PlymouthProwler2001Overview/plymouth/prowler/2001/base/
PR platform

2001 Plymouth Prowler

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Prowler.

Transmission Automatic (S4)

The 2001 Plymouth Prowler is a two‑seat roadster built on the PR platform and equipped with an Automatic (S4) transmission, earning EPA fuel‑economy ratings of 15 city, 21 highway and 17 combined mpg. Its 2001 model year generated 21 owner complaints — the peak in a 1997‑2002 span where the fewest complaints occurred in 1997 with only two — and involved three recalls, with suspension issues topping the complaint list. This concentration of problems suggests that, while the vehicle’s design was distinctive, its later‑year reliability lagged behind earlier examples.

Model year2001200019991997

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/21/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 34 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 05281090AB. Note the factory engine air filter, spark plug, front wiper blades, serpentine belt and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 34 · 525 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP295-40VR20OEM · verified
Wheel / rim10 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter05281090AB
Engine air filter04213583AB discontinued
Spark plug68304017AA discontinued
BatteryBB34F101AA
Front wiper blades04897768AA discontinued · alt 1AMWC018AA
Serpentine belt04663950AF discontinued · alt 04892479AB
Thermostat68027789AA discontinued · alt 04792239AB

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S4)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 21 / 17 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Prowler of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.7–7.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.70 sec — 1999 Roadster
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1999Roadster 3.5L V65.70 sec14.30 sec253 hpRWD
1999Roadster 3.5L V65.80 sec14.40 sec253 hpRWD
1997Roadster 3.5L V67.00 sec15.60 sec214 hpRWD
1997Roadster 3.5L V67.10 sec15.30 sec214 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 20.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts85 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts16.7 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug20.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs21 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.4-.6 ohms
Spark Plug Gap0.048-0.053 in
Spark Plug Torque20.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.31 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Oil Capacity5.08 oz
Standard BCI Group Number34
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15; Do not allow pressure to exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief16-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature180 °F
Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief16-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature180 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)53.0-63.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance12 approx. @ 68 degreesF ohms

Brakes

Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.313; Rear: 0.276 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0005 in / 0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in / 0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.939 in / 0.782 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.949 in / 0.793 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.881 in / 0.736 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
140 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9040 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Tighten the cap bolts to finger tight. Step 215 ft. lbs

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 100,000 mi; coolant every 100,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 100,000 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 Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering Line (inspect)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · PCV Valve (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
At 60,000 miPCV Valve (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Belt (replace)
Every 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing 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 2001, the Plymouth Prowler experienced 21 complaints and 3 recalls, matching the recall count of the previous year but exceeding the 2 complaints of 2000 and the 0 complaints of 1998. Compared to the peak of 19 complaints in 1999, the 2001 figure is only slightly higher, suggesting a modest upward trend that does not represent a sudden spike. The single investigation in 2001 mirrors the 2000 and 2001 years, indicating no escalation in regulatory scrutiny. With the most frequent complaint categories being Suspension (11) and Structure (7), the 2001 model aligns with the overall trend of mechanical issues rather than safety or fire concerns, which remained low (2 crash complaints, 0 fire complaints). Given the relatively stable recall and investigation numbers and the absence of major safety incidents, 2001 can be considered a reasonable year to purchase, provided a thorough mechanical inspection is performed.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
31
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
21
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 21 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Suspension11
Structure7
Air Bags2
Steering1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

03V034000Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower ArmReported 05/02/2003

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS MAY EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF LUBRICATION THAT CAN RESULT IN ACCELERATED WEAR AND POSSIBLE SEPARATION FROM THE STEERING KNUCKLE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS WITH MODIFIED ASSEMBLIES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 4, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED…

06E022000Service Brakes, HydraulicReported 13/03/2006

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA… Remedy: AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 31 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
90042752020-07-22Electrical SystemKEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC…
90042752020-07-22Electrical SystemKEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC…
23-015-202020-04-30EquipmentDisinfectant Solution Recommended for COVID-19
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…

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 Prowler. 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

Does the 2001 Prowler have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Prowler get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 21 highway / 17 combined mpg.