Air Bags. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

73 crash reports6 fire reports42 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

54 reports

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Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER, AND IT WILL BE HARD TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK STARTED.DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10026159

Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10024822

Mileage unknown · Jun 19, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10024516

32,000 miles · Jun 2, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

EXTREMELY LOW ENGINE IDLE WHEN STOPPED. ENGINE SOMETIMES DIES. VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS COMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE AND TEST SHOWED ALL SYSTEMS OPERATING WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10020899

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH INTERMITTENT ENGINE STALLING. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH VEHICLE LOST TOTAL POWER WHICH LEFT THE DRIVER WITH NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE SHOP, BUT THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10021900

98,376 miles · May 14, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

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I TOOK OUR 2000 NEON (THAT I'VE HAD SINCE LATE SUMMER/EARLY FALL OF 1999) TO GET AN OIL CHANGE AND THE MECHANIC SAID IT LOOKED LIKE WE HAD AN OIL LEAK. AFTER FURTHER CHECKING, HE INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE TOLD ME IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1200. I AM IN THE PROCESS NOW OF CALLING OTHER GARAGES FOR QUOTES. A CO-WORKER TOLD ME SHE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HER NEON AND THE DEALER COVERED MOST OF THE COST SINCE THIS IS AN ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH NEONS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW ANY INFORMATION YOU HAVE ON THIS ON-GOING HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I DON'T REMEMBER EXACT DAY IN APRIL I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP. RECORDS ARE AT HOME. IF YOU NEED EXACT DATE, I CAN FIND THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10018675

Mileage unknown · Apr 9, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10015560

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED AND LEAKED OIL.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10011684

Mileage unknown · Feb 25, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

ON THE DODGE NEON, WHEN DOING ONLY MAINT FOR OIL CHANGES THE DRAIN PLUG WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE THE SHAVINGS OF THE THREADS FROM THE INSIDE AND WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR AT A HIGH COST, SINCE THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10008073

35,000 miles · Feb 13, 2003

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

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I HAVE A 2000 DODGE NEON I BOUGHT AT 32,000MILES. STARTED OVER HEATING AT 34,000MI. ONLY ON REALLY HOT DAYS. NOW AT 56,000 MILES OVER HEATS ALL THE TIME. CAN'T DRIVE IT. FOUND OUT IT IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER ESTIMATES $2500 REPAIR. (SINGLE MOM, CAN'T AFFORD IT) FOUND OUT THROUGH RESEARCH AND MECHANICS THAT NEONS ARE PRONE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKETS BETWEEN 30 TO 60 THOUSAND MILES. MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THE GASKETS CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS WITHIN THE METALS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE. BUT THEY ARE NO LONGER USEING THOSE GASKETS AND HAVE REPLACED THEM WITH NEW ONES THAT ARE COMPATIBLE. I WAS INFORMED THAT ONCE REPLACED THEY HAVE NOT SEEN ANY REOCCURING PROBLEMS. THIS LEAVES ME WONDERING WHY THE GASKETS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED. THANK YOU BRANDI

NHTSA ODI #10005793

Official recalls

01V154000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum

May 8, 2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IN THE PRESENCE OF OIL AND HEAT, THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE COULD SWELL AND LOOSEN FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF POWER BRAKE ASSIST AND AN INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 2, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

00V366000 · Child Seat

Nov 9, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." SOME OF THE OWNER'S MANUALS FOR THESE VEHICLES ARE MISSING INSTRUCTIONS THAT PROVIDE A STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE, INCLUDING DIAGRAMS, FOR PROPERLY ATTACHING A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM'S TETHER STRAP TO THE TETHER ANCHORAGE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CHILD SEAT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ATTACHED INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE CHILD.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN ADDENDUM TO THE OWNER'S MANUALS.

00V194000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Jul 17, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER CARS. VAPORS FROM THE POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION (PCV) SYSTEM CAN CONDENSE AND FREEZE INSIDE OF THE THROTTLE BODY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN EXTREMELY COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAN PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM FULLY RETURNING TO IDLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE AND RELOCATE A PCV SYSTEM TUBE.

99V114000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm

May 6, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY HAVE BEEN INADEQUATELY WELDED BETWEEN THE PIVOT TUBE AND THE ARM.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS INADEQUATE WELDING COULD ALLOW THE TUBE TO SEPARATE FROM THE ARM, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM.

99V043000 · Air Bags:frontal

Mar 11, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME FRONTAL (PASSENGER SIDE) AIR BAGS MAY NOT INFLATE PROPERLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE PASSENGER MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG MODULE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.

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

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.

RQ99010 · Control Arm Welds

Opened Jun 1, 1999 · Closed Feb 5, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension

There is no summary currently available