1998 Plymouth NEON: complaints, problems and recalls
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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000834 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
LEAKING OIL OUT OF REAR SEALS.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000834 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004815 · 2003-01-28 (January 28, 2003)
HEAD GASKET FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER REPAIR THE ENGINE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING. BOTH OF THOSE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *TS *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 66,123 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004815 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006362 · 2001-02-08 (February 8, 2001)
PURCHASED CAR 5/2000 WITH 10,000 MILES. OIL LEAK ON GARAGE FLOOR, TOOK TO MECHANIC WHO SAID CAR HAD BLOWN HEAD GASKET & THESE CARS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER CONTACTED, WHO REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT IS ONLY 1 MONTH PAST THE 3 YR DATE & WELL UNDER THE 36,000 MILES. THINK MFG. SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR QUALITY ISSUE. FOUND SEVERAL REPORTS OF SAME PROBLEM ON YOUR WEBSITE. NEED HELP. SINGLE PARENT & NO MONEY TO REPAIR AT MY EXPENSE. MR **** DIMS II IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/2002 CUT-OVER ARTEMIS****…
Owner-reported narrative. 24,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006362 at NHTSA ↗
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 10010594 · 2003-03-17 (March 17, 2003)
CRACKED BLOCK WITH ONLY 63,000 MILES AND LESS THAN 5 YRS OLD. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010594 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10012020 · 2003-03-18 (March 18, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE VEHICLES OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE OIL CHECKED BY A FRIEND AND DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012020 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10012483 · 2003-03-25 (March 25, 2003)
THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012483 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
99V001000 · Structure:Body
Reported: 1999-01-07 (January 7, 1999)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER MAY BE MISSING SPOT WELDS.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN STRUCTURAL CRACKS IN THE BODY, AND REDUCED CRASH PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ANY MISSING WELDS, AND WILL HAVE STRUCTURAL RIVETS INSTALLED IN PLACE OF THE MISSING WELDS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