IllustrationCONSTANT LOSS OF OIL. TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND STATED THERE WAS A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *AK *SLC
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
103 reportsWHILE TRAVELING AT 10-15 MPH CONSUMER PUSHED ON BRAKES AND THERE WERE NO POWER BRAKES. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE THE CHECK VALVE, AND THEY REPLACED IT. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, SECOND TIME THEY CHANGED BRAKES, AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOUND INFORMATION REGARDING A MEMO THAT EGR VAVLE…
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WHILE TRAVELING AT 10-15 MPH CONSUMER PUSHED ON BRAKES AND THERE WERE NO POWER BRAKES. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE THE CHECK VALVE, AND THEY REPLACED IT. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, SECOND TIME THEY CHANGED BRAKES, AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOUND INFORMATION REGARDING A MEMO THAT EGR VAVLE WOULD CORRECT PROBLEM BECAUSE WATER GOT IN IT AND FROZE UP CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER BRAKES.*AK CHRYSLER IS DENYING ANY KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEM. *SLC
I WAS JUST INFORMED I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN, CAUSING OILTO LEAK ONTO ENGINE WHICH SMOKES AND COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE. DEALER HAS REPLACED HEAD GASKETS THREE TIMES.*AK *SLC
RADIATOR FAN RELAY FAILED WHICH CAUSED ENGINE OVERHEATING AND THEN WATER PUMP FAILURE DUE TO DEFECT IN THE ANTI-FREEZE RESEVOIR - THE NIPPLE FOR RETURNING ANTI-FREEZE TO ENGINE WAS MOLDED CLOSED. DEALER DID NOT ADVISE ME OF RECALL ON RELAY AND WANTS ME TO PAY A FEE TO INSPECT RESEVOIR. REFUSES TO PAY FOR WATER PUMP.*AK
MY 97 PLYMOUTH NEON IS ON ITS 3RD HEAD GASKET. THE CAR HAS 90,000 MILES ON IT BUT IS SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 HEAD GASKETS. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT AND KEEPS MAKING NEW HEAD GASKETS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS TO BE RECALLED BECAUSE IT COST ME $770 TO HAVE IT FIXED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. IT SHOU…
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MY 97 PLYMOUTH NEON IS ON ITS 3RD HEAD GASKET. THE CAR HAS 90,000 MILES ON IT BUT IS SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 HEAD GASKETS. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT AND KEEPS MAKING NEW HEAD GASKETS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS TO BE RECALLED BECAUSE IT COST ME $770 TO HAVE IT FIXED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. IT SHOULD NOT COST ME A DIME TO HAVE THE CAR FIXED BECAUSE IT IS A DEFECT THAT CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT.
ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING OIL ONTO ENGINE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE.*AK
OIL LEAK FROM BACK OF SIDE OF HEAD GASKET MAY NEED NEW GASKET OR HAVE CRACK IN HEAD REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
HEAD GASKET BLEW, OIL ALL OVER, ,AND MACHINE STALLED ON HWY THE MECHANIC SAYS, MOTOR IS DESTROYED. I HAVE NO IDEA AS TO HOW AN DWHY THIS HAPPENED, I HAVE SENT EMAIL TO CHRYSLER NO REPLY SO FAR I THINK CAR STALLING ON HWY COULD BE DANGEROUS, ACCIDENT INJURY DEATH ETC NO PERSONAL HARM MY SISTER 'S MERCURY HAD SAME PROBLEM AND CAR…
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HEAD GASKET BLEW, OIL ALL OVER, ,AND MACHINE STALLED ON HWY THE MECHANIC SAYS, MOTOR IS DESTROYED. I HAVE NO IDEA AS TO HOW AN DWHY THIS HAPPENED, I HAVE SENT EMAIL TO CHRYSLER NO REPLY SO FAR I THINK CAR STALLING ON HWY COULD BE DANGEROUS, ACCIDENT INJURY DEATH ETC NO PERSONAL HARM MY SISTER 'S MERCURY HAD SAME PROBLEM AND CAR WAS RECALLED BY DEALER LATER ON- AFTER WE MADE ALL REPAIRS- DO YOU HAVE ANY NOTICES FROM COMPANY OR OTHER OWNERS IN THIS REGARD? IF THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED IN TO AS SAFETY PROBLEM. THANK YOU.
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.