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1998 Plymouth Neon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Plymouth Neon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 151.

About this comparison →
167Owner complaints

Model-year median: 151

1Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
481
1995308
1996161
1997167
199862
1999141
200049
2001
Compare all Neon years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
91Air Bags
18Suspension
14Power Train
12Structure
10
All reported categories
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
9Vehicle Speed Control
9Electrical System
7Visibility
7Steering
5Unknown Or Other
5Exterior Lighting
4Fuel System, Gasoline
4Equipment
3Seat Belts
3Latches/locks/linkages
2Seats
2Fuel System, Diesel
1Fuel System, Other
1

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: 22 of 167 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 91 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

20 crash reports4 fire reports15 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

91 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentFuel System, Gasoline

THIS CAR IS THE WORST. I HAVE LOST MORE WAGES FROM MISSING WORK DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THIS VEHICLE. I AM GOING TO BE CONTACTING MY ATTORNEY FOR LEMON LAWS IN OUR STATE. NO ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP EVEN WANTS TO DEAL WITH ME OR MY PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR REASONS WHY CERTAIN "FIXED" THINGS SEEM TO ALWAYS BE…

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THIS CAR IS THE WORST. I HAVE LOST MORE WAGES FROM MISSING WORK DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THIS VEHICLE. I AM GOING TO BE CONTACTING MY ATTORNEY FOR LEMON LAWS IN OUR STATE. NO ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP EVEN WANTS TO DEAL WITH ME OR MY PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR REASONS WHY CERTAIN "FIXED" THINGS SEEM TO ALWAYS BE BREAKING DOWN? I AM GOING TO GET RID OF IT ASAP. * NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONE DIN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #739041

Mileage unknown · Jan 3, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingSeat Belts

REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE AND WON'T PROTECT OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF A CRASH. ALSO, VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE OVERHEATING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #877341

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AT 46,000 MILES. DEALR HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #876642

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING OIL LEAK. *ET

NHTSA ODI #784943

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE LEAKING OIL SEVERELY; AT OIL CHANGE TOLD CAM SEAL BROKE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #732993

Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL, AND WAS CONSUMING ALOT A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER NOTICED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS PUMPING OIL ONTO THE ROAD SURFACE. ACCORDING TO DEALER, CHRYSLER HAS UPGRADED THE GASKET THREE TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #870312

Mileage unknown · Aug 6, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND CRACKED HEAD. MECHANIC SAYS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN IN ABOUT A YEAR AS WELL HE SAYS IT IS A REACCURING PROBLEM FOR THE NEONS.

NHTSA ODI #726820

Mileage unknown · Aug 4, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

UPON COMPLETION OF OTHER REPAIRS TO ACCIDENT DAMAGE WE DISCOVERED AN OIL LEAK, WHICH WE WERE TOLD WAS UNRELATED TO THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. AFTER INVESTIGATING WE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN NEONS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #726634

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHEN DRIVING OR UPON MAKING A STOP VEHICLE CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #864285

Mileage unknown · Jun 13, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL, DEALER REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY, BATTERY AND THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR BUT THE CONDITION STILL EXIST. NLM

NHTSA ODI #784694

Official recalls

1

99V001000 · 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

1

PE02082 · 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.