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1998 Plymouth NeonProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 166 owner complaints about the 1998 Plymouth Neon, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

50
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.0× the Neon median · #3 of 7 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints16639 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage62kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 22, 2013. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1998 Plymouth Neon has problems

166 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling912
Air bags1815
Suspension141
Power train122
Structure103
Service brakes, hydraulic93
Vehicle speed control90
Visibility70
Electrical system61
9 other systems254

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1998 Plymouth Neon recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Structure: body

Recall 99V-001 · Jan 7, 1999 · 3,683 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN STRUCTURAL CRACKS IN THE BODY, AND REDUCED CRASH PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Plymouth.

Best & worst years

1998 vs. every other Neon year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Neon median. How we score

'95'96'97'98'99'00'01
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1998 Plymouth Neon safety ratings

1998 Plymouth Neon 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1998 Plymouth Neon, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATEPE02082 · closed Apr 23, 2003
    No recall
In owners' words

What Neon owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

CAR HAS 36,000 MILES ON IT AND OIL STARTED RUNNING OUT UNDERNEATH THE CAR. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND CHRYSLER HAS YET TO CORRECT IT. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I HAVE FOUND THAT I WILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN SINCE IT IS A DEFECT FROM THE…
Complaint 10404311 · Jun 3, 2011 · 36,000 miles
S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING CONTROL RE DEFECTIVE NEW CHRYSLER VEHICLE FWD TO POTUS RE HOW CORPORATIONS ARE ALLOWED TO OPERATE IN THE USA. *NJ WITHIN A WEEK OF THE CONSUMERS MOTHER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMERS MOTHER THERE WAS…
Complaint 10289570 · Oct 20, 2009
S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING CONTROL RE DEFECTIVE NEW CHRYSLER VEHICLE FWD TO POTUS RE HOW CORPORATIONS ARE ALLOWED TO OPERATE IN THE USA. *NJ WITHIN A WEEK OF THE CONSUMERS MOTHER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMERS MOTHER THERE WAS…
Complaint 10289569 · Oct 20, 2009

Own a 1998 Neon?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.