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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 →

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 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 8, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

MY CAR HAD EXACTLY 12000 MILES ON IT WHEN PURCHASED. AT AROUND MILE 43000, THE CAR BEGAN TO LEAK OIL. I THEN TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE VALVE COVER GASKET. THE REPAIR WAS TO COST ME $800 UNTIL HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS REOCCURING IN DODGE NEONS AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THE DODGE DE…

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MY CAR HAD EXACTLY 12000 MILES ON IT WHEN PURCHASED. AT AROUND MILE 43000, THE CAR BEGAN TO LEAK OIL. I THEN TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE VALVE COVER GASKET. THE REPAIR WAS TO COST ME $800 UNTIL HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS REOCCURING IN DODGE NEONS AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THE DODGE DEALERSHIP TOOK CARE OF IT. THEN, AROUND MILE 70000, THE CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT TREMENDOUSLY, GOING DEAD EVERY TIME THE GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BEGAN TO GO HAYWIRE, THE BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND AS WELL AS THE THERMOSTAT. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND FOR THIS TO BE MY DEPENDABLE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION, IT IS TRULY A JOKE. THE DODGE CORPORATION SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU!*AK

NHTSA ODI #727119

Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED ON TWO OCCASIONS CAUSING OIL LEAKAGE. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #553182

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

OIL FROM LEAKING HEAD GASKET AND VALVE COVER GASKET LEAK DIRECTLY ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSING FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. I HAVE KNOWN AND READ OF MANY,MANY OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. OIL LEAKAGE IN EXCESS OF 3 QTS. PER WEEK. THE SMELL OF BURNING OIL INSIDE OF THE CAR IS NOXIOUS. I HAVE A…

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OIL FROM LEAKING HEAD GASKET AND VALVE COVER GASKET LEAK DIRECTLY ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSING FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. I HAVE KNOWN AND READ OF MANY,MANY OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. OIL LEAKAGE IN EXCESS OF 3 QTS. PER WEEK. THE SMELL OF BURNING OIL INSIDE OF THE CAR IS NOXIOUS. I HAVE A 3 MONTH OLD BABY, A 5 YEAR OLD, AND MY WIFE AND WE CAN HARDLY TAKE A 30 MINUTE TRIP WITHOUT HAVING TO STOP FOR FRESH AIR. THERE IS A DEFINATE POSSIBILITY OF THE DRIVER OR PASSENGERS LOSING CONCIOUSNESS. SMOKE HAS BEEN VISIBLE INSIDE THE CAR BEFORE FROM THE BURNING OIL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #725490

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

I AM CONCERNED ABOUT OIL LEAKS FROM MY 2.0L 16V ENGINE, AT 29,000 MILES THE DEALER CORRECTED THE OILLEAK BY REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET. AT THAT TIME I ALSO COMPLAINED OF A NOISE (LIFTER KNOCK), THEY SAID IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL AND I LET IT GO. NOW I HAVE 46,000 MILES ON THE VEHICAL AND THE OIL CONTINUES TO DRIP AND THE SO-CALLED NORM…

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I AM CONCERNED ABOUT OIL LEAKS FROM MY 2.0L 16V ENGINE, AT 29,000 MILES THE DEALER CORRECTED THE OILLEAK BY REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET. AT THAT TIME I ALSO COMPLAINED OF A NOISE (LIFTER KNOCK), THEY SAID IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL AND I LET IT GO. NOW I HAVE 46,000 MILES ON THE VEHICAL AND THE OIL CONTINUES TO DRIP AND THE SO-CALLED NORMAL LIFTER NOISE NOW SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE WHEN IT IS COLD. IT IS NOW PAST ITS WARRANTY PERIOD. I WOULD LIKE TO LET THE MANUFACTURE KNOW ABOUT MY PROBLEM AND REFER TO AN ARTICLE CONTAINED IN THE SEATTLE TIMES NEWSPAPER DATED MARCH 24, 2000 PAGE F1 ENTITLED "CHRYSLER QUIETLY PAYS HEAD-GASKET BILLS ON NEON".*AK

