IllustrationI JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS RECALL FOR THE 1997 NEON'S. HOWEVER THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE ENTIRE CAR. I'VE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITH BOTH THE DEALER AND THE MAKER,TO NO AVAIL. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE? THANK-YOU!
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 reportsCONSUMER 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
WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH THIS VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR. VEHICLE SPINNED OUT IN THE MIDDELE OF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS HIT FOUR MORE TIMES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
OIL LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER PULLED OVER . NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK
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
AT 55MPH HOOD LATCH POPPED OPEN, CAUSING HOOD TO FLY UP, OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE 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
ON WET PAVEMENTS THE STEERING WHEEL JAMS UP. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
I 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.
PAINT STARTED TO BUBBLE AND PEEL
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.