Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Plymouth Breeze submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 68 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 68, in the owner's own words
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
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.
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 CUSTOMER SUPPORT SINCE WE BALED THEM OUT OF A BAD FINACIAL SITUATION AND NOW LOOK AT THEM. ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT THE BAIL OUT WAS NOT WORTH IT. WE SHOULD HAVE LET THEM GO UNDER!
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT END, FOLLOWED BY FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. HE EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AFTERWARDS. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE SUSTAINED MINOR HAND INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 116,000.
ABOUT A WEEK AGO MY CAR STARTED LEAKING OIL, I BROUGHT IT INTO THE MECHANICS AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET, IT SHOULD NOT BE LEAKING OIL, THERE MUST BE A DEFECT, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A LOT MORE PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM, I WANT SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS FAST, BECAUSE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY A $1000 TO GET IT FIXED WHEN IT IS DAIMLER CHRYSLER FAULT. *NM
I RECENTLY TOOK MY BREEZE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND MY MECHANIC TOLD ME I HAD AN OIL LEAK AND THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE HEAD GASKET. AT THE SAME TIME HE TOLD ME ABOUT A RECALL FOR THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER. I ASKED HIM TO WAIT ON THE HEAD GASKET REPAIR SO I COULD TALK TO THE DEALER WHILE I WAS HAVING THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER REPAIRED. WHEN I BROUGHT UP THE LEAKING HEAD GASKET AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE MECHANIC GAVE A HEAVY SIGH AND SHOOK HIS HEAD. WHEN I ASKED WHAT THAT WAS FOR, HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO BECAUSE IT WASN'T A RECALL PROBLEM. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I'VE FOUND THIS TO BE QUITE A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW / MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND I FIND IT ASININE THAT DAIMLER-CHRYSLER WILL NEITHER TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOR ADMIT ANY PROBLEM. *NM
LOSS OF POWER AND CAR STALLED, UNABLE TO RUN AC OR CAR STALLS. HAD THE CAR TUNED UP, MECHANIC FOUND ENGINE OIL IN THE SPARK PLUG WELL. CAUSING MISFIRE AND LOSS OF POWER. REPLACED O-RING 6/2005. IN 6/2006 SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. LOSS OF POWER, UNABLE TO RUN AC. WAS GOING TO REPLACE TIMING BELT, MECHANIC FOUND THICK GUNKY OIL RESEMBLING LARD. REMOVED THE GUNK AND WEEKS LATER THE SPARK PLUG WELL HAS OIL LEAKING INTO AGAIN WITH WEEKS. CAR RAN WELL FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, BACK TO THE LOSS OF POWER. CAR IS NOT ABLE TO RUN WITH AC ENGAGED OR IT WILL STALL. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL WAS NOTICED ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE UPPER HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS ALSO CONSULTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE HAD BEEN SEVERAL CHRYSLER VEHICLES, WITH SAME PROBLEM, IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN MAINTAINED ON A REGULAR BASIS. UPDATED 4/11/2006 - THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. *NM
SEVERE OIL LEAK IN MY MOM'S 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT IS CAUSING ME CONCERN. THIS OIL LEAK IS CAUSED BY A BAD HEAD GASKET. THE OIL IS LEAKING ALL OVER THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE OIL WILL GET ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND CAUSE A FIRE. I UNDERSTAND FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND PEOPLE IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER ENGINES. I HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE INFORMED ME THAT IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. OTHER REPUTABLE CAR MANUFACTURES FIX PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. WHY ISN'T CHRYSLER BEING REQUIRED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT??? *NM
