IllustrationMY 1996 DODGE NEON HAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE BY ALLOWING THE OIL TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH TO FIND THAT THERE ARE MANY CASES OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER NEONS. IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY CHRYSLER. *AK
1996 Dodge Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Neon years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Dodge Neon are substantially higher than the model-year median of 173.
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: 38 of 611 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 340 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 93 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 88 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
46 crash reports5 fire reports27 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
340 reportsENGINE HEAD GASKET OIL LEAK. MULTIPLE GARAGEMEN INDICATE MAJORITY OF NEONS HAVE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE HAS HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION, HEAD GASKET, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, AND THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED FUNCTIONING. ALL BEFORE 60,000 MILES. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILED AND DAMAGED ENGINE BLOCK. NEEDS NEW ENGINE. ACCORDING TO YOUR RECORDS, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEON. PLEASE .RECALL. *AK
IN JANUARY 1998 WHILE MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE I HAD AN OIL LEAK. MY RECEIPT STATES THEY FIXED THE FRONT ENGINE SEAL. NOW IN JUNE 1999 I NEED A NEW FRONT ENGINE SEAL AND MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
WE HAVE REPLACED HEAD GASKET TWICE AND ONE WAS W/ THERE REDESIGNED HEAD GASKET. NOW IT IS STARTING TO GO OUT FOR A THIRD TIME. AT 500 DOLLARS A REPAIR THIS IS HIGHWAY ROBBERY. I DO REGUALARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENCE AND SERVICES AND MOST OF MY MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES. ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPEIRENCING HEAD GASKET FAILURES ON THE N…
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WE HAVE REPLACED HEAD GASKET TWICE AND ONE WAS W/ THERE REDESIGNED HEAD GASKET. NOW IT IS STARTING TO GO OUT FOR A THIRD TIME. AT 500 DOLLARS A REPAIR THIS IS HIGHWAY ROBBERY. I DO REGUALARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENCE AND SERVICES AND MOST OF MY MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES. ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPEIRENCING HEAD GASKET FAILURES ON THE NEONS AND FOR SOMEONE WHO GETS A LOAN (THAT HE CAN BARLY AFFORD) FOR A NEON, SHOULDN'T BE WORRIED ABOUT MULTIPLE HEAD GASKET REPAIRS. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURES DEFAULT. THE DEALER SHIP THAT REPAIRED MY HEAD GASKET (BOTH OF THEM, THEY REPLACED THEM TWICE) HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE NEONS DO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. HE HAS REPLACED SEVERAL HEAD GASKETS. I'M REALLY GETTING TIRED OF THIS. I'M MEAN REALLY, WHAT KIND OF NEW CAR NEEDS THREE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED IN TWO YEARS. I'LL NEVER BY ANOTHER NEON AGAIN, AND I'M NOT RECOMMENDING THEM TO ANYONE EITHER. THANKS... JEREMY
VEHICLE STALLS AND VIBRATES AT ANY SPEED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO REPAIR SHOP THREE TIMES, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
ENGINE SEALS MALFUNCTIONED IN REAR GASKET TWICE, AND IN HEAD GASKET TWICE WHICH CAUSED AN OIL LEAK AND COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
THE NEONS' HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER NEON OWNERS AND MOST HAVE REPLACED A HEAD GASKET ALSO. ALSO, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, I HAVE A PRINTED BILL FROM THE DEALER THAT STATED THE JOB TOTAL WAS $436. NOW THE …
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THE NEONS' HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER NEON OWNERS AND MOST HAVE REPLACED A HEAD GASKET ALSO. ALSO, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, I HAVE A PRINTED BILL FROM THE DEALER THAT STATED THE JOB TOTAL WAS $436. NOW THE SAME DEALER SAME CAR SAME PROBLEM IS TELLING ME IT WILL BE OVER $1000 AND THE CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY????? *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. *AK
Official recalls
296V075000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
May 3, 1996
THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID DUE TO A DAMAGED DOUBLE LIP REAR PISTON SEAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE CAN RESULT IN DIMINISHED EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE HALF OF THE SPLIT BRAKE SYSTEM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHT(S) WILL SIGNAL SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT PRIOR TO PARTIAL BRAKE SYSTEM LOSS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDR PISTON ASSEMBLY.
96V026000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Feb 5, 1996
AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CAN SHORT CIRCUIT DUE TO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION TUBE..
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHORTING OF THE WIRING HARNESS CAN CAUSE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS, INCLUDING ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REROUTE THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS PROPERLY AND ANY WIRE THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED WILL BE REPLACED.
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
2PE02082 · 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.
PE98012 · Underhood Fires
Opened Feb 26, 1998 · Closed Jun 23, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available