PlymouthBreeze19962.0L/plymouth/breeze/1996/2-0l/
JA platform

1996 Plymouth Breeze — 2.0L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Breeze 2.0L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.0LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Plymouth Breeze 2.0L is a passenger car built on the JA platform, pairing a 2.0-liter engine with a four-speed automatic transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 19 city / 28 highway / 22 combined mpg. Routine service is straightforward, calling for 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil with a filter. Yet in the model's 1995–2002 complaint history, this is the worst year on record: 198 owner complaints and ten recalls, with engine and engine cooling dominating the trouble categories—a figure that drops to a single complaint by 2002, a stark swing researchers can use to chart the platform's later reliability gains.

Model year20001999199819971996

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque85-115 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/28/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 510 CCA battery, OE oil filter 05281090AB. Note the factory engine air filter, fuel filter, front wiper blades and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 510 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP195-65HR15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter05281090AB
Engine air filter04882141AB discontinued
Fuel filter04897244AA discontinued · alt 04897416AB
Spark plug68304149AA
BatteryBB75F101AA
Front wiper blades05012357AB discontinued · alt 05018262AA
Serpentine belt04663182AC discontinued · alt 04892479AB
ThermostatP5278144AA

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length186.2 in
Overall width71.3 in
Overall height54.3 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Curb weight2910 lb
Track (front / rear)60.2 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 28 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume96 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt w/ filter of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 85-115 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 20.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-2-4. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt w/ filter

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts105 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts8.8 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts16.7 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug20.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts85-115 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub180 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub185 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-2-4
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)950 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)350 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.51-.61 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance11,500-13,500 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerChampion
Spark Plug Gap0.033-0.038 in
Spark Plug Torque18 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.75 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeSP-10
Oil Capacity5.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number75
Standard BCI Cranking Performance510 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15; Do not allow pressure to exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature192-199 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)48.0-54.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance12 approx. @ 68 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance13-16 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression225
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC
Torque to Knuckle16 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket16 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.354
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.35 in / 0.9 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
125.0 ft. lbs.25 ft. lbs
250.0 ft. lbs.50 ft. lbs
350.0 ft. lbs.50 ft. lbs
490 degrees90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · PCV Valve (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
At 105,000 miTiming Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

In 1996 the Breeze experienced a dramatic spike in federal complaints, jumping to 198 from just 3 the prior year, while recalls rose to 10—the highest count in the eight‑year span. This surge was driven primarily by engine‑related issues (76 complaints), with additional concerns in the power‑train, brakes and steering, and it coincided with the peak number of Technical Service Bulletins (78). After 1996 the complaint volume fell modestly (173 in 1997, 183 in 1998) and then declined sharply to 38 by 2000, while recall activity remained lower than the 1996 peak, indicating the most problematic period was the model’s introductory year. The data suggest that 1996 was an outlier with elevated risk, so unless the specific vehicle has documented corrective work, it is a less desirable year to purchase.

10
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
78
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
198
Owner complaints
16 involved a crash · 2 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 198 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling76
Power Train17
Service Brakes, Hydraulic15
Steering13
Air Bags9
Suspension6
Unknown Or Other5
Structure5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 10 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

10E059000Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower ArmReported 27/12/2010

FEDERAL-MOGUL IS RECALLING CERTAIN REPLACEMENT CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES, PART NUMBERS K7425, 10945, FA4510X, K7427, 10946, AND FA4611X, SOLD FOR USE ON VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE BALL JOINT ON THE… Remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE AFFECTED CONTROL ARMS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 28, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT…

09E056000Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball JointReported 09/10/2009

QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE IS RECALLING CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BALL JOINTS SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SOCKET MAY HAVE BEEN EXCESSIVELY HARDENED WHICH COULD CAUSE IT TO CRACK NEAR THE RETAINING RING GROOVE… Remedy: QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE WILL REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 9, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE AT 1-800-493-4128.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 78 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
08-049-202020-04-22Electrical SystemCharging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin…
31005192019-11-20StructureUse of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with…
31006192019-11-20StructureRepair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC…
31003192019-11-20StructureUse of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with…
31-006-192019-11-20StructureRepair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Breeze. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Breeze 2.0L take?

4.5 qt w/ filter of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Breeze have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 2.0L get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 28 highway / 22 combined mpg.