IllustrationCONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS CAUSING OIL LEAKS. VEHILCE NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *TT
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
What owners actually said
390 reportsWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING AND LEAKING OIL, CONSUMER REPLACED THERMOSTAT WHICH SUFFICED FOR 2 MONTHS, BUT VEHICLE STALLED OUT COMPLETELY, VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, THIS WAS THE SECOND GASKET THAT WAS REPLACED WHICH WAS INSTALLED BY RECALL. *TT
WHILE PARKED, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER FOUND TRANSMISSION LINES LOOSE. VEHICLE SHIFTING BY ITSELF DUE TO A STICKY CABLE. OIL LEAK IN ENGINE. DEALER FOUND HEADGASKET FAILURE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ENGINE RUNS ROUGH. CAMSHAFT REPLACED. VEHICLE SHAKES AND TREMBLES WHILE BRAKING. WEATHERSTRIPPING FELL OFF O…
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WHILE PARKED, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER FOUND TRANSMISSION LINES LOOSE. VEHICLE SHIFTING BY ITSELF DUE TO A STICKY CABLE. OIL LEAK IN ENGINE. DEALER FOUND HEADGASKET FAILURE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ENGINE RUNS ROUGH. CAMSHAFT REPLACED. VEHICLE SHAKES AND TREMBLES WHILE BRAKING. WEATHERSTRIPPING FELL OFF ON DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. ANTIFREEZE LEAKING. DEALER REPLACED WATER PUMP. BATTERY CLAMP LOOSE CAUSING BATTERY LIGHT TO STAY ON. *AK *TT
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE BLOCK.*AK
RECALL 97V080000/AIR BAG: WHILE DRIVING, THE BELL ALARM WENT OFF AND THEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT SENOR CAME ON AND WENT OFF, DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN.*AK. CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REPLACED THE MODULE.*JB
NEON HEAD GASKET BLOWN, HAD TO PAY 680$ TO HAVE REPLACED. THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS. PLEASE CONTACT ME ABOUT THIS, AND WHAT SHOULD I DO. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)…
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NEON HEAD GASKET BLOWN, HAD TO PAY 680$ TO HAVE REPLACED. THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS. PLEASE CONTACT ME ABOUT THIS, AND WHAT SHOULD I DO. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
I PURCHASED THIS CAR WITH APPROXIMATELY 26,000 MILES ON IT AND HAVE TAKEN METICULOUS CARE OF IT, INCLUDING ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE COST I'VE BEEN QUOTED TO REPLACE THIS HEAD GASKET IS APPROXIMATELY $977. A PART LIKE THAT SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE ENGINE... NOT 61,000 MILES. JUDGING FROM ALL THE POSTINGS I'VE READ ON T…
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I PURCHASED THIS CAR WITH APPROXIMATELY 26,000 MILES ON IT AND HAVE TAKEN METICULOUS CARE OF IT, INCLUDING ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE COST I'VE BEEN QUOTED TO REPLACE THIS HEAD GASKET IS APPROXIMATELY $977. A PART LIKE THAT SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE ENGINE... NOT 61,000 MILES. JUDGING FROM ALL THE POSTINGS I'VE READ ON THE INTERNET, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON FAILURE MODE FOR THE NEON ENGINE AND I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BEAR SOME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A PART LIKE THIS THAT IS FAILING PREMATURELY.*AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET STARTED LEAKING AT 60200 MILES, VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET.*AK
I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH NEONS MADE IN 97 AND THEY SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. ALSO THE PAINT IS COMING OFF. I HAVE SEEN MANY NEON'S SINCE I BOUGHT MINE, WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. . NO SAFETYD EFEC TMENTIONED. *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.