IllustrationDT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN A DRIVE-THRU, BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS OCCURRED, BUT STATED NOTHING WAS HIT OR RUN OVER. BOTH FRONT WINDOWS SHATTERED AND THE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC.
1997 Plymouth Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Plymouth Neon do not stand out strongly from 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: 22 of 161 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 103 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports2 fire reports15 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
16 reportsWHILE REVERSING BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED PREMATURELY. DRIVER SUSTAINED LIGHT BRUISES AND EYE IRRITATION FROM THE CONTENTS OF THE AIR BAGS.*AK
BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING AN ACCIDENT, DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. *YH
CONSUMER HAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS NOISE. ALSO, ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD AN OIL LEAK, AND SHE TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE. THEN, SHE TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC REPLACED HEAD GASKET. BRAKE DRUM WAS PITTED, AND MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. FINALLY, PASSENGER'S AIRBAG PANEL …
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CONSUMER HAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS NOISE. ALSO, ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD AN OIL LEAK, AND SHE TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE. THEN, SHE TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC REPLACED HEAD GASKET. BRAKE DRUM WAS PITTED, AND MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. FINALLY, PASSENGER'S AIRBAG PANEL WAS BULGING ON THE DASHBOARD. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON THE AIRBAG MODULAR. *AK
AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY AND SUDDENLY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE FOR INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A DIRECT FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD A HOLE BURNING IN THE MIDDLE RIGHT AFTER THE IMPACT. THE FIRE BURNED THE PASSENGER'S CLOTHING AND SKIN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *ML
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED, BUT NOT COMPLETELY AND ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK *ML
I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS RECALL FOR THE 1997 NEON'S. HOWEVER THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE ENTIRE CAR. I'VE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITH BOTH THE DEALER AND THE MAKER,TO NO AVAIL. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE? THANK-YOU!
WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH THIS VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR. VEHICLE SPINNED OUT IN THE MIDDELE OF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS HIT FOUR MORE TIMES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Official recalls
197V080000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
May 16, 1997
THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT DESIGN ALLOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON VEHICLE IGNITION SHUT DOWN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED MODULE.
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.