Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Plymouth Neon submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 93 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 93, in the owner's own words
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 MANUFACTURER. I WAS TOLD FROM MECHANIC THAT SEVERAL OTHER CARS THE HEADS ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM. *TR
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 NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT WAS JUST THE WAY THE VEHICLE SOUNDED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS 54,000 MILES AND WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE, THE VEHICLES ENGINE ROD IS ABOUT TO FAIL. THE PROBLEM WITH THE MOTOR WAS THAT THE OIL PRESSURE SENDER MOUNTED ON THE REAR OF THE MOTOR LEAKED. THE LEAK WAS NORMALLY SMALL AND ONLY LEAKED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. HOWEVER, OVER TIME, THE LEAKING CAUSED EXCESSIVE HEAT TO THE MOTOR WHICH CAUSED WEAR AND TEAR ON THE HEAD GASKETS, PISTONS AND RODS. *JB
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 NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT WAS JUST THE WAY THE VEHICLE SOUNDED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS 54,000 MILES AND WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE, THE VEHICLES ENGINE ROD IS ABOUT TO FAIL. THE PROBLEM WITH THE MOTOR WAS THAT THE OIL PRESSURE SENDER MOUNTED ON THE REAR OF THE MOTOR LEAKED. THE LEAK WAS NORMALLY SMALL AND ONLY LEAKED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. HOWEVER, OVER TIME, THE LEAKING CAUSED EXCESSIVE HEAT TO THE MOTOR WHICH CAUSED WEAR AND TEAR ON THE HEAD GASKETS, PISTONS AND RODS. *JB
REPORTS ON DEFECTIVE PARTS MADE BY CHRYSLER WITH REGARD TO 1998 PLYMOUTH NEON ENGINE OVERHEATING AS A RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE RADIATOR FAN RELAY, COOLANT RESERVOIR AND/OR THE COOLANT CAP. *NJ
BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *TR
CAR CONTINOUSLY OVERHEATS. HAVE REPLACE THE RADIATOR CAP AND THE THERMOSTAT.
HEAD GASKET FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 32,000 MILES. HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND THE NEW HEAD GASKET FAILED AGAIN WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON THE GASKET. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH NEONS AND CHRYSLER HAS YET TO ISSUE A RECALL.
HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 37500 MILES ( 2001) HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT (83125 MILES) RESULTING IN OIL CONTAMINATION/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM/SPARK PLUG FOULING. REAR OIL SEAL FAILURE ( STARTED AT 55125 MILES)- $ 2000 REPAIR BILL TO REPLACE HEAD GASKET AND REAR OIL SEAL AT 83125 MILES.
HEAD GASKET LEAK, KNOWN PROBLEM BY DIAMLER THATS WHY THE MLS GASKET AND TORQUE SPECS WERE INTRODUCED. NO FIRE, YET. CAR ONLY HAS 54,000 MILES WHEN LEAK STARTED.*AK
TOOK MY 98 NEON WITH 42,000 MILES INTO LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL LEAK. THEY SAID THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR A TOTAL OF $1050. IT IS MY OPINION THAT: - THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS NOT DUE TO MY OWN NEGLIGENCE, BUT AN INHERENT DESIGN FLAW. - THE INFERIOR HEAD GASKETS SHIPPED IN THESE CARS POSE A SLIGHT SAFETY RISK TO CONSUMERS BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY LEADS TO OIL LEAKAGE. - A LARGE PERCENTAGE, IF NOT ALL FIRST GENERATION NEONS, ARE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM. *LA
UPON HAVING AN OIL CHANGE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL.*AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT MINIMAL MILEAGE. FUEL PUMP SQUEALS LOUDLY. *CB
I OWN A 1998 NEON THAT HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER WITHIN THE FIRST 2 WEEKS OF OWNING IT BECAUSE OF AN OIL LEAK WHICH THEY "FIXED A GASKET" THEN IN NOVEMBER OF 2001 HAD MY HEAD GASKET REPLACED AND NOW AGAIN NOVEMBER 2003 I NEED ANOTHER HEAD GASKET. *AK
MY CAR LEAKS WATER. MY TRUNK LEAKS AND THE REAR FLOOR LEAKS ON BOTH SIDES. WHAT IS CAUSING THIS IT HAS DONE THIS SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR BUT IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE ENGINE AT 36000 MILES.*AK
CHYSLER IS INFORMING ME THAT THERE IS NO SUCH RECALL, RECALL NUMBER 99V-001. MY CAR FALLS WITHIN THE LOW HIGH VIN NUMBERS REPORTED TO POSSIBLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND I AM HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY 1998 PLYMOUTH NEON THATAPPLY TO THIS RECALL AS WELL AS SERVERAL TSB.
