IllustrationDRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISSION WHILE CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
1998 Dodge Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Dodge Neon do not stand out strongly from 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: 45 of 339 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 199 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
43 crash reports3 fire reports32 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
34 reportsWHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH VEHICLE STRUCK A PARKED CAR, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS. *AK
REAR ENED ANOTHER CAR AT 25 M.P.H AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO THE DRIVERSIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK THUS CAUSING ME TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM!
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 30 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 35-40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL ONE MINUTE OR MORE AFTER IMPACT, 3 PEOPLE SUSTAINED INJURIES DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. *SLC
I WAS RECENTLY IN A FRONT OFFSET (PASSENGER SIDE)IMPACT COLLISION IN MY DODGE NEON, AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND I WAS THE PASSENGER. HE HAD THE CRUISE SET AT 70 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED IN FRONT OF US. WE LEFT 102' OF SKID MARKS BEFORE THE POI AND TRAVELLED ANOTHER 22' BEFORE THE P…
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I WAS RECENTLY IN A FRONT OFFSET (PASSENGER SIDE)IMPACT COLLISION IN MY DODGE NEON, AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND I WAS THE PASSENGER. HE HAD THE CRUISE SET AT 70 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED IN FRONT OF US. WE LEFT 102' OF SKID MARKS BEFORE THE POI AND TRAVELLED ANOTHER 22' BEFORE THE POR. I CONTACTED DC ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE BEEN BRUSHED OFF. THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY DID AN INVESTIGATION, AND THE RATE OF DECELERATION WAS NOT MET. HOWEVER, MY CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED OUT BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE A CRUSHED ALUMINUM CAN ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED, AND I KNOW THAT WE WERE GOING AT LEAST 30 MPH WHEN WE HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE ROAD IS A HIGHWAY THAT HAS RECENTLY HAD NEW BLACKTOP LAID, AND IS VERY SLICK. I DO NOT EVEN KNOW IF THIS MATTER HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED. THE SUPPOSED INVESTIGATOR LOOKED AT THE CAR ON SEPT 19, AND THE LETTER THAT I RECEIVED REGARDING THAT IS DATED SEPT 21. TWO DAYS DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LONG TIME TO ME FOR A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO THE MATTER. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE "INVESTIGATOR" COULD NOT HAVE LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON ON THE 19TH AS I WAS AT THE SALVAGE YARD REMOVING THINGS FROM MY VEHICLE BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER FOR THE MAN WHO TURNED IN FRONT OF US. I AM SORRY TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. SINCERELY, JAMIE EASLY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A SUBARU LEGACY, AND DRIVER/ PASSENGER AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DID NOT PROTECT OCCUPANTS IN THIS CRASH. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING A CAT CONSUMER STRUCK A TREE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH THERE WAS A 4-CAR ACCIDENT, AND CONSUMER REAR ENDED THE 4TH CAR. BOUNCED OFF, AND THE CAR BEHIND CONSUMER'S, HIT IT AT ABOUT 40 MPH. THEN CONSUMER'S CAR HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT THREE TIMES. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DEALER SAID AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AT 20 TO 25 MPH.*AK
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WAS TRYING TO COME OUT OF COVER DUE TO WARPING, THE AIRBAG CAME OUT OF POSITION. GEAR SHIFT CAN BE MOVE OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION DUE TO FAILURE OF THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM. HEAD GASKET FAILURE RESULTED IN OIL LEAKAGE. PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM DUE TO MI…
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CONSUMER NOTICED THAT PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WAS TRYING TO COME OUT OF COVER DUE TO WARPING, THE AIRBAG CAME OUT OF POSITION. GEAR SHIFT CAN BE MOVE OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION DUE TO FAILURE OF THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM. HEAD GASKET FAILURE RESULTED IN OIL LEAKAGE. PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM DUE TO MISSING DOOR AJAR SWITCH BUMPER. ALL SPEAKERS NEED REPLACING DUE TO NOISE DISTORTION. POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN TO MAKE NOISE AS WELL AS FLASHING OF THE INSTRUMENT DASH LIGHTS. *AK.
Official recalls
199V001000 · Structure:body
Jan 7, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER MAY BE MISSING SPOT WELDS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN STRUCTURAL CRACKS IN THE BODY, AND REDUCED CRASH PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ANY MISSING WELDS, AND WILL HAVE STRUCTURAL RIVETS INSTALLED IN PLACE OF THE MISSING WELDS.
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.