IllustrationCAR SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY UPON STARTING OR WILL RE-REV ITSELF AFTER SHAKING. NO CONTROL WITH POWER STEERING ON WET PAVEMENT. HAS BEEN TAKEN IN A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT PROBLEM STILL THERE.
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 reportsTHIS CAR HAS GONE DEAD TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF WHILE DRIVING.
OIL LEAKING FORM UNDER ENGINE. TOOK VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENTENT REPAIR SHOP. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET/ A WARPED ENGINE HEAD, AND A BLOWN SEAL CRANKSHAFT. DEALER PERFORMED REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY, AND CONSUMER WANTED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO NHTSA. *AK
BEING THAT THIS IS A NEW CAR I DID NOT EXPECT THAT THE HEAD GASKET WOULD GO. UPON TALKING TO SERVICE REPAIR ADVISORS AT MY LOCAL DEALER THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS BEEN COMMON FOR THE NEONS. THEY HAVE SEEN DEFECTIVE GASKETS, BUT THE CHRYSLER CORP. HAS NOT YET NOTIFIED OR SENT OUT A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS. MY CAR ALSO EXPERIEN…
Read full complaint
BEING THAT THIS IS A NEW CAR I DID NOT EXPECT THAT THE HEAD GASKET WOULD GO. UPON TALKING TO SERVICE REPAIR ADVISORS AT MY LOCAL DEALER THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS BEEN COMMON FOR THE NEONS. THEY HAVE SEEN DEFECTIVE GASKETS, BUT THE CHRYSLER CORP. HAS NOT YET NOTIFIED OR SENT OUT A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS. MY CAR ALSO EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ELECRTICAL ANOMOLIES AS I WAS TOLD. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON REPEATEDLY AND NO CODES WERE FOUND THAT SIGNIFIED A PROBLEM SO THE SERVICE MAN JUST KEPT RESETING THE LIGHT. THIS OF COURSE WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR ME, SO I HAD THEM REPLACE THE SENDING UNIT TO THE LIGHT(COMPUTER CONTROL UNIT). UNFORTUNETLY THE PROBLEM PERSISTS(4 ATTEMPTS AT REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE). I HAVE FOUND NO RESOLVE FOR MY PROBLEM, THUS I CONTACT YOU. HOPING FOR ANY ADVICE OR HELP THIS MAY PROVIDE.
WHILE DRIVING CAR CONSTANTLY CUTS OF. ,IF GOING UP ANY TYPE OF GRADE AT 25MPH THE CAR OVER HEATS AND CUTS OFF. *AK
WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS OIL DRIPPING UNDER THE CAR. DEALER DIAGNOSED THE CAR AS HAVING BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. *AK
STEERING WHEEL AND GASKET FAILURE.
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND SHFTING TO ANOTHER GEAR, THE VEHICLE JERKS AND SHAKES AND THERE IS A LEAKAGE WITHIN THE TRANSMSSION. ALSO, FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHERE THE MOTOR MOUNTS ARE LOCATED ON THE BOTTOM AND THE TOP, BROKE AND THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF LEAKAGE.
NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM UNDER ENGINE.TOOK VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET/A WARPED ENGINE HEAD , AND A BLOWN SEAL CRANKSHAFT. DEALER PERFORMED REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY, AND CONSUMER WANTED TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO NHTSA. *AK
VEHICLE SOUNDS LIKE EXHAUST SYSTEM COMES LOOSE WHEN DRIVEN THROUGH PUDDLE AND LOOSES ENGINE POWER, DEALER GIVEN TWO TRIES TO CORRECT PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM DUE TO THE LACK OF RAIN, ANYONE WHO EXPERENCED SAME PROBLEM EMAIL AT DREAD@FLINET.NET
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.