IllustrationHEAD GASKET PROBLEMS, COST MORE TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAN THE CAR IS WORTH, HAVE ALSO HAD BRAKES REPLACED TWICE AND ALSO NEW ROTORS. *AK
1999 Plymouth Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Plymouth Neon do not stand out strongly from 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: 17 of 62 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 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
62 reportsTHE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT 24304 MILES ON 6/21/00 AND NOW HAS WENT BAD AGAIN AT 63000 9/15/03 AND CHRYSLER IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR IT
THE HIGH PRESSURE A/C HOSE VIBRATED AND CAUSED A HOLE. THE CAR IS ONLY 3,000 MILES OVER WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP INDCIATED THAT IT WENT OUT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY CAUSED THE PROBLEM THE INSIST THAT I PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THEY SAID IT WON'T GO OUT AGAIN BECAUSE THEY WILL INSTALL IT PR…
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THE HIGH PRESSURE A/C HOSE VIBRATED AND CAUSED A HOLE. THE CAR IS ONLY 3,000 MILES OVER WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP INDCIATED THAT IT WENT OUT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY CAUSED THE PROBLEM THE INSIST THAT I PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THEY SAID IT WON'T GO OUT AGAIN BECAUSE THEY WILL INSTALL IT PROPERLY. THEY WANTED $370.00 TO REPAIR IT. I CAN'T AFFORD THE COST AT THE MOMENT SO I JUST PICKED UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP TODAY.
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A 60,000 MILE CHECK-UP AND WAS ASTOUNDED TO LEARN THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AT ONLY 57,000. I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR AT THIS TIME AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT NOTHING WAS LEAKING THAT WOULD HURT THE ENGINE, BUT IT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF SOON. IN ALL THE YEARS I'VE HAD A CAR I'VE NEVER HAD A LEAK…
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I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A 60,000 MILE CHECK-UP AND WAS ASTOUNDED TO LEARN THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AT ONLY 57,000. I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR AT THIS TIME AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT NOTHING WAS LEAKING THAT WOULD HURT THE ENGINE, BUT IT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF SOON. IN ALL THE YEARS I'VE HAD A CAR I'VE NEVER HAD A LEAKING HEAD GASKET AND AT 57,000, TOO. MY LAST CAR, ALSO A PLYMOUTH, HAD OVER 127,000 MILES ON IT AND I NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. I DO NOT MISUSE MY VEHICLE, I HAVE THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3 TO 6,000 MILES AND DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP IT TROUBLE FREE.
DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET ON MY 1999 PLYMOUTH NEON. ALSO HAS AFFECTED OTHER CHRYSLER MODELS CHECK TSB NO. 09-05-98 FOR MORE DETAILS. CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE HAD A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. IT COST ME $586.00 TO HAVE IT REPLACED THROUGH NEARBY CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THEY HAVE REPLACED QUITE A FEW OF THESE. IF SO WHY IN WORL…
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DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET ON MY 1999 PLYMOUTH NEON. ALSO HAS AFFECTED OTHER CHRYSLER MODELS CHECK TSB NO. 09-05-98 FOR MORE DETAILS. CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE HAD A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. IT COST ME $586.00 TO HAVE IT REPLACED THROUGH NEARBY CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THEY HAVE REPLACED QUITE A FEW OF THESE. IF SO WHY IN WORLD HAVE THEY NOT WARNED PEOPLE OF THESE VEHICLES THAT THE PROBLEM COULD HAPPEN TO THEM BEFORE IT RESULTS IN MORE COSTLY REPAIRS. A SERVICE BULLETIN SHOULD BE SENT TO THESE OWNERS STATING THAT IF THEY FIND ANY OIL LEAKING PROBLEMS IT COULD BE THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE PAYING ALL OR PART OF THE REPAIR COSTS FOR THIS DEFECT. *LA
MAJOR OIL LEAK WHICH RESULTED IN ENGINE DAMAGE. *LA
HEAD GASKET REPLACED 24,304 MILES 6/21/00, HEAD GASKET HAS WENT BAD AGAIN AT 63,000 MILES 9/15/03 AND CHRYSLER REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT. *JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT MIDDLE SEAT BELT PLASTIC CAP BROKE OFF, AND SHE COULD NOT TIGHTEN THE SEAT BELT. THE SEAT BELT JUST SLIDES. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, TECHNICIAN COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *AK
I'VE JUST RECENTLY HAD TO PUT $900.00 INTO A "HEAD GASKET" REPLACEMENT ON A 1999 PLYMOUTH NEON. THE DEALER AGENT HAD STATED THAT IT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO CHRYSLER AND UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER A SERVICE CONTRACT, CHRYSLER IS DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT IT FOR THE CONSUMER. THE DEALER HAS R…
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I'VE JUST RECENTLY HAD TO PUT $900.00 INTO A "HEAD GASKET" REPLACEMENT ON A 1999 PLYMOUTH NEON. THE DEALER AGENT HAD STATED THAT IT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO CHRYSLER AND UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER A SERVICE CONTRACT, CHRYSLER IS DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT IT FOR THE CONSUMER. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED HEAD GASKETS ON NEONS AT 30,000 MILES AND HIGHER. WITH AS MANY VEHICLES I'VE OWNED IN MY LIFE, I'VE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A HEAD GASKET. EVEN AT 200,000 MILES.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.