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1997 Dodge Neon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Neon years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Dodge Neon are substantially higher than the model-year median of 173.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 35 of 390 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 222 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

44 crash reports12 fire reports24 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

33 reports
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114,666 miles · Aug 24, 2005
Electrical System

1997 DODGE NEON DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH THE FAN RELAY.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THERE WAS AN APPARENT PROBLEM WITH THE RADIATOR FAN CIRCUIT. THE VEHICLE HAD DISPLAYED DIAGNOSTIC CODE P1491. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND THE SOLID STATE FAN RELAY. THERE WAS NO CONTINUITY ON PIN 18 OF THE BACK O…

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1997 DODGE NEON DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH THE FAN RELAY.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THERE WAS AN APPARENT PROBLEM WITH THE RADIATOR FAN CIRCUIT. THE VEHICLE HAD DISPLAYED DIAGNOSTIC CODE P1491. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND THE SOLID STATE FAN RELAY. THERE WAS NO CONTINUITY ON PIN 18 OF THE BACK OF THE POWER CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR. THE PCM WAS DEFECTIVE DUE TO THE OUTPUT ON THE PIN. THE CONSUMER FOUND A BREAK IN THE WIRE AT THE C160 CONNECTOR. THE BREAK WAS CAUSED BY THE WIRE MANAGEMENT CLIP CHAFING AGAINST THE GROUP OF WIRES. THE PCM CONNECTOR NUMBER ONE AND IT'S COVER ARE NOW BROKEN AT THE CONNECTION POINTS AND THE COVER WILL NOT STAY ON AND THE WIRES WERE COMING OUT AND ARE EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS. *SC

NHTSA ODI #10134549

48,000 miles · Jul 20, 2005
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingSeats

HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AFTER 45,000 MILES.. BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2002.. BBRAKES ARE HORRIBLE.. BRAKES MAKE NOISE, SYSTEM OPERATING NORMAL FAN RELAY SWITCH .. NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.. AND WAS ALSO RECALLED.. IN ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO.. AND NEVER NOTIFIED.. FRONT END ALWAYS CLANKING.. WHEN U TURN..

NHTSA ODI #10129445

Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

VEHICLE'S BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED.*MR THE VEHICLE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS A BAD BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, THREE TURN SIGNAL SWITCHES, A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, STICKING THROTTLE BODY, AN OIL PAN LEAK, ALL FOUR WINDOWS HAD AN AIR LEAK WHICH WHISTLE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT HIGH SPEEDS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10079946

Mileage unknown · May 15, 2003
Electrical SystemFire

DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND GAUGES STARTED TO ACT FUNNY AND THEN IT STARTED TO SMOKE. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND IS A TOTAL LOST. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10018765

62,000 miles · Feb 6, 2003
Electrical System

THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE MECHANIC STATED THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN, AND THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY SWITCH NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

NHTSA ODI #10006701

Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 2002
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

WHILE PARKED, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER FOUND TRANSMISSION LINES LOOSE. VEHICLE SHIFTING BY ITSELF DUE TO A STICKY CABLE. OIL LEAK IN ENGINE. DEALER FOUND HEADGASKET FAILURE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ENGINE RUNS ROUGH. CAMSHAFT REPLACED. VEHICLE SHAKES AND TREMBLES WHILE BRAKING. WEATHERSTRIPPING FELL OFF O…

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WHILE PARKED, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER FOUND TRANSMISSION LINES LOOSE. VEHICLE SHIFTING BY ITSELF DUE TO A STICKY CABLE. OIL LEAK IN ENGINE. DEALER FOUND HEADGASKET FAILURE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ENGINE RUNS ROUGH. CAMSHAFT REPLACED. VEHICLE SHAKES AND TREMBLES WHILE BRAKING. WEATHERSTRIPPING FELL OFF ON DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. ANTIFREEZE LEAKING. DEALER REPLACED WATER PUMP. BATTERY CLAMP LOOSE CAUSING BATTERY LIGHT TO STAY ON. *AK *TT

NHTSA ODI #8005218

Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 2002
Electrical SystemExterior LightingStructure

