IllustrationTHE VEHICLE'S WIRING HARNESS FAILED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. *NM
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
What owners actually said
611 reportsVEHICLE REJECTED BY AZ DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. OBD NOT READY , DEALER HAS FLASHED COMPUTER , RETEST DONE AGAIN , NOW SAME INFORMATION OBD NOT READY. THEY WILL NOT PASS IT THEY SAY THEY CANT READ IT?? CPU IS FINE BY CHRYSLER... BEEN CHECKED 2 TIMES... HELP *LA
HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL
I PURCHASED A 1996 DODGE NEON FROM BOBB CHEVROLET ON 12/28/99. THE SALES FOLKS WERE TIM AND WENDY RYAN. I PAID $6343.85 FOR THE CAR. THE SERIAL NUMBER OF THE CAR IS [XXX] WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR I ASKED TIM RYAN 2 QUESTIONS: (1) WOULD HE HAVE THE HEAD GASKET CHECKED AND (2) WHY WAS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. BYERS FIXED THE HE…
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I PURCHASED A 1996 DODGE NEON FROM BOBB CHEVROLET ON 12/28/99. THE SALES FOLKS WERE TIM AND WENDY RYAN. I PAID $6343.85 FOR THE CAR. THE SERIAL NUMBER OF THE CAR IS [XXX] WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR I ASKED TIM RYAN 2 QUESTIONS: (1) WOULD HE HAVE THE HEAD GASKET CHECKED AND (2) WHY WAS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. BYERS FIXED THE HEAD GASKET AND HE SAID THAT SLIPPING TRANSMISSION WAS A CHRYSLER THING. THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING ALL THROUGH THE SPRING AND SUMMER OF 2000. SO ON 9/8/2000, THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT BYERS. IT WAS BYERS INVOICE [XXX]. AT THIS TIME, I ASKED IF THE HEAD WAS RESURFACED AND CHECKED FOR CRACKS ALONG IF THE HEAD BOLTS WERE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT IF BYERS DID THIS AND WAS TOLD NO. I TOOK AWAY FROM THIS THAT THIS WORK WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE AND THAT WAS WHY IS WASNT DONE. I WAS TOLD YESTERDAY, 1/14/04 THAT I HAD A POSSIBLE HEAD GASKET LEAK AGAIN. SO I WENT BACK TO BYERS FOR HELP. TREAT SAID TODAY THAT CHRYSLER WONT COVER THIS WORK UNDER WARRANTY. QUESTIONS: 1.WHY DID THE HEAD GASKET LEAK AFTER 37,000 MILES? 2.IF THE HEAD WAS RESURFACED AND CHECKED FOR CRACKS AND HEAD BOLTS REPLACED AS I ASKED FOR IN 2000, WOULD I WILL HAVE THE PROBLEMS IN 2004. 3. HOW MANY OTHER DODGE NEONS HAVE BAD HEAD GASKETS AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 44000 MILES. 4. WHEN THE WORK WAS DONE ON THE HEAD GASKET IN 1/2000 AND 9/2000, WHAT WORK WAS DONE EXACTLY? WERE THE HEADS TAKEN OUT AND CHECK BY DEFECTS. I NEED TO KNOW SINCE I NOW THINK THAT THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM IS CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM, IE THE ANTI-FREEZE IS LEAKING. *CB *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
RECENTLY (IN OCTOBER), THE CAR STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. I HAPPENS IN LOW SPEED AND WHEN I DON'T ADD OIL. THERE IS A OIL WARNING TOGETHER WITH THE STALLING. USUALLY I CAN NOT START THE CAR RIGHT THEN. BUT IF I ADD OIL IMMEDIATELY AND KEEP ADDING OIL WHEN I TURN ON THE KEY, I CAN TURN ON THE CAR. WHEN I RELEASE THE OIL PRESS, THE EN…
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RECENTLY (IN OCTOBER), THE CAR STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. I HAPPENS IN LOW SPEED AND WHEN I DON'T ADD OIL. THERE IS A OIL WARNING TOGETHER WITH THE STALLING. USUALLY I CAN NOT START THE CAR RIGHT THEN. BUT IF I ADD OIL IMMEDIATELY AND KEEP ADDING OIL WHEN I TURN ON THE KEY, I CAN TURN ON THE CAR. WHEN I RELEASE THE OIL PRESS, THE ENGINE STALLS AGAIN. I TRIED TWICE IN THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER. THEY CAN NOT FIX IT AND CAN NOT FIND THE REAL PROBLEM.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK
VEHICLE KEEPS TURNING OFF UPON STARTING AND SOMETIMES WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *AK
PAINT PEELED OF THE ENTIRE ROOF OF THE CAR AND IS STARTING TO PEEL ON THE TRUNK. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED THAT SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT REGISTERING THE CORRECT SPEED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY STALL. AFTER A FEW MINUTES ENGINE COULD BE STARTED AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM TWELVE TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS, AND THERE WAS A RECALL. HOWEVER, CONSUMER'S VE…
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WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY STALL. AFTER A FEW MINUTES ENGINE COULD BE STARTED AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM TWELVE TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS, AND THERE WAS A RECALL. HOWEVER, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *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