IllustrationSPRAG GEAR BROKE, VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED ACCORDING OWNERS MANUAL. A GOOD TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 56000. THIS CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN HARD. AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR TRANNY TO FAIL.*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
What owners actually said
339 reportsENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAS DEVELOPED A LEAK WHICH COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
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.
BLOWN HEAD GASKET CAUSED OIL LEAK AT 33K MILES. NLM
HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 40000 MI. SPRING SLEEVES REPLACED AT 500 MI, FAILED AROUND 3000 MI. *AK
WHENEVER PUTTING OIL IN TO GAS TANK IT WILL LEAK RIGHT TO THE GROUND. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT HEAD GASKET WAS SHOT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON PROBLEM. *AK
FAULTY HEAD GASKET AT ONLY 54,400 MILES SEEMS ODD FOR A 1998 VECHICLE. I BOUGHT IT USED IN NASHVILLE AND ON THE FIRST OIL CHANGE AN OIL LEAK PROBLEM WAS DESCOVERED AND FIXED VIA WARENTY. THIS MAY BE THE SAME COMPONENT. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED IN ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
AFTER NUMEROUS OIL CHANGES, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING WHILE ON EXPRESSWAY AND CAR LURCHED, THEN SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. AT DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THAT ENGINE THREW A ROD THROUGH THE OIL PAN. I'M CONVINCED THIS IS RELATED TO THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE HEAD GASKET IN THE ENGINE, SINCE THEY ALL SEEM TO HA…
Read full complaint
AFTER NUMEROUS OIL CHANGES, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING WHILE ON EXPRESSWAY AND CAR LURCHED, THEN SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. AT DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THAT ENGINE THREW A ROD THROUGH THE OIL PAN. I'M CONVINCED THIS IS RELATED TO THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE HEAD GASKET IN THE ENGINE, SINCE THEY ALL SEEM TO HAVE OIL LEAKS IN COMMON.*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING OIL LEAKAGES. TAKEN TO DEALER, AND INFORMED THAT 2.0L ENGINE HAD A HEAD GASKET FAILURE, AND VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *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.