2000 Plymouth Breeze

ODI HAS RECEIVED 29 REPORTS OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES THAT APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO POWER STEERING HOSE LEAKAGE IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 AND 2000 CHRYSLER CIRRUS, DODGE STRATUS AND PLYMOUTH BREEZE VEHICLES (JA-CARS) EQUIPPED WITH 2.4L ENGINES.THESE REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE FIRE RESULTED FROM A POWER STEERING HOSE LEAK OR THAT IT OCCURRED AFTER AN EXTENDED DRIVE AND SHORTLY AFTER BEING PARKED - CONDITIONS CONSISTENT WITH IGNITION OF POWER STEERING FLUID ON A HOT ENGINE OR EXHAUST SURFACE DURING THE VEHICLE HOT SOAK PERIOD. ON JANUARY 6, 2006, DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION (DCC) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT ON MY 1999 AND 2000 JA-CARS BUILT FROM JULY 1, 1998 TO JULY 31, 2000 AND EQUIPPED WITH 2.4L ENGINES (RECALL 06V-001).THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT ?THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE MAY PREMATURELY HEAT, AGE AND DEVELOP A LEAK. POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN AN UNDER HOOD FIRE.DCC INDICATED THAT IT WAS AWARE OF 94 COMPLAINTS AND FIELD REPORTS THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THIS CONDITION WHEN IT MADE THE DEFECT DETERMINATION.TO REMEDY THE DEFECT CONDITION, DCC WILL REPLACE THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WITH A NEW PART MADE FROM A HOSE MATERIAL WITH INCREASED HEAT RESISTANCE CAPABILITY. CONSEQUENTLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REMEDY AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.

ON JUNE 29, 2005, ODI OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE05-036 TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999-2000 CHRYSLER CIRRUS, DODGE STRATUS AND PLYMOUTH BREEZE PASSENGER CARS (JA CARS). THE JA CARS WERE INTRODUCED IN MY 1995 AND ENDED WITH MY 2000.THEY WERE PRODUCED WITH 2.0L, 2.4L AND 2.5L ENGINES.THE INCIDENT DATA IN THE FAILURE REPORT SUMMARY OF THIS RESUME ARE FOR SUBJECT VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES FOR ALL CAUSES. ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYSLER, EVIDENCE COLLECTED FROM FIELD INSPECTIONS OF FIRE INCIDENT VEHICLES INDICATE THAT FLUID LEAKAGE FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE IS THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE FIRES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE SUBJECT HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE IS USED IN JA CARS WITH BOTH THE 2.4L AND 2.0L ENGINES IN MY 1995 THROUGH 2000.THE FIRE INCIDENT RATE IN THE MY 1999 THROUGH 2000 JA VEHICLES WITH 2.4L ENGINES IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN IN THE PRIOR MODEL YEAR VEHICLES USING THAT ENGINE AND IN ANY OF THE VEHICLES WITH THE 2.0L OR 2.5L ENGINES.DAIMLERCHRYSLER IS CONTINUING ITS INVESTIGATION OF THE ISSUE AND HAS PROVIDED PERIODIC UPDATES TO ODI. AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA05-019) HAS BEEN OPENED TO FURTHER ASSESS THE SCOPE AND FREQUENCY OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.

CAR OWNER REPORTED FUEL SMELL. WE INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD FAILED AT THE AFT MUFFLER EXIT TO PIPE, WELDED JOINT. THIS CAUSED THE FUEL TANK TO MELT AND LEAK FUEL. THE HEAT SHIELD WAS INSTALLED BUT THE MELTING OCCURRED OVER THE TOP OF THE SHIELD. WE HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAMAGE AVAILABLE. WE WILL PRESERVE THE FUEL TANK FOR ANY INVESTIGATION THROUGH 12/31/2014. IF WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU WE WILL DISCARD IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10644571

Incident

Oct 14, 2014

Mileage

112,817 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN TO SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH WATER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE WIRE HARNESSES, BATTERY, AND POWER STEERING CABLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,998.