OIL CHANGE. BOLT AND OR OIL PAN STRIPED OUT. REPLACE OIL PAN. OLD PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. TWO DEFFERNT KINDS OF METAL. BOLT AND OIL PAN. ALIUMINIM AND STEEL. CAR DEALER STATES THEY HAVE TO REPLACE IT AFTER SO MANY OIL CHANGES THAT IT WEARS OUT AND THE TWO METALS ARE NOT WRITE WITH EACH OTHER. THIS WILL HAVE TO BE DONE ON ALL CARS WITH THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. I THINK THAT THESE TWO METAL DO NOT ACT WRITE TOGATHER AND THAT ALL CONSUMERS WILL TO REPLACE IT SOONER OR LATER. I THINK THESE PARTS SOULD BE ALL STEEL. IF YOU GOT ALL THESE OIL CHANGES TO DO YOU NEED PARTS THAT ARE SRONGE AND CAN HOLD UP TO THE TASK AT HAND.*AK
THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL THROUGH THE HEAD GASKET. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. *JB
THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL. CHRYSLER SENT OUT A FIVE PAGE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON SEPTEMBER 17,1999. REGARDING THE HEAD GASKET (MULTI LAWYER HEAD GASKET PROCEDURE). THE CONSUMER CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO FOR HIM. CONSUMER STATED THAT CHRYSLER HAS HELPED PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT HE WAS TOLD NO. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB... HEAD GASKET LEAKS ONE QUART OF OIL A DAY-DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT DOES NOT LEAK WHEN PARKED. ENOUGH OIL LEAKE DOUT IT COULD CAUSE AN OIL SLICK OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SEIZE AND FORCE THE CAR TO ASUDDEN STOP. THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN RECEIVED SHOWED THA TCHRYSLE RKNEW ABOUT TH EPROBLEM BUT CONTNUED TO PUT THE ENGINE IN THE CARS. TOOK THE CAR TO CHRYSLER, AND TOLD CONSUME RTHEYWIKK NOT FIX IT BECAUS ECHRYSLER HAS FIXED THE PARTICULAR PROBLEM FOR EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE PAST. *AK
THERE HAS BEEN A CONTINOUS OIL LEAK INVOLVING MY 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE UPON INSPECTION FROM A LOCAL AUTO SHOP THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE SERVICED AND REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET ON SOME 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE FOR OIL LEAKS. THEY HAVE HAD TO RESERVICE THE SAME CARS WITHIN A SIX MONTH PERIOD FOR THE SAME HEAD GASKET LEAK. WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 50 MPH THE AC CLUTCH BROKE OFF FROM UNDER THE HOOD, CAUSING THE VEHICLES AC UNIT TO STOP RESPONDING. PRIOR TO THE AC CLUTCH BREAKING THERE WAS A LOUD BANGING NOISE IN WHICH WE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE TO INVESTIGATE, WE COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING EVIDENT AT THE TIME, BUT AFTER TAKING IT TO GET SERVICED WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE NOISE AND REASON OUR AC WAS NOT WORKING WAS DUE TO THE AC CLUTCH BREAKING OFF. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THESE DEFECTS, BUT WE HAVE HAD SERVICE TECHNICIANS INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM.*AK
I LEARNED RECENTLY THATENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS A MASSIVE LEAK AND OIL IS LEAKING INTO ALL COMPONENTS. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED AND WILL NOT BUY A CHRYSLER CAR AGAIN! I HAVE RECEIVED NO HELP AS FAR AS GETTING IN TOUCH WITH A SUPERVISOR AT CHRYSLER AND THEY HAVE OFFERED NO SOLUTION. THE WORST POINT ON ALL OF THIS IS THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND COULDN'T CARE LESS. WELL, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WILL READ THIS AND HOPEFULLY WILL THINK TWICE BEFORE PURCHASING A CHRYSLER! *AK
ABOUT A MONTH AGO WE BOUGHT A USED PLYMOUTH BREEZE. WE NOTICED A SMALL OIL LEAK AND HAD IT CHECKED. THE MECHANIC TOLD US IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET. *AK WE DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT CHRYSLER WAS AWARE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET IN THIS MODEL BEFORE THE CARS EVEN CAME OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE! INSTEAD OF FIXING THE PROBLEM, THEY PRODUCED AND SOLD THE CARS THAT WAY, AND LATER REDESIGNED THE HEAD GASKET AND PAID FOR SOME CUSTOMERS TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. WE TOOK OUR CAR TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THEY TOLD US THAT CHRYSLER HAD BEEN PAYING TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED. WE WERE GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CONTACT CHRYSLER ABOUT OUR CAR. WE CALLED THE NUMBER, AND AFTER BEING GIVEN SEVERAL OTHER NUMBERS AND SENT IN CIRCLES FINALLY REACHED CHRYSLER'S "CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE" CENTER. NOT ONLY WERE WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF ANY SUCH PROBLEM AND COULDN'T HELP US, BUT THE PERSON WE SPOKE WITH WAS EXTREMELY RUDE. MY HUSBAND ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR, AND WAS TOLD THAT "SUPERVISORS DON'T COME TO THE PHONE". WHEN HE ASKED HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT, HE WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO METHOD TO FILE A COMPLAINT. HE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT, SO HE HUNG UP AND CALLED BACK. HE SPOKE TO A DIFFERENT PERSON WHO TOLD HIM THE SAME THING. CHRYSLER DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A METHOD FOR CUSTOMERS TO FILE COMPLAINTS! WE SEARCHED ONLINE FOR OTHER NUMBERS TO CALL CHRYSLER, BUT THEY ALL GO TO THE SAME "CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE" CENTER.