TRANSMISSION FAILED, PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LEAKS WHEN GOING THROUGH PUDDLES, DOOR PANELS COME OFF ON BOTH SIDES CAUSING DOOR NOT TO OPEN,TRUNK LEAKS WHEN IT RAINS
1996 Plymouth Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Neon years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Plymouth Neon are substantially higher than the model-year median of 151.
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
Limited mileage data: 19 of 308 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 167 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
27 reportsI HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY CAR REGULARLY, BUT I'VE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH IT. FIRST OF ALL, I'VE ALWAYS HAD BRAKE TROUBLE, SECOND: MY TURN SIGNALS WILL SOMETIMES COME ON WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES (OR SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL), MY DEFROST KEEPS BREAKING (ONLY VENT AND BI-LEVEL WILL WORK); MY HORN DIED FOR NO REASON A FEW MONTHS AGO,…
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I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY CAR REGULARLY, BUT I'VE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH IT. FIRST OF ALL, I'VE ALWAYS HAD BRAKE TROUBLE, SECOND: MY TURN SIGNALS WILL SOMETIMES COME ON WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES (OR SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL), MY DEFROST KEEPS BREAKING (ONLY VENT AND BI-LEVEL WILL WORK); MY HORN DIED FOR NO REASON A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND TODAY MY CAR WON'T START (I DROVE TO CHURCH, AND IT WORKED FINE, BUT WHEN I LATER TRIED STARTING MY CAR, IT WOULDN'T START. IT APPEARED AS THOUGH THE BATTERY WAS DEAD <EVEN THOUGH I DIN'T LEAVE ANYTHING ON. SO A FRIEND JUMP-STARTED MY CAR. IT STARTED, BUT ON MY WAY HOME, THE ODOMETER, GAS GAUGE, AND HOT-COLD GAUGES WERE FLUCTUATING UP AND DOWN, AND THE RADIO KEPT RESETTING CHANNELS. THE SEATBELT AND BATTERY LIGHTS KEPT FLICKERING ON AND OFF, AS DID THE CHIMES. WHEN I GOT HOME, I CHARGED MY CAR, ALTHOUGH I FELT CERTAIN IT WAS NOT ONLY THE BATTERY CAUSING THE PROBLEM. NOW, MY CAR WON'T START AT ALL, AND I HEAR A CLICKING NOISE (IF ANYTHING) WHEN I TURN THE IGNITION. THE GAUGES ON MY DASH MOVE UP AND DOWN (EVEN THE SPEDOMETER) AND YET MY CAR REMAINS STILL. THE DOME AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF, AND THE RADIO CHANGES STATIONS, YET RECEIVES NOTHING. IT SEEMS LIKE SOME MAJOR ELECTRICAL OR COMPUTER PROBLEM. MY CAR WORKED FINE (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BROKEN HORN AND USUAL PROBLEMS, UNTIL TODAY. ALSO, AT MY 36000 CHECK-UP, THE " ENGINE" CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, BUT THE MECHANICS SAID IT WAS NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN. I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. PLEASE TELL ME IF OTHER PERSONS ARE HAVING SIMILAR DIFFICULTIES. COULD MY DEAD HORN HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY WHATEVER IS MALFUNCTIONING NOW? ALSO, I HEAR WIERD CLUNKING NOISES MANY TIMES WHILE DRIVING, ESPEC WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS OR AROUND CURVES. MY CAR MAKES SQUEAKING NOISES LIKE A BIRD CHIRPING ALSO. I HAVE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF MY CAR, WHICH IS WHY NOW I AM CONVINCED THAT THESE MUST BE MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS. I HAVE EVEN COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIPS. PLEASE HELP. *AK
TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED FOUR TIMES.
STEERING KNUCKLES/HEAD GASKET/ABS BRAKES AN TRANSMISSION FAILED.
CV JOINT FAILED CAUSING VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING.
BRAKES LOCK UP.
WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT, WHEN DECELERATING VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. *AK STEERING WHEEL REPLACED, IT WAS VIBRATING DUE TO BEING OUT OF ALIGNMENT, RACK AND PINION AND STEERING RACK WERE ALSO REPLACED. EXCESSIVE SHAKING WHILE DRIVING, DEALER REPLACED TIRES, AND BALANCED AND ROTATED TIRES, HOWEVER SHAKE S…
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WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT, WHEN DECELERATING VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. *AK STEERING WHEEL REPLACED, IT WAS VIBRATING DUE TO BEING OUT OF ALIGNMENT, RACK AND PINION AND STEERING RACK WERE ALSO REPLACED. EXCESSIVE SHAKING WHILE DRIVING, DEALER REPLACED TIRES, AND BALANCED AND ROTATED TIRES, HOWEVER SHAKE STILL PRESENT, DEALER STATED VEHICLE HAD TORQUE PULL AND COULD NOT BE ALIGNED, ALSO HAD BAD STRUT, VEHICLE CONTINUES TO PULL TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT AND SHAKES. CONSUMER NOTICED OIL AROUND THE BOLTS ON THE VALVE COVER AT ONLY 265 MILES, DEALER CAN NOT FIND ANY LEAKS, FRONT MOTOR MOUNT HAD A LOT OF PLAY AND WAS REPLACED, OIL IS VERY DARK IN COLOR, POOR POWER. CV JOINTS BAD. DEALER LUBED AND ADJUSTED FRONT WINDOWS, THEY WERE HARD TO OPEN AND CLOSE. WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES FAILED. WRONG AIR CLEANER VENT WAS INSTALLED ON VEHICLE. EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS STUCK ON. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF POOR GAS MILEAGE. *SLC
Official recalls
296V075000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
May 3, 1996
THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID DUE TO A DAMAGED DOUBLE LIP REAR PISTON SEAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE CAN RESULT IN DIMINISHED EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE HALF OF THE SPLIT BRAKE SYSTEM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHT(S) WILL SIGNAL SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT PRIOR TO PARTIAL BRAKE SYSTEM LOSS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDR PISTON ASSEMBLY.
96V026000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Feb 5, 1996
AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CAN SHORT CIRCUIT DUE TO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION TUBE..
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHORTING OF THE WIRING HARNESS CAN CAUSE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS, INCLUDING ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REROUTE THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS PROPERLY AND ANY WIRE THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED WILL BE REPLACED.
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
2PE02082 · 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.
PE98012 · Underhood Fires
Opened Feb 26, 1998 · Closed Jun 23, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
Illustration