NHTSA ID

10641112

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

186,998 mi

WE HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WE THOUGHT IT WAS OIL LEAKING. WE STOPPED AND MY HUSBAND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD. HE DIDN'T FIND ANY OIL BUT THERE WAS SOME POWER STEERING FLUID ON HIS HAND. HE THOUGHT HE KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND WE COULD MAKE IT TO OUR DESTINATION WHERE HE WOULD TRY TO FIX IT. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION, THE CAR WAS SMOKING SOME. I PARKED IN ONE LOCATION, BUT THEN DECIDED TO PARK IN ANOTHER. AS I TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL TO PARK IN THE OTHER LOCATION, SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AS I COMPLETED PARKING, THE SMOKE GOT HEAVIER AND HEAVIER UNTIL FLAMES BEGAN TO APPEAR BY THE WINDSHIELD FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND YOU COULD SMELL RUBBER BURNING. WE IMMEDIATELY EXISTED THE CAR. MY HUSBAND OPENED THE HOOD A LITTLE TO TRY TO STOP THE FIRE FROM SPREADING. EVENTUALLY HE PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH WATER. MOST OF THE WIRING AND HOSES NEAR THE POWER STEERING AREA WERE BURNT OR DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE UNTIL WE COULD BUY ALL THE PARTS THAT WERE DESTROYED IN THE FIRE.

NHTSA ID

10641008

Incident

Aug 17, 2014

ON 1/25/13 I HAD SOME MINOR REPAIR WORK DONE ON MY VEHICLE. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT I HAD A LEAK IN MY POWER STEERING HOSE. HE ALSO INFORMED ME OF A RECALL THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED IN 2006 #06V001000. I NEVER RECEIVED NOTICE OF THIS RECALL. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE 2004, AND AM IN POSSESSION OF THE TITLE THAT VERIFIES THAT. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER, SECURITY DODGE ON LONG ISLAND, NY TO DISCUSS THE MATTER. I WAS INFORMED BY THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT MY VEHICLE DID NOT SHOW ANY OPEN RECALLS. THEY TOLD ME THIS RECALL WAS REMEDIED IN 2007 IN COTTONWOOD, AZ. THEY ALSO GAVE ME THE NAME OF THE OWNER, WHICH IS NOT ME. MY CAR WAS NEVER SERVICED IN COTTONWOOD, AZ. AT THE TIME THAT WAS 2 HOURS FROM WHERE I LIVED. I OPENED A CASE WITH DAIMLER CHRYSLER WHO INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT THE SERVICE MANAGER AT SECURITY DODGE. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS FAR FROM HELPFUL OR INTERESTED IN THE CONFUSION WITH THIS SITUATION. I HAVE JUST READ ALL OF THE INCIDENTS OF FIRE RESULTING FROM THIS HOSE AND I NEED HELP IN GETTING THIS RECTIFIED. IT APPEARS THERE MUST BE A CLERICAL ERROR WITH MY VIN NUMBER IN THEIR SYSTEM. I FEEL THIS IS BACKED UP BY THE FACT THEY GAVE ME THE INCORRECT NAME OF THE OWNER AS WELL. I AM NOW VERY FEARFUL TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. I NEVER HAD THIS RECALL REPAIR MADE IN COTTONWOOD, AZ IN 2007 OR AT ANY OTHER TIME. CAN YOU ASSIST ME IN GETTING THIS RECTIFIED? *TR

NHTSA ID

10494937

Incident

Jan 25, 2013

Mileage

132,000 mi

I PARKED THE CAR AND WENT INTO THE POST OFFICE. I HEARD PEOPLE STATING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NEEDED FOR A CAR ON FIRE. I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW THE BREEZE WITH SUBSTANTIAL SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I WALKED OUTSIDE AS THE POST OFFICE CALLED 911. HAVING A CLEAR VIEW OF THE CAR, THERE WERE BITS OF MATERIAL WITH FLAMES DROPPING FROM UNDER THE CAR. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE MARSHALL INDICATED THE FIRE STARTED AGAINST THE FIRE WALL IN THE CORNER OF THE ENGINE NEAR THE DRIVER SEAT. THE CAR WAS TOWED FROM SITE AND IS CONSIDERED A LOSS. *JS

NHTSA ID

10455606

Incident

Apr 17, 2012

Mileage

107,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE CALLED AND THEY ADVISED HE CONTACT THAT THE FIRE STARTED FROM THE POWER STEERING HOSE FRACTURING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10437508

Incident

Nov 14, 2011

Mileage

140,000 mi

CAR DIES OUT WITHOUT WARNING. IT WILL RESTART. THIS HAPPENS 4-5 TIMES A WEEK. THERE IS NO SIGNS OF LOSS OF POWER, AND THERE IS NO ENGINE LIGHT ON! *TR

NHTSA ID

10245303

Incident

Aug 22, 2008

Mileage

43,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR, AND SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP. I CHECKED EVERY THING AND EVERYTHING IT WAS OK, WATER AND OIL. AND COUPLE MONTH BEFORE THIS HAPPEN I RECEIVE A RECALL LETTER SAYING SOME THING WAS WRONG WITH THOSE TYPE OF CARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243948

Incident

Jul 14, 2008

Mileage

86,000 mi

KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.

KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.

Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery replacements are necessary.

Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.

Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.

Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.