NHTSA ODI #725483

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #725463

Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

WENT TO START VEHICLE IN THE MORNINGS AND IT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING WAS CLOGGING THE ENGINE. LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED PUDDLE OF OIL. CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #865319

Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 2000
Equipment

EVAPORATOR COIL, EXPANSION VALVE & HOSES REPLACED; FREON ADDED X4; AC STILL FAILS; HAS FAILED 4 TIMES SINCE AUGUST, 1999. DOES NOT BLOW COLD AIR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #725321

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2000
Air BagsCrash

I SEE WHERE THE AIR BAG IMPACT SENSOR IS ON THE RECALL LIST YOU HAVE PROVIDED, BUT I REPORTED IT ALSO. MY NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT IS THE WAY MY VEHICLE AND SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES THE SAME COLOR AS MINE IS PEELING. MY VEHICLE COLOR IS LAPIS BLUE AND THE PAINT IS PEELING ALL OVER. I'VE TOOK IT TO THREE DODGE DEALERS, AND NO ONE WAN…

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I SEE WHERE THE AIR BAG IMPACT SENSOR IS ON THE RECALL LIST YOU HAVE PROVIDED, BUT I REPORTED IT ALSO. MY NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT IS THE WAY MY VEHICLE AND SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES THE SAME COLOR AS MINE IS PEELING. MY VEHICLE COLOR IS LAPIS BLUE AND THE PAINT IS PEELING ALL OVER. I'VE TOOK IT TO THREE DODGE DEALERS, AND NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PAINT PEELING. WHEN THE VEHICLE FIRST STARTED PEELING ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I HAD IT, I TOOK IT TO ARCHER DODGE IN HOUSTON, TX. AND I WAS SOLD SOME LAPIS BLUE TOUCH-UP PAINT BY ONE OF THE SERVICE AGENTS, AND FROM THAT POINT MY VEHICLE CONTINUED TO PEEL , AND TO THIS DATE THE PAINT PEELING IS UNBELIEVEABLE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT'S PEELING DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S ERROR. LIKE I SAID THERE ARE SEVERAL LAPIS BLUE DODGE NEONS THAT ARE PEELING, AND I DO HAVE AT LEAST TEN OTHER LICENSE PLATES NUMBERS TO THE OTHER LAPIS BLUE NEONS THAT ARE PEELING. HERE IT IS I'M PAYING A CAR NOTE FOR A VEHICLE THAT LOOKS HORRIBLE AND IT TAKES AWAY FROM THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS ISN'T FAIR TO THE CONSUMERS, BEING THAT THIS PAINT PEELING IS DUE TO ERROR OF THE MANUFACTURER. THE PEELING OF THE PAINT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MILEAGE NEITHER, AS SOME ARE TRYING TO CONNECT TOGETHER. I'VE SEEN OLDER MODEL VEHICLES THAT STILL HAVE THEIR ORIGINAL PAINT JOB , AND THERE'S NO PEELING AT ALL. THE PAINT PEELING WILL SPEAK FOR ITSELF. I ALSO WAS TOLD AT ONE OF THE DEALER'S I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THAT THEY COULD GET THE VEHICLE PAINTED, BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY HALF THE COST, AND THERE'S NO WAY MYSELF CONSUMERS HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT'S NOT DIRECTLY OUR FAULTS. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED TWO YEARS AGO. CONSUMERS SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING FOR SOMETHING THAT WE HAD NO CONTROL OVER OR R

NHTSA ODI #725015

Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingVisibility

HEATER BLOWER MOTOR FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ODI #784724

Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingVisibility

THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND HEAD GASKET FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #784723

Official recalls

1

97V080000 · 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

1

PE02082 · 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.