IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
1996 Dodge Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Neon years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Dodge Neon are substantially higher than the model-year median of 173.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Neon years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 38 of 611 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 340 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 93 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 88 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
46 crash reports5 fire reports27 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
340 reportsI BOUGHT THIS CAR USED IN OCT. 97 WITH APPROXIMATELY 19K MILES ON IT. THE HEAD GASKET FAILED WITH THE CAR JUST BARELY UNDER THE WARRANTY BY MILEAGE, BUT I HAD TO FIGHT HARD WITH THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM COVER THE REPAIR WORK. THEY EVENTUALLY REPAIRED IT AND GAVE ANOTHER 1 YEAR/12K MILE WARRANTY ON THE REPAIR. WITHIN THAT TIME F…
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I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED IN OCT. 97 WITH APPROXIMATELY 19K MILES ON IT. THE HEAD GASKET FAILED WITH THE CAR JUST BARELY UNDER THE WARRANTY BY MILEAGE, BUT I HAD TO FIGHT HARD WITH THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM COVER THE REPAIR WORK. THEY EVENTUALLY REPAIRED IT AND GAVE ANOTHER 1 YEAR/12K MILE WARRANTY ON THE REPAIR. WITHIN THAT TIME FRAME THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AGAIN. THE DEALER REPAIRED IT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THIS TIME WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE WORK OR THE PART. THAT'S A SHAM! I'M GETTING RID OF THIS PEICE OF JUNK! *AK
ORIGINAL AND REPLACED HEAD GASKET BOTH LEAKED OIL.
THIS CAR IS JUNK, THE HEAD GASKETS, AIR CONDITIONING, BRAKES, ELECTRICAL, EVERYTHING IS BAD. IF YOU CALL THE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, THEY ACT LIKE ITS A RARE INCIDENT. FROM WHAT I'VE READ, THIS IS NOT TRUE. PLEASE HELP SQUEEZE THIS LEMON! *AK
MY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN FEB. 1996. WITHIN ONE YEAR IT HAD BEEN RECALLED AND SERVICED FOR SEVERAL REASONS. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS THE FUEL PUMP MODULE. THE AMOUNT OF GAS ON THE READING REVEALED 1/4 OF THE TANK STILL FULL, HOWEVER THE TANK WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY. ALSO WITHIN THAT YEAR I BEGAN NOTICING WATER IN THE BACK SEAT AN…
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MY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN FEB. 1996. WITHIN ONE YEAR IT HAD BEEN RECALLED AND SERVICED FOR SEVERAL REASONS. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS THE FUEL PUMP MODULE. THE AMOUNT OF GAS ON THE READING REVEALED 1/4 OF THE TANK STILL FULL, HOWEVER THE TANK WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY. ALSO WITHIN THAT YEAR I BEGAN NOTICING WATER IN THE BACK SEAT AND IN THE SPARE WHEEL WELL, DUE TO A LEAK IN THE REAR WINDOW SEAL. SIX MONTHS LATER THE SAME VEHICLE BEGAN LEAKING OIL AND WHEN SERVICED IT WAS FOUND TO BE A HEAD GASKET LEAK. THE GASKET AND IT'S COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. IN ADDITION TO OTHER RECALLS THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. HOWEVER, WITHIN THE FOUR YEARS THIS CAR HAS BEEN REVEALING SYMPTOMS THAT ARE UNBELIEVABLE FOR SUCH SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. IT HAS CURRENTLY BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ANOTHER FAULTY HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND THE THREE YEAR WARRANTY AND IS EXPRESSING THE SAME SYMPTOMS THAT IT HAS HAD IN THE FIRST YEAR. I AM SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM OR WARRANTIES THAT MAY APPLY. *AK
HAVE READ COMPLAINTS ON HEAD GASKETS, TAKING CAR TO DEALERSHIP TOMORROW TO HAVE OURS REPLACED, IT HAS BEEN LEAKING INTO THE RADIATOR. TIME FOR A RECALL!!*AK
CAR STALLED AFTER OVERHEATING. VEHICLE RESTARTED AND WAS BLOWING WHITE SMOKE FROM TAILPIPE. DEALER STATED HEAD GASKET FAILURE, BUT NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS BLOWING ANTIFREEZE INSTEAD OF OIL. VEHICLE HAD JUST HAD CYLINDER COVER, SPARK PLUG SEALS AND TUBES REPLACED AND ENGINE TUNEUP 6 DAYS PRIOR TO HEAD CASKET …
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CAR STALLED AFTER OVERHEATING. VEHICLE RESTARTED AND WAS BLOWING WHITE SMOKE FROM TAILPIPE. DEALER STATED HEAD GASKET FAILURE, BUT NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS BLOWING ANTIFREEZE INSTEAD OF OIL. VEHICLE HAD JUST HAD CYLINDER COVER, SPARK PLUG SEALS AND TUBES REPLACED AND ENGINE TUNEUP 6 DAYS PRIOR TO HEAD CASKET FAILURE. DEALERSHIP WAS INFORMED AT THAT TIME THAT VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING, BUT THEY STATED THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG OTHER THAN IT NEEDING A TUNE UP.*AK
THIS CAR HAS A DEFECT IN THE HEAD GASKET - MANY COMPLAINTS FROM MANY OWNERS ON THIS ISSUE. *AK
VEHICLE IS CONSTANTLY LEAKING OIL. DEALER HAS ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH CRANKSHAFT REAR MAIN OIL FIELD WHICH WAS NOT A PART OF THE PREVIOUS RECALL. *AK
THE DEALERSHIP WAS TERRIBLE-MINUS 5 STARS. TOOK THE CAR TO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. THEY DID A GOOD JOB. WILL THINK TWICE ABOUT BUYING ANOTHER CHRYSLER CAR. NO SAFETY DEFECT STATED IN SUMMARY. *AK
Official recalls
296V075000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
May 3, 1996
THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID DUE TO A DAMAGED DOUBLE LIP REAR PISTON SEAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE CAN RESULT IN DIMINISHED EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE HALF OF THE SPLIT BRAKE SYSTEM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHT(S) WILL SIGNAL SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT PRIOR TO PARTIAL BRAKE SYSTEM LOSS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDR PISTON ASSEMBLY.
96V026000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Feb 5, 1996
AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CAN SHORT CIRCUIT DUE TO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION TUBE..
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHORTING OF THE WIRING HARNESS CAN CAUSE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS, INCLUDING ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REROUTE THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS PROPERLY AND ANY WIRE THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED WILL BE REPLACED.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2PE02082 · Safety Belt Cinching Latch Plate
Opened Nov 6, 2002 · Closed Apr 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
THERE ARE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.WHILE CONDUCTING THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI FOUND THAT THE SUBJECT CINCHES MEET THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 208, AND THAT MANY OF THE REPORTED FAILURES WERE DUE TO INCORRECT CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSTALLATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE REPORT RATE IS LOW (1.60/100K).THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FAILS TO ESTABLISH THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT TREND AT THIS TIME.FURTHER ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES TO THIS ISSUE IS UNWARRANTED AND THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS BEING CLOSED.
PE98012 · Underhood Fires
Opened Feb 26, 1998 · Closed Jun 23, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available