1996 Plymouth Breeze Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Breeze years
- More complaints than other years 1st of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 182 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Plymouth Breeze. That is the most of any Breeze model year in the database (7 years). The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (95 complaints, 52%), typically at around 72,550 miles. Complaints mention 16 crashes, 2 fires, 17 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 182owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 16complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Plymouth Breeze problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 95 | 52% | 72,550 | “head gasket” (62%) | $2,050 |
| Power Train | 25 | 14% | 100,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 22 | 12% | 148,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 20 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 14 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 11 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 4% | 27,001 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 4% | 185,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 4% | 98,043 | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 3% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Plymouth Breeze recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the floor shifter ignition-park interlock may fail and allow the shifter to be moved out of the park position with the key removed. An inoperative interlock may also allow the key to be removed when the shifter has not been placed in the park position.
Risk: Either circumstance may result in the vehicle rolling away without warning.
Fix: Dealers will install a new load-limiting push rod into the floor shifter lever of the affected vehicles. Owner notification began on june 14, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Power train:automatic transmission:park/neutral start interlock switch
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The adjustment of the cable connecting the console shifter mechanism to the ignition key can cause a trapped key condition which can result in a low force required to depress the shift button. A combination of applying a mis-adjusted release button with a low force attempt to shift out of park with the key in the locked position, can break the connecting pin in the shifter.
Risk: If this happens, the "ignition-park" interlock system will be nonfunctional.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for proper operation of the system. Any vehicles that are not functional after the inspection will have the shift mechanism and cable replaced with a "self-adjusting" design.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The lower control arm ball joint can separate due to loss of lubrication.
Risk: Separation of the ball joint could cause a loss of steering control increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the ball joint end housing cover seal for leakage with a high pressure air tester and the rubber boot will be visually inspected for damage. If the cover seal leaks or the boot is damaged, the lower control arm will be replaced.
Structure:body:hood:hinge and attachments
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The secondary hood latch spring can disengage from its retention hole if the hood is slammed shut.
Risk: If this condition occurs simultaneously without engaging the primary latch, the hood would not be restrained increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the secondary hood latch spring with a longer end hook spring.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: The brake master cylinder can leak brake fluid due to a damaged double lip rear piston seal.
Risk: Brake fluid leakage can result in diminished effectiveness of one half of the split brake system. The instrument panel warning light(s) will signal system impairment prior to partial brake system loss.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear brake master cylindr piston assembly.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Problem: Corrosion of the abs hydraulic control unit can cause the solenoid valves to stick in the open position.
Risk: If either front wheel valve sticks, the vehicle would swerve from a straight stop when the brakes are applied.
Fix: Dealers will install a plate and silicone grease injected into the solenoid cavity to eliminate the potential for this condition.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Auto trans ignition-park interlock (EA03011) — opened Jul 17, 2003, closed Jan 30, 2004, led to recall 04V021000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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
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
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
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…
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…
Other Plymouth Breeze years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Breeze | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 Breeze | 38 | 5 |
| 1999 Breeze | 117 | 3 |
| 1998 Breeze | 174 | 3 |
| 1997 Breeze | 155 | 4 |
| 1996 | 182 | 6 |
| 1995 Breeze | 0 | 1 |
See all Plymouth Breeze problems by year, every Plymouth model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Plymouth Breeze?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, power train, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 95 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Plymouth Breeze?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Plymouth Breeze a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Breeze model years, the 1996 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.