IllustrationOIL LIGHT COMES ON ALL TIME,AND THERE WERE PUDDLES OF OIL ON GROUND. TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT ENGINE GASKET HAD AN OIL LEAK.*AK ACCORDING TO THE INVESTIGATION DONE BY CONSUMER, THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM LIES ON DETECTIVE HEAD GASKET USED BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE VEHICLE. *YH
1997 Dodge Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Neon years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 35 of 390 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 222 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
44 crash reports12 fire reports24 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
222 reportsCONSUMER NOTICED A PUDDLE OF OIL FORMING IN DRIVEWAY. DEALER HAS REPAIRED ONCE, BUT ENGINE IS LEAKING AGAIN. *AK *SLC
ENGINE GASKET HAS CRACK IN REAR,CAUSING AN OIL LEAK IN COMPARTMENT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK ORIGINAL GASKET WAS A FIBER GASKET AND WAS A FAILURE. THE NEW NEON'S GASKET CONTAIN A METAL AND FIBER GASKET. *YH
OIL IS LEAKING BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID NO!
WHEN CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO GET OIL CHANGED WAS NOTIFIED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING .*AK
DEALER NOTIFIED AND WORKING TO RESOLVE $ EXPENSE WITH ME AND WARRANTY DEPT. HEAD GASKET FAILED AND NOTICED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS IN THIS AREA. WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN MADE? WAS THIS JUST A POORLY DESIGNED ENGINE?*AK
CYLINDER HEAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. LEAKING OIL. REPLACEMENT PART WAS TWICE AS THICK AS ORIGINAL PART. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD GASKET BROKE. IT WAS LEAKING OIL ALL OVER. DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST IN HELPING WITH PAYMENT BECAUSE CHRSYLER WOULD NOT REIMBURSE THEM. DEALER SAID IT WAS A FAULTY DESIGN OF HEAD GASKET. *AK HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *YH
HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL FROM RIGHT HAND REAR CORNER OF CYLINDER HEAD. VIEWING ENGINE FROM FLYWHEEL END. *AK
Official recalls
197V080000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
May 16, 1997
THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT DESIGN ALLOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON VEHICLE IGNITION SHUT DOWN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED MODULE.
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.