IllustrationVEHICLE IS POURING OUT OIL ONTO THE GROUND,AND THERE IS NO OIL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS TO PUT 8 CANS OF OIL INSIDE OF VEHICLE LAST WEEK. DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED.*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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
199 reportsHEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING. HAD NOTICED LEAKING OF FLUID. TOOK VEHICLE TO 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS. ONE DID NOT KNOW CAUSE. THE OTHER INDICATED THAT HEAD GASKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK *SLC
OUR PROBLEM IS WITH THE NEONS HEADGASKET LEAKING. AS MANY NEON ARE OWNED WHY DOESN'T DODGE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE CARS LEAKING. I RUN A GARAGE AND WE HAVE DONE ABOUT 25 HEAD GASKET JOBS ON THESE CARS. THIS IS CRAZY! THESE CARS HAVE LOW MILEAGE FOR A CAR BUT ARE OUT OF WARRANTY. I KNOW THAT DODGE REDESIGNED THESE GASKETS. …
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OUR PROBLEM IS WITH THE NEONS HEADGASKET LEAKING. AS MANY NEON ARE OWNED WHY DOESN'T DODGE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE CARS LEAKING. I RUN A GARAGE AND WE HAVE DONE ABOUT 25 HEAD GASKET JOBS ON THESE CARS. THIS IS CRAZY! THESE CARS HAVE LOW MILEAGE FOR A CAR BUT ARE OUT OF WARRANTY. I KNOW THAT DODGE REDESIGNED THESE GASKETS. BUT WHY DON'T THEY RECALL THEM. IT IS CRAZY TO HAVE A CAR WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON IT & HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. THESE SAME CARS ARE THE SAME AS THE TALONS,ECLISPES, AND OTHER WITH THE SAME ENGINE PROBLEMS JUST DIFFERENT NAMES. PROBLEM WITH THE LIFTERS ALSO. DODGE HAS REMADE LIFTERS BECAUSE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE OLD DESIGN. TAKE A CAR WITH LESS THAN 50,000 ON IT & IT NEEDS A VALVES REPLACED. OLD VALVES WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. JUST WENT THROUGH THIS WITH A TALON. GOT VALVES FROM 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS 1 SET NEW STYLE OTHER SET OLD STYLE. THEY DO NOT INTERCHANGE IF USING NEW STYLE HAVE TO CHANGE THE CRANK AND THE CAM SHAFT SO THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER. THIS NEEDS TO BE CHECKED INTO. GUESS DODGE IS TRYING TO KEEP THIS QUIET. THANK GOD FOR 1 HONEST PARTS MAN. IT SEEMS ALL 2.0 SUFFER FROM THIS. THEN THE CONSUMER OR IN OUR CASE THE GARAGE HAS TO FORK OUT 1000.00 OF $$$$$TO FIX PROBLEM THAT IS DODGES PROBLEM. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE UNDER 7YR/70K WARRANTY. HAD TO PAY FOR BROKEN MANIFOLD BOLTS ($100) - DEALER SAID THEY WERE NOT PART OF WARRANTY REPAIR
I REPAIRED THE WATER LEAK BY CAULKING THE TRUNK, I AM AWARE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.*AK
I CALLED A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL FOR THE 1998 DODGE NEON SOHC FOR THE HEAD GASKET WAS NO LONGER HONORED BY DODGE, I HAVE SINCE FOUND THIS TO BE FALSE. I JUST WANT THIS TAKEN CARE OF AND FEEL THEY SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE. THERE IS A RUMOR THAT CHRYSLER HAS A 5 YEAR/ 100,000 MILE WARRANTY OUT FOR THIS PROB…
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I CALLED A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL FOR THE 1998 DODGE NEON SOHC FOR THE HEAD GASKET WAS NO LONGER HONORED BY DODGE, I HAVE SINCE FOUND THIS TO BE FALSE. I JUST WANT THIS TAKEN CARE OF AND FEEL THEY SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE. THERE IS A RUMOR THAT CHRYSLER HAS A 5 YEAR/ 100,000 MILE WARRANTY OUT FOR THIS PROBLEM IN PARTICULAR. THANKS, CLYDE AND MYHIA HUBBLE
HEAD GASKET IS FAULTY, CAUSING PREMATURE FAILURE WHICH COULD RESULT IN ENGINE BLOWING.*AK
HEADGASKET FAILURE AT 3 YRS (52,000 MILES). OIL LEAKING OUT OF ENGINE AS WELL AS INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE HEADGASKETS FOR NEONS HAVE BEEN RE-DESIGNED IN LATE 1998 AS DETAILED IN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 090598. *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.