IllustrationWHEN DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED MISSING WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD WHEN THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*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 reportsENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL. A TECHNICIAN EXPLAINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A BLOWNOUT HEAD GASKET.*AK
SEVERE ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAK OCCURRED QUICKLY. CONTACTS WITH CHRYSLER DENIALS THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED YET AS OF JUNE 26, 2000.*AK
AT 11,000 MILES I HAD TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED. THIS SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THAT FEW MILES ON THE ENGINE. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE GASKET IS FAULTY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL ISSUED.*AK
DROVE VEHICLE INTO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR ROUTINE OIL SERVICE, AND WAS INFORMED THAT VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *AK
LEAKING HEAD GASKET FOUND WHILE BEING TUNED -UP AT THE LUBE CENTER PLUS, FREDERICK, MD. *AK
HEAD GASKET WARPED DIAGNOSED AT DEALER WHEN WAS HAVING ANOTHER REPAIR, WIRING HARNESS SHORT CAUSED SMOKE TO FILL CAR WHILE DRIVING HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER.
MY HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND HAS RECENTLY MADE MY CAR START TO OVERHEAT. MY SPEEDOMETER HAS ALSO NOT BEEN WORKING SINCE ABOUT 2 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND I HAVE TAKEN IT IN TO BE REPAIRED APPROXIMATELY 5 TIMES AND IT IS STILL NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. *AK
I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL AND I NEEDED TO TAKE IT TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT REPAIRED. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY QUOTED ME $700.00. I THEN FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE AND WHEN I CALLED AGAIN THEY SAID THE PLYMOUTH IS MEETING CUSTOM…
Read full complaint
I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL AND I NEEDED TO TAKE IT TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT REPAIRED. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY QUOTED ME $700.00. I THEN FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE AND WHEN I CALLED AGAIN THEY SAID THE PLYMOUTH IS MEETING CUSTOMERS HALFWAY AND THEY WOULD PAY FOR HALF. BY READING ALL OF THESE OTHER COMPLAINTS, THERE IS A MAJOR DEFECT WITH THE HEAD GASKETS ONTHE NEONS AND I DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING.. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL...................*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