Problems · by component

1996 Dodge Neon air bags problems

44 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Dodge Neon cite air bags, 7% of all 621 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
44
7% of all complaints
Crashes
32
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
22
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“IN AUGUST OF 1999, DUE TO A HEALTH PROBLEM (UNKNOWN TO ME), I FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL OF MY 1996 NEON. I AWOKE IN TIME TO FORCE THE CAR OVER TO A GRASSY MEDIAN BETWEEN TWO PARTS OF A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY. THE CAR FLEW TWENTY OR SO FEET IN THE AIR, MAKING IMPACT WITH THE GRASS, AND CONTINUING WITHOUT POWER STEERING, ETC., FOR APPROXIMATELY. 300 FEET. WHILE IN THE AIR, MY LEFT ARM BROKE THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. WHEN THE CAR LANDED DEAD ON TO THE GRASS, THE AIR BAGS BURST, BUT "WILTED" DOWN, THEY DID NOT COME STRAIGHT OUT AT ME AS NORMAL, BUT DOWN, AFTER EXPLODING. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NOT NORMAL FOR A CAR IN THIS KIND OF ACCIDENT, AND THAT THE CAR MAY HAVE BEEN IN A PRIOR ACCIDENT, OR THE AIR BAGS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. I RECEIVED CHEMICAL BURNS ON THE INNER PARTS OF THE ARMS, AND DEVELOPED A LUNG PROBLEM DUE TO THE INHALED CHEMICALS. SINCE THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED IMPROPERLY, MY TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS WERE FRIGHTENED EVEN MORE, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN HAD BEEN SHOT. MY CONCERN IS THAT OTHER AIR BAGS MAY REACT IN THE SAME WAY, EVEN IF THERE IS NO FRONT IMPACT. I HAD NOTIFIED MY MECHANICS IN THE EBENSBURG AND CRESSON, PA AREAS,…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 6, 2003Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10008498
“WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE HORN AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE CLOCK SPRING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2003Air bagsODI 10005954
“THE VEHICLE HORN SOUNDED ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER STATED THE ONLY WAY TO STOP HORN FROM BLOWING WAS TO DISCONNECT THE FUSE. TS HORN CONTINUED TO SOUND AFTER FUSE REPLACEMENT. CONSUMER HAD TO BANG ON HORN SWITCH IN ORDER TO STOP SOUND. HORN SWITCH IS PART OF AIR BAG ASSEMBLY THEREFORE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2002Air bagsODI 8023614
“FRONT COLLISION AT 35 MPH, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUFFERED SPRAINED SHOULDER AND KNEE INJURY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED, AIRBAG SENSOR WAS CRUSHED.*AK *YH”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2002Air bagsCrash reportedODI 8008162
“HORN HAS BEEEN REPLACED TWICE. HORNS BLOWS INVOLUNTARILY. DEALER BELIEVES HORN PAD & AIRBAG WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE TIMES IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2001Air bags, Electrical systemODI 880929
“WAS DRIVING 35MPH WHEN A TRUCK RAN STOP SIGN. NEON "T" BONED TRUCK. FRONT END LIFTED UP. FRONT END OF DRIVER'S SIDE WAS CRUSHED. DOOR WAS BENT OUTWARD. UPON IMPACT WITH TRUCK, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUFFERED SOME INJURIES ,BUT NO HOSPITAL TREATMENT. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 4, 2001Air bagsCrash reportedODI 877471

Showing 6 of 44 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.