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED BECAUSE COOLANT LEAKED IN THE ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
HEADGASKET AND CAM SEAL FAILURE ON MY 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE WHICH CAUSED OIL LEAK AND LED TO MY HAVING TO REPLACE BOTH TO STOP OIL LEAK. CAR HAD 44591 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. REPLACED BOTH HEADGASKET AND CAM SEAL. *AK
HEAD GASKET ON MY 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. NEARLY EVERY CONSUMER REPORT I HAVE READ HAS SHOWN THAT THIS IS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH ANYONE WHO HAS ONWED THIS THIS CAR YET THERE IS NO RECALL. WHY? *AK
WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FAIL. *AK
AROUND 38,000 MILES WE NOTICED THAT THE BREEZE HAD A SMALL OIL LEAK. THERE WASN'T ALOT OF OIL, SO AS NEEDED WE JUST ADDED SOME OIL NOW AND THEN. IN JUNE 2003 MY CAR OVER-HEATED OUT OF THE BLUE. WE TRIED EVERYTHING, IN OCTOBER I WENT TO HAVE A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE(WHICH WAS DONE EVERY 3,000 MILES) AND WAS TOLD THAT MY HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING AND THE PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE FIXED. THE ESTIMATE I RECEIVED WAS ABOUT 1,100$. THE CAR IS 5 1/2 YEARS OLD WITH VERY LOW MILEAGE! AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE CHRYSLER CORPORTATION DOES NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT.
AROUND OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER 2002, AT ABOUT 65,000 MILES OR 98 PLYMOUTH BREEZE STARTED LEAKING OIL, SMALL SPOTS OR DROPS, THEN GRADUALLY MORE, TOOK IT IN TO GET IT CHECKED, THE MECHANIC LOOKED FOR THE ORIGINATION OF THE OIL LEAK AND FOUND IT TO BE LEAKING FROM A HEAD GASKET AND RECOMMENDED WE NOT DRIVE OUR CAR ONLY WHEN NECESSARY AND VERY SHORT TRIPS, CONSTANTLY CHECK TE OIL LEVEL EVERY DAY, AND GET REPARIED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE , COULD ALSO BE A FIRE HAZARD IF OIL BUILDS UP ON ENGINE FROM THE LEAKING. HE ALSO METNIONED HE HAS SEEN ALOT OF OTHER BREEZES, NEONS, STRATUS, VOYAGERS, WITH THE SAME ENGINE AS OURS AND THE NEONS, AND STRATUS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AND TOLD US THAT THE MANUFACTUER STOP USING THE GASKET THAT WAS ON THE 98 MODELS AND REPLACED IT IT THE NEW MULTI-LAYER STEEL HEAD GASKET BECAUSE THEY KNEW IT WAS DEFECTIVE BACK N 97-98 WHEN THEY BEGIN USING IT ON THE CAR MADE AT THAT TIME. I GUESS IT SAVED THEM A COUPLE OF BUCKS ON THE CARS. I THINK THERE WILL BE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE NEONS, BREEZES ETC. I THINK A RECALL IS IN ORDER. WE STOPPED DRIVING OUR CAR AND HAVE WAITED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BECAUSE IT COST SO MUCH.
AT 87XXX MILES THE CAR STARTED LEAKING OIL. IT WAS FOUND TO BE A LEAKING HEAD GASKET. AFTER SPEAKING TO DEALERSHIP IT WAS FOUND THEY WERE AWARE OF THE GASKET BEING A PROBLEM ON THIS AND SIMILAR VEHICLES. WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WAS COMTACTED DIRECTLY MY WIFE WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE SITUATION, THEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND THEN HUNG UP ON HER WHEN SHE ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP'S SUPERVISOR.*AK
PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKET. OIL MIXING WITH COOLANT CAUSING ENGINE KNOCKING AND A CRACKED HEAD. *AK
OIL GASKET LEAK. I DRIVE APPROX. 100 MILES A DAY AND MY CAR HAS 174,000 MILES AND I AM GETT READY TO REPLACE MY 4TH HEAD GASKET AND 3RD. MANIFOLD GASKET. EVERY MECHANIC I HAVE BEEN TO SAID IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. CHRYSLER KNOWS IT A PROBLEM (THEY DESIGNED A NEW HEAD GASKET) BUT WILL NOT RECALL THE THOUSANDS OF US OUT THERE THAT HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. I'M NOT REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET THIS TIME, I'M REPLACING MY CAR.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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