Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1998 record →
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISSION WHILE CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
OIL LIGHT FLICKERED AND CONSUMER NOTICED THAT VEHICLE WAS DOWN 3 QUARTS OF OIL. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A HEAD GASKET. DEALER REPLACED HEAD GASKET. IN JANUARY IT WAS STILL LEAKING IN SAME SPOT. *AK *SLC
VEHICLE EXPEREINCING A OIL LEAKAGES DUE TO A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOT COVERED UNDER A MFR'S RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
OIL LEAK AT 42,000 TOOK TO DEALERSHIP TOLD NOTHING WRONG IT WAS OVER FLOW. STILL LEAKING OIL CALLED AND THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF BRING CAR IN. CALLED AGAIN TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON CAR DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS MAKE AND MODLE OF CAR. I HAVE TALKED WITH 15 OTHER NEON OWNERS AND EVERY ONE OF THEM HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SOMETHINGS NEED TO BE DONE I DO NOT HAVE 600.00 TO FIX THE CAR AND FEEL THAT THE MANF. NEEDS TO FIX MY CAR AT NO COST TO ME. THIS A PROBLEM THAT MOST EVERYONE WITH THIS VEH. HAS THANK YOU
OIL LEAKING FROM HEAD GASKET. PER CARMAX SERVICE MECHANIC "GASKET DEFECTIVE". OIL DYE TEST PERFORMED TO VERIFY REPAIR. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****743020
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL FROM HEAD GASKETS.*AK
EXCESSIVE OIL LEAKING AT HEAD GASKET, TOO LOW MILEAGE FOR THIS TO BE HAPPENING. *AK
WHEN IT RAINS WATER WILL LEAK INTO VEHICLE, INCLUDING TRUNK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
I DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE HEAD GASKET STARTED LEAKING. I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT IT 2/01. IT TURNS OUT ALMOST ALL OWNERS OF 95-98 NEON'S HAVE HAD HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS AND CHRYSLER HAS A CASE BY CASE METHOD OF HELPING WHICH IS NOT FAIR. HEAD GASKEST SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. I CONTACTED THEM THREE TIMES ABOUT THIS AND HAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN EACH TIME. *AK
THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE DAY ONE. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER NEON OWNERS WHO HAVE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED. I TALKED TO TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS WHO HAVE SAID THIS OUGHT TO BE RECALLED BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS.*AK
HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN LEAKING FROM ENGINE, AND DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
HEAD GASKET AND OIL PAN GASKET FAILURES. VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. CURRENTLY, A TRANSMISSION REAR GASKET FAILURE OCCURRED, CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK THE DEALER WAS UNWILLING TO DO REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN AT INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP EARLIER. *YH
WAS TAKING OFF WHEN THROTTLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THROTTLE WOULD BE WIDE OPEN. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURED TWICE AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *YH
VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL FOR ABOUT 3-4 WEEKS. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER, AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT PROBLEM WAS. IT SEEMED TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM THAT HASN'T REACHED AN INVESTIGATION. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 57,000 MILES. FACTORY CHANGED GASKET AT ASS'Y PLANTS IN LATE 1998, HOWEVER, MINE WAS BUILT IN APRIL 1998 WITH ORIGINAL FAULTY DESIGN. THIS DESIGN FLAW IS COMMON AND SHOULD TRIGGER A RECALL.*AK
THE FIRST TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN HEADED UP 23 N THE CAR HESITATED ON THE HILL, LATER THAT DAY, BEING THE NEXT DAY AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR, IT STOPPED GOING UP A SLIGHT INCLINE ON HIGH STREET IN WORTHINGTON OH IN LUNCH HOUR TRAFFIC, I WAS IN THE FAR LANE AND COULD FEEL THERE WAS NO PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL, THE NEXT WAS 2 DAYS LATER GOING UP KENNEY RD, I WAS HALF WAY WHEN I COULD FEEL NO PRESSURE IN THE GAS PEDAL, I MANAGED TO GET OFF THE ROAD AND TURN THE CORNER WHEN THE CAR STOPPED, THE FINAL TIME I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK IN MORNING RUSH WHEN IT STARTED TO ACT UP, AGAIN THERE WAS NO PRESSURE IN THE GAS PEDAL, I WAS MOVING AT A RATE THAT I COULD PULL OFF THE ROAD, EACH TIME EVEN THOUGH I WAS ON LEVEL GROUND THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN, THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER SAID I WAS OUT OF GAS, THE SECOND TIME HE SAID I WAS OUT OF GAS AND DIDN'T BOTHER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED ONLY AFTER THE THIRD CONFLICT WITH HIM AND THIS CAR WAS IT FIXED, I ALSO THINK THIS CAR MAY HAVE BEEN WRECKED, IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY BUT WAS ON THE SALES LOT WITH ALL THESE PROB AND THE DRIVER DOOR LEAKS AIR QUITE A BIT, IF THER IS A WAY THAT COULD BE CHECKED OUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO IT IF I HAD THE INFORMATION. *AK
BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE THEN HEAD REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS PITTED. *AK
REPLACED BLOWN HEAD GASKET.... NEW GASKET WAS OF SUPERIOR QUALITY AND DESIGN THAN ORIGINAL. THE MANUFACTURER OBVIOUSLY REDESIGNED IT DUE TO A FAULTY ORIGINAL DESIGN.*AK
SPRAG GEAR BROKE, VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED ACCORDING OWNERS MANUAL. A GOOD TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 56000. THIS CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN HARD. AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR TRANNY TO FAIL.*AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAS DEVELOPED A LEAK WHICH COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE 1998 DODGE NEON THAT I BOUGHT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A PROBLEM. ALONG WITH NUMEROUS, AND I DO MEAN NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN TWICE. AND AS WE ALL KNOW THEY ARE NOT CHEAP TO REPLACE. DODGE SHOULD BE MADE TO REIMBURSE ALL SUCH PROBLEMS.
