IllustrationTHERE IS A CONSTANT OIL LEAK IN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
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.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →116Owner complaints
Model-year median: 173
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
1InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1999 Dodge Neon
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 116 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 55 reports
- Electrical System: 13 reports
- Air Bags: 12 reports
- Power Train: 9 reports
- Visibility: 9 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Neon years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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 reportsVEHICLE EXPERIENCES OIL LEAKAGES AND LOSS OF OIL WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK AIR FILTER FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *YH. PROBLEM HAPPEN AGAIN.
HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL ON A CAR THAT IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND HAS ONLY 61,000 MILES. MY MECHANIC SAID THE CAR IS WAY TO NEW WITH NOT ENOUGH MILES TO BE HAVING SO MANY PROBLEMS. HAVING TO PUT 1-2 QUARTS OF OIL EVERY 2-3 DAYS. NOT GOOD FOR THE ENGINE AND I AM AFRAID THAT IT MAY CATCH FIRE!.*AK
MY CAR BEGAN TO LEAK OIL AND AFTER SEVERAL INVESTIGATIONS I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED BY A DODGE DEALERSHIP IN ATLANTIC GA. AND THAT IT WOULD COST $800 TO FIX. I'VE NOTICED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP THAT FIXED MY CAR SAID THAT DID'N…
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MY CAR BEGAN TO LEAK OIL AND AFTER SEVERAL INVESTIGATIONS I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED BY A DODGE DEALERSHIP IN ATLANTIC GA. AND THAT IT WOULD COST $800 TO FIX. I'VE NOTICED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP THAT FIXED MY CAR SAID THAT DID'NT HAVE ANY RECALLS FROM CHRYSLER ON THE DODGE NEON.N. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. VEHICLE HAD 34000 MILES ON IT. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
HAD THE HEAD GASKET MOD SHORTLY AFTER PURCHACEING 2 DODGE NEONS. BOTH ARE STILL LEAKING OIL.*AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED WITH LESS THAT 60,000 MILES, HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT WHICH CAME FROM DODGE, WAS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TYPE AND STYLE OF HEAD GASKET, GIVING THE APPEARANCE THAT DODGE KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL TYPE GASKET
OIL HAS BEEN LEAKING FROM THE HEAD GASKET OR OTHER GASKET ASSEMBLY AND I HAVE HAD TO ADD ONE TO TWO QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK. THE CAR IS LEAKING OIL CONSTANTLY WHEN NOT IN USE AND THE OIL IS VISIBLE AROUND THE ENGINE BLOCK.*AK
I HAVE A 1999 DODGE NEON. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALSERHSIP ON 04/11/2001 BECAUSE I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR WAS THE HEAD GASKET. THEY SAID THE COST OF REPAIRS WOULD BE AROUND $700. UNDER THEIR "GOODWILL POLICY" THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD COVER HALF OF THE REPAIRS…
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I HAVE A 1999 DODGE NEON. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALSERHSIP ON 04/11/2001 BECAUSE I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR WAS THE HEAD GASKET. THEY SAID THE COST OF REPAIRS WOULD BE AROUND $700. UNDER THEIR "GOODWILL POLICY" THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD COVER HALF OF THE REPAIRS. I REFUSED. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AS WELL AS AN ABUNDANCE OF INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE DODGE NEON HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT CHRYSLER MUST RECTIFY. THEIR "GOODWILL POLICY" IS NOTHING BUT A SCAM TO COVER THEIR FAUTLY WORKMANSHIP.*AK
HEAD GASKET HAS PREMATURLEY BLOWN OUT AT 66,000 MILES. DEALERS WERE AWARE OF DEFECT.*AK
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect 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.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.