IllustrationCONSUMER HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER REPAIRED FOR BLOWING HOT AIR SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. TWO YEARS LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT HALF PRICE TO THE OWNER. VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP AGAIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BY THE CONSUMER.*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
Equipment complaints
10 reportsI AM IN THE PROCESS OF COMPILING ALL INFORMATION ON THE REPAIRS WE HAVE DONE ON THE NEON. I HAVE DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL I HAVE ALL THE FACTS, FROM THE FIRST TIME WE HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING REPAIRED TO THE RECENT $900+ REPAIR OF THE COMPUTER AND THE TWO-WEEK-OLD PROBLEM WITH THE SHEETS OF PEELING PAINT. THE UNBELIEVABLE PAINT P…
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I AM IN THE PROCESS OF COMPILING ALL INFORMATION ON THE REPAIRS WE HAVE DONE ON THE NEON. I HAVE DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL I HAVE ALL THE FACTS, FROM THE FIRST TIME WE HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING REPAIRED TO THE RECENT $900+ REPAIR OF THE COMPUTER AND THE TWO-WEEK-OLD PROBLEM WITH THE SHEETS OF PEELING PAINT. THE UNBELIEVABLE PAINT PEELING IS INEXCUSABLE AND WAS ALSO THE LAST STRAW. I WILL BE FILING A LENGTHY COMPLAINT SHORTLY
THESE PROBLEMS APPEAR TO BE INTIMATE WITH THE NEON '95 THROUGH '98. NO SAFETY DEFEC TMENTIONED. *AK
REPLACED BLOWN HEAD GASKET.... NEW GASKET WAS OF SUPERIOR QUALITY AND DESIGN THAN ORIGINAL. THE MANUFACTURER OBVIOUSLY REDESIGNED IT DUE TO A FAULTY ORIGINAL DESIGN.*AK
DASH GAUGES FAILED DUE TO PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD FAILURE: HEAD GASKET FAILED AND REPLACED BY DEALER WITH MLS GASKET: FUEL PUMP FAILED REPLACED BY DEALER UNDER WARRANTY
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *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 NOTICED THAT PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WAS TRYING TO COME OUT OF COVER DUE TO WARPING, THE AIRBAG CAME OUT OF POSITION. GEAR SHIFT CAN BE MOVE OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION DUE TO FAILURE OF THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM. HEAD GASKET FAILURE RESULTED IN OIL LEAKAGE. PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM DUE TO MI…
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CONSUMER NOTICED THAT PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WAS TRYING TO COME OUT OF COVER DUE TO WARPING, THE AIRBAG CAME OUT OF POSITION. GEAR SHIFT CAN BE MOVE OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION DUE TO FAILURE OF THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM. HEAD GASKET FAILURE RESULTED IN OIL LEAKAGE. PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM DUE TO MISSING DOOR AJAR SWITCH BUMPER. ALL SPEAKERS NEED REPLACING DUE TO NOISE DISTORTION. POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN TO MAKE NOISE AS WELL AS FLASHING OF THE INSTRUMENT DASH LIGHTS. *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
AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. NLM
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.