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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 →
611Owner complaints

Model-year median: 173

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

2Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
3
19939
1994976
1995611
1996390
1997339
1998116
1999
Compare all Neon years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
340Electrical System
93Service Brakes, Hydraulic
88Power Train
47Air Bags
44
All reported categories
Unknown Or Other
37Steering
24Structure
23Visibility
17Vehicle Speed Control
16Exterior Lighting
15Fuel System, Gasoline
14Equipment
12Seat Belts
10Suspension
7Fuel System, Other
6Seats
6Tires
4Interior Lighting
3Engine
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Service Brakes, Air
1Wheels
1

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

What owners actually said

611 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentService Brakes, Hydraulic

HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED IN JULY 1998. CURRENTLY, LEAKING AGAIN. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER FIRST TIME, DEALER HAD TO USE FAULTY PART. DODGE PAID FOR REPAIR FIRST TIME. CURRENTLY, THEY REFUSE. ALSO, HAD TO HAVE AIR CONDITIONER AND CRUISE CONTROL REPLACED. *AK THE A/C FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. BRAKES MAKE LOUD NOISE. *YH

NHTSA ODI #878106

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS PREMATURELY FAILED AT 66,000 , CAUSING A LEAK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #877850

Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET BROKE WHICH CAUSED OIL TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND COULD RUIN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. COMMON PROBLEM. DODGE WON'T ASSIST CONSUMER BECAUSE HE WENT TO INDEPENDENT DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #877745

Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

VAC ASSIST SOURCED THRU EGR VALVE. LEAK IN EGR VALVE ALLOWS EXHAUST CONDENSATE IN VACUUM ASSIST - FREEZES IN COLD WEATHER, BRAKES WON'T STOP CAR

NHTSA ODI #739076

Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE GASKET HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN PAST 2 YEARS. IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #877614

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKET FAILURES; FIRST OCCURRED AT 24,976, AND SECOND OCCURRED AT 41,743 MILES. BOTH HEEAD GASKETS WERE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO, FAILURE OF EGR VALVE CAUSED WHEEL TO LOCK UP. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #877581

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2001
Air BagsCrashInjury

WAS DRIVING 35MPH WHEN A TRUCK RAN STOP SIGN. NEON "T" BONED TRUCK. FRONT END LIFTED UP. FRONT END OF DRIVER'S SIDE WAS CRUSHED. DOOR WAS BENT OUTWARD. UPON IMPACT WITH TRUCK, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUFFERED SOME INJURIES ,BUT NO HOSPITAL TREATMENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #877471

Mileage unknown · Dec 27, 2000
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed ControlCrash

CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE & ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. CAR HAS ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, AT ONE POINT WE HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHUT IT OFF TO REGAIN CONTROL/SPEED. NEWEST PROBLEM IS ENGINE SHUTS OFF/STALLS WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOSS OF ABILITY TO STEER AND BRAKE, CAUSED ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #738361

Mileage unknown · Dec 26, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

OIL LEAK BY HEAD GASKET LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. REPLACED VALVE COVER GASKET (ROCKER ARM COVER GASKET)& PROBLEM STILL EXISTS - FIRE HAZARD. BASED ON INFO FROM MECHANIC CHRYSLER HAS FAULTY HEAD GASKETS WHICH HAVE TO BE REPLACED BY NEW PROCESS HEAD GASKET. NEED ASSISTANCE WITH FACILITATING REPAIR AT DEALER. I AM ALSO CONSTA…

Read full complaint

OIL LEAK BY HEAD GASKET LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. REPLACED VALVE COVER GASKET (ROCKER ARM COVER GASKET)& PROBLEM STILL EXISTS - FIRE HAZARD. BASED ON INFO FROM MECHANIC CHRYSLER HAS FAULTY HEAD GASKETS WHICH HAVE TO BE REPLACED BY NEW PROCESS HEAD GASKET. NEED ASSISTANCE WITH FACILITATING REPAIR AT DEALER. I AM ALSO CONSTANTLY REPLACING THE BRAKES WITHIN LESS THAN 7 - 8 MOS. LESS THAN EVERYDAY USE OF VEHICLE SHOULD NOT REQUIRE 2 BRAKE JOBS PER YEAR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #738259

Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

HEAD GASKET IS A KNOWN ISSUE AT CHRYSLER, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECTIFIED BY RECALL. TRANSMISSION ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS BECUASE BECAUSE OF POOR DESIGN. CHRYSLER DID NOT HELP BECUASE OF MILEAGE AND USED CAR. WHAT CAN A 19 YR OLD AFFORD OTHER THAN A USED CAR?*AK

NHTSA ODI #737510

Official recalls

2

96V075000 · 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

2

PE02082 · 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