IllustrationVEHICLE RIDES REALLY ROUGH.*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 reportsDEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE UNDER 7YR/70K WARRANTY. HAD TO PAY FOR BROKEN MANIFOLD BOLTS ($100) - DEALER SAID THEY WERE NOT PART OF WARRANTY REPAIR
THIS CAR WAS BROUGHT BRAND NEW AND EVER SINCE I GOT IT IT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT HEADACHE. I HAD HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AS WELL AS OTHER OWNERS OF DODGE NEONS. I FIND IT VERY ODD AND SUSPICIOUS THAT THESE CARS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED TO FIX THEIR POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEMS. I MYSELF, DO NOT INTEND TO LET THIS GO AFT…
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THIS CAR WAS BROUGHT BRAND NEW AND EVER SINCE I GOT IT IT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT HEADACHE. I HAD HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AS WELL AS OTHER OWNERS OF DODGE NEONS. I FIND IT VERY ODD AND SUSPICIOUS THAT THESE CARS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED TO FIX THEIR POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEMS. I MYSELF, DO NOT INTEND TO LET THIS GO AFTER THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS I HAVE INVESTED IN THIS CAR. I WILL BE A CONSTANT THORN IN THE SIDE TO CHRYSLER IF THEY DO NOT GET THESE CARS OFF THE STREETS WHERE THEY ARE ENDANGERING THE DRIVERS AS WELL AS OTHER TRAVELING IN OTHER CARS. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
I KNOW SUBSTANDARD PARTS WERE USED WHEN THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED ! *AK
I REPAIRED THE WATER LEAK BY CAULKING THE TRUNK, I AM AWARE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.*AK
I CALLED A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL FOR THE 1998 DODGE NEON SOHC FOR THE HEAD GASKET WAS NO LONGER HONORED BY DODGE, I HAVE SINCE FOUND THIS TO BE FALSE. I JUST WANT THIS TAKEN CARE OF AND FEEL THEY SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE. THERE IS A RUMOR THAT CHRYSLER HAS A 5 YEAR/ 100,000 MILE WARRANTY OUT FOR THIS PROB…
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I CALLED A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL FOR THE 1998 DODGE NEON SOHC FOR THE HEAD GASKET WAS NO LONGER HONORED BY DODGE, I HAVE SINCE FOUND THIS TO BE FALSE. I JUST WANT THIS TAKEN CARE OF AND FEEL THEY SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE. THERE IS A RUMOR THAT CHRYSLER HAS A 5 YEAR/ 100,000 MILE WARRANTY OUT FOR THIS PROBLEM IN PARTICULAR. THANKS, CLYDE AND MYHIA HUBBLE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAUSED VEHCLE TO STALL OUT. WAS ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE FOR A SHORT WHILE BEFORE IT SHUT DOWN AGAIN. MANAGED TO GET VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC INDICATED THAT COMPUTER BRAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WORK WAS DONE , DROVE VEHICLE FOR A WHILE, AND SAME PROBLEM REAPPE…
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ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAUSED VEHCLE TO STALL OUT. WAS ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE FOR A SHORT WHILE BEFORE IT SHUT DOWN AGAIN. MANAGED TO GET VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC INDICATED THAT COMPUTER BRAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WORK WAS DONE , DROVE VEHICLE FOR A WHILE, AND SAME PROBLEM REAPPEARED . TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERSHIP, IT'S STILL THERE.*AK
HEAD GASKET IS FAULTY, CAUSING PREMATURE FAILURE WHICH COULD RESULT IN ENGINE BLOWING.*AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED IMMEDIATELY AFTER ENGINE REPAIRED BY FARRIS CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH IN JEFFERSON CITY TN. *AK
HEADGASKET FAILURE AT 3 YRS (52,000 MILES). OIL LEAKING OUT OF ENGINE AS WELL AS INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE HEADGASKETS FOR NEONS HAVE BEEN RE-DESIGNED IN LATE 1998 AS DETAILED IN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 090598. *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.