IllustrationI WOULD LIKE TO KNOW SOME MORE TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON AIRBAGS ON HOW THEY ARE SUPOSE TO WORK
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
What owners actually said
116 reportsDRIVING WHILE RAINING, VEHICLE MAKES LOUD NOISE, SOMETIMES STALLS COMPLETELY OR LOSES STEERING POWER. LOCAL DODGE DEALER INFORMED, CANNOT REPLICATE, STATES OTHER NEONS WITH SAME PROBLEM
I WAS STOPED AT A STOP SIGN. PULLED OUT ON TO ANOTHER STREET. HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS ANOTHER CAR. WENT TO SWERVE BACK MY CAR DIDN,T COME BACK. CLIPED CURB AND HAD TO PULL IN TO PARKING LOT. CHECKED CAR ON PASSAGER SIDE. FOUND A FLAT TIRE AND BROKEN SPINDLE. PART OF THE SPINDLE LOOKED FUNNY. LIKE IT HAD BEEN ALREADY BROKE…
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I WAS STOPED AT A STOP SIGN. PULLED OUT ON TO ANOTHER STREET. HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS ANOTHER CAR. WENT TO SWERVE BACK MY CAR DIDN,T COME BACK. CLIPED CURB AND HAD TO PULL IN TO PARKING LOT. CHECKED CAR ON PASSAGER SIDE. FOUND A FLAT TIRE AND BROKEN SPINDLE. PART OF THE SPINDLE LOOKED FUNNY. LIKE IT HAD BEEN ALREADY BROKE. HAD TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, WHERE THIER TECHNIONS LOOKED AT IT. THEY CALLED ME BACK SAID THAT IT BROKE WHEN I CLIP CURVE. AND I DON,T THINK SO. I THINK THE METEL WAS DEFICTIVE. CAN'T SEE A SPINDLE BREAKING AT 10MI. AN HOUR. WHEN THERE IS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE CAR.
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH REAR ENDED A VEHICLE THAT WAS IN FRONT, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
WATER HOSE POPPED OFF FOR NO REASON. VEHICLE OVERHEATED 2 BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE HOME. DEALER HAS REPLACED IT TWICE . BUT IT KEPT COMING OFF. DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULDN'T DO ANYMORE. *AK
WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY WERE VERY SPORADIC & PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT. WOULD ALSO LOSE POWER, BUT VEHICLE WAS NOT STOPPING. BEEN TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIP & INFORMED CONSUMER BRAKES WERE FINE. TOOK TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC PUT IN BRAKE FLUID & THEN NOTICED THERE WAS A CRACK IN BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER.*AK
TAKEN CAR IN MANY TIMES FOR "ENGINE CHECKLIGHT"--CAUSE #4 CYLINDER MIS-FIRING OR NOT-FIRING--LIGHT RESET-PROBLEM KEEPS RETURNING--CD PLAYES/SPEAKERS REPLACED-CD PLAYER SKIPPED FREQUENTLY-SPEAKERS CRACKED--WINDSHIELD REPLACED 10MOS AFTER CAR PURCHASE--UNIDENTIFIED LEAK--PASSENGER SIDE FROM UNDER DASHBOARD--WINDOW SEALS REPLACED-…
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TAKEN CAR IN MANY TIMES FOR "ENGINE CHECKLIGHT"--CAUSE #4 CYLINDER MIS-FIRING OR NOT-FIRING--LIGHT RESET-PROBLEM KEEPS RETURNING--CD PLAYES/SPEAKERS REPLACED-CD PLAYER SKIPPED FREQUENTLY-SPEAKERS CRACKED--WINDSHIELD REPLACED 10MOS AFTER CAR PURCHASE--UNIDENTIFIED LEAK--PASSENGER SIDE FROM UNDER DASHBOARD--WINDOW SEALS REPLACED-LEAK CONTINUES--LEAK CHECKED AGAIN-DEALER CLAIMS TO FIND NO LEAK--PROBLEM CONTINUES. *AK
I HAD THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE THE CAR WAS RECKED. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN THE SUMMARY. *AK
WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVEN IN WET WEATHER, THE EXHAUST WILL GET EXTREMELY LOUD. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THAT WATER IS GETTING UP INTO THE CAR SOMEWHERE. THE NOISE IS LOUD ENOUGH THAT IT SEEMS THE MUFFLER HAS FALLEN OFF. ONCE YOU SLOW DOWN IN THE CAR OR STOP THE NOISE WILL CEASE AS WELL. WHILE THE CAR IS ACTING UP IT WILL ALSO BA…
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WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVEN IN WET WEATHER, THE EXHAUST WILL GET EXTREMELY LOUD. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THAT WATER IS GETTING UP INTO THE CAR SOMEWHERE. THE NOISE IS LOUD ENOUGH THAT IT SEEMS THE MUFFLER HAS FALLEN OFF. ONCE YOU SLOW DOWN IN THE CAR OR STOP THE NOISE WILL CEASE AS WELL. WHILE THE CAR IS ACTING UP IT WILL ALSO BACKGFIRE AND SPUTTER MAKING A NOISE THAT IS SIMILAR TO SUCKING LIQUID THROUGH A STRAW. THE CAR RUNS FINE IN DRY WEATHER. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. IT HAS ALSO BEEN LOOKED AT BY THE FACTORY REP. BOTH THE SERVICE PERSONEL AND THE FACTORY REP HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE. THEY HAVE ALREADY ATTEMPTED SEVERAL REPAIRS INCLUDING ALIGNING THE INTERMEDIATE PIPE. AT THE LAST REPAIR ATTEMPT THEY PLACED A SHIELD OVER THE EXHASUT SYSTEM. THE ONLY THING THIS ACCOMPLISHED WAS MUFFLING THE SOUND THE CAR MAKES WHEN IT GETS WET. AS OF NOW THE CAR STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE PARKED WITH THE IGNITION ON VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. EXACT CAUSE OF THE FIRE UNKNOWN, BUT MOST LIKELY DUE TO A LEAK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT WAS IGNITED, A RESULT OF A DEFECT. CHRYSLER OFFERED TO COVER THE LOAN, BUT IS NOT COMPENSATING FOR LOSS. *AK *ML
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.