1997 Plymouth Breeze Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about engine oil leaks, many traced by dealers to the head gasket, and about front-end steering and suspension wear that showed up as noises and vibration. Complaints also describe brake pedal and rear brake problems and, less often, electrical faults in which underhood or dash-area wiring was involved in a fire. Reports span a wide mileage range, from repairs under warranty to cars past 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Engine oil leaks (head gasket and seals)

   • 51 complaints (33%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • owner-quoted repair $700 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 1998–2004

   Owners describe oil spots under the car, a burning oil smell, and needing to add oil frequently. According to complaints, dealers commonly identified the head gasket and replaced it, and several owners say the leak returned after repair, in some cases more than once. Some also mention camshaft and spark plug tube seals leaking, and a few report the leak led to coolant contamination or loss of power. Reported from low mileage under warranty up through roughly 150,000 miles, with many clustered between about 30,000 and 95,000 miles.

   What to check: Look under the engine and on the ground for fresh oil, and check the oil level and smell. Ask for records of any head gasket or seal replacement and whether the repair recurred.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am having trouble with my 1997 Plymouth Breeze, I took it to a repair shop and was told that it is the head gasket. I need to know if there is any kind of recall due to this problem. I was told from the repair shop that it is very common for these kind of vehicles to have this problem. Please advise me if there is anything I can do. Thank you for your cooperation.”

   NHTSA complaint #10005509, filed 2003-02, 92,000 miles

   “I have owned this car since 1998 . When I purchased the car it had 28,000 mi. On it. Just when the next 36,000 mi rolled over yhe head gasket blew. Now another 30,000 mi it blew again. I called the original dealer they said there is a problem with the 2.0 litre engines head gasket but there is no recall at this time. Home office refuses to make a call.”

   NHTSA complaint #732034, filed 2000-09
2. 2
   Steering

   Front tie rod and ball joint wear or separation

   • 14 complaints (9%)
   • median 63,005 mi at 7.0 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1997–2006

   Complaints describe front-end noises and vibration that were checked but not diagnosed, followed later by a broken or separated tie rod end or lower ball joint. Owners report excessive wear for the mileage, in some cases with rust and no visible lubrication, and some say the joints were replaced more than once. Mostly between about 40,000 and 85,000 miles, sometimes after earlier front-end noise complaints.

   Recall 97V201000

   What to check: Have the front end inspected on a lift before buying, including tie rod ends and lower ball joints for play, rust and lubrication. Ask whether recall 97V201000 work was performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Upon arriving home from work I backed the vehicle into my driveway and found the vehicle would not move and the passenger side front tire was rubbing against the undercarriage. Investigation after removing the tire found the outer tie rod ball joint had separated and collapsed. Inspection of the part found no apparent lubrication and rust appeared on the ball section. Vehicle was towed to my mechanics shop and the part removed and replaced with a new unit. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10158244, filed 2006-05, 82,450 miles

   “I've been having some problems with my '97 Breeze since I bought it in april of 2002. The steering wheel and the door panels shake/vibrate when the car is in gear and stopped at a stop sign. Come to find out there was a bolt missing off of the engine compartment and the others were loose and they got fixed but the car still has the vibration in the steering wheel.”

   NHTSA complaint #10069170, filed 2004-01
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake pedal sinking and rear brake drag or fire

   • 9 complaints (6%)
   • median 58,000 mi at 18.2 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2015

   Owners describe the brake pedal going to the floor during stops, longer stopping distances, and repeated front rotor replacement at low mileage. Other complaints describe noise from a rear drum, smoke and fire at the rear wheel, and a shop diagnosis that the rear brake system needed replacement. Reported from about 12,000 to 58,000 miles, with rotor wear showing up early and rear brake trouble later.

   What to check: Test the pedal for firmness and travel, and have the brakes and rear drums inspected for wear, drag and heat damage. Ask when the brake fluid was last changed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Front rotors excessivly warped and hardened originally replaced at approx 12000 miles under warranty. Vehicle currently has approx 31,000 miles and condition occurring again. Brakes no longer warrantied, are rotors going to need replacement every 15k miles?”

   NHTSA complaint #705970, filed 1999-04

   “While consumer was driving 35 to 45mphs the car in front of her slammed on brakes. However, when consumer applied her brakes, pedal went down to the floor, vehicle skidded to the end of the land on the shoulder of the highway.”

   NHTSA complaint #847606, filed 1999-09
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Electrical fires and wiring faults

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe parked cars catching fire, with fire departments identifying the engine compartment or fuse box area as the origin and one dealer inspection pointing to electrical wiring. One owner also reports windshield wipers running on their own and having to pull the fuse. Reported from about 95,000 to 145,000 miles, often with the car parked and unattended.

   What to check: Look for scorching, melted plastic or a burning smell around the fuse box and underhood wiring, and check for signs of prior electrical repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Prior to the fire my car was parked in driveway and when I walked outside the wind shild wipers were going. I was unable to get them to stop so I had to pull the fuse out. Then on july 11 2004 my car caught fire under the hood it appeared to have started in the fuse box.”

   NHTSA complaint #10116246, filed 2005-04, 98,021 miles

   “On this sunday at 12:15 pm my 1997 Plymouth Breeze caught on fire. It was sitting in the driveway with no one around it. My wife noticed it when the horn started blowing. I was across the street at a neighbors. Flames were shooting out of the front windshield. The dash above the steering wheel, the steering wheel it self and the driver side door area melted and blackened the worse. The fire dept. Was called immediately.”

   NHTSA complaint #10018877, filed 2003-05
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Interlock and shifter problems (recalls)

   • 10 complaints (6%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 6.6 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1998–2008

   Complaints describe sluggish shifting and owners not being notified of the automatic transmission interlock recalls. Some report the floor shifter could be moved with the key removed, or that a dealer said the work was done without providing an invoice. Reported on cars with roughly 40,000 to 165,000 miles, in some cases years after the recall was issued.

   Recall 04V021000Recall 98V183000

   What to check: Confirm whether recalls 04V021000 and 98V183000 were completed, and check that the shifter cannot leave Park with the key removed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I noticed a whining noise coming from the front end of my 1997 Plymouth Breeze from a minimum speed of 25 MPH and more. The vehicle experienced a noise in the automatic transmission when shifting into reverse and drive. My Breeze only has 40,000 miles on it. I took it to a local transmission shop for further diagnosis and they found that a retaining snap ring had broken loose and caused damage to the transmission (metal contamination, etc.). …”

   NHTSA complaint #10010789, filed 2003-03, 40,000 miles

   “Good evening, I wanted to obtain more information about the class action suit against chrysler. I have a 97 Plymouth Breeze that has had a head and a transmission replaced at 2 separate times. The head was replaced because of head gasket and the transmission after if overheated on highway use (5, 2003), got stuck 200+ miles away from home. Finally I sent my last payment last month but to my surprise my transmission is acting up again and the only services I get from the shop is for my to drive to them (200 miles away). …”

   NHTSA complaint #10052877, filed 2004-01, 60,000 miles

Buying note. This model year shows a consistent pattern of engine oil leaks, front-end wear and brake concerns, so a pre-purchase inspection focused on those areas and a check for completed recalls is worthwhile. Records showing when the head gasket and front-end parts were last serviced help set expectations for repair costs.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.