Plymouth Breeze Best and Worst Years by Owner Complaints
We rank Plymouth Breeze model years by the number of owner complaints filed with NHTSA, from fewest to most. Complaint counts aren't failure rates: years that sold more cars, or that are older, can show more reports. We rank only model years at least five years old, because newer ones are still collecting reports. Among settled years shown, the 2002 drew the fewest (1) and the 1996 the most (182).
Complaints filed by model year
Every year compared
| Most-reported component | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Among the fewest complaints |
1 | 0 | Service brakes | — | — |
| 2000 Among the fewest complaints |
38 | 5 | Steering | — | 20–27 |
| 1999 Among the fewest complaints |
117 | 3 | Engine and engine cooling | — | 22–27 |
| 1997 Among the most complaints |
155 | 4 | Engine and engine cooling | — | 23–27 |
| 1998 Among the most complaints |
174 | 3 | Engine and engine cooling | — | 22–27 |
| 1996 Among the most complaints |
182 | 6 | Engine and engine cooling | — | 21–26 |
Sources: NHTSA ODI complaints, NHTSA recalls, NHTSA NCAP, EPA; retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
What owners reported in the Plymouth Breeze years with the most complaints
These settled model years drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA. The share in brackets is the part of that year’s complaints that names each component; one complaint can name several.
1996 Plymouth Breeze: 182 complaints
Most-reported: Engine and engine cooling 95 (52%); Power train 25 (14%); Service brakes 22 (12%).
Reports mention 16 crashes, 2 fires, 17 injuries, 1 death. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 72,600 miles. 6 recall campaigns listed.
1998 Plymouth Breeze: 174 complaints
Most-reported: Engine and engine cooling 67 (39%); Power train 22 (13%); Steering 18 (10%).
Reports mention 20 crashes, 11 fires, 19 injuries, 1 death. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 80,000 miles. 3 recall campaigns listed.
1997 Plymouth Breeze: 155 complaints
Most-reported: Engine and engine cooling 83 (54%); Service brakes 18 (12%); Steering 14 (9%).
Reports mention 9 crashes, 8 fires, 8 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 82,450 miles. 4 recall campaigns listed.
The Plymouth Breeze years with the fewest complaints
2002 Plymouth Breeze: 1 complaints
Most-reported: Service brakes 1 (100%); Vehicle speed control 1 (100%).
0 recall campaigns listed.
2000 Plymouth Breeze: 38 complaints
Most-reported: Steering 16 (42%); Engine and engine cooling 7 (18%); Electrical system 4 (11%).
Reports mention 1 crash, 22 fires, 2 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 100,000 miles. 5 recall campaigns listed.
1999 Plymouth Breeze: 117 complaints
Most-reported: Engine and engine cooling 29 (25%); Electrical system 22 (19%); Power train 20 (17%).
Reports mention 16 crashes, 25 fires, 13 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 76,000 miles. 3 recall campaigns listed.
Crashes, fires and injuries in Plymouth Breeze owner reports
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Typical miles at filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 38 | 1 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 100,000 |
| 1999 | 117 | 16 | 25 | 13 | 0 | 76,000 |
| 1998 | 174 | 20 | 11 | 19 | 1 | 80,000 |
| 1997 | 155 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 82,450 |
| 1996 | 182 | 16 | 2 | 17 | 1 | 72,600 |
Owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA. “Typical miles” is the median odometer reading in complaints that gave one (shown when at least 10 did). Source: NHTSA ODI complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Largest Plymouth Breeze recalls
- DAIMLERCHRYSLER/FLOOR SHIFT IGNITION-PARK INTERLOC (1996–1999 model years; 2,315,768 vehicles across all models; filed Jan 2004; 04V021000)
- DAIMLERCHRYSLER/FMVSS 225/CHILD SEAT ANCHOR (2000 model year; 1,211,756 vehicles across all models; filed Nov 2000; 00V366000)
- CHRYSLER/IGNITION KEY SHIFT INTERLOCK (1996–1998 model years; 685,000 vehicles across all models; filed Aug 1998; 98V183000)
- CHRYSLER/LOWER CONTROL ARM (1995–1997 model years; 599,000 vehicles across all models; filed Nov 1997; 97V201000)
- DAIMLERCHRYSLER/REAR WHEEL BRAKE TUBES (1998–1999 model years; 366,508 vehicles across all models; filed Sep 1999; 99V244000)
All 12 Plymouth Breeze recall campaigns · Plymouth Breeze problems, recalls and mpg by year · Used car inspection checklist
What the numbers can't tell you
- Sales volume. NHTSA publishes no sales figures with complaints, so a popular year draws more reports even if each car is no worse.
- Recent years are under-counted. Owners file reports for years after purchase; the newest model years will keep growing.
- The individual car. Maintenance, mileage and repairs matter more for one used car than any model-year average. Get a pre-purchase inspection and check open recalls by VIN.
Plymouth Breeze years FAQ
Which Plymouth Breeze year has the fewest complaints?
Among the model years shown whose counts have settled, the 2002 has the fewest owner complaints filed with NHTSA (1). That is a count of reports, not a measure of reliability.
Does fewer complaints mean a more reliable car?
Not necessarily. Complaint counts depend on how many cars were sold, how old they are and how many owners file reports. Use them to spot patterns worth asking about, alongside recalls, crash tests and a pre-purchase inspection.
Are there Plymouth Breeze years to avoid?
No model year is officially one to avoid. By owner complaints to NHTSA, the settled years with the most reports are the 1996, 1998 and 1997 models, and across all years the most-reported problem area is the engine and engine cooling. Compare those years with the ones that drew the fewest reports, then check any specific car for open recalls by VIN and get a pre-purchase inspection.
What is the most common Plymouth Breeze problem?
Across the model years shown, owners most often report problems with the engine and engine cooling (281 of 667 complaints list it). Each model-year report breaks the complaints down by component.
How many recalls does the Plymouth Breeze have?
NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns covering the Plymouth Breeze. See every one, with official wording and repair rates, on the Plymouth Breeze recall page.
Why are newer years left out of fewest and most?
Owners keep filing complaints for years after a car is sold. We mark the two newest model years as still collecting reports, and we only rank years that are at least five years old.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.