IllustrationWHEN APPLYING BRAKES, CONSUMER HEARS A GRINDING NOISE; HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES & DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH NEONS. VEHICLES BRAKES LININGS NEED TO BE CLEANED SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT THIS NOISE. *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 reportsHEAD GASKET LEAKING ON DRIVER SIDE OF CAR. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THE REPAIR WOULD COST OVER $800.00, AND STATED THAT A RECALL WAS MADE BY PLYMOUTH ON MY PLYMOUTH NEON. HE SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF JACK POWELL CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH DODGE, ESCONDIDO, CA WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN SEP…
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HEAD GASKET LEAKING ON DRIVER SIDE OF CAR. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THE REPAIR WOULD COST OVER $800.00, AND STATED THAT A RECALL WAS MADE BY PLYMOUTH ON MY PLYMOUTH NEON. HE SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF JACK POWELL CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH DODGE, ESCONDIDO, CA WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN SEPT 1999, AND TOLD THEM ABOUT MY HEAD GASKET OIL LEAK. THEY ASKED ME FOR MY VIN NUMBER. I WAITED 15 MINUTES FOR A WOMAN TO RETURN TO THE PHONE AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE, THEN HUNG UP ON ME WHEN I STARTED TO ASK A QUESTION. I TOLD MY MECHANIC ABOUT THE INCIDENT, AND HE STATED HE HAD ANOTHER CUSTOMER WITH THE SAME HEAD GASKET LEAKING ON THEIR NEON AND PLYMOUTH REPAIRED IT. MY NEON REMAINS RELIABLE, AS LONG AS I PUT 1.5 QUARTS OF OIL IN IT EVERY WEEK. *NLM
THE ENGINE MOUNT BOLT BROKE, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND DISCONNECTED THE BRAKE LINE. *JB
THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *JB A MAJOR OIL LEAK OCCURRED AT 52K MILES, DID NOT RUN PROPERLY, AND MADE NOISE. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THE 3 PLY HEAD GASKET SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE VEHICLE FROM THE BEGINNING. SCC
OIL LEAKED FROM THE ENGINE. *NLM
I WAS DRIVING & I HEARD A "CLUNK" & A "BOOM" & THEN THE CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF. AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE CAR, I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT - THERE'S A HOLE IN THE GEAR BOX WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SHOT THE PARK GEAR RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX - HE SAID IT HAD TO …
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I WAS DRIVING & I HEARD A "CLUNK" & A "BOOM" & THEN THE CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF. AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE CAR, I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT - THERE'S A HOLE IN THE GEAR BOX WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SHOT THE PARK GEAR RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX - HE SAID IT HAD TO BE A DEFECT. [THERE'S ONLY 16,000 MILES ON THE CAR] I CALLED CHRYSLER REGARDING THIS [& WAS TREATED EXTREMELY RUDELY BY THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, MIGHT I ADD.] & THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. THEY TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARANTEE, THE DEFECT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM
99 PLYMOUTH NEON 2.0 DOHC
CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE AUTO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ONE. THE MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS WERE INOPERATIVE, WHICH WAS THEN REPLACED, HOWEVER 5-6 MONTHS LATER THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. CONSUMER ALSO STATES WHEN SHE MAKE A TURN THE AUTO FEELS AS THOUGHT IT IS GOING TO SHU…
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CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE AUTO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ONE. THE MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS WERE INOPERATIVE, WHICH WAS THEN REPLACED, HOWEVER 5-6 MONTHS LATER THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. CONSUMER ALSO STATES WHEN SHE MAKE A TURN THE AUTO FEELS AS THOUGHT IT IS GOING TO SHUT OFF. ALSO WHEN THE AIR CONDITION IS ON, THE AUTO VIBRATES.*JB
I BOUGHT MY NEON NEW. IN THREE YEARS THE HEAD GASKET WENT AND I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AND GAS TANK. DEALER SAYS BAD BATCH OF GAS HAS RUSTED OUT INSIDE OF GAS TANK AND FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM IS ALSO DAMAGED. I AM NOT A MECHANIC BUT TO ME THIS SOUNDS VERY EXTREME. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU …
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I BOUGHT MY NEON NEW. IN THREE YEARS THE HEAD GASKET WENT AND I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AND GAS TANK. DEALER SAYS BAD BATCH OF GAS HAS RUSTED OUT INSIDE OF GAS TANK AND FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM IS ALSO DAMAGED. I AM NOT A MECHANIC BUT TO ME THIS SOUNDS VERY EXTREME. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU COULD BE TO ME . THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT. SINCERLY, ROBERT LIPLES.*AK
TUMBLE OR TUMBLER IN IGNITION FELL APART. UNABLE TO START VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED PART, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AKI
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.