I BOUGHT THE CAR AND HAD GREAT MILEAGE FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS. NOW I GET LESS THAN SOMEONE WHO OWNS A CHEVY CAMERO THAT IS 3 YEARS OLDER THAN MY CAR. I WENT ON A TRIP TO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND 5 AND 1/2 HOUR DRIVE. I USED ALL THE OIL IN MY CAR. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD BLOWN A HEAD GASKET. *JB
AT 53,000 MILES THE HEAD GASKET ON MY 1998 PLYMOUTH NEON FAILED. THE REPAIR COST APPROXIMATELY $700 AND HAD TO BE MADE ON AN URGENT BASIS BY A CERTIFIED NON-DEALER REPAIR FACILITY. THIS VEHICLE HAS A KNOWN HISTORY OF THIS FAILURE AND A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED ON SEPT. 8, 1999. THE COMPANY HAS DECLINED FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION IN THE REPAIR OF THIS VEHICLE. AS A KNOWN PROBLEM, I BELIEVE THE COMPANY SHOULD BEAR THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THIS REPAIR AND ISSUE A RECALL.*JB
BOUGHT 1998 NEON WITH 76,000 MILES. LEAKS 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY DEALER WITHOUT CHARGE. *JB
THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL. *JB
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
CRACKED BLOCK WITH ONLY 63,000 MILES AND LESS THAN 5 YRS OLD. *NLM
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
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, VEHICLE STARTED TO RUN HOT. CONSUMER CUT OFF ENGINE AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER STATES THE HEAD GASKET WILL BE REPLACED. TS THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES. SCC
LEAKING OIL AT 30500 MILES, STILL UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. WAS REPAIRED BY DEALERSHIP. AT 72000 MILES, ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL AGAIN. TOOK TO INDEPENDANT CONTRACTOR, HAS BEEN CONFIRMED THAT THE HEAD CASKET IS NOW LEAKING IN TWO PLACES. AM TAKING AUTO TO SHOP AND SERVICE MANAGER OFFERED TO FIX WITH ME TO PAY A $200 "DEDUCTIBLE". PLEASE ADVISE IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS TO A RECALL OR ANYTHING MANUFACTURER IS DOING TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE SAYS THEY AREN'T AWARE OF ANY KIND OF HEAD CASKET PROBLEMS WITH NEONS. THAT'S FUNNY HOW COME EVERYONE ELSE IN THE FREE WORLD KNOWS OF THE NEON'S CASKET PROBLEMS? DT
WAS DRIVING MY 3 GRAND CHILDREN WHEN THE TEMPERATURE BELL RANG. I GLANCED AT MY GAUGES AND NOTICED A HIGH TEMPERATURE READING AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER WAITING 30 MINUTES OR SO I RELEASED THE RADIATOR CAP AND NOTICED WHAT LOOKED LIKE OIL IN THE WATER. I ADDED WATER AND THEN DROVE HOME AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED WITH THE HEATER ON. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DID NOT GO ABOVE LOW-MED. I CALLED MY LOCAL GARAGE AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AND THEY SUGGESTED I HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THEM. THIS I DID, AND UPON EXAMINATION THE CONCLUDED THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAD 87,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. UPON RESEARCH I SEE THAT THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM OR ISOLATED PROBLEM FOR THE '98 NEON. I WILL NOW CONTACT THE DEALER ANY ADVISE? HAS CHRYSLER STEPPED FORWARD AND DEALT WITH THIS PROBLEM? DT
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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