IllustrationSTART TO SMELL ELECTRICAL BURNING. THEN SAW SMOKE COME FROM STEERING COLUMN. STEERING COLUMN HOT TOP LEFT. REMOVED COVERS. WIRING HARNESS HOT. APPEARS TO BE THE HARNESS FOR THE HEAD LIGHTS. TURN OFF HEAD LIGHTS AND COLUMN COOLED DOWN. *TR
2000 Plymouth Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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
20–25K
825–50K
1050–75K
775–100K
8100–150K
5150K+
40 reports with mileage · 101 unknown
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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
29 crash reports5 fire reports16 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
5 reportsSTEERING WHEEL STARTED SMOKING. HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY DIDN'T WORK. DEALER STATES HEADLIGHT SWITCH BURNED OUT AND WIRING MELTED IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *NM
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEAD LIGHT SWICH BURNED OUT WHICH CAUSED THE CABLE TO BURN AND THE HEAD LIGHT NO LONGER WORK.DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. NLM
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MY MULTI-FUNCTION CONTROL LEVER. MY TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARDS ARE NOT WORKING AND THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I CONTACTED WILLIAM CHRYSLER SERVICE DEPT AND SPOKE WITH KEN THE END OF DECEMBER 2000 AND HE STATES THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE FOR THIS. I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD BE A CHARGE DUE …
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I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MY MULTI-FUNCTION CONTROL LEVER. MY TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARDS ARE NOT WORKING AND THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I CONTACTED WILLIAM CHRYSLER SERVICE DEPT AND SPOKE WITH KEN THE END OF DECEMBER 2000 AND HE STATES THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE FOR THIS. I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD BE A CHARGE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WITHIN. IT IS NOT THE FUSES OR BULBS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED. I WANT TO GET THIS FIXED RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND CAN CAUSE SOMEONE TO RUN INTO THE BACK OF MY VEHICLE.*AK
WHEN VIEWED FROM THE SIDE YOU CANNOT SEE WHETHER THE TURN SIGNALS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED OR NOT. ON THE 1999 NEON THE SIDE MARKER LIGHTS FLASHED IN SEQUENCE WITH THE FRONT TURN SIGNALS. I ASKED THE QUESTION AT THE DEALER ON WHETHER THAT WAS HOW THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO WORK AND THE ANSWER WAS YES. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THAT'S A SAFE…
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WHEN VIEWED FROM THE SIDE YOU CANNOT SEE WHETHER THE TURN SIGNALS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED OR NOT. ON THE 1999 NEON THE SIDE MARKER LIGHTS FLASHED IN SEQUENCE WITH THE FRONT TURN SIGNALS. I ASKED THE QUESTION AT THE DEALER ON WHETHER THAT WAS HOW THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO WORK AND THE ANSWER WAS YES. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THAT'S A SAFETY DEFECT OR JUST POOR ATTENTION TO DETAIL BUT I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT UP.*AK
Official recalls
501V154000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum
May 8, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IN THE PRESENCE OF OIL AND HEAT, THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE COULD SWELL AND LOOSEN FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF POWER BRAKE ASSIST AND AN INCREASE IN ENGINE IDLE SPEED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 2, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
00V366000 · Child Seat
Nov 9, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." SOME OF THE OWNER'S MANUALS FOR THESE VEHICLES ARE MISSING INSTRUCTIONS THAT PROVIDE A STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE, INCLUDING DIAGRAMS, FOR PROPERLY ATTACHING A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM'S TETHER STRAP TO THE TETHER ANCHORAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CHILD SEAT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ATTACHED INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE CHILD.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN ADDENDUM TO THE OWNER'S MANUALS.
00V194000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Jul 17, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER CARS. VAPORS FROM THE POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION (PCV) SYSTEM CAN CONDENSE AND FREEZE INSIDE OF THE THROTTLE BODY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN EXTREMELY COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM FULLY RETURNING TO IDLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE AND RELOCATE A PCV SYSTEM TUBE.
99V114000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
May 6, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY HAVE BEEN INADEQUATELY WELDED BETWEEN THE PIVOT TUBE AND THE ARM.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS INADEQUATE WELDING COULD ALLOW THE TUBE TO SEPARATE FROM THE ARM, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM.
99V043000 · Air Bags:frontal
Mar 11, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME FRONTAL (PASSENGER SIDE) AIR BAGS MAY NOT INFLATE PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE PASSENGER MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG MODULE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.
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.
RQ99010 · Control Arm Welds
Opened Jun 1, 1999 · Closed Feb 5, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available