IllustrationAN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSED VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS TAKING A LOOK AT VEHICLE.*AK
1996 Plymouth Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Neon years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Plymouth Neon are substantially higher than the model-year median of 151.
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: 19 of 308 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 167 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
32 crash reports11 fire reports24 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
45 reportsWIRING HARNESS HAS BURNED OUT, CAUSING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND OTHER COMPONETS TO MALFUNCTION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND OIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON, AND NOW THE LIGHTS NO LONGER WARN THE CONSUMER, THE COIL PACK WAS REPLACED AS POSSIBLE CAUSE BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED, THE CONSUMER TRIED SEVERAL SERVICE PLACES BUT NONE OF THEM COULD FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, C…
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THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND OIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON, AND NOW THE LIGHTS NO LONGER WARN THE CONSUMER, THE COIL PACK WAS REPLACED AS POSSIBLE CAUSE BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED, THE CONSUMER TRIED SEVERAL SERVICE PLACES BUT NONE OF THEM COULD FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATES HE FOUND A RECALL THAT STATES THE EXACAT SYMPTONS HE WAS EXPERIENCING, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB
VEHICLE STALLED MOSTLY AT SPEEDS OF 65-70 MPH AFTER DRIVING FOR 10-15 MINUTES. THEN, IT TOOK 15-20 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL START AGAIN. DEALER SAID IT WAS WIRING HARNESS SHORTING OUT. THERE IS RECALL, 96V026000, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED. VEHICLE STALLS EVERY TIME IT'S DRIVEN.*AK
I HAVE HEARD TOO MANY COMPLAINT ON THESE PROBLEMS NOT ONLY FROM OTHER NEON OWNERS, BUT DEALERSHIP MECHANICS AS WELL. LAST CHRYSLER PRODUCT THAT I WILL EVER PURCHASE. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK
THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER SAYS MY CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED.
GOING DOWN ROAD AT CLOSE TO STOPPING, ABOUT 10MPH AND ALL THE NEEDLES STARTED GOING CRAZY IN COLUNM OF DASHBOARD WITH LIGHTS OF SEATBELT AND BATTERY GOING OFF AND ON. TOOK CAR TO GET DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE ON IT AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ALTENATOR IS PRODUCING TOO MUCH OUTPUT FOR CAR AND IS TRYING TO BURN UP WIRING HARNESS UNIT IN CA…
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GOING DOWN ROAD AT CLOSE TO STOPPING, ABOUT 10MPH AND ALL THE NEEDLES STARTED GOING CRAZY IN COLUNM OF DASHBOARD WITH LIGHTS OF SEATBELT AND BATTERY GOING OFF AND ON. TOOK CAR TO GET DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE ON IT AND FOUND OUT THAT THE ALTENATOR IS PRODUCING TOO MUCH OUTPUT FOR CAR AND IS TRYING TO BURN UP WIRING HARNESS UNIT IN CAR. SAID THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AND CATCH THE CAR ON FIRE. HAVE EXTENDED WARRENTY BUT THE DEALERSHIP SEEMS TO FIND WAYS AROUND THE WARRENTY OF THE THINGS I FIND WRONG OF SAYING IT ISS SOMETHING ELSE DOING IT. SERVICE LIGHTS DID NOT COME ON TO INDECATE PROBLEM WITH ANYTHING IN ENGINE NOR DID THE OIL LIGHT COME ON TO TELL ME THAT MY CAR HAD LEAKED OUT ALL OIL. HAVE A OIL LEAK AGAIN. FIXED ONCE ALREADY. 350.00 IS TOO MUCH TO PAY OUT FOR A PROBLEM OCCURING EVERY TWO YEARS. THIS ALSO DANGEROUS ACCORDING TO MECHANIC. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL IF ALTANENATOR IS NOT CORRECT SIZE FOR CAR?
BATTERY CAME ON, AND ALL DASH LIGHTS WENT DIM. THEN CONSUMER HEARD A HOULING NOISE, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED THAT HARNESS WIRING HAD MELTED. DEALER SAID IT WAS COMMON IN THESE TYPES OF CARS. THERE WAS A RECALL 96V026000 ON UNDERHOOD WIRING HARNESS, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS…
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BATTERY CAME ON, AND ALL DASH LIGHTS WENT DIM. THEN CONSUMER HEARD A HOULING NOISE, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED THAT HARNESS WIRING HAD MELTED. DEALER SAID IT WAS COMMON IN THESE TYPES OF CARS. THERE WAS A RECALL 96V026000 ON UNDERHOOD WIRING HARNESS, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK
ENGINE GASKET WAS LEAKING, OIL UNDER CAR. ALSO, HORN WOULD GO OFF BY ITSELF WHEN EVER WEATHER WAS COLD. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG EXPERIENCED FALSE DEPLOYMENT, CAUSING INJURY TO CONSUMER AND CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH, THE PASSENGER ALSO SUSTAINED INJURIES FROM THE ACCIDENT, THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED DURING THE CRASH. *SLC
Official recalls
296V075000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
May 3, 1996
THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID DUE TO A DAMAGED DOUBLE LIP REAR PISTON SEAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE CAN RESULT IN DIMINISHED EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE HALF OF THE SPLIT BRAKE SYSTEM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHT(S) WILL SIGNAL SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT PRIOR TO PARTIAL BRAKE SYSTEM LOSS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDR PISTON ASSEMBLY.
96V026000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Feb 5, 1996
AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CAN SHORT CIRCUIT DUE TO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION TUBE..
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHORTING OF THE WIRING HARNESS CAN CAUSE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS, INCLUDING ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REROUTE THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS PROPERLY AND ANY WIRE THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED WILL BE REPLACED.
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
2PE02082 · 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.
PE98012 · Underhood Fires
Opened Feb 26, 1998 · Closed Jun 23, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available