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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

What owners actually said

339 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE CUTS OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING, THE INSTALLING OF NEW THROTTLE AS WELL AS POWER TRAIN MODULE COULD NOT FIX THIS FAILURE, POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. YH

NHTSA ODI #552012

Mileage unknown · Apr 25, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR O-RING IN RIGHT REAR OF ENGINE. APPEARS TO POSSIBLY BE A O-RING WHICH SECURES OIL MOVING FROM THE CRANKCASE TO THE HEAD. VERY PREMATURE FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #721907

Mileage unknown · Apr 23, 2000
Structure

LEAK IN TRUNK. REPLACED CARPET, RESEALED IT THREE TIMES, STILL LEAKS, FLOWING INTO INTERIOR OF CAR 1 1/2 INCH DEEP THROUGH OUT THE CAB. *AK

NHTSA ODI #721851

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

I WANT THE SECRET WARRANTY TO COVER THIS. NO SAFETY DEFECT IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #721737

Mileage unknown · Apr 15, 2000
Interior LightingVisibility

DALER HAS TRIED TO REPAIR THE INTERIOR DOME/MIRROR LIGHTS 4 TIMES.

NHTSA ODI #721491

Mileage unknown · Apr 14, 2000
Seat BeltsInjury

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

NHTSA ODI #721477

Mileage unknown · Apr 12, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentExterior LightingCrash

THIS CAR HAS ENDLESS PROBLEMS. WITH 2 HEAD GASKETS AND 1 VALVE GASKET BLOWN, I WORRY ABOUT WHAT DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE TO MY CAR. I JUST HOPE IT DOESN'T BLOW TOO. I WANT CHRYSLER TO DOUBLE MY WARRANTY! *AK

NHTSA ODI #721374

Mileage unknown · Apr 7, 2000
Structure

PROBLEM OF WATER LEAKING INTO BACK SEAT FLOORBOARD/ UNABLE TO LOCATE HOW. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM AS WELL. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #859852

Mileage unknown · Mar 27, 2000
Air BagsElectrical SystemEquipment

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WAS TRYING TO COME OUT OF COVER DUE TO WARPING, THE AIRBAG CAME OUT OF POSITION. GEAR SHIFT CAN BE MOVE OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION DUE TO FAILURE OF THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM. HEAD GASKET FAILURE RESULTED IN OIL LEAKAGE. PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM DUE TO MI…

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CONSUMER NOTICED THAT PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WAS TRYING TO COME OUT OF COVER DUE TO WARPING, THE AIRBAG CAME OUT OF POSITION. GEAR SHIFT CAN BE MOVE OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION DUE TO FAILURE OF THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM. HEAD GASKET FAILURE RESULTED IN OIL LEAKAGE. PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM DUE TO MISSING DOOR AJAR SWITCH BUMPER. ALL SPEAKERS NEED REPLACING DUE TO NOISE DISTORTION. POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN TO MAKE NOISE AS WELL AS FLASHING OF THE INSTRUMENT DASH LIGHTS. *AK.

NHTSA ODI #859224

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainUnknown Or Other

CONSUMER PURCHSASED VEHICLE WITH 12,000 MILES ON IT. TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & HAD SEALS TIGHTENED. 1-2 DAYS LATER, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON & THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED ON 10-18-99 BECAUSE CONSUMER WAS SCARED TO DRIVE IT. CONSUMER FOUND OUT HEAD GASKE…

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CONSUMER PURCHSASED VEHICLE WITH 12,000 MILES ON IT. TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & HAD SEALS TIGHTENED. 1-2 DAYS LATER, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON & THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED ON 10-18-99 BECAUSE CONSUMER WAS SCARED TO DRIVE IT. CONSUMER FOUND OUT HEAD GASKETS WERE CRACKED. CONSUMER HAS OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE & DEALER WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE DEFECTS. WILL CONTACT THE LEMON LAW. *AK

NHTSA ODI #858858

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.