Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

20 crash reports11 fire reports15 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

67 reports

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80,000 miles · Nov 2, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL THROUGH THE HEAD GASKET. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10099195

77,650 miles · Oct 14, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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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

NHTSA ODI #10096915

67,000 miles · Aug 14, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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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

NHTSA ODI #10086869

68,000 miles · Aug 5, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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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

NHTSA ODI #10086284

8,100 miles · Jun 9, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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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.

NHTSA ODI #10075093

Mileage unknown · May 26, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED BECAUSE COOLANT LEAKED IN THE ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10074287

44,591 miles · May 24, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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

NHTSA ODI #10073052

75,000 miles · May 19, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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

NHTSA ODI #10072894

45,000 miles · Jan 20, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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

NHTSA ODI #10055333

38,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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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.

NHTSA ODI #10071238

Official recalls

04V021000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift

Jan 13, 2004

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

99V244000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Sep 15, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE TUBE CAN CONTACT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP AND WEAR A HOLE IN IT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DAIMLERCHRYSLER RECALL NO. 843. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE TUBE COULD LEAK, REDUCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE-HALF OF THE DIAGONALLY SPLIT BRAKING SYSTEM, AND RESULTING IN LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE TUBES FOR VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP. IF THE TUBE SHOWS EVIDENCE OF CONTACT, IT WILL BE REPLACED. IF NO EVIDENCE OF CONTACT EXISTS, THE TUBE WILL BE FASTENED WITH A CLIP.

98V183000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:park/neutral Start Interlock Switch

Aug 6, 1998

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

EA03011 · Auto Trans IGNITION-PARK Interlock

Opened Jul 17, 2003 · Closed Jan 30, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift

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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:automatic Transmission

Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift

EA99028 · Steering Shaft Binding

Opened Sep 10, 1999 · Closed Jul 26, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering

There is no summary currently available