IllustrationAFTER PLACING VEHICLE IN PARK, REMOVING KEY FROM THE IGNITION, AND WHEN EXITING VEHICLE, GEAR SHIFT MOVED OUT OF POSITION, CAUSING UNWANTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT, RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING FORWARD. THIS CAUSED INJURIES TO THE DRIVER . CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *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 reportsBRAKES VIBRATE BADLY CAUSING ROTORS TO WEAR OUT AND BREAK. YH
REAR RIGHT SIDE LATCH PLATE BROKE IN HALF TWICE, WHICH WONT SECURELY HOLD A CSS. IN EVENT OF A CRASH, CSS MAY FLY OUT OR WON'T RESTRAINT AN OCCUPANT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. OIL LEAKING UNDER CAR. USER HAS TO CONSTANTLY PUT OIL IN CAR. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
I REALIZE THIS ISN'T A SAFETY COMPLAINT, BUT I HAVE NOWHERE TO TURN. MY CAR IS 3 YEARS OLD, WITH NO HISTORY OF DAMAGE, NO RUST, NO REASON FOR THE PAINT TO SUDDENLY START COMING OF IN HUGE FLAPS, THAT I PICK UP OFF THE DRIVEWAY ON WINDY DAYS AND PUT IN MY GLOVE COMPARTMENT. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID, "WE'VE N…
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I REALIZE THIS ISN'T A SAFETY COMPLAINT, BUT I HAVE NOWHERE TO TURN. MY CAR IS 3 YEARS OLD, WITH NO HISTORY OF DAMAGE, NO RUST, NO REASON FOR THE PAINT TO SUDDENLY START COMING OF IN HUGE FLAPS, THAT I PICK UP OFF THE DRIVEWAY ON WINDY DAYS AND PUT IN MY GLOVE COMPARTMENT. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID, "WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT." AND THAT WAS THE HELP I GOT. I HAVE SEEN NEONS (AT LEAST SIX TO DATE) RANDOMLY AROUND MY AREA, IN MY COLOR (LAPIS BLUE) ALL WITH THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I FIND IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT CHRYLSER DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS!!!! THE CHRYSLER WEBSITE PROVIDES NOWHERE TO TURN FOR COMPLAINTS, NOT EVEN A PHONE #. IS THERE ANYTHING AT ALL THAT CAN BE DONE? NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A NEW VEHICLE AT ONLY 24,000 MILES. THIS HAPPENES TO A LOT OF NEONS. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT IN MY CAR AS I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN. THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON ALL OF A SUDDEN AND I PULLED OVER THINKING THAT I WAS JUST LOW IN OIL. SO I ADDED THREE QUARTS AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE. THE NEXT DAY IT WAS ALREADY LOW AGAIN. THIS IS WHEN I DECIDED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE HEAD GASKET…
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THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT IN MY CAR AS I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN. THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON ALL OF A SUDDEN AND I PULLED OVER THINKING THAT I WAS JUST LOW IN OIL. SO I ADDED THREE QUARTS AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE. THE NEXT DAY IT WAS ALREADY LOW AGAIN. THIS IS WHEN I DECIDED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE HEAD GASKET AND IN NO WAY MY FAULT.
THIS AUTO PURCHASED USED, UNKNOWN IF ANY PRIOR HEADGASKET REPLACEMENTS. *AK
THIS CAR NEED TO BE RECALLED. IF THIS MANY NEON OWNERS ARE HAVING HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS, THEN DIAMLERCHRYSLER NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED AND FIX IT'S MISTAKE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *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.