Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Breeze 2.4L.
The 1996 Plymouth Breeze is a JA-platform passenger car powered by a 2.4-liter engine paired exclusively with a four-speed automatic transmission, delivering EPA ratings of 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. Routine servicing requires 5 quarts of 5W-30 or 10W-30 API oil with filter changes. Within the 1995–2002 production run, this model year sits at the peak of the complaint curve with 198 documented owner reports—the highest volume in the series—driven primarily by engine and cooling system concerns across ten distinct recall campaigns.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.
From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 575 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the factory engine air filter, fuel filter, front wiper blades and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.
| Engine oil filter | 05281090AB |
| Engine air filter | 04882141AB discontinued |
| Fuel filter | 04897244AA discontinued · alt 04897416AB |
| Spark plug | 68304149AA |
| Battery | BB75F101AA |
| Front wiper blades | 05012357AB discontinued · alt 05018262AA |
| Serpentine belt | 04663182AC discontinued · alt 04892479AB |
| Thermostat | P5278144AA |
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
| Overall length | 186.2 in |
| Overall width | 71.3 in |
| Overall height | 54.3 in |
| Wheelbase | 108.3 in |
| Curb weight | 2910 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 60.2 / 59.8 in |
| Weight distribution (front / rear) | 64/36 |
| EPA city / highway / combined | 18 / 26 / 21 mpg |
| Drivetrain | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Passenger volume | 96 cu ft |
| Cargo volume | 14 cu ft |
| Recommended fuel | Regular Gasoline |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 5 qt w/ filter of 5W-30 / 10W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 85-115 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0-21.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-2-4.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 3 |
| Engine Oil | 5W-30 · API · 10W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 5 qt w/ filter |
| Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts | 100 ft-lbs |
| Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts | 8.8 ft-lbs |
| Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts | 16.7 ft-lbs |
| Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug | 18.0-21.0 ft-lbs |
| Lug Nuts | 85-115 ft-lbs |
| Front Wheel Hub | 180 ft-lbs |
| Rear Wheel Hub | 185 ft-lbs |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-3-2-4 |
| 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 Resistance | 11,500-13,500 ohms |
| Spark Plug Gap | 0.048-0.053 in |
| Spark Plug Torque | 11.0-15.0 ft-lbs |
| Refrigerant | R134a |
| Refrigerant Capacity | 1.75 lbs |
| Oil Group | PAG |
| Oil Type | SP-10 |
| Oil Capacity | 5.00 oz |
| Standard BCI Group Number | 75 |
| Standard BCI Cranking Performance | 575 cca |
| Pressure Test | 15; Do not allow pressure to exceed 20 psi. |
| Radiator Cap Pressure Relief | 14-18 psi |
| Thermostat Opening Temperature | 192-199 °F |
| Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum) | 48.0-54.0 psi |
| Injector Primary Resistance | 12 approx. @ 68 degreesF ohms |
| Injector Primary Resistance | 13-16 @ 68 degreesF ohms |
| Engine Compression | 225 |
| Engine Compression | 100 Minimum psi |
| Brake Application | WITH REAR DISC |
| Torque to Knuckle | 16 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs |
| Torque Caliper to Bracket | 16 ft-lbs |
| Minimum Pad Thickness | 0.354 |
| Brake Application | WITH REAR DISC |
| Rotor Max Parallel Variation | 0.0005 in |
| Rotor Runout Limit | 0.003 in |
| Rotor Nominal Thickness From | 0.35 in / 0.9 in |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The 1996 Plymouth Breeze sits at the peak of the generation's federal complaint arc, with 198 complaints and 10 recalls — the highest figures in the entire model run. This represents a dramatic escalation from the 1995 launch year (3 complaints, 3 recalls), and while complaints remain elevated through 1998 (173–183 range), they never again reach the 1996 high before declining to 124 by 1999 and 38 by 2000. The target year's complaint concentration is heavily skewed toward Engine & Engine Cooling (76 of 198 complaints), with Power Train (17), Service Brakes Hydraulic (15), and Steering (13) following distantly; the data does not specify root causes for these areas. Notably, 1996 also carries 16 crash complaints and 2 fire complaints, and its recall count of 10 is the generation's worst, suggesting Plymouth and regulators were still identifying and addressing widespread defects during this first full production year. The TSB count of 78 is mid-pack for the generation, indicating that technical service guidance was still being developed rather than fully matured. For a used-vehicle buyer, the 1996 model year is the least favorable of the Breeze generation — it bears the heaviest defect burden in the federal record, and a later year (1999 or 2000) would offer a meaningfully lower complaint and recall profile while likely benefiting from the fixes those recalls and TSBs introduced.
All 198 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 10 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
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…
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.
Showing 5 of 78 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08-049-20 | 2020-04-22 | Electrical System | Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin… |
| 3100519 | 2019-11-20 | Structure | Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with… |
| 3100619 | 2019-11-20 | Structure | Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC… |
| 3100319 | 2019-11-20 | Structure | Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with… |
| 31-006-19 | 2019-11-20 | Structure | Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC… |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
5 qt w/ filter of BELOW 32 F: 5W-30 API, BELOW 100 F: 5W-30 API, ABOVE 0 F: 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.
EPA figures are 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined mpg.