IllustrationTHIS CAR WAS OVERLOOKED AS A SEVERE PROBLEM AT SPITZER DODGE. THEY THOUGHT THEY FIXED IT. PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN ABOUT 1 MONTH LATER. ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FIXED IT WAS THE COMPUTER TOOK 3.5 HRS TO WORK ON. THAT WAS ON 03/12/99. ON 09/30/99 THE SAME PROBLEM DEVELOPED.
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 reportsVALVE PAN GASKET AND VALVE COVER GASKET GAVE OUT (BLEW) 120 MILES AFTER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY RAN OUT. HAVE REPLACED ONCE AND IT HAS BLOWN OUT AGAIN. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. AT THIS SAME TIME, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING A CLUNK SOUND WHEN SHIFTING UP OR DOWN. IF A CAR MANUFACTURER CANNOT MAKE A CAR THAT LASTS …
Read full complaint
VALVE PAN GASKET AND VALVE COVER GASKET GAVE OUT (BLEW) 120 MILES AFTER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY RAN OUT. HAVE REPLACED ONCE AND IT HAS BLOWN OUT AGAIN. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. AT THIS SAME TIME, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING A CLUNK SOUND WHEN SHIFTING UP OR DOWN. IF A CAR MANUFACTURER CANNOT MAKE A CAR THAT LASTS WELL BEYOND THEIR PATHETIC WARRANTY, THEN THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. SEE REF: ODI ID: 536724 ODI ID: 545773 ODI ID: 704492 ODI ID: 707143 ODI ID: 710054 ODI ID: 780464 ODI ID: 826370 ODI ID: 829921 ODI ID: 831010 ODI ID: 831498 ODI ID: 832094 ODI ID: 841115 ODI ID: 847105 ODI ID: 848011 ODI ID: 848347
WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A SPACE BETWEEN THE MOTOR, CAUSING THE OIL TO BLOW OUT OF THE ENGINE.WHEN THE CAR STOPS THE OIL REALLY SPILLS OUT. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY CONSUMER NOTICED OIL ON DRIVEWAY.. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, NOTICED OIL LEAK FROM ENGINE HEAD GASKET. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK
ALVIN DODGE STATES THAT I HAVE "HARD LIP SEALS" - SHOULD BE SOFT AND PLIABLE. INTERNAL CLUTCH FAILURE. OTHER PARTS SHOT. DODGE IS ONLY PAYING FOR PARTS.
BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND WON'T GO OFF. VEHICLE IS HARD TO START DUE TO A SHORT WITHIN IGNITION SWITCH. CONSUMER HAS TO WAIT UNTIL VEHICLE WILL START UP. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE ATTACHMENT WHICH COVERS THE AIRBAG / HORN ASSEMBLY IS LOOSE AND CAN BE PULLED OFF. *YC
WE TOOK THIS VEHICLE IN TO A DEALER IN SIERRA VISTA IN 1998 AND WERE TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS, THE SAME PROBLEM REOCCURED AND NOW THE OIL LEAK IS MORE SEVERE. THE DEALER DID NOT LET US KNOW IF THE HEAD GASKET WAS ACTUALLY REPLACED OR NOT.
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE VALVE COVER BEGAN TO LEAK OIL, MAKING THE CAR LOSE SPEED AND POWER . *AK
INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS A SHORT, CAUSING MALFUNCATION OF GAUGES/INDICATORS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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.