IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY 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 reportsTHE OWNER SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A WELL KNOWN "HEAD GASKET" DEFECT, THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY. *AK
LOSS OF OIL. VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND WAS INFORMED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
REPAIR WAS MADE PROMPTLY AT COST $105.60.. ASUMMED NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROBLEM.. HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH HEADGASKETS ACCORDING TO NHTS A THE DEALER AND CHRYSLER SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ISSUED IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT 3 SERVICE ORDERS WERE ISSUED POSSIBLY BY CHRYSLER. *AK
OIL LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED DUE TO OIL LEAKAGE FROM HEAD GASKETS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
AT FIRST, THE OIL LEAK WAS VERY LITTLE AND AS TIME WENT ON, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A LOT OF OIL ON THE GROUND. I TOOK IT TO TWO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE LEAK ON THE HEAD GASKET DUE TO MANUFACTURERS BAD DESIGN. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM?*AK
THESE PROBLEMS APPEAR TO BE INTIMATE WITH THE NEON '95 THROUGH '98. NO SAFETY DEFEC TMENTIONED. *AK
BAD HEAD GASKET /AND CAR LOSING OIL , I WAS EVENTUALLY PUTTING 2 QUARTS IN A WEEK. REPAIR MAN SAID THIS WAS HIS 25TH DODGE , NEON WITH THIS PROBLEM. HE CALLED DEALER TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL.*AK
HEADGASKET LEAKING OIL. *AK
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT IT WAS LEAKING OIL. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF 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.