IllustrationENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
1998 Plymouth Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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 167 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 91 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. 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.
20 crash reports4 fire reports15 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
91 reportsON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS WE TOOK VEHICAL TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING IS FINE JUST REPLACE YOUR BRAKES. AFTER CONSTENTLY BEING SENT AWAY BY THE DEALER, WE EVENTUALLY TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS: BLOWN HEAD GASKET, REPLACE THE BRAKES (AGAIN), CALIPERS DRIFTING TO ONE SIDE, ETC. MY …
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ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS WE TOOK VEHICAL TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING IS FINE JUST REPLACE YOUR BRAKES. AFTER CONSTENTLY BEING SENT AWAY BY THE DEALER, WE EVENTUALLY TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS: BLOWN HEAD GASKET, REPLACE THE BRAKES (AGAIN), CALIPERS DRIFTING TO ONE SIDE, ETC. MY WARRANTY JUST EXPIRED, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD STILL BE HONORED SINCE THE PROBLEMS COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED A LONG TIME AGO.*AK
VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL FROM THE HEAD GASKET, MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH NEONS. *JG
ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL. WOULD NEED TO REFILL OIL VERY WEEK. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND THE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN SHAKING, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE MOUNTS HAD FRACTURED.*ET
WHILE INSPECTING TRANSMISSION PROBLEM DEALER NOTICED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF FRONT ENGINE MOUNTS GOING BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. REPAIRS MADE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET-REPAIRS WILL BE BETWEEN $600-$800. *AK
AFTER1-1/2 YEARS I MUST AGAIN REPLACE HEAD GASKET, CAN'T MANUFACTURER DO ANYTHING. *AK
INITIALLY, I WENT IN TO THE DEALER FOR A NEW BATTERY SIX MONTHS AFTER I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS PARTS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. AMONG THOSE, THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND MOST SURPRISING WAS THE ENGINE OIL LEAK. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING MOTOR OIL, AND THAT IT WAS IMP…
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INITIALLY, I WENT IN TO THE DEALER FOR A NEW BATTERY SIX MONTHS AFTER I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS PARTS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. AMONG THOSE, THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND MOST SURPRISING WAS THE ENGINE OIL LEAK. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING MOTOR OIL, AND THAT IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT IT BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS A STUDENT, $670 FOR THE HEAD GASKET WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT TO INVEST. THE ADVISOR AT THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE MODEL OF THE CAR INHERENTLY CONTAINED A POORLY DESIGNED ENGINE, WHICH WAS CAUSE TO THE MATTER. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE WONDERED WHY THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT CONDUCTED A RECALL. I DID NOT KNOW THAT THE CONSUMER COULD PLACE A COMPLAINT FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL, AND WAS ONLY ADVISED TO CONTACT CHRYSLER (NOT MOSS MOTORS) BY A TELEPHONE FOLLOW-UP FEW WEEKS AFTER. IF INDEED THE ENGINE IS AT FAULT, I STRONGLY URGE A RECALL TO BE MADE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.*AK
THE HEADGASKETS ON THE NEONS MODEL YEARS 95-99 GO OUT CONTINUOUSLY AND DIAMLER CHRYSLER WILL ON PAY TO FIX THOSE THEY WANT TOO. I FOUND OUT THEY PAY FOR SOME PEOPLE TO FIX THEIR CAR BUT NOT OTHERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT WONT TAKE IT TO A DODGE DEALER. I CANT TAKE MY VEHICLE TO ANYWHERE BUT WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BECAUSE…
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THE HEADGASKETS ON THE NEONS MODEL YEARS 95-99 GO OUT CONTINUOUSLY AND DIAMLER CHRYSLER WILL ON PAY TO FIX THOSE THEY WANT TOO. I FOUND OUT THEY PAY FOR SOME PEOPLE TO FIX THEIR CAR BUT NOT OTHERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT WONT TAKE IT TO A DODGE DEALER. I CANT TAKE MY VEHICLE TO ANYWHERE BUT WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF MY WARRANTY. THE AC ALSO CONTINUOUSLY GOES OUT. *AK
Official recalls
199V001000 · Structure:body
Jan 7, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER MAY BE MISSING SPOT WELDS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN STRUCTURAL CRACKS IN THE BODY, AND REDUCED CRASH PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ANY MISSING WELDS, AND WILL HAVE STRUCTURAL RIVETS INSTALLED IN PLACE OF THE MISSING WELDS.
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.