IllustrationHEAD GASKET HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS BAD ON MY CAR THAT HAS HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES AND THESE ARE HIGHWAY MILES.TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH NEONS
1999 Dodge Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
50–25K
525–50K
1350–75K
375–100K
2100–150K
2150K+
30 reports with mileage · 86 unknown
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 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
21 crash reports4 fire reports13 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
55 reportsCONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN OIL LEAK DUE TO THE OIL SEAL HAVING A CRACK IN IT.*JB *TS
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT THEN SMOKE. DEALER DETERMINED HEADGASKET HAD BLOWN.*AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT, CAUSING ENGINE TO LEAK. HAD PART REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING OIL IS LEAKING FROM VEHICLE.*AK
WE ARE UPSET BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKET SHOULD NOT BE A REGULAR PROBLEM. WE WERE TOLD THAT ALL THE GARAGES DO ALL DAY LONG IS REPLACE HEAD GASKETS. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW BUYS CARS AT AUCTIONS AND HE TOLD US THAT DEALER WILL NOT EVEN BUY NEONS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOTED FOR THE HEAD GASKET GOING OUT. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THERE MAY BE A…
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WE ARE UPSET BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKET SHOULD NOT BE A REGULAR PROBLEM. WE WERE TOLD THAT ALL THE GARAGES DO ALL DAY LONG IS REPLACE HEAD GASKETS. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW BUYS CARS AT AUCTIONS AND HE TOLD US THAT DEALER WILL NOT EVEN BUY NEONS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOTED FOR THE HEAD GASKET GOING OUT. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL ON THIS. I AM WANTING INFO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH YOUR VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
INTERMITTENT ENGINE DIES AND WILL NOT RESTART UNTIL CAR SETS AND COOLS DOWN FOR A WHILE, DIAGNOSE FUEL PUMP TO BE THE CAUSE OF ENGINE STALLING. ON ANOTHER OCCASSION CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, HAS BEEN LOOKED AT SEVERAL TIMES AND TOLD IT HAS A TSB OPEN, TEST DROVE AND INSTALLED DRB. #4 CYLINDER MISFIRE. ERASE DTC AND RETEST, NO MISFI…
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INTERMITTENT ENGINE DIES AND WILL NOT RESTART UNTIL CAR SETS AND COOLS DOWN FOR A WHILE, DIAGNOSE FUEL PUMP TO BE THE CAUSE OF ENGINE STALLING. ON ANOTHER OCCASSION CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, HAS BEEN LOOKED AT SEVERAL TIMES AND TOLD IT HAS A TSB OPEN, TEST DROVE AND INSTALLED DRB. #4 CYLINDER MISFIRE. ERASE DTC AND RETEST, NO MISFIRE PRESENT. REPROGRAM PCM PER TSB 18-46-98 TEST DROVE OK. DEFECTIVE RADIATOR (REPAIR),
WHILE DRIVING HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
VEHICLE WAS LEAKING SO MUCH OIL THAT CONSUMER HAD TO ADD OIL ABOUT 3 TIMES A WEEK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER NOTED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWEN.*AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.