IllustrationFOR AS MUCH AS I PAY PER MONTH ON THIS VEHICLE, IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT CONSTANT PROBLEMS. I AM A SINGLE MOM AND CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE MY ONLY VEHICLE IN THE SHOP EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND. IT SEEMS THAT MOST OF MY PROBLEMS ARE COMMON IN THE NEONS. NO AFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *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 reportsTHE VEHICLE CUTS OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING, THE INSTALLING OF NEW THROTTLE AS WELL AS POWER TRAIN MODULE COULD NOT FIX THIS FAILURE, POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. YH
BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR O-RING IN RIGHT REAR OF ENGINE. APPEARS TO POSSIBLY BE A O-RING WHICH SECURES OIL MOVING FROM THE CRANKCASE TO THE HEAD. VERY PREMATURE FAILURE. *AK
I WANT THE SECRET WARRANTY TO COVER THIS. NO SAFETY DEFECT IN SUMMARY. *AK
THIS CAR HAS ENDLESS PROBLEMS. WITH 2 HEAD GASKETS AND 1 VALVE GASKET BLOWN, I WORRY ABOUT WHAT DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE TO MY CAR. I JUST HOPE IT DOESN'T BLOW TOO. I WANT CHRYSLER TO DOUBLE MY WARRANTY! *AK
CONSUMER PURCHSASED VEHICLE WITH 12,000 MILES ON IT. TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & HAD SEALS TIGHTENED. 1-2 DAYS LATER, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON & THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED ON 10-18-99 BECAUSE CONSUMER WAS SCARED TO DRIVE IT. CONSUMER FOUND OUT HEAD GASKE…
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CONSUMER PURCHSASED VEHICLE WITH 12,000 MILES ON IT. TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & HAD SEALS TIGHTENED. 1-2 DAYS LATER, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON & THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED ON 10-18-99 BECAUSE CONSUMER WAS SCARED TO DRIVE IT. CONSUMER FOUND OUT HEAD GASKETS WERE CRACKED. CONSUMER HAS OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE & DEALER WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE DEFECTS. WILL CONTACT THE LEMON LAW. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS DEFENITELY A MANUFACTURING FLAW BASED ON THE REFERENCES THAT I HAVE LEARNED OF. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS CAR FOR THIS DEFECT! *AK
AIR COMPRESSOR,PISTON HEAD WAS DAMEGED DUE TO HEAT,CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED,AND THE FIRST HEAD GASKET REPLACED ALL AT 18500 MILES.RECENTLY REPLACED A THIRD ONE AT 44500 MILES.THAT MAKES FOUR IN A YEAR AND A HALF! ECENTLY REPLACED MILES
THERE WAS OIL LEAKING FROM THE OUTSIDE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ,AND WAS TOLD THE HEAD GASKETS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO DEALER, AND DEALER WAS TO COVER THE COST TO HAVE VALVES AND SPRINGS IN THE MOTOR REPLACED. HOWEVER, WARRANTY EXPIRED BECAUSE VEHICLE EXCEEDED THE REQUIRED MILEAGE. *AK
MY CAR HAD LEAKED OIL, VERY LITTLE FOR AWHILE, I HAD PLANNED TO PUT IN THE SHOP AFTER I RECEIVED MY TAX RETURN CHECK. WELL I COULDN'T WAIT, FOR THE SMALL LEAK HAD TURNED INTO A HUGE LEAK. IT IS AT THE SHOP RIGHT NOW, AND I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS THE HEAD GASKET. I HAVE HEARD OF ALL TO THE FAMILIAR CASES LIKE THIS. SOMETHI…
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MY CAR HAD LEAKED OIL, VERY LITTLE FOR AWHILE, I HAD PLANNED TO PUT IN THE SHOP AFTER I RECEIVED MY TAX RETURN CHECK. WELL I COULDN'T WAIT, FOR THE SMALL LEAK HAD TURNED INTO A HUGE LEAK. IT IS AT THE SHOP RIGHT NOW, AND I HAD BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS THE HEAD GASKET. I HAVE HEARD OF ALL TO THE FAMILIAR CASES LIKE THIS. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON SUCH A PROBLEM? *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.