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
What owners actually said
167 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
WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, HEADING EAST, ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, HEADING NORTH, CRASHED INTO FRONT OF CONSUMER'S CAR. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING THIS CRASH, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO REPORT. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED TO DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR PROBLEM WITH AIR BAGS. PLE…
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WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, HEADING EAST, ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, HEADING NORTH, CRASHED INTO FRONT OF CONSUMER'S CAR. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING THIS CRASH, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO REPORT. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED TO DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR PROBLEM WITH AIR BAGS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*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
VEHICLE STARTED ON ITS OWN, NO KEY IN IGNITION SWITCH AND COMPLETEY TURNED OFF, WHILE PARKED. ONLY WAY TO GET VEHICLE TO TURN OFF BY SHIFTING IT INTO GEAR. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK
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
TRANSMISSION SLIPPING OUT OF GEARS AND CLUNKING INTO REVERSE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND REBUILD TRANSMISSION UNDER EXTENED WARRANTY. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK
RPMS WOULD REMAIN OPEN EVEN WHEN ACCELERTION HAVS DECREASED. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *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.