IllustrationTHE STRUT ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR RATTLES. IT RUBS WHEN I MAKE RIGHT TURNS. I HAVE ONLY CHANGED THE STRUTS IN THE REAR AND A WHEEL BEARING ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR AND IT IS STILL DOING IT. *TR
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
Suspension complaints
14 reportsCHYSLER IS INFORMING ME THAT THERE IS NO SUCH RECALL, RECALL NUMBER 99V-001. MY CAR FALLS WITHIN THE LOW HIGH VIN NUMBERS REPORTED TO POSSIBLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND I AM HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY 1998 PLYMOUTH NEON THATAPPLY TO THIS RECALL AS WELL AS SERVERAL TSB.
WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A LOUD POPPING NOISE THAT IS COMING FROM FRONT END OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER FINDS IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE AT TIMES. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXCESSIVE VIBRATION/SHAKING IN THE FRONT END AT SPEEDS OF 60 MPH AND UP, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM, ONE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NLM
FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES LOUD NOISES WHILE MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND MECHANIC INDICATED REPAIRS WERE DONE ON LOWER CONTROL ARM. NOISE HAD REAPPEARED WHILE GOING REVERSE OR FORWARD.*AK
I HAD A SLOW SPEED ACCIDENT IN MY 1998 PLYMOUTH NEON. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND ONLY GOING 5 MPH. THE OTHER CAR HIT MY LEFT FRONT FENDER. MY STRUT IS BROKEN & VARIOUS OTHER PARTS OF THE SUSPENSION, INCLUDING THE AXEL. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN IN A SLOW SPEED ACCIDENT. I SEE THERE IS A REAR SUSPENSION DEFECT…
Read full complaint
I HAD A SLOW SPEED ACCIDENT IN MY 1998 PLYMOUTH NEON. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND ONLY GOING 5 MPH. THE OTHER CAR HIT MY LEFT FRONT FENDER. MY STRUT IS BROKEN & VARIOUS OTHER PARTS OF THE SUSPENSION, INCLUDING THE AXEL. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN IN A SLOW SPEED ACCIDENT. I SEE THERE IS A REAR SUSPENSION DEFECT AND AM WONDERING ABOUT THE FRONT.*AK
ENGINE WOULD SKIP WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS . ALSO, THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
SEVERE VIBRATION & SHAKING WHENEVER VEHICLE REACHES 50 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON SIX OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. SEEKING HELP AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM NHTSA. *AK
DRIVER'S DOOR WINDOW WOULD NOT ALLOW DOOR TO CLOSE WHEN UP. SQUEALING NOISES COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. ELECTRIC LIGHT IN TRUNK FAILS TO WORK. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS ALSO UNEVEN. THE HOOD, LIGHTS & BUMPERS HAVE GAPS (LARGE GAPS ON ONE SIDE, SMALL GAPS ON OTHER SIDE). VEHICLE RUSTING UNDER HOOD. TOOK TO BODY SHOP & INFORMED VE…
Read full complaint
DRIVER'S DOOR WINDOW WOULD NOT ALLOW DOOR TO CLOSE WHEN UP. SQUEALING NOISES COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. ELECTRIC LIGHT IN TRUNK FAILS TO WORK. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS ALSO UNEVEN. THE HOOD, LIGHTS & BUMPERS HAVE GAPS (LARGE GAPS ON ONE SIDE, SMALL GAPS ON OTHER SIDE). VEHICLE RUSTING UNDER HOOD. TOOK TO BODY SHOP & INFORMED VEHICLE WAS IN ACCIDENT PRIOR TO BEING SOLD BY DEALER. *AK
VEHICLE MAKES A POPPING NOISE GOING AROUND CORNERS. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ALLOWS DRIVER TO SHIFT WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES (NO/DEFECTIVE INTERLOCK). PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN ONGOING SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE. 1 PREVIOUS REPAIR ATTEMPT DID NOT RESOLVE POPPING NOISE, DEALER DID NOT ADDRESS THE SHIFT INTERLOCK PROBLEM. *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.