BLOWN HEAD GASKET CAUSED OIL LEAK AT 33K MILES. NLM
HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 40000 MI. SPRING SLEEVES REPLACED AT 500 MI, FAILED AROUND 3000 MI. *AK
WHENEVER PUTTING OIL IN TO GAS TANK IT WILL LEAK RIGHT TO THE GROUND. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT HEAD GASKET WAS SHOT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON PROBLEM. *AK
FAULTY HEAD GASKET AT ONLY 54,400 MILES SEEMS ODD FOR A 1998 VECHICLE. I BOUGHT IT USED IN NASHVILLE AND ON THE FIRST OIL CHANGE AN OIL LEAK PROBLEM WAS DESCOVERED AND FIXED VIA WARENTY. THIS MAY BE THE SAME COMPONENT. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED IN ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
AFTER NUMEROUS OIL CHANGES, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING WHILE ON EXPRESSWAY AND CAR LURCHED, THEN SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. AT DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THAT ENGINE THREW A ROD THROUGH THE OIL PAN. I'M CONVINCED THIS IS RELATED TO THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE HEAD GASKET IN THE ENGINE, SINCE THEY ALL SEEM TO HAVE OIL LEAKS IN COMMON.*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING OIL LEAKAGES. TAKEN TO DEALER, AND INFORMED THAT 2.0L ENGINE HAD A HEAD GASKET FAILURE, AND VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *AK
MY NEON HAS BEEN REPAIRED FOR SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE MISFIRES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TRIGGERED, BRAKES ARE VERY NOISY BUT ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP-NEED NO REPLACEMENT, SUNROOF REPAIRED TWICE; IT FELL OFF TRACK AND WOULDN'T SHUT IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER, RECENTLY THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING; WINDOWS LEAK AIR, OXYGEN SENSOR NEEDED REPAIR, WARRANTY HAS PAID FOR ITSELF PLUS MORE.....I AM WAITING FOR THE NEXT PROBLEM.
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH VEHICLE STRUCK A PARKED CAR, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE FOR AWHILE BEFORE IT WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. SOMETIMES WOULD SURGE FORWARD WHEN GAS PEDAL PRESSED LIGHTLY. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES TO HAVE PROBLEM REPAIRED. PROBLEM BEEN HAPPENING FOR OVER 2 1/2 YEARS.*AK
REAR ENED ANOTHER CAR AT 25 M.P.H AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO THE DRIVERSIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK THUS CAUSING ME TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM!
ENGINE'S HEADGASKET WAS LEAKING OIL. THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HEADGASKET WAS $544.88. I GOT IT REPLACED BY NORWOOD DODGE. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE HEADGASKET WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ORDER CHRYSLER TO ISSUE A RECALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE
HEAD GASKET FAILURE @ 65000 MILES THATS BOGUS. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING HEAD GASKET MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING ENGINE PROBLEMS, AND VEHICLE OVERHEATING AND STALLING UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 30 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE WITH VERY LOW MILEAGE, SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE FROM RESEARCHING THE INTERNET.*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 35-40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL ONE MINUTE OR MORE AFTER IMPACT, 3 PEOPLE SUSTAINED INJURIES DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. *SLC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
ORIGINAL BATTERY AND REPLACEMENT HAVE BOTH FAILED. *AK
REPLACEMENT OF HEAD GASKET WITH ONLY 19K MILES. *AK
HEAD CYLINDER GASKET FAILURE LEAVING ONLY ONE QUART OF OIL IN ENGINE ,OIL LIGHT DID NOT COME ON TO WARN US OF LOW OIL. *AK
BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 30,000, MISSING, HESITATION, NOW LOUD NOISE ON COLD START MAY BE POWER STEERING PUMP? ALSO LOUD POPPING NOISE COMING FROM SUSPENSION. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER TOOK CAR INTO DEALER FOR A FRONT END PROBLEM. MECHANIC PUT CAR ON THE LIFT AND NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE GASKET. *AK THE RADIATOR WAS ALSO REPLACED. *SLC
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1998 Dodge Neon → · Every Neon year → · How the figures are calculated →