IllustrationOIL LEAKING IN DRIVEWAY, TOOK FOR INSPECTION IMMEDIATELY (SAME DAY IT WAS NOTICED ON A NEW DRIVEWAY). INSPECTOR NOTES HEAD GASKET LEAK THIS MOTOR SHOULD BE ON A RECALL LIST WITH AS MANY AS THEY HAVE SEEN ON THIS MODEL. SCC ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****770859****
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
199 reportsCONSUMER STATES HIS AUTO HAS BEEN LEAKING OIL FOR MONTHS. HE FINALLY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT HE HAD A BAD HEAD GASKET. HE THINKS THAT THIS IS A BAD MOTOR, BECAUSE IT ONLY HAS 24,000 MILES ON IT. TS
HEAD GASKET FAILED, WATER LEAKED INTO RADIATOR. HAD TO REPLACE HEAD GASKET, WATER PUMP, HOSES, AND FLUSH RADIATOR. TOTAL REPAIR $1600 CAR HAD 65000 MILES. I NEVER HAD A CAR DO THIS. DEALER CLAIMS THAT IT WAS MY FAULT. TS
MY WIFE BOUGHT HER 1998 DODGE NEON IN AUGUST OF 2000. WE RECENTLY PASSED 60,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND IT BEGAN TO LEAK OIL. THE LEAK WAS GRADUAL AT FIRST AND I ASSUMED THAT THE OIL PAN BOLT HAD BEEN PUT IN INCORRECTLY BY THE SERVICEMEN AT THE LUBE SHOP. HOWEVER, ON FURTHER REVIEW, THE CAR WAS FOUND TO HAVE A HEAD GASKET LEAK (…
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MY WIFE BOUGHT HER 1998 DODGE NEON IN AUGUST OF 2000. WE RECENTLY PASSED 60,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND IT BEGAN TO LEAK OIL. THE LEAK WAS GRADUAL AT FIRST AND I ASSUMED THAT THE OIL PAN BOLT HAD BEEN PUT IN INCORRECTLY BY THE SERVICEMEN AT THE LUBE SHOP. HOWEVER, ON FURTHER REVIEW, THE CAR WAS FOUND TO HAVE A HEAD GASKET LEAK (APPROX. AN $800 REPAIR). FURTHER RESEARCH HAS LED ME TO FIND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON TO ALL DODGE VEHICLES USING THIS ENGINE. THE DEALER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH DODGE, HAS OFFERED TO COVER THE REPAIR, MINUS A $250 DEDUCTIBLE AND A $105 FEE FOR A COOLANT FLUSH/OIL CHANGE THAT THEY SAY IS NECESSARY WHEN DEALING WITH A HEAD GASKET REPAIR. SO, IN REVIEW, DODGE'S PRODUCT IS FAULTY AND THEY KNOW IT. NEVERTHELESS THEY WILL NOT ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A FLAWED DESIGN THAT THEY CONCEIVED. THIS PRACTICE OF SELLING A PRODUCT WITH KNOWN FLAWS, AND SUBSEQUENTLY REFUSING TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY IS, AT BEST, DISHONEST.
THE HEAD GASKET FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL, THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET, HOWEVER AFTER 2103 MILES THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AGAIN. PH. THE TRANSMISSION PAN WAS LEAKING FLUID AND THE WIPER BLADES WAS REPLACED.*JB
MY 98 NEON HAS A FAILED HEAD GASKET CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD ONLY ORIGINAL OWNER AND UNDER 70,000 MILES WAS CONSIDERED FOR ASSISTANCE BY CHRYSLER ON REPAIR. I WAS TOLD TO CALL BACK ON MONDAY (I CALLED ON A SATURDAY) TO SPEAK WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR MORE ASSISTANCE ON THE MATTER. I WAS ALSO GIVEN A QUOTE F…
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MY 98 NEON HAS A FAILED HEAD GASKET CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD ONLY ORIGINAL OWNER AND UNDER 70,000 MILES WAS CONSIDERED FOR ASSISTANCE BY CHRYSLER ON REPAIR. I WAS TOLD TO CALL BACK ON MONDAY (I CALLED ON A SATURDAY) TO SPEAK WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR MORE ASSISTANCE ON THE MATTER. I WAS ALSO GIVEN A QUOTE FOR REPAIR AND EVEN TOLD BY THE PARTS PERSON THAT THEY KEEP THE GASKET PACKAGE IN STOCK DUE TO THE KNOWN ISSUE. THE QUOTE WAS $124 FOR THE GASKET PACKAGE (PARTS) AND $336 LABOR PLUS TAX. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY CHRYSLER HAS NOT BEEN REQUIRED TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS WELL KNOWN PROBLEM. JUDY & JEREMY AMBROSE DT
CONSUMER STATES THE ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL FROM THE HEAD ENGINE GASKET. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. CONSUMER MENTIONED IS ONLY 19000 MILES FOR THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE WAS LOSING OIL. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER STATES' GASKETS ARE LEAKING OIL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
DEALER CAN'T GET ME IN FOR 6 DAYS B/C HE SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG, EVEN THOUGH A GARAGE TOLD ME. IF IT BLOWS IN THAT TIME, I SHOULD NOT BE LIABLE FOR ALL ADDITIONAL COSTS, IE. BLOWN ENGINE THERE'S A TSB OUT ON THIS, BUT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. I ALSO NOW HAVE TO PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR. DT
DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET - 98 NEON. DT
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.