IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 35MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK. PASSENGER WAS INJURED. PLEASE ADD VIN. *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
Seat Belts complaints
7 reportsREAR 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!
REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TENSION. THIS CAUSES THE BELTS TO MOVE TOO FREELY. CHILD SAFETY SEAT TECHNICIAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT BELTS WERE NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE BELTS WERE OKAY. *AMK
THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LOCKS WITHOUT REASON. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE LANES OR MERGING ONTO THE INTERSTATE. THE DRIVER HAS TO LEAN FORWARD TO VIEW PAST THE BLIND SPOTS, BUT THE SEAT BELT LOCKES IF THE VEHICLE IS ON A CURVE WITH/WITHOUT THE BRAKES BEING ACTIVATED. ALSO WHEN BRAKING FOR A LIGHT …
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THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LOCKS WITHOUT REASON. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE LANES OR MERGING ONTO THE INTERSTATE. THE DRIVER HAS TO LEAN FORWARD TO VIEW PAST THE BLIND SPOTS, BUT THE SEAT BELT LOCKES IF THE VEHICLE IS ON A CURVE WITH/WITHOUT THE BRAKES BEING ACTIVATED. ALSO WHEN BRAKING FOR A LIGHT OR OTHER REASON, AT NORMAL SPEED, THE SEAT BELT LOCKED WHICH CAUSED NECK BURNS, RUBS, ETC ON THE DRIVER. (BASICALLY, IF THE DRIVER MOVES IN ANY WAY, THE SEAT BELT LOCKS). *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND SHOULDER SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE THROWN FORWARD ,HITTING STEERING WHEEL AND WINDSHIELD. DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND NECK INJURIES. *AK
THE OWNER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE BRAKING FROM ABOUT 50MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATBELT BROKE AT THE BUCKLE. DLR HAS NOT SEEN. *AK
SMALL PLASTIC LOCK THAT HOLDS THE BELT AND KEEPS CHILD SEATS FROM TIPPING FORWARD CAME LOOSE.
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.