IllustrationHEAD GASKET FAILED PREMATURELY AT 65,000 MILES. I SUED DAIMLER CHRYSLER IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT AND WAS SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THEY ARE AWARE OF DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS! BRING ALL YOUR SERVICE RECORDS AND NHTSA CUSTOMER COMPLAINT DATABASE RECORDS (GET THEM FROM NHTSA, NOT OFF INTERNET, FOR COURT!). *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.
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
What owners actually said
161 reportsIT IS COMMON CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKETS AND BRAKES ON THE 95-99 DODGE/PLYMOUTH NEONS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. I AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH MY CHRYSLER VEHICLE.
I WAS JUST CHARGED $400 FOR A NEW CAM SEAL, AND NOW $650 FOR A HEAD GASKET. AT 50,000 MILES A CAR SHUOLD NOT BE LEAKING THIS MUCH OIL. MAYBE I WILL GO BACK TO FORD. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE VERY COMMON, CAUSING LARGE QUANITIES OF OIL TO LEAK ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD; GREAT RISK OF FIRE
UPON ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER, CAUSING A SLOW START. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER . DEALER NOTED THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
HAD TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR A 27 MONTH OLD CAR. *AK
VEHICLE NOT 2 YRS OLD THAT HAS TRANSMISSON PROBLEMS TREND IN DEFECTIVE NEONS? WARRANTY IS OBSELTE. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY! HAS HAD MAINTENANCE CHECKS. TOOK IT TO ALLEY'S CHRY/PLY DEALER WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM. VERY ANGARY THAT THE VEHICLE IS BARELY 2 YRS OLD TO HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS I CAN'T AFFORD TO SHELL OUT $1285 FOR TR…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE NOT 2 YRS OLD THAT HAS TRANSMISSON PROBLEMS TREND IN DEFECTIVE NEONS? WARRANTY IS OBSELTE. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY! HAS HAD MAINTENANCE CHECKS. TOOK IT TO ALLEY'S CHRY/PLY DEALER WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM. VERY ANGARY THAT THE VEHICLE IS BARELY 2 YRS OLD TO HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS I CAN'T AFFORD TO SHELL OUT $1285 FOR TRANSMISSION AND $ 450 FOR ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK
PLYMOUTH DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE $700 TO REPLACE THIS HEAD GASTET - APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT
VEHICLE HAS A LEAK FROM THE HEAD GASKET. IT WAS APPARENTLY NOTICED BEFORE I PURCHASED AND MAY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED WITH THE SAME STYLE HEAD GASKET. NOW THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY, IT IS LEAKING. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE SERVICE MANAGER ,AT SAM DELL, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEON BECAUSE OF A FAULTY HEAD GASK…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE HAS A LEAK FROM THE HEAD GASKET. IT WAS APPARENTLY NOTICED BEFORE I PURCHASED AND MAY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED WITH THE SAME STYLE HEAD GASKET. NOW THAT IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY, IT IS LEAKING. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE SERVICE MANAGER ,AT SAM DELL, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEON BECAUSE OF A FAULTY HEAD GASKET AND THAT A NEW HEAD GASKET HAD BEEN DESIGNED, FIXING THE PROBLEM. BEING OUT OF WARRANTY, I WAS TOLD IT WAS MY REPAIR AND COST. I HAVE SINCE WRITTEN A LETTER TO CUSTOMER RELATIONS AT CHRYSLER, IN AUBURN HILLS. IT WAS SENT CERTIFIED MAIL AND RECEIVED ON OCTOBER 12,1999. I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A REPLY. I QUESTIONED WHY THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL, KNOWING THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR WHEN THE WARRANTY IS DONE. I HAVE JUST SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE NOTICED THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. I AM SURE YOU HAVE HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS AS TO THE NEON HEAD GASKET AND HOPE YOU WILL REQUIRE CHRYSLER/PLYMOUTH TO RECALL. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. SHOULD I GET A RESPONSE, I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT WAS WRITTEN. THANK YOU
ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS DISCOVERED DEFECTIVE AND REPAIRED BY A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AT 66,000 MILE OF WEAR. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THIS CONDITION BEING A NORMAL WEAR OF THE HEAD GASKET OR DEFECTIVE PARTS. *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.