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

Tires complaints

5 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2004

Tires

Read full complaint

FIRESTONE FR480 P175 70R14 DOT CODE (HYEP FRA 229) 4 NEW TIRES PURCHASED NOV 8, 2003 FROM FIRESTONE DEALER IN PORT RICHEY FL, APPARENTLY MANUFACTURED 22ND WEEK OF 1999. *JB TIRE FAILED CATOSTROPHICALLY ON INTERSTATE CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO 1997 PLYMOUTH NEON CAUSED BY THE TIRE. THERE WAS A BLOWN OUT SECTION OF THE TIRE THROUGH THE METAL BELTS AND COMPLETE TREAD SEPERATION AROUND 3/4S OF THE TIRE. IT APPEARTS BASED ON THE MANUFACTURE DATE OF THE TIRE, THAT FIRESTONE HAS KEPT THESE TIRES IN A WAREHOUSE DURING THE PRIOR LAWSUITS AND INVESTIGATIONS, AND NOW THAT THINGS ARE QUIET, HAVE RETURNED THEM TO THE MARKET. I FEEL THAT I HAVE BEEN TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY THE SALE TO ME OF 4 BRAND NEW TIRES THAT ARE ACTUALLY OVER 4 YEARS OLD. PLUS, 1 BLEW OUT NEARLY CAUSING A FATAL ACCIDENT. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO GET MY CAR FIXED OR NEW TIRES, OTHER THAN A REPLACEMENT OF THE SINGLE BLOWN OUT TIRE.

NHTSA ODI #10062682

5,000 miles · Jun 3, 2003

Engine And Engine CoolingTires

CONSTANT REPLACEMENT OF TIRES ON FRONT DRIVERS SIDE, EXCESSIVE WEAR, NEW TIRE ONLY LAST ABOUT 6 TO 7 MONTHS, HAVE HAD ALIGNMENT CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES. MISFIRES A LOT EVEN THOUGH I GET IT TUNED UP EVERY 3 MONTHS, EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE. DEALER GIVES ME NO GOOD ANSWERS FOR THIS. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10020988

Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 1999

Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

AIR BAG WILL NOT INFLATE.

NHTSA ODI #543730

Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 1997

Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment

COMPUTER UNIT IN VEHICLE FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #522352

Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 1997

Fuel System, GasolineTires

PLASTIC AIR INTAKE FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #513957

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.