Plymouth Breeze Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy

Q: What year Breeze should I avoid?

Based on NHTSA recall and complaint data, the 1996 Plymouth Breeze has the most documented problems with a problem score of 178 — driven by 4 recalls, 153 complaints, and 1 reported death.

Q: What is the best year Breeze to buy?

The 2000 Plymouth Breeze is the best-scoring year in our analysis with a problem score of only 51, meaning 6 recalls and 29 complaints on record.

Q: Which Breeze has the fewest problems?

The 2000, 1999 model years have the fewest reported problems in the NHTSA database. Always verify a specific vehicle's history with a VIN report before purchasing.

Every Plymouth Breeze model year (1996–2000) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, deaths, and injuries. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

Years Tracked

Total Recalls

470

Total Complaints

Reported Injuries

Reported Deaths

Plymouth Breeze Years to Avoid

#1 WORST

1996

4 recalls · 153 complaints

4 reported injuries

1 reported death

Top issue: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Problem score: 178

#2 WORST

1998

4 recalls · 114 complaints

16 reported injuries

2 reported deaths

Top issue: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Problem score: 168

#3 WORST

1997

4 recalls · 98 complaints

4 reported injuries

Top issue: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Problem score: 118

Best Plymouth Breeze Years to Buy

#1 BEST

2000

6 recalls · 29 complaints

Main area: STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

Problem score: 51

#2 BEST

1999

4 recalls · 76 complaints

Main area: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Problem score: 112

Found the right year? Verify that specific Breeze with a free VIN report.

Plymouth Breeze — Year-by-Year Problem Report

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Injuries	Deaths	Problem Score	Verdict
2000	6	29	2	—	51	Good
1999	4	76	12	—	112	Caution
1998	4	114	16	2	168	Avoid
1997	4	98	4	—	118	Avoid
1996	4	153	4	1	178	Avoid

All 5 model years shown. Deaths and injuries from NHTSA complaint filings. Higher problem scores indicate more reported safety issues.

Plymouth Breeze Shopping Guide by Era

Pre-2013

Proceed with Caution

Older Breeze models have more accumulated wear and a larger recall history. These are higher-risk purchases without documented maintenance records and a clean VIN history report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year Breeze should I avoid?+

Avoid the 1996 Plymouth Breeze if possible. It has 4 recalls, 153 owner complaints, and 1 reported death. The overall problem score is 178 — the highest in our dataset.

What is the best year Breeze to buy?+

The 2000 Plymouth Breeze is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 51. It has only 6 recalls and 29 complaints on record with NHTSA.

Which Breeze has the fewest problems?+

The 2000, 1999 model years have the fewest documented problems. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.

More Plymouth Breeze Research

Reliability Score

Overall reliability rating and score breakdown for the Plymouth Breeze.

Common Problems

Full breakdown of every reported defect for the Plymouth Breeze.

Check a Specific Plymouth Breeze VIN

Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.

Run a Free VIN Report →