IllustrationHEAD GASKET FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 32,000 MILES. HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND THE NEW HEAD GASKET FAILED AGAIN WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON THE GASKET. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH NEONS AND CHRYSLER HAS YET TO ISSUE A RECALL.
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
What owners actually said
167 reportsHEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 37500 MILES ( 2001) HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT (83125 MILES) RESULTING IN OIL CONTAMINATION/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM/SPARK PLUG FOULING. REAR OIL SEAL FAILURE ( STARTED AT 55125 MILES)- $ 2000 REPAIR BILL TO REPLACE HEAD GASKET AND REAR OIL SEAL AT 83125 MILES.
PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG CRACKED. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. CONSUMER STATED THAT IF THE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED SHE WAS AFRAID IT WILL HARM HER DAUGHTER.*AK THE HEAT FROM THE SUN WARPED THE DASH BOARD. *TC
HEAD GASKET LEAK, KNOWN PROBLEM BY DIAMLER THATS WHY THE MLS GASKET AND TORQUE SPECS WERE INTRODUCED. NO FIRE, YET. CAR ONLY HAS 54,000 MILES WHEN LEAK STARTED.*AK
ON MY 1998 PLYMOUTH NEON THE FUEL FILLER TUBE RUSTED AWAY (I WAS ABLE TO SEE DAYLIGHT WHEN FILLING UP WITH GAS). THE RUST/ROAD DEBRIS/WATER WENT INTO THE FUEL TANK AND WAS NOT PREVENTED FROM GOING INTO THE FUEL RAIL & INJECTORS CAUSING THE CAR TO CONSTANTLY STUMBLE AND DISPLAY THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING LITE.
I HAVE A 1998 PLYMOUTH NEON. THE ROOF OF MY CAR BEGAN PEELING OVER A YEAR AGO, AND HAS RAPIDLY SPREAD AND NOW HAS RUST DEVELOPING. I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL OTHER NEONS IN MY AREA WITH SIMILAR PEELING PROBLEMS. I HAVE CONTACTED CRYSLER AND THE REFUSE TO HELP SINCE THE WARRANTY ON THE PAINT IS 3 YEARS/36,000 MILES. I THINK THAT …
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 1998 PLYMOUTH NEON. THE ROOF OF MY CAR BEGAN PEELING OVER A YEAR AGO, AND HAS RAPIDLY SPREAD AND NOW HAS RUST DEVELOPING. I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL OTHER NEONS IN MY AREA WITH SIMILAR PEELING PROBLEMS. I HAVE CONTACTED CRYSLER AND THE REFUSE TO HELP SINCE THE WARRANTY ON THE PAINT IS 3 YEARS/36,000 MILES. I THINK THAT IS RIDICULOUS. PAINT ON A CAR SHOULD LAST MUCH, MUCH LONGER THAN 3 YEARS.*AK
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS BURNED OUT CONTINUOUSLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED THEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.…
Read full complaint
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS BURNED OUT CONTINUOUSLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED THEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
TOOK MY 98 NEON WITH 42,000 MILES INTO LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL LEAK. THEY SAID THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR A TOTAL OF $1050. IT IS MY OPINION THAT: - THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS NOT DUE TO MY OWN NEGLIGENCE, BUT AN INHERENT DESIGN FLAW. - THE INFERIOR HEAD GASKETS SHIPPED IN THESE CARS POSE A S…
Read full complaint
TOOK MY 98 NEON WITH 42,000 MILES INTO LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL LEAK. THEY SAID THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR A TOTAL OF $1050. IT IS MY OPINION THAT: - THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS NOT DUE TO MY OWN NEGLIGENCE, BUT AN INHERENT DESIGN FLAW. - THE INFERIOR HEAD GASKETS SHIPPED IN THESE CARS POSE A SLIGHT SAFETY RISK TO CONSUMERS BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY LEADS TO OIL LEAKAGE. - A LARGE PERCENTAGE, IF NOT ALL FIRST GENERATION NEONS, ARE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM. *LA
FUEL TANK REPLACED THEN CAR DOES NOT START IN THE MORNING AND END OF DAY. CHRYSLER AND DEALER HAVE WASHED THEIR HANDS OF IT. *MR
UPON HAVING AN OIL CHANGE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL.*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.