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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 →
339Owner complaints

Model-year median: 173

1Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
976
1995611
1996390
1997339
1998116
1999337
2000146
2001
Compare all Neon years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
199Air Bags
34Structure
22Electrical System
21Power Train
20
All reported categories
Unknown Or Other
18Visibility
16Suspension
14Steering
13Vehicle Speed Control
11Equipment
10Service Brakes, Hydraulic
10Fuel System, Gasoline
8Exterior Lighting
7Seat Belts
7Seats
4Tires
4Interior Lighting
2Fuel/propulsion System
1Service Brakes
1Service Brakes, Electric
1Wheels
1

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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

199 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

HEAD GASKET AND OIL PAN GASKET FAILURES. VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. CURRENTLY, A TRANSMISSION REAR GASKET FAILURE OCCURRED, CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK THE DEALER WAS UNWILLING TO DO REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN AT INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP EARLIER. *YH

NHTSA ODI #882914

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL FOR ABOUT 3-4 WEEKS. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER, AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT PROBLEM WAS. IT SEEMED TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM THAT HASN'T REACHED AN INVESTIGATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #881827

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 57,000 MILES. FACTORY CHANGED GASKET AT ASS'Y PLANTS IN LATE 1998, HOWEVER, MINE WAS BUILT IN APRIL 1998 WITH ORIGINAL FAULTY DESIGN. THIS DESIGN FLAW IS COMMON AND SHOULD TRIGGER A RECALL.*AK

NHTSA ODI #741702

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

HEAD GASKET FAILURE THEN HEAD REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS PITTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #741587

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ODI #741563

Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment

REPLACED BLOWN HEAD GASKET.... NEW GASKET WAS OF SUPERIOR QUALITY AND DESIGN THAN ORIGINAL. THE MANUFACTURER OBVIOUSLY REDESIGNED IT DUE TO A FAULTY ORIGINAL DESIGN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #741485

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAS DEVELOPED A LEAK WHICH COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #880926

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

THE 1998 DODGE NEON THAT I BOUGHT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A PROBLEM. ALONG WITH NUMEROUS, AND I DO MEAN NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN TWICE. AND AS WE ALL KNOW THEY ARE NOT CHEAP TO REPLACE. DODGE SHOULD BE MADE TO REIMBURSE ALL SUCH PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI #741289

Mileage unknown · Feb 16, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

BLOWN HEAD GASKET CAUSED OIL LEAK AT 33K MILES. NLM

NHTSA ODI #559725

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension

HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 40000 MI. SPRING SLEEVES REPLACED AT 500 MI, FAILED AROUND 3000 MI. *AK

NHTSA ODI #740945

Official recalls

1

99V001000 · 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

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.