IN THE P/S. I HAVE HEARD THAT OTHER CARS HAVE CAUGHT FIRE, AND THAT P/S FLUID IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE... I CALLED DAIMLERCHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THAT

Mileage: 131,000

20110505ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

I HAVE A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE WITH A 2.0 LITER MOTOR. I HAVE ONLY 6000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I DRIVE VERY LITTLE WITH IT. I AM 81 YEARS OLD AND DONT DO MUCH DRIVING ANY MORE. I RECENTLY FOUND MOTOR OIL IN MY WATER INSIDE MY RADIATOR. *TR I WAS TOLD BY A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP THAT MY HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. THEY TOLD ME THAT ANY MOTOR BETWEEN 1995-2005 HAD DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS AND THAT CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAD CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BY INTRODUCING A NEW REVISED VERSION ON THE HEAD GASKET ...THICKER, MORE DURABLE! ANYWAY THE DEALERSHIP NEW ABOUT IT AS DID MANY PERSONS ON THE INTERNET THAT OWNED THESE VEHICLES FROM THE YEARS THAT I SPECIFIED. SO I CALLED CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND TYLER ASKED ME FOR THE VIN NUMBER TO MY VEHICLE AND TOLD ME THAT I HAD 2 RECALLS ON IT BUT THEY KNEW NOTHING OF A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WITH THE YEARS I SPECIFIED AND WOULD NOT OPT TO FIX IT FOR ME OR ANYONE ELSE FOR THAT FACT. SO I AM REPORTING CHRYSLER CORPORATION FOR THEIR LACK OF HONESTY AND CU

Mileage: 60,000

20110221FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SPOKANE CITY POLICE REGARDING AN ENGINE FIRE IN AN UNOCCUPIED PARKED CAR THAT WAS REGISTERED IN OUR NAME. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD PUT THE FIRE OUT AND I WAS ASKED TO TOW IT AWAY. THIS WAS ABOUT 6:30 PM WHILE MY WIFE WAS AT AN EVENT 4 BLOCKS AWAY. I DROVE THERE TO MEET THE TWO TRUCK TO BRING THE CAR TO OUR HOUSE WHERE IT IS AT THIS TIME. I COULD SEE WHERE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BREAK THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW TO OPEN THE HOOD WHERE THERE WAS WHITE RESIDUE EVERYWHERE. THE PAINT ON THE HOOD HAD PEELED DUE TO THE HEAT FROM THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS INCIDENTS LIKE THIS TO THE CAR. THIS WAS A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. *TR

Mileage: 126,000

20101206FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE, WAS EXITING OHIO TURNPIKE WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. BF (OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT # 10-0637-91)*JB UPDATED 12/10/10 *BF

20100722FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DROVE FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES, ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, I PUT IT OUT. *TR

Mileage: 160,790

20100707CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

30 MPH FRONT END COLLISION AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

20100601POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR RECALL FOR IGNITION INTERLOCK, AND WAS NOT REPAIRED CORRECTLY. TOLD THE SERVICE ADVISOR THE IGNITION INTERLOCK WAS INOPERATIVE. THEY INSTALLED THE INCORRECT PART, WHEN ACCORDING TO THE RECALL, IF THE INTERLOCK WAS INOPERATIVE, THE SHIFTER WAS TO BE REPLACED. THEY DID NOT INSTALL THE SHIFTER, RATHER THEY INSTALLED THE LOAD LIMITING PUSHROD WHICH DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE OF THE INTERLOCK. *TR

Mileage: 197,052

20090724EQUIPMENT

I WAS CHANGING MY OIL ON MY 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE EXPRESSO ON JULY 7TH 2009 AROUND 7PM. I USED THE MANUFACTURED SCISSOR JACK AND A JACK STAND TO SUPPORT THE VEHICLE ALONG WITH BLOCKING OFF THE TIRE. I WAS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE UNSCREWING THE OIL PAN PLUG WHEN THE SCREW ON THE SCISSOR JACK GAVE OUT AND THE CAR FELL ON ME NEARLY KILLING ME. I WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A CRUSH INJURY. *TR

Compare 1998PLYMOUTHBREEZE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE have?
The 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE has 201 NHTSA complaints, 23 crashes, 13 fires, 22 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE?
The most-complained component for the 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 41 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 1998 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.