IllustrationDEALERSHIP REFUSING TO PAY DAMAGES FOR DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. *AK
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
What owners actually said
390 reportsAUTO TRANSMISSION 3 SPEED I HAVING A PROBLEM THEY IS ALWAYS A BIG GERK WHEN TAKING THE CAR O UT OF GEAR OR PLACING THE CAR IN PARK I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER THEY STS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION BUT I HAVE HAD IT THERE 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME THING. *AK
CLIP THAT GOES INTO THE BUCKLE OF SEAT BELT HAS A PLASTIC CATCH THAT LOCKS. PLASTIC CLIP THAT LOCKS SEAT BELT AROUND PERSON WHEN DISCONNECTED PLASTIC CLIP POPS OFF.*AK
TRUNK LEAKS, CAUSING BACK SEAT FLOOR TO FLOOD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
I HAVE GOTTEN THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED TWICE IN A SPAN OF A YEAR AND A HALF.*AK
I CAN NOT BELIEVE THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY RECALLS ON THIS CAR FOR THE ENGINE, WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS YOU HAVE LISTED. WHEN I GOT THIS CAR IT STARTED WITH CYLINDER # 1 MISFIRING, THEN THE R & R COMPRESSOR WAS FAULTY, POWER STEERING PUMP WAS LOOSE, THE FAN RELAY SWITCH BLEW AND NOW AFTER MY LAST PAYMENT THE HEAD CRACKS AND C…
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I CAN NOT BELIEVE THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY RECALLS ON THIS CAR FOR THE ENGINE, WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS YOU HAVE LISTED. WHEN I GOT THIS CAR IT STARTED WITH CYLINDER # 1 MISFIRING, THEN THE R & R COMPRESSOR WAS FAULTY, POWER STEERING PUMP WAS LOOSE, THE FAN RELAY SWITCH BLEW AND NOW AFTER MY LAST PAYMENT THE HEAD CRACKS AND CYLINDER # 2 DOESN'T HOLD ENOUGH PRESSURE. I HAVEN'T HAD A PLEASANT EXPERIANCE WITH MY DODGE NEON.*AK
THE FIRST ISSUE WITH THE BLOWN HEAD GASKET, OCCURED AROUND 32,000 MILES. IT WAS FIXED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. I AM NOW HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN; OIL LEAKING, EXTREMELY ROUGH IDLING, AND HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO GET MY CAR IN. HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE COVERED UNDER MY ADDED WARRANTY. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS WITH THE PAI…
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THE FIRST ISSUE WITH THE BLOWN HEAD GASKET, OCCURED AROUND 32,000 MILES. IT WAS FIXED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. I AM NOW HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN; OIL LEAKING, EXTREMELY ROUGH IDLING, AND HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO GET MY CAR IN. HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE COVERED UNDER MY ADDED WARRANTY. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS WITH THE PAINT JOB. THE ORIGINAL PAINT IS LIPIS BLUE AND IS PEELING AND FLAKING OFF IN MANY PLACES. AT 35,500 MILES, THEY TOUCHED UP THE PROBLEM AREAS, TOLD ME OF THE DEFECT IN THE PRIMER, AND THEN INFORMED ME THEY COULD NOT PAINT THE ENTIRE CAR, ONLY THE PANELS WHICH DID NOT PASS THE TAPE TEST. I HAVE CONTACTED THEM AGAIN MORE RECENTLY BECAUSE OF OTHER PEELING PROBLEMS. IT IS MY BELIEF THE CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAINTED COMPLETELY WHEN THEY INFORMED ME OF THE DEFECT.*AK
WHILE IN REVERSE, BARELY COASTING WITH NO BUMP IN ROAD, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NO INJURIES.*AK
DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SEATS FAILED TO LOCK IN PLACE. THEY BOTH FLOP FORWARD - I WAS REAR-ENDED BY A REFRIGERED BIG-RIG AND THIS CONTRIBUTED TO MY INJURIES.*AK
NEED REPAIR OF HEAD GASKET, OCCORDING TO EL CAMPO OF TUCSON AZ. *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.