IllustrationI AM HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH MY 1997 DODGE NEON. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS NOTHING BUT CLICKS. I AM HAVING SO MUCH PROBLEMS TURNING ON MY SIGNAL LIGHTS. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE. I AM HOPING THAT THIS IS A RECALL SO I WON'T HAVE TO PAY SO MUCH MONEY OUT OF POCKET. *TR
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
Steering complaints
15 reportsSTEERING KNUCKLE SHEERED OFF OF RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WITH NO COLLISION OR ACCIDENT. RIGHT FRONT HUB CAB FELL OFF AS WELL. *LA
POWER STEERING UNIT MAKES NOISE WHEN STARTING OR WHEN MAKING TURNS. VEHICLE AT DEALER SHOP. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK
WHEN DRIVING OVER A PUDDLE OR WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN POWER STEERING BELT GETS WET, CAUSING STEERING TO BECOME DIFFICULT WHICH CAUSED DRIVER TO ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED BELTS AND HAS TIGHTENED THEM. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RETURNS WHENEVER IT RAINS. MANUFACTURER HAS PROVIDED DE…
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WHEN DRIVING OVER A PUDDLE OR WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN POWER STEERING BELT GETS WET, CAUSING STEERING TO BECOME DIFFICULT WHICH CAUSED DRIVER TO ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED BELTS AND HAS TIGHTENED THEM. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RETURNS WHENEVER IT RAINS. MANUFACTURER HAS PROVIDED DEALER WITH INSTRUCTION TO TIGHTEN BELTS, AND CHECK THE TORQUE EVERY THREE THOUSAND MILES.*AK
LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, THE HEAD GASKET ON MY YOUNG NEON HAS BLOWN.I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES SQUEALING, POWER STEERING LOCKING UP IN WET WEATHER AND THE TURN SIGNAL NOW ONLY WORKS WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT. THE RADIO HAD TO BE REPLACED THE FIRST YEAR I OWNED THE CAR - AND IT TOOK THE DEALER NEARLY A MONTH TO GET THAT DONE.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER SAYS THAT ONLY WHEN DRIVING UNDER WET CONDITIONS THAT THE POWER STEERING BELT GETS LOOSE, CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. ALSO, BRAKE PEDAL GETS HARD AND THE STEERING WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN TURNING A CORNER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
POWER STEERING BECOMES INOPERATIVE PERIODICALLY WITHOUT WARNING,CAUSING STEERING TO GO HARD,DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. DEALER HAS TIGHTENED STEERING BELT, AND REPLACED SOME STEERING COMPONENTS. DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *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
CONSUMER HAS HAD THREE INCIDENTS CONCERNING VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL. ON THE LAST INCIDENT CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON A TWO LANE CANYON ROAD, APPROX 45 MPH, BEFORE COMING TO AN APPROACHING TURN,CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN TO 35 MPH; STEERING WHEEL BECAME STUCK AND HARD TO TURN; CONSUMER BARELY MADE THE TURN, CAUSING DANGER …
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CONSUMER HAS HAD THREE INCIDENTS CONCERNING VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL. ON THE LAST INCIDENT CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON A TWO LANE CANYON ROAD, APPROX 45 MPH, BEFORE COMING TO AN APPROACHING TURN,CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN TO 35 MPH; STEERING WHEEL BECAME STUCK AND HARD TO TURN; CONSUMER BARELY MADE THE TURN, CAUSING DANGER TO CONSUMER . DEALER NOTIFIED. AS ALWAYS INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT NOTHING CAN BE FOUNDED.
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.