1998 Plymouth NEON problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
126 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
65,562 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 22 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 56 of 126 complaints (44.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 11 | 8.7% |
| Braking behavior | 7 | 5.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 3.2% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 2.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 2.4% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 1.6% |
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 | 56 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 15 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 8 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 7 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 6 |
| Suspension:Front | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 3 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 56; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 15; Air Bags:Frontal: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling: 7; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 6; Suspension:Front: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 5 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 9 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 104 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 | 19 |
| 2001 | 42 |
| 2002 | 31 |
| 2003 | 12 |
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
2000: 19; 2001: 42; 2002: 31; 2003: 12; 2004: 10; 2005: 3; 2006: 2; 2008: 1; 2009: 3; 2010: 1; 2011: 1; 2013: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 11 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 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 10008546 · 2002-11-05 (November 5, 2002)
WHEN BRAKE IS PUSHED THE TURN LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP AND BRAKE LIGHTS WOULDN'T BRIGHTEN. THIS WAS (08/13/01). IN 10/10/01 WAS ABLE TO DRIVE FORWARD IN REVERSE AND NEUTRAL, DIDN'T HAVE A REVERSE, TRANSMISSION REPLACED. IN 03/12/02, FOUND OIL IN THE ANTIFREEZE RESERVE AND RADIATOR, REPLACED ENGINE DUE TO HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. IN 04/15/02, TRANSMISSION DOING THE SAME THING BACK ON 10/10/01 , TRANSMISSION IS REPLACED AGAIN. IN 10/31/02, TRANSMISSION REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME, DUE TO SHIFTING HARD, AND SAME PROBLEM AS 10/10/01 AND 04/18/02. ALSO, A…
Owner-reported narrative. 61,550 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008546 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008548 · 2002-11-05 (November 5, 2002)
THESE PROBLEMS WERE FOUND DURING A REPLACEMENT OF OUR THIRD TRANSMISSION. WE ARE REALLY UPSET WITH PLYMOUTH/DODGE AUTO. WE HAD THIS CAR FOR ONLY A YEAR AND IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. LIKE I SAID, 3 TRANSMISSIONS, 1 ENGINE DUE TO HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. NOW, THE OIL PRESSURE SENDING UNIT, VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR, AND THE REAR MAIN OIL SEAL. ----DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY AFTER 12/12/01 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS-------769336. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 71,514 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008548 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10083583 · 2004-07-23 (July 23, 2004)
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS BURNED OUT CONTINUOUSLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED THEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10083583 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 731581 · 2000-09-15 (September 15, 2000)
THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO AFFECT THE HANDLING OF THE CAR. THE NOISE OCCURS AFTER THE CAR IS COMPLETELY WARMED UP, WHETHER THE CAR IS MOVING OR STOPPED AND IS HEARD WHEN THE CAR IS IN OR OUT OF DRIVE. IT IS A GRINDING NOISE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A COLLISION. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISES THAT I 'JUST GO BUY A BATTERY.' I THINK IT IS UNREASONABLE FOR A CAR TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS AFTER TWO YEARS, ALTHOUGH THE MILEAGE IS HIGH, THESE ARE NOT HARD MILES IN MY OPINION. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 731581 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 753499 · 2001-10-22 (October 22, 2001)
INITIALLY, I WENT IN TO THE DEALER FOR A NEW BATTERY SIX MONTHS AFTER I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS PARTS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. AMONG THOSE, THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND MOST SURPRISING WAS THE ENGINE OIL LEAK. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING MOTOR OIL, AND THAT IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT IT BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS A STUDENT, $670 FOR THE HEAD GASKET WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT TO INVEST. THE ADVISOR AT THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE MODEL OF THE CAR INHERENTLY CONTAINED A POORLY …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 753499 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 785720 · 2001-10-06 (October 6, 2001)
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXCESSIVE VIBRATION/SHAKING IN THE FRONT END AT SPEEDS OF 60 MPH AND UP, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM, ONE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 785720 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 868296 · 2000-08-22 (August 22, 2000)
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DLR CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAPPEN 3XS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 868296 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10054352 · 2004-01-17 (January 17, 2004)
HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT MINIMAL MILEAGE. FUEL PUMP SQUEALS LOUDLY. *CB
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054352 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10073262 · 2004-05-27 (May 27, 2004)
FUEL TANK REPLACED THEN CAR DOES NOT START IN THE MORNING AND END OF DAY. CHRYSLER AND DEALER HAVE WASHED THEIR HANDS OF IT. *MR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10073262 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 754588 · 2001-11-15 (November 15, 2001)
STARTED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS JUNE 2001. CAR SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING! VALVE HEAD REPLACED. ONE WEEK LATER STALL AND GEAR SLIP AT STOP SIGN. MAIN GASKET REPLACED. 3 WEEKS LATER ANOTHER STALL AND GEAR SLIP. DEALERSHIP TELL ME THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH CAR. MID OCT. 2001 ENGINE BECAME LOOSE ON FREEWAY. GOT LOCAL MECHANIC TO INSTALL NEW ENGINE MOUNTS. NOV. 13TH SERVICE MGR AT BARWICK MOTORS IN CALIFORNIA DROVE WITH ME. ADMITTED THAT I HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND THAT BARWICK AUTOMOTIVE WOULD GET MY CAR WORKING. ONE HOUR LATER …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 754588 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 784694 · 2000-06-13 (June 13, 2000)
THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL, DEALER REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY, BATTERY AND THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR BUT THE CONDITION STILL EXIST. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 784694 at NHTSA ↗