Problems · by component

1996 Plymouth Breeze power train problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Plymouth Breeze cite power train, 14% of all 183 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
25
14% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 22, 2005Power trainODI 10130242
“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. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2005Power trainODI 10117712
“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. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V021000; FLOOR SHIFT CONSOLE. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *JB *TC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2004Power trainCrash reportedODI 10091436
“I PURCHASED MY 1996 PLYMOUTH BREEZE IN APRIL OF 1998 WITH 33,000 MILES ON IT AND IT CURRENTLY HAS 115,000 MILES ON IT. THE INITIAL SIGNS OF PROBLEMS BEGIN AT 50,000 MILES WITH AN OIL LEAK NO ONE COULD SEEM TO FIX (NOT EVEN THE DEALERSHIP). WITHIN A SPAN OF 82, 000 MILES: I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET TWICE AT 54,000 AND 113,000 ($1000), I HAVE HAD TWO MAJOR TUNE-UPS AT 60,000 AND 92,000 MILES ($500), I HAVE HAD ALL SENSORS REPLACED AT 101,000 MILES ($1500), I HAVE HAD THREE MAJOR BRAKE JOBS WITHIN 18 MONTHS ($1800), I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR ($250), I HAD TO HAVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED AT 75,000 MILES ($350), I HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION AT 95,000 MILES ($1500), IVE HAD NUMEROUS REPAIRS BASED ON THE READOUTS FROM THE COMPUTER ($600+), REPLACED THE OIL PAN GASKET BUT IT STILL LEAKS ($150) THE WINDOW SEALS LEAK WHEN IT RAINS (NEVER TRIED TO FIX) (THIS CAR SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY ALMOST ALL OF 2002 BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIRS) AFTER ALL OF MY FUTILE ATTEMPTS TO KEEP MY TRANSPORTATION OPERABLE, ITS CURRENTLY SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: IT CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE REVS UP AND DOWN WHEN IDLE, THERE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 17, 2004Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Visibility, StructureODI 10058311
“I'M SO DISAPPOINTED IN THIS CAR. I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 1996, AND IT'S BEEN CONSTANT PROBLEMS SINCE I DID. THE FIRST TIME THE HEAD GASKET WENT OUT, THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BUT HAS GONE OUT TWICE SINCE THEN. I'VE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY ON REPAIRS, THAT I COULD HAVE BOUGHT A WHOLE NEW CAR IF YOU ADD IT ALL UP. THE BRAKES ARE ALWAYS SQUEEKING AND WEARING OUT QUICKLY. WHENEVER ONE THING GOES WRONG, IT'S QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS. MY TRANSMISSION HAD A MASSIVE LEAK LAST YEAR (2001) THAT TOOK THE DEALER TWO TIMES TO FIX. BUT NOW IT'S LEAKING AGAIN. I WENT AND BOUGHT A NEW KIA TWO DAYS AGO--BUT I'M RELUCTANT TO TRY AND SELL THIS LEMON TO ANYBODY. IT HAS NO TRADE IN VALUE WHATSOEVER. NOW THAT I'M AWARE OF THE MAJOR HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS, I WONDER IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE MAKERS OF PLYMOUTH? I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!!*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 17, 2002Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 762027
“ALOT OF THESE PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE PERSISTENT WITH THE PLYMOUTH,DODGE, AND CHRYSLER. THIS SHOULD BE DEALT WITH AND RESOLVED TO GRATIFY THE CONSUMER. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 22, 2001Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 741309

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Power train: floor shift

Free remedy

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.

Power trainReported Jan 13, 2004NHTSA 04V021000

Power train: park

Free remedy

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.

Power trainReported Aug 6, 1998NHTSA 98V183000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 1996 Breeze problem areas