IllustrationWHILE DRIVING HEAD GASKET MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING ENGINE PROBLEMS, AND VEHICLE OVERHEATING AND STALLING UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
1998 Dodge Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Dodge Neon do not stand out strongly from 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: 45 of 339 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 199 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
43 crash reports3 fire reports32 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
199 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE WITH VERY LOW MILEAGE, SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE FROM RESEARCHING THE INTERNET.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
REPLACEMENT OF HEAD GASKET WITH ONLY 19K MILES. *AK
HEAD CYLINDER GASKET FAILURE LEAVING ONLY ONE QUART OF OIL IN ENGINE ,OIL LIGHT DID NOT COME ON TO WARN US OF LOW OIL. *AK
BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 30,000, MISSING, HESITATION, NOW LOUD NOISE ON COLD START MAY BE POWER STEERING PUMP? ALSO LOUD POPPING NOISE COMING FROM SUSPENSION. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER TOOK CAR INTO DEALER FOR A FRONT END PROBLEM. MECHANIC PUT CAR ON THE LIFT AND NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE GASKET. *AK THE RADIATOR WAS ALSO REPLACED. *SLC
NEEDS NEW HEAD GASKET AT 62,000 MILES. PAINT IS FOGGING UP ON THE BACK FOR NO REASON. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS COMPLAINING OS SIMILIAR NATURE. THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN GOING OUT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH IMMEDIATELY ALONG WITH THE HEAD GASKET. THIS IS A SERIOUSLY I…
Read full complaint
NEEDS NEW HEAD GASKET AT 62,000 MILES. PAINT IS FOGGING UP ON THE BACK FOR NO REASON. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS COMPLAINING OS SIMILIAR NATURE. THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN GOING OUT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH IMMEDIATELY ALONG WITH THE HEAD GASKET. THIS IS A SERIOUSLY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH IMMEDIATELY.*AK
Official recalls
199V001000 · Structure:body
Jan 7, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER MAY BE MISSING SPOT WELDS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN STRUCTURAL CRACKS IN THE BODY, AND REDUCED CRASH PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ANY MISSING WELDS, AND WILL HAVE STRUCTURAL RIVETS INSTALLED IN PLACE OF THE MISSING WELDS.
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.