I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH NEONS MADE IN 97 AND THEY SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. ALSO THE PAINT IS COMING OFF. I HAVE SEEN MANY NEON'S SINCE I BOUGHT MINE, WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. . NO SAFETYD EFEC TMENTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #757823

Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingSeat Belts

VEHICLE JUST SHUT OFF WHILE STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN, AND WOULD NOT RESTART. ALSO, BATTERY LIGHT AND SEAT BELT LIGHT CAME ON.CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #895675

Mileage unknown · May 17, 2001
Electrical SystemCrash

THAT IS ONLY SOME OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH MY NEON, THE SPEEDOMETER SENSOR WENT OUT AT 14,000 MILES, THE PAINT HAS BEEN PEELING EVEN AFTER CAR COMPLETELY REPAINTED AT MY COST PAINT PEELED AGAIN VA BEACH DODGE TOLD ME IT IS A DEFECT IN THE METAL AND PAINT THAT THE CAR WOULD HAVE TO BE TREATED WITH A CHEMICAL AND REPAINTED…

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THAT IS ONLY SOME OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH MY NEON, THE SPEEDOMETER SENSOR WENT OUT AT 14,000 MILES, THE PAINT HAS BEEN PEELING EVEN AFTER CAR COMPLETELY REPAINTED AT MY COST PAINT PEELED AGAIN VA BEACH DODGE TOLD ME IT IS A DEFECT IN THE METAL AND PAINT THAT THE CAR WOULD HAVE TO BE TREATED WITH A CHEMICAL AND REPAINTED AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME, HEAD GASKET BLEW AND HEAD SEVERLY PITTED MY MECHANIC SAW 5 IN THE WEEK MINE WENT OUT ALL LEAKING FROM THE SAME AREA, ENGINE LOOSES POWER CONSTANTLY, TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO GEARS AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT WANT TO CHANGE GEARS CAUSING ENGINE TO RACE, CAR OVERHEATS PERIODICLY SINCE HEAD GASKET AND HEAD SHAVED, INTERIOR SENSORS FOR DOORS WORK RANDOMLY BUT MOSTLY DO NOT WORK, BACK UP LIGHTS BLOW OUT EVERY 2 MONTHS, CAM SENSOR BACKS OUT OF ENGINE PERIODICLY, FRONT END MAKES CLUNKING NOISE DURING TURNS WAS TOLD STRUT BEARINGS WERE BAD AND CAUSING NOISE ALTHOUGH AFTER REPLACEMENT NOISE CONTINUES, BRAKES ALWAYS NOISY CLEANING AND REPLACEMENT DOES CLEAR NOISE UP, AIRLEAKS IN WINDOWS OF THE CAR CAUSING NOISY RIDE, CAR DOES NOT LIKE TO START IN COLD WEATHER, POWER LOSS WAS NOT ABLE TO BE CORRECTED EVEN AFTER MECHANIC HAD THE CAR FOR 3 MONTHS AND COULD FIND NOTHING CAUSING IT BUT COULD RECREATE THE PROBLEM, AND AN O-RING ON THE FUEL LINE CONNECTORS TO THE "FUEL ACCUMILATOR" BLOW OUT (HAPPENED 6 TIMES SO FAR) CAUSEING GAS TO POOR OUT ON TO ROAD WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING AND ENGINE TO CUT OUT.. NEONS IN GENERAL ARE LEMONS, CHRYSLER EVEN AFTER CONTACTING OVER SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR REFUSE TO HELP ANY WITH COST OF REPAIRS DUE TO WARRANTY EXPIRED. WOULD LOVE TO GET RID OF THIS CAR BUT CAN NOT DUE TO ONLY TRANSPORTATION AND PUTTING ALL MONEY INTO IT TO FIX IT AND REPAIR CHRYSLER'S DEFECTS IN DESIGN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #745476

Mileage unknown · May 4, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT. HAD HAPPENED TWICE, AND EACH TIME WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH SPARK PLUGS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #887467

Official recalls

1

97V080000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

May 16, 1997

THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT DESIGN ALLOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON VEHICLE IGNITION SHUT DOWN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED MODULE.

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.