Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
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 reports
79,950 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
FIRST OF ALL, MY CAR HAS BEEN LEAKING OIL FOR QUITE A FEW MONTHS NOW ...I JUST KEPT PUTTING A QUART IN EVERY NOW AND THEN. WELL, WHEN I WENT TO GET THE CAR INSPECTED AT PEP BOYS, THEY SAID THAT MY HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. THEY RECOMMENDED ME GETTING AN ESTIMATE AND THE WORK DONE AT AN AUTHORIZED DODGE DEALER. I WANT TO FIND O…
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FIRST OF ALL, MY CAR HAS BEEN LEAKING OIL FOR QUITE A FEW MONTHS NOW ...I JUST KEPT PUTTING A QUART IN EVERY NOW AND THEN. WELL, WHEN I WENT TO GET THE CAR INSPECTED AT PEP BOYS, THEY SAID THAT MY HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. THEY RECOMMENDED ME GETTING AN ESTIMATE AND THE WORK DONE AT AN AUTHORIZED DODGE DEALER. I WANT TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION OR FROM DODGE ON THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS THAT DODGE NEONS HAVE. I DIDN'T KNOW THIS UNTIL VERY RECENTLY. I HAVE NO REPAIR DATE OR COST YET. I WAS HOPING TO GET INFORMATION BEFORE I GET AN APPOINTMENT/FIXED. CAN'T THIS BE A RECALL? IF SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR NEONS WHY DOESN'T DODGE FIX THEM? I AM PAYING A CAR LOAN ON THIS AND IT NEEDS FIXED ALREADY...AND IT IS A MAJOR FIX.
NHTSA ODI #10069754
Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
REPLACED 3 HEAD GASKETS IN 1997 DODGE NEON. FEWER THAN 33,000 MILES AT REPLACEMENT OF THIRD HEAD GASKET. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10049341
Mileage unknown · Nov 13, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
I HAD BOUGHT 2 NEW DODGE NEONS, 1997 & 1998. FIRST 1998 NEON HAD ENGINE GASKET PROBLEM, DAIMLERCHRYSLER FIXED IT &I PAID $100.00 AS I HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY. NOW 1997 NEON WITH LOWER MILEAGE HAS SAME ENGINE GASKET PROBLEM. TWO CARS SAME PROBLEM. REQUESTED DAIMLER-CHRYSLER TO FIX THE PROBLEM AS THIS IS MANUFACTURING PROBLEM DA…
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I HAD BOUGHT 2 NEW DODGE NEONS, 1997 & 1998. FIRST 1998 NEON HAD ENGINE GASKET PROBLEM, DAIMLERCHRYSLER FIXED IT &I PAID $100.00 AS I HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY. NOW 1997 NEON WITH LOWER MILEAGE HAS SAME ENGINE GASKET PROBLEM. TWO CARS SAME PROBLEM. REQUESTED DAIMLER-CHRYSLER TO FIX THE PROBLEM AS THIS IS MANUFACTURING PROBLEM DAIMLERCHRYSLER IS REFUSING TO FIX IT. PLEASE MAKE DAIMLERCHRYSLER FIX THIS FOR ALL NEON OWNERS THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE JEEP CAR PROBLEM AFTER YOU ALL GOT AFTER THEM THEY ARE FIXING THE JEEP PROBLEM FOR THE JEEP CUSTOMERS WITHOUT ANY CHARGE. THE ENGINE GASKET PROBLEM IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH NEON CARS. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10046887
Mileage unknown · Nov 2, 2003
Structure
1997 DODGE NEON - HEAD GASKET LEAKED - WAS REPLACED FOR A SMALL FEE ONCE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. NOW WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT ON THE TRUCK AND SIDE PEELING AND BUBBLING OFF. WHAT CAN WE DO? CAN WE CONTACT THE DEALER TO HAVE THE CAR REPAINTED? I'VE NOTICED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WITH NEONS. *L…
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1997 DODGE NEON - HEAD GASKET LEAKED - WAS REPLACED FOR A SMALL FEE ONCE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. NOW WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT ON THE TRUCK AND SIDE PEELING AND BUBBLING OFF. WHAT CAN WE DO? CAN WE CONTACT THE DEALER TO HAVE THE CAR REPAINTED? I'VE NOTICED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WITH NEONS. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10045295
23,000 miles · Oct 21, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
I JUST BOUGHT THIS 97 DODGE NEON WITH ONLY 23,000 MILES ON IT. THE A/C HAS A LEAK IN THE COIL , THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING . THE CAR IS IN GREAT SHAPE BUT THOSE FEW THINGS SO FAR . THE PERSON WHO OWNED THE CAR BEFORE ME WAS AN OLDER GENTLEMAN WHO DOES NOT WRECK HIS THINGS. I WAS WONDERING ARE THESE PROBLEMS, FACTORY PROBLEMS …
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I JUST BOUGHT THIS 97 DODGE NEON WITH ONLY 23,000 MILES ON IT. THE A/C HAS A LEAK IN THE COIL , THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING . THE CAR IS IN GREAT SHAPE BUT THOSE FEW THINGS SO FAR . THE PERSON WHO OWNED THE CAR BEFORE ME WAS AN OLDER GENTLEMAN WHO DOES NOT WRECK HIS THINGS. I WAS WONDERING ARE THESE PROBLEMS, FACTORY PROBLEMS AND/OR RECALLS? *LA
NHTSA ODI #10043303
105,000 miles · Oct 6, 2003
Steering
STEERING KNUCKLE SHEERED OFF OF RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WITH NO COLLISION OR ACCIDENT. RIGHT FRONT HUB CAB FELL OFF AS WELL. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10041335
34,000 miles · Sep 30, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
CONSUMER NOTICED OIL ON THE DRIVEWAY. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE. HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10042004
62,000 miles · Sep 23, 2003
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury
CONSUMER STATED HER BRAKES FAILED. THERE WAS A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT ON THE BELTWAY. AS SHE APPROACHED SHE SAW THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER APPLY HIS BRAKES, SHE THEN APPLIED HER BRAKES. HER VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND SHE RECEIVED SOME MUSCULOSKELETAL IN…
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CONSUMER STATED HER BRAKES FAILED. THERE WAS A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT ON THE BELTWAY. AS SHE APPROACHED SHE SAW THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER APPLY HIS BRAKES, SHE THEN APPLIED HER BRAKES. HER VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND SHE RECEIVED SOME MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES AND WAS VERY SORE. HER VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WON'T CLAIM ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT ON THE VEHICLE. *PH *SCC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10032439
Mileage unknown · Sep 5, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic
INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED TWICE THE FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTORS, AND THE CALIPER PIN. ALSO, ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10038306
Mileage unknown · Aug 26, 2003
Vehicle Speed Control
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE IN REVERSE, IT WOULD ONLY ACCELERATE FORWARD. DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
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 ↗
Defect 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.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.
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