IllustrationWHILE MAKING A DEAD STOP WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AT SAME TIME CONSUMER REAR ENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*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
What owners actually said
390 reportsENGINE IS LEAKING OIL/DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO OUT AND COME BACK ON AT RANDOM INTERVALS/ ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON/ DOOR AJAR ALARM WILL COME WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION, AND TRANSMISSION WILL GET STUCK BETWEEN GEARS AND ENGAGE FORCEFULLY. . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
CONSUMER CAN SEE OIL DRIPPLETS ON ENGINE AND ON FRAME , AND SMALL PUDDLES OF OIL ON GROUND UNDER VEHICLE. *AK
I HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR FOR THREE YEARS AND IT BLOWS A HEAD GASKET AT 60K COSTING A $1000 TO REPAIR. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE POSTED COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB BUT NOT HERE. *AK
UPON IMPACT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIR BAG THERE WERE NOTICEABLE HOLES IN THE AIR BAG. NLM
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOME OIL LEAKING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO A MECHANIC, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT HEAD GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWNOUT, LEAKING OIL AND COOLANT INTO ENGINE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED.*AK
ENGINE LEAKING OIL/WATER MIXTURE OUT THROUGH COOLANT BOTTLE, AVERAGE ABOUT 1 QUART PER ENGINE RUN OR 100 MILES WHICHEVER IS FIRST.*AK
NOTICED OIL LEAKING. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. *AK *SLC
I HAVE HAD 2 HEAD GASKETS LEAK IN THIS VEHICLE WITH OIL LEAKING ON THE ENGINE BLOCK. ONE WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS NOW HAPPENED AGAIN. I KNOW OF MANY OTHER NEONS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. APPEARS DODGE KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM BASED ON THEIR SERVICE BULLETINS. A FIRE HAZARD EXISTS WITH OIL LEAKING ON THE ENGINE BLOCK.
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.