1998 Plymouth Breeze

I HAVE A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE AND THE AIR COMPRESSOR IS BROKEN, THE CLUTCH HANDLE IS GONE AND THE COMPRESSOR ITSELF IS COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. I HAVE SPOKE TO THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS WHO HAVE TOLD ME THAT IF THIS PROBLEM GOES UNATTENDED, IT COULD BE A DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD AROUND ME. I SEE THAT CHRYSLER HAS PUT OUT TWO SERVICE BULLETINS TO THE DEALERSHIPS IN REGARDS TO AIR COMPRESSOR FAILURE IN 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZES. ONE WAS PUT OUT IN APRIL OF 98 AND THE OTHER IN NOVEMBER OF 98. I AM CONFUSED, FIRST OF ALL, AS TO WHY THESE ARE NOT MADE KNOWN TO THE PEOPLE WHO PURCHASE THESE VEHICLES BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY CHRYSLER KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM. ALSO, I AM CONFUSED AS TO WHY 2 NOTICES HAD TO BE SENT OUT IN THE SAME YEAR THAT THE CAR WAS MADE. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO HELP. *NM

ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN LARGE TRUCK PULLED ACROSS ROAD. I WAS DRIVING A 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE AND HIT TRUCK AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH. CAR TOTALLED ALL FRONT END DAMAGE INCLUDING HOOD, BUMPER KNOCKED OFF, BOTH FENDERS, ALSO DAMAGE INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE IS STILL AT MY HOME AT THIS TIME UNTIL INSUARANCE COMPANY RETRIEVES IT. I HAVE PICTURES OF DAMAGE AND INTERIOR SHOWING THAT THE AIR BAGS ARE STILL INTACT AND DID NOT DEPLOY. APPARENTLY, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I SEARCHED YOUR WEB SITE AND FOUND SEVERAL OTHER AIRBAG COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME MAKE MODEL AND YEAR CAR. *AK I (DRIVER) HAVE INJURY TO RIGHT KNEE THAT MAY REQUIRE SURGERY

THE DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME ON MY 1998 PLYMOUTH BREEZE HAS BROKEN COMPLETELY THROUGH ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND 3/4 OF THE WAY THROUGH ON THE LEFT SIDE DURING NORMAL USE. HAD I NOT TAKEN THE SEAT OUT TO DETERMINE WHY I WAS LEANING BACK AND TO THE RIGHT, I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT UNTIL THE FRAME BROKE COMPLETELY ON THE LEFT SIDE ALSO, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY HAVE CAUSED ME TO FALL OVER BACKWARDS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET (OR FREEWAY). AS INDICATED BY MY E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE, CHRYSLER DOESN'T SEEM TO BE TERRIBLY CONCERNED ABOUT IT. SYNOPSIS OF OUR CORRESPONDENCE: ** THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT FRAME HAS BROKEN COMPLETELY THROUGH ON THE INBOARD SIDE AND ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY THROUGH IN THE SAME PLACE ON THE OUTBOARD SIDE. IS THERE AN UNANNOUNCED SAFETY RECALL ON THIS DEFECT? ** RECORDS INDICATE THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY OUTSTANDING FACTORY RECALLS. IF YOUR VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN ANY FUTURE RECALLS, A NOTICE WILL BE SENT TO YOUR POSTAL ADDRESS. PLEASE CONTACT US WITH ANY FUTURE CHANGES OF ADDRESS. FOR ANY FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO THIS EMAIL, PLEASE REFER TO THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: REFERENCE NUMBER: 12301388 REPLY LINK: HTTP://WWW.CHRYSLER.COM/WCCSAPP/WCCS/BRAND_FORMS/US/REPLY.JSP?TRK_ID= KMM1308167C0KM& DENNIS SENIOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE ** SO, WHAT ABOUT THE SEAT FRAME BREAKING? IT WOULDN'T BE VERY SAFE FOR SOMEONE TO BE DRIVING ALONG AND FALL OVER BACKWARDS, NOW WOULD IT? I THINK CHRYSLER SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS! ** I REGRET YOUR DISSATISFACTION IN YOUR DAIMLERCHRYSLER PRODUCT, (OR QUALITY OF YOUR PRODUCT,) AND APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU TOOK TO BRING THIS MATTER TO MY ATTENTION. COMMENTS LIKE YOURS ARE ONE WAY TO LEARN OF PROBLEMS THAT MAY DEVELOP AND IMPROVEMENTS DESIRED BY CUSTOMERS. THE INFORMATION RECEIVED IS USED IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY ANALYSIS. DENNIS SENIOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE . *AK

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.

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 TIME. I GUESS IT SAVED THEM A COUPLE OF BUCKS ON THE CARS. I THINK THERE WILL BE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE NEONS, BREEZES ETC. I THINK A RECALL IS IN ORDER. WE STOPPED DRIVING OUR CAR AND HAVE WAITED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BECAUSE IT COST SO MUCH.

AT 87XXX MILES THE CAR STARTED LEAKING OIL. IT WAS FOUND TO BE A LEAKING HEAD GASKET. AFTER SPEAKING TO DEALERSHIP IT WAS FOUND THEY WERE AWARE OF THE GASKET BEING A PROBLEM ON THIS AND SIMILAR VEHICLES. WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WAS COMTACTED DIRECTLY MY WIFE WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE SITUATION, THEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND THEN HUNG UP ON HER WHEN SHE ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP'S SUPERVISOR.*AK