IllustrationUPON INSPECTION OF VEHICLE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM HEAD GASKET WHICH COULD CAUSE A PROBLEM IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*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 reportsDRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, IT IS NOT LATCHING. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY FOR BEING UNPROTECTED.*AK
CONSUMER HAD FOUND OIL ON DRIVEWAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR OIL LEAKAGE, AND THEY SAID CAUSE OF OIL LEAKAGE WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK
CONSUMER HAS TO CONSTANTLY FILL UP OIL. WHEN PARKING AND MOVING ONE CAN SEE OIL ON GROUND. *AK
REPLACED HEADGASKET IN 12/99 NEEDS HEADGASKET AGAIN\OIL LEAKS AGAIN. *AK
HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. DEALER REPLACED HEAD GASKET, BUT AN INDEPENDENT DEALER TOLD CONSUMER HEAD GASKET WAS NOT REPLACED. ALSO, DEALER WANTED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION/TRANSMISSION PAN AND FLYWHEEL. VEHICLE NOT IN CONDITION TO BE DRIVEN. *AK
ALTERNATOR FAILED 6 MILES AFTER WARR. EXP. DEALER REFUSE TO HELP W/ ANY OF COSTS. NOW THE HEAD GASKET SAME FROM DEALER. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILED. DEALER REFUSES TO HELP W/COSTS. PLEASE HELP! *AK
SIX MILES OVER MY WARRANTY MY ALTERNATOR WENT OUT. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO FIX IT. MY HEADGASKET WITH LESS THAN 60,000.*AK
SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THIS CAR IT STARTED TO SHOW OIL ON THE FLOOR, MOST CARS LEAK A LITTLE THOUGHT LITTLE OF IT. JANUARY 15 I SEEN A LARGE WET SPOT ON FLOOR AND INVESTIGATED IT TO FIND IT WAS THE LEFT REAR CORNER OF THE HEAD. TALKED TO CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS VERY COMMON. I REMINDED THEM THAT THERE WAS O…
Read full complaint
SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THIS CAR IT STARTED TO SHOW OIL ON THE FLOOR, MOST CARS LEAK A LITTLE THOUGHT LITTLE OF IT. JANUARY 15 I SEEN A LARGE WET SPOT ON FLOOR AND INVESTIGATED IT TO FIND IT WAS THE LEFT REAR CORNER OF THE HEAD. TALKED TO CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS VERY COMMON. I REMINDED THEM THAT THERE WAS ONLY 32000 MILES ON THE CAR. WAS INFORMED I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD GO TO 50% ON THE TOTAL BILL. I'VE SEEN WHERE THERE ARE A LOT LONGER WARRANTIES THAT ARE KEPT SECRET FROM US, IF THIS IS SO CAN YOU GET ME TO THE PLACE THAT I HAVE TO BE TO FIND THIS INFO SO THAT I MIGHT GET THIS RECTIFIED? IF NO RECALL IS GOING TO EVER HAPPEN ON AN ITEM THAT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE FOR A LONG TIME WHAT ARE WE TO DO?*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.