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

Equipment complaints

5 reports

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131,000 miles · Jul 24, 2011

EquipmentSteering

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I HAVE NOTICED THAT A WHITE SMOKE HAS BEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, NOTICEABLY WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF, OR WHEN I AM STOPPED. I HAVE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, AND IT SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM BEHIND THE ENGINE, ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I DID REPLACE THE VALVE COVER CASKET, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE ISSUE, AND CLEANED THE ENGINE. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL OCCURRING... I NOTICE SATURATION ON THE TWO LINES RUNNING BEHIND THE ENGINES, BUT NOT SURE IF IT A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. HOWEVER, I AM NOT LOOSING OIL NOR ANTIFREEZE. ALSO, THEY ARE NOT MIXING IN THE ENGINE. IT IS JUST HAPPENING THERE. I DID FIND ON FORUMS AND ON NHTSA THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 1999-2000 MODEL YEAR FOR THE STRATUS/BREEZE/CIRRUS WITH A 2.4 LTR ENGINE, AND THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY THE HIGH PRESSURE RETURN LINE FOR THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE NOT YET CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL IN THE P/S. I HAVE HEARD THAT OTHER CARS HAVE CAUGHT FIRE, AND THAT P/S FLUID IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE... I CALLED DAIMLERCHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THAT WITH MY VIN ITS NOT COVERED UNDER SAID RECALL, AND THE 2 RECALLS ON THE CAR HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED. 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE, BASE SDN 2.4L 4CYL ENGINE VIN: [XXX] OWNER(SELF): [XXX] PLEASE NOTE WHAT I'VE FOUND: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V001000 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE05036 SUMMARY: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.4 LITER ENGINES, THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE MAY PREMATURELY HEAT AGE AND DEVELOP A LEAK. ALSO, FOUND ON HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/1998/PLYMOUTH/BREEZE/10228283.ASPX SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SOURCE OF SMOKE DETERMINED TO BE FROM POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING FROM HIGH PRESSURE HOSE ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. DEFECT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN NHTSA ACTION NO. PE05036 FOR THIS MODEL OF CAR (1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE, 2.4L ENGINE), HOWEVER, THE RESULTING RECALL (06V001000) DID NOT INCLUDE THIS YEAR MODEL. THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO ADDITIONAL YEAR MODELS IDENTIFIED IN NHTSA ACTION NO. PE05036 OR THE MANUFACTURER.... INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDO

NHTSA ODI #10414885

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2009

EquipmentInjury

I WAS CHANGING MY OIL ON MY 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE EXPRESSO ON JULY 7TH 2009 AROUND 7PM. I USED THE MANUFACTURED SCISSOR JACK AND A JACK STAND TO SUPPORT THE VEHICLE ALONG WITH BLOCKING OFF THE TIRE. I WAS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE UNSCREWING THE OIL PAN PLUG WHEN THE SCREW ON THE SCISSOR JACK GAVE OUT AND THE CAR FELL ON ME NEARLY K…

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NHTSA ODI #10278221

Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 2002

Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentVisibility

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OIL LEAKING FROM HEAD GASKET, WAS DISCOVERED DURING INSPECTION OF SHIFTER CABLE WHICH WASNT INSTALLED PROPERLY AFTER REPLACEMENT DUE TO A RECALL. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD RAN OUT THE DAY BEFORE IT WAS NOTICED, ALTHOUGH IT HAD APPARENTLY BEEN LEAKING FOR AWHILE. CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING, WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE BUTTON TO TURN IT ON, THE LIGHT COMES ON BUT THE SPEED CANNOT BE SET AND AFTER A FEW TRIES THE LIGHT WILL GO OUT AND YOU CANNOT GET IT TO COME BACK ON. A/C VENTS, THERE IS A STRANGE SMELL THAT SMELLS LIKE MILDEW OR MOLD THAT COMES FROM THE VENTS WHEN YOU TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONER OR HEAT, THIS HAS BEEN ADRESSED WITH A DEALERSHIP AND WAS TAKEN CARE OF BUT RETURNED A FEW DAYS LATER. MR

NHTSA ODI #768375

Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2002

Equipment

AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND FILTER DRYER HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE SHAFT ON THE COMPRESSOR BROKE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #767304

Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2002

Equipment

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #765830

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