Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Plymouth Neon problems
Owners filed 309 complaints about the 1996 Plymouth Neon with NHTSA between Feb 1996 and Feb 2022. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (163).
Complaints
309
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
32
Reported by owners
Fires
11
Reported by owners
Injuries
31
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling163
- Electrical system45
- Service brakes, hydraulic32
- Power train25
- Air bags21
- Fuel system, gasoline14
- Steering12
- Visibility11
- Equipment11
- Exterior lighting10
- Vehicle speed control9
- Structure7
- Suspension5
- Seat belts4
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
17
19
29
61
78
42
26
14
12
4
3
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 17 |
| 1997 | 19 |
| 1998 | 29 |
| 1999 | 61 |
| 2000 | 78 |
| 2001 | 42 |
| 2002 | 26 |
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
163 reports3 crashes3 fires
“THE CAR WAS RUN FOR 45MINS AT 10MPH FOLLOWING A TRACTOR. THