IllustrationWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
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.
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 →161Owner complaints
Model-year median: 151
1Recall 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
1997 Plymouth Neon
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 161 owner complaints · 1 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: 103 reports
- Air Bags: 16 reports
- Power Train: 14 reports
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 11 reports
- Unknown Or Other: 11 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
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
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
103 reportsI HAD THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED IN MARCH AND IT IS NOW GOING OUT AGAIN.EVERY TIME I HAVE TO GET IT REPAIRED IT COSTS ME $500.00.
VEHICLE OVERHEATS DUE TO THE RELAY STICKING IN THE OFF POSITION. THE ENGINE GASKETS ARE LEAKING OIL WHICH IS SPRAYING ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
A MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT UP UNTIL THE 2000 NEON, THERE ARE LOTS OF REPORTS OF THE HEAD GASKET BEING DEFECTIVE AND MY ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL AGAINST THE FIREWALL AND BACK OF THE ENGINE. IS THIS A MANUFACTURER RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR? *AK
THE PITTING IN THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET COULD NOT BE SHAVED DOWN WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET TO PREMATURELY LEAK AND TO EVENTUALLY BLOW OUT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE HEAD GASKET, IT CANNOT HOLD THE OIL PRESSURE,CAUSING AN OIL LEAK WHICH MAY RESULT IN A FIRE. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN# *AK
AIR BAG WILL NOT INFLATE.
THE HEADGASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE ALREADY. INVESTIGATION OF ANOTHER OIL LEAK DETECTED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED AGAIN. FURTHER INVESTIGATION, A CRACKED HEAD. CHRYSLER HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AND HAS REQUESTED THAT I PAY A DEDUCTIBLE.
AT 13,000 MILES THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN ,CAUSING OIL LEAKAGE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKETS. HEAD GASKETS LEAK OIL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
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.