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)
The worst 1996 Plymouth Breeze problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine95
- Transmission25
- Brakes22
- Steering20
- Suspension14
- Airbags11
- Body8
- Electrical7
- Fuel system6
- Visibility6
- Acceleration5
- Locks4
- Seat belts4
- Tires2
Specific symptoms reported on the 1996 Plymouth Breeze
No deployment 7Ball joint 7Grinding brakes 6Engine failure 5Oil consumption 5Overheating 5
Recalls 6
Power train: automatic transmission: lever and linkage: floor shift
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 04V021000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 98V183000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 97V201000 · Recall details
Structure: body: hood: hinge and attachments
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the secondary hood latch spring with a longer end hook spring.
Recall number 97V095000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rear brake master cylindr piston assembly.
Recall number 96V075000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a plate and silicone grease injected into the solenoid cavity to eliminate the potential for this condition.
Recall number 96V074000 · Recall details
See all 6 recalls for the 1996 Plymouth Breeze
Defect investigations
Auto trans ignition-park interlock
The manufacturer reports above are based on daimlerchrysler?s (dc) analysis of model year (my) 1998 (population = 356,384) and 1999 (population = 486,948) ja, jx and lh family subject vehicle data (earlier mys excluded).the population number includes all mys.the precise number of duplicates between odi and dc reports cannot be determined due to missing or incomplete information.the fatality incident involved an elderly person who attempted to stop a roll away vehicle and received fatal injuries.odi also gathered information on my 1997-99 prowler vehicles in this investigation. The prowler vehicles were manufactured with a different design shifter mechanism (the shift lever is shorter).there are no complaints of prowler interlock failure in odi?s database, and dc has received no reports either.the prowler is excluded from the recall scope.the investigation involved a condition where the interlock system could fail (or be made inoperative by the operator) during vehicle use, possibly inadvertently.the interlock system is required under fmvss 114.with the transmission in the park position and the ignition key off, the combined action of pressing the shift button and pulling the shift lever rearward may result in the operator overcoming the interlock system and cause the mechanical linkage of the system to disconnect.when this occurs, there is no overt indication to an operator that the system is defeated, and an increased risk of vehicle roll-away exists.under recall 04v021, dc will replace damaged shift mechanisms, and will install on all vehicles a device which inhibits the operator?s ability to overcome the interlock and defeat the system.beginning with my 2000, dc incorporated a brake and transmission shifter interlock (btsi) system into the subject vehicles.introduction of btsi involved design changes to the shift mechanism, one of which resulted in reduced mechanical advantage (rma) of the shift button.the rma shifter requires increased forces to overcome the interlock system, making the shifter less susceptible to damage.
EA03011
Technical service bulletins for the 1996 Plymouth Breeze 77
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty
- Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs
- Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts
- Use of Aftermarket Parts
- Valve Body
- Child Seat Tether Anchor Installation
- Seat belt cinch bar service for various models including 2004 models
- Flash programming failure recovery
- Subject regarding outside rearview mirror glass replacement
- Subject regarding outside rearview mirror glass replacement
1996 Plymouth Breeze fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 19-22 | 28-33 | 22-26 |
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 18 | 26 | 21 |
What 1996 Plymouth Breeze owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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.
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.
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 only moving a few miles an hour, and not up on interstate 78 I travel everyday at 55 miles an hour when the steering completely froze.
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.
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.
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.
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.
After taking the vehicle in to the dealer on a recall for the park interlock the dealer charged the consumer for performing the repairs.
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. The federal safety agency recall campaign 04v021000; floor shift console. Please provide details. *jb
Compare the 1996 Plymouth Breeze
Other model years
Questions about the 1996 Plymouth Breeze
Is the 1996 Plymouth Breeze reliable?
Owners have filed 182 complaints about the 1996 Plymouth Breeze, 182.0 times a typical Breeze model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Plymouth Breeze?
Engine and cooling, with 95 complaints, typically around 72,500 miles. Next is transmission (25).
How many recalls does the 1996 Plymouth Breeze have?
6 recalls, covering power train, suspension and structure.
What year does the Plymouth Breeze have bad engine?
The Plymouth Breeze model years with the most engine complaints are 1996 (95 complaints), 1997 (83 complaints) and 1998 (68 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1996 Plymouth Breeze get?
Official estimates for the 1996 Plymouth Breeze range from 21 to 26 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 19-22 city and 28-33 highway.
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