IllustrationVEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD ON AT 40MPH AND NEITHER OF THE DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BLEW UP. VEHICLE IS BEING INSPECTED NOW. *AK
1997 Dodge Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Neon years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 35 of 390 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 222 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
44 crash reports12 fire reports24 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
41 reportsDURING A COLLISION FRONT END WAS PRETTY SMASHED UP: NOT DRIVABLE: NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS. *AK
TURNED ON THE CAR WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, PUT CAR IN DRIVE, REMOVED FOOT FROM BRAKE AND CAR ACCELERATED AND HIT HEAD ON A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA. PRESSED ON THE BRAKE AS CAR SPED ACROSS THE LOT AND NOTHING HAPPENED. ENGINE MADE HIGH PITCHED WHIRRING NOISE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY INCIDENT RESEMBLES THE ONE POSTED ON THE NHTSA WEB …
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TURNED ON THE CAR WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, PUT CAR IN DRIVE, REMOVED FOOT FROM BRAKE AND CAR ACCELERATED AND HIT HEAD ON A 1999 DODGE DAKOTA. PRESSED ON THE BRAKE AS CAR SPED ACROSS THE LOT AND NOTHING HAPPENED. ENGINE MADE HIGH PITCHED WHIRRING NOISE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY INCIDENT RESEMBLES THE ONE POSTED ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE ODI ID# 535732. *AK
WHILE MAKING A TURN, A VEHICLE HIT THE SIDE OF THE BUMPER, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TURN AND HIT A POLE ON THE FRONT END, IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. NO ONE HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AS OF YET. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOVLED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROX. 35-40 MPH IMPACT/ BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK
WHEN DRIVING 0-10MPH, FRONTAL IMPACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELLING 45MPH, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK
DRIVING AT 40 MPH ,BRAKES LOCKED UP WHEN MAKING A NORMAL STOP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE INTO A TRUCK, DUAL ARIBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FRONT END WAS PUSHED COMPLETELY IN. THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURIES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH AND TURNING RIGHT STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN VEHICLE HITTING A WALL. ALSO, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS IN VEHICLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
WHILE PARKED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR THAT RAN IT INTO A TREE. DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH THE VEHICLE HAD A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A TRUCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, NOT PROTE *AK
Official recalls
197V080000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
May 16, 1997
THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT DESIGN ALLOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON VEHICLE IGNITION SHUT DOWN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED MODULE.
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
1PE02082 · 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.