Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Plymouth Breeze owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl contact owns a 1998 Plymouth Breeze. While driving approximately 35 MPH on normal road conditions, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the outside of the vehicle. The contact pulled over to inspect the vehicle and noticed smoke coming from the front end, followed by flames underneath the hood. He extinguished the fire and the fire department arrived afterwards. Prior to the failure, the contact heard a clicking noise coming from the engine. He sustained minor hand injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and they stated that the engine was the cause of the failure. The vehicle has not been repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 116,000.
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. 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. …
Around October or November 2002, at about 65,000 miles or 98 Plymouth Breeze started leaking oil, small spots or drops, then gradually more, took it in to get it checked, the mechanic looked for the origination of the oil leak and found it to be leaking from a head gasket and recommended we not drive our car only when necessary and very short trips, constantly check te oil level every day, and get reparied as soon as possible , could also be a fire hazard if oil builds up on engine from the leaking. He also metnioned he has seen alot of other breezes, neons, stratus, voyagers, with the same engine as ours and the neons, and stratus with the same problem, and told us that the manufactuer stop using the gasket that was on the 98 models and replaced it it the new multi-layer steel head gasket because they knew it was defective back n 97-98 when they begin using it on the car made at that …
I have a 1998 Plymouth Breeze with a 2.0 liter motor. I have only 6000 miles on this vehicle because I drive very little with it. I am 81 years old and dont do much driving any more. I recently found motor oil in my water inside my radiator. I was told by a Chrysler dealership that my head gasket was blown. They told me that any motor between 1995-2005 had defective head gaskets and that Chrysler corporation had corrected the problem by introducing a new revised version on the head gasket ...thicker, more durable! Anyway the dealership new about it as did many persons on the internet that owned these vehicles from the years that I specified. …
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... 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.
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.
I recently took my Breeze in for an oil change and my mechanic told me I had an oil leak and that it was coming from the head gasket. At the same time he told me about a recall for the gear shift lever. I asked him to wait on the head gasket repair so I could talk to the dealer while I was having the gear shift lever repaired. When I brought up the leaking head gasket at the dealership, the mechanic gave a heavy sigh and shook his head. When I asked what that was for, he said that there was nothing he could do because it wasn't a recall problem. After doing some research on the internet I've found this to be quite a common problem due to a design flaw / manufacturing defect and I find it asinine that daimler-Chrysler will neither take responsibility for nor admit any problem.
Severe oil leak in my mom's 1998 Plymouth Breeze with less than 60,000 miles on it is causing me concern. This oil leak is caused by a bad head gasket. The oil is leaking all over the bottom of the car. I am concerned that the oil will get on the catalytic converter and cause a fire. I understand from conversations with several different mechanics and people in the automobile industry that this is a common problem with Chrysler engines. I have already contacted Chrysler about this problem and they have informed me that it's not their fault and there is nothing they can do about it. Other reputable car manufactures fix problems like this. Why isn't Chrysler being required to fix this problem before someone gets hurt???
Oil change. Bolt and or oil pan striped out. Replace oil pan. Old parts are not available. Two deffernt kinds of metal. Bolt and oil pan. Aliuminim and steel. Car dealer states they have to replace it after so many oil changes that it wears out and the two metals are not write with each other. This will have to be done on all cars with this kind of problem. I think that these two metal do not act write togather and that all consumers will to replace it sooner or later. I think these parts sould be all steel. If you got all these oil changes to do you need parts that are sronge and can hold up to the task at hand.
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.
Engine complaints in other Breeze years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1998 Plymouth Breeze?
NHTSA has 68 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1998 Plymouth Breeze, 39% of the model year's 174 complaints. The component named most often is engine (41 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Plymouth Breeze engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 1998 Plymouth Breeze, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Plymouth Breeze engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 2 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.