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 campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View 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

97V080000 — Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

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

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Neon years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling

103Air Bags

16 Power Train

14 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

11 Unknown Or Other

All reported categories

3 Fuel System, Gasoline

3 Vehicle Speed Control

3 Latches/locks/linkages

2 Fuel System, Other

1 Interior Lighting

1 Seats

1 Service Brakes, Air

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

Steering complaints

6 reports

Clear category filter

122,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004

Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentPower Train

IN HEAVY RAIN THE CAR IS VERY HARD TO STEER, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE 02 SENSOR, AND NOW THE COOLING FANS DON`T WORK I HAVE ALSO NOTICED A MUSTY SMELL WHEN I TURN ON THE AIR COND. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE EGR VALVE IT IS JUST ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER THAT KEEPS GOING WRONG WITH THIS …

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10068910

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 1999

SteeringCrash

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED HIM. CAR WENT INTO A SPIN AND SPINNED INTO A FIVE FOOT CONCRETE WALL. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 45 TO 50 MPH. NO INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #848304

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 1999

Air BagsSteeringCrashInjury

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, ONE INCIDENT WHILE DRIVING LED TO VEHICLE COLLISION DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL, VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS RESULTED IN BURNS TO DRIVER (CHEST,ARMS). MJS

NHTSA ODI #548098

Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 1999

Steering

ON WET PAVEMENTS THE STEERING WHEEL JAMS UP. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #844911

Mileage unknown · Feb 10, 1998

Steering

VEHICLE PULLS AND STEERING WHEEL IS NOT CENTERED AND IT MAKES A POPPING NOISE.

NHTSA ODI #530468

Mileage unknown · Nov 25, 1997

Electrical SystemPower TrainSteering

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI #525404

Recall campaigns

97V080000 · 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

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.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.