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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 →

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

88 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 1999
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ODI #704356

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

IT HAPPENS PROBABLY 2 TIMES A DAY. WHEN I AM ALMOST STOPPED FROM A SLOW SPEED PULLING IN A DRIVEWAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ABS BRAKES ARE GOING OFF. THEY MAKE A FUNNY VIBRATING NOISE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES WACKO. IT DOESN'T WANT TO STOP. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTH…

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IT HAPPENS PROBABLY 2 TIMES A DAY. WHEN I AM ALMOST STOPPED FROM A SLOW SPEED PULLING IN A DRIVEWAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ABS BRAKES ARE GOING OFF. THEY MAKE A FUNNY VIBRATING NOISE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES WACKO. IT DOESN'T WANT TO STOP. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG, YET I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT RIGHT. I FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND SCARED THAT ONE DAY IT REALLY ISN'T GOING TO STOP. PLEASE ADVISE IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS. THANK YOU!

NHTSA ODI #704007

Mileage unknown · Jan 28, 1999
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

THE ABS BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH ON WET PAVEMENT. ANOTHER VEHICLE HAD CROSSED CENTER LINE & BRAKES WERE APPLIED QUICKLY. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED. AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES. HAS POLICE REPORT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #834136

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE PEDAL BECOMES ROCK HARD, MAKING IT HARD TO STOP VEHICLE. DLR HAS NOT SEEN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #834083

Mileage unknown · Jan 19, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #543388

Mileage unknown · Jan 6, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES SEEMED LOW AND MECHANIC CHECKED, NO REPAIRS. WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH, APPLIED BRAKES AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURRED, WHEN PUMPING BRAKES THEY GET BETTER. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #833091

Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 1999
Service Brakes, HydraulicVisibility

FIRST, WHEN IT IS COLD, MY BRAKES DO NOT WORK. AT FIRST THEY DO NOT GO TO THE GROUND AND THE CAR TAKES A LONG TIME TO COME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY THIS HAS ONLY OCCURED WHEN CAR IS STARTED OR WHEN IT IS GOING LESS THAN 5MPH. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC LOOKING AT IT NOW. HAS REPLACED SOME BRAKES PADS AND SERVICES THE BRAKES. WATER …

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FIRST, WHEN IT IS COLD, MY BRAKES DO NOT WORK. AT FIRST THEY DO NOT GO TO THE GROUND AND THE CAR TAKES A LONG TIME TO COME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY THIS HAS ONLY OCCURED WHEN CAR IS STARTED OR WHEN IT IS GOING LESS THAN 5MPH. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC LOOKING AT IT NOW. HAS REPLACED SOME BRAKES PADS AND SERVICES THE BRAKES. WATER WAS FOUND IN A VALVE FOR THE POWER ASSISTED BRAKES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. THIS MECHANIC BELIEVES WATER IS GETTING INTO THE BRAKE LINE BUT IS UNSURE AS TO HOW. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT SO JUST WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE OKAY THE BRAKES FAIL AGAIN. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE WINDOWS. EVEN WHEN THE DEFROSTERS AND DEFOGGERS ARE ON, THE SIDE WINDOWS NEVER DEFOG, I NEED TO CONSTANTLY TURN ON REAR REFROST (EVERY 5 MIN OR SO) SO THAT I CAN SEE OUT OF IT. THIS IS A NEW PROBLEM THIS WINTER. I CANNOT SEE OUT PASSENGER OR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WHILE DRIVING. A THIRD PROBLEM IS THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM . EVEN WHEN THE WINDOW IS ALL THE WAY UP WIND HOWLS IN THE WINDOW. YOU CAN SEE A GAP AND IF IT IS RAINING WATER COMES IN. FINALLY THE LAST PROBLEM IS ALSO NOT A NEW PROBLEM. I DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE LAST PROBLEM BECAUSE IT OCCURRED LONG BEFORE THAT PROBLEM. AFTER IT RAINS, WATER COLLECTS IN THE WELL BETWEEN THE INSIDE AN OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR (MOSTLY ON PASSENGER SIDE, BUT OCCASIONALLY ON DRIVERS SIDE) CONSEQUENTLY WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR A PUDDLE OF WATER FALLS OUT ON MY FEET. IN THE WINTER THE WATER IN THE WILL FREEZES MAKING IT DIFFICULT OT OPEN THE DOOR. I INFORMED THE DEALER OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT FIRST OCCURED AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT OCCURED WITH ALL OF THE CARS AND THAT IT WAS JUST A DESIGN FLAW AND THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. I LEFT IT AT THAT ALTHOUGH IT BOTHERED ME. I AM COMPLAINING NOW BECAUSE SO MANY THINGS SEEM TO BE GOING WRONG WITH THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI #701807

Mileage unknown · Dec 1, 1998
EquipmentService Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PADS AND THE REAR BRAKES HAD BEEN CHANGED. ALSO, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT RADIO SPEAKER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #831554

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

MY BRAKES SQUEEK ALL THE TIME. I'VE HAD THE BRAKES CLEANED TO REMOVE ACCESS DUST AND BUILD UP..AND ALSO HAD THE FRONT BRAKE PADS CHANGED. THIS HAS ALL HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST 4 MONTHS. I ALSO NOTICE ALL MY REALIVES/FRIENDS EXPERIANCE EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF SQUEEKING THAT MY CAR SUFFERS FROM. IF THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL…

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MY BRAKES SQUEEK ALL THE TIME. I'VE HAD THE BRAKES CLEANED TO REMOVE ACCESS DUST AND BUILD UP..AND ALSO HAD THE FRONT BRAKE PADS CHANGED. THIS HAS ALL HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST 4 MONTHS. I ALSO NOTICE ALL MY REALIVES/FRIENDS EXPERIANCE EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF SQUEEKING THAT MY CAR SUFFERS FROM. IF THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL, THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. I DON'T KNOW HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS, BUT IT IS AT THE VERY LEAST, ANNOYING AND VERY VERY NOTICABLE. IT HAPPENS IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. WET/DRY, COLD/WARM ETC ETC. ANY FEEDBACK YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. RICH MARTIN

NHTSA ODI #700992

Mileage unknown · Nov 19, 1998
Service Brakes, HydraulicVisibility

HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 48750 MILES, PROBLEM REPAIRED. BRAKES ARE NOISY AND CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE AIR CIRCULATION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS, CAUSING THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP. THE BRAKES AND AIR CIRCULATION PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE FIXED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #831090

Official recalls

2

96V075000 · 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

2

PE02082 · 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