IllustrationSTEERING: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15MPH AND WENT OVER SPEED BUMP, STEERING LOCKED UP AND COULD NOT STEER CAR LEFT OR RIGHT, STRUGGLED TO TURN LEFT TO GET BACK ON HIGHWAY, HIT THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. HIT 3 TON BOULDER , AND CAR WAS TOTALED. *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 reportsWINDOW SEALS FAILED DUE TO AIR LEAK.
BRAKES SQUEAK.
HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#97V080000) OVER A MONTH AGO. CALLED DEALER FOR APPOINTMENT. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN, AND AFTER ARRIVING WAS INFORMED THEY HAD NO PARTS FOR THE VEHICLE. *AK
GAS TANK IS LEAKING. CONSUMER WA SINFORMED BY DEALER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF GAS TANK. *AK
TIRE/WHEEL BALANCING PROBLEMS, CAUSING FRONT END VIBRATIONS.
DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING TOTAL FRONT END COLLISION, DRIVER LOST CONTROL, VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL, CHRYSLER HAS DETERMINED NOT MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK
WAS DRIVING ALONG APPROXIMATELY 40MPH,WHEN VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME MADE A SUDDEN STOP AND I RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. NEITHER DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE IS IN FOR REPAIRS. *AK
WHILE ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS AT AN STAND STILL WAITING TO TURN THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT THE VEHICLE THAT WAS AT AN STAND STILL, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER HAD A FRONTAL COLLISION. *AK
VEHICLE TRANSMISSION BUCKS VIOLENTLY WHEN IN SECOND GEAR, UNABLE TO RECTIFY FAILURE AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS.
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.