1997 Dodge NEON problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
265 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
62,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 35 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 117 of 265 complaints (44.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 26 | 9.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 20 | 7.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 4.2% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 3.4% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 1.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 117 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 35 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 17 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 16 |
| Unknown Or Other | 16 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 12 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 10 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 117; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 35; Engine And Engine Cooling: 17; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 16; Unknown Or Other: 16; Air Bags:Frontal: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 10; Electrical System: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 8 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 8 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 1
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 230 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 88 |
| 2001 | 69 |
| 2002 | 44 |
| 2003 | 23 |
| 2004 | 23 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2014 | 1 |
2000: 88; 2001: 69; 2002: 44; 2003: 23; 2004: 23; 2005: 6; 2006: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 6; 2009: 3; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 20 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10025874 · 2003-07-11 (July 11, 2003)
SPEED CONTROL SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK MOST OF THE TIME. REPLACE THE SENCSOR BUT STILL DOESN'T WORK. I WILL NEVER BUY A DODGE AGAIN. I'VE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES AND ROTOR,CATALYTIC CONVERTER. NOW I'M HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE PAINT. IT'S BUBLING AND PEELING OFF IN LAYERS ALL OVER CAR.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10025874 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032439 · 2003-09-23 (September 23, 2003)
CONSUMER STATED HER BRAKES FAILED. THERE WAS A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT ON THE BELTWAY. AS SHE APPROACHED SHE SAW THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER APPLY HIS BRAKES, SHE THEN APPLIED HER BRAKES. HER VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND SHE RECEIVED SOME MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES AND WAS VERY SORE. HER VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WON'T CLAIM ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT ON THE VEHICLE. *PH *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032439 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10043303 · 2003-10-21 (October 21, 2003)
I JUST BOUGHT THIS 97 DODGE NEON WITH ONLY 23,000 MILES ON IT. THE A/C HAS A LEAK IN THE COIL , THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING . THE CAR IS IN GREAT SHAPE BUT THOSE FEW THINGS SO FAR . THE PERSON WHO OWNED THE CAR BEFORE ME WAS AN OLDER GENTLEMAN WHO DOES NOT WRECK HIS THINGS. I WAS WONDERING ARE THESE PROBLEMS, FACTORY PROBLEMS AND/OR RECALLS? *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043303 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10065182 · 2004-06-04 (June 4, 2004)
THE CONSUMER SAW OIL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE MECHANIC DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK ON JUNE 3RD 2002, THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION RE-BUILT. THE MAIN GEAR HAD A CRACK IN THE CASTING AND STARTED TO LOOSE TEETH. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE CASING OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS WET. THE HEADS OF THE ENGINE WERE WARPED. THE DEALERS IN BOTH CASE ONLY CHANGED THE GASKET AND NOT CHECKING TO SEE IF THE HEAD WAS WARPED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS C…
Owner-reported narrative. 44,438 miles reported. Look up ODI 10065182 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10079946 · 2004-06-23 (June 23, 2004)
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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10079946 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10250099 · 2008-11-28 (November 28, 2008)
SAFETY/EMISSIONS REPRT STATES RECALL ON MY VEHICLE/ DEFECT NUMBER: DR-1158. THE SOLID STATE FAN RELAY MAY FAIL BECAUSE OF HEAT RELLATED ELECTRICAL OVER STRESS CAUSING THE FAN TO STOP AND THE VEHICLE TO OVER HEAT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10250099 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041335 · 2003-10-06 (October 6, 2003)
STEERING KNUCKLE SHEERED OFF OF RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WITH NO COLLISION OR ACCIDENT. RIGHT FRONT HUB CAB FELL OFF AS WELL. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041335 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10155727 · 2006-04-19 (April 19, 2006)
MY FIRST COMPLAINT WOULD BE ABOUT THE PAINT. MY CAR HAS BEEN PEELING FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS NOW, IT BUBBLES THEN PEELS AND GETS BIGGER AND BIGGER EVERY DAY. IT IS NOW PEELING IN 6 SPOTS, THE LARGEST IS THE SIZE OF A WATERMELON. VERY UNHAPPY!!!! SECOND, THE BRAKES ARE HORRIBLE, THE SQUEALING OF METAL ON METAL HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE DAY 1 OF GETTING MY CAR. I WAS RECENTLY DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING LIKE CRAZY. I PULLED OVER AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE BUT COULD NOT ACCELERATE FASTER THAN…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10155727 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10126850 · 2005-07-22 (July 22, 2005)
CONTACT STATES: WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONSUMER SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER CAR, HOWEVER HIS DOOR WAS SCRATCHED, THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED A MINOR INJURY TO HIS WRIST DUE TO THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 138,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10126850 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 550839 · 2000-02-09 (February 9, 2000)
VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. YH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 550839 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10075856 · 2004-06-08 (June 8, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH HEAD GASKET AND FUEL PUMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT VEHICLE OVER EATED. DEALER REPLACED THE PARTS, AND 2 1/2 YEARS LATER ,THE SAME PARTS FAILED AGAIN. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075856 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 711132 · 2000-04-07 (April 7, 2000)
MY CAR HAS HAD TO HAVE A CIRCUT BOARD, FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, AND NEW GASKETS AT ONLY TWO YEARS OLD AND 39280 MILES. I FEEL THAT THE CIRCUT BOARD COULD CAUSE CRASH OR INJURY BECAUSE I CANNOT TELL HOW FAST I AM DRIVING OR IF I HAVE GAS IN MY CAR. I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS A NEON WITH THE SAME PROBLEM (CIRCUT BOARD) THAT THEY HAD FIXED JUST THE WEEK BEFORE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 711132 at NHTSA ↗