IllustrationMY CAR OVERHEATED SO I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. THEY SAID I HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT ANY FURTHER BECAUSE IF IT GETS EMPTY IT COULD BLOW MY ENGINE ALSO COULD GET SO HOT AND CAUSE A FIRE.*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
What owners actually said
339 reportsA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED ON 9/08/1998 ON THE HEAD GASKET. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED BY THE DEALER OR THE DODGE. I HAVE PURCHASED NEW CHRYSLER VEHICLES BEFORE (1993 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER). THE OUTCOME OF THIS PROBLEM WILL DETERMINE, IF I PURCHASE ANOTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN.*AK
GASKET RIPPED AND CAUSED OIL TO LEAK OUT. GASKET WAS REPACED. ON JULY 27TH, RIPPED AGAIN AND CAUSED MOTOR TO SEIZE UP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
OIL LEAK. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND THEY STATED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHENEVER IT RAINS REAR BENCH SEAT FLOOR, DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE ,THERE IS A PUDDLE OF WATER. CONSUMER FEELS WATER IS COMING IN FROM THE TRUNK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
FOUND OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE, WHEN INSPECTED IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER PERFORMED REPAIR FOR WARRANTIE COST PLUS OIL CHANGE CHARGE. WANTED TO REPORT AS HOPEFULLY IF THERE IS ENOUGH COMPLAINTS THERE WILL BE A RECALL ORDERED*AK
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED LACK OF POWER, MECHANIC DETERMINED HEADGASKET WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
MAJOR OIL LEAK AT HEADGASKET. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES FAULTY ORIGINAL PART ON ALL DODGE NEONS, BUT REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBLITY. RECALL OR COMPENSATION BY CHRYSLER SHOULD BE REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL, MECHANIC STATES THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL. NLM *YD
THE CONSUMER STATES THE OIL IS LEAKING ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATES ALTHOUGH IT IS A SLOW PROCESS MORE PROBLEM ARE DEVELOPING. THE CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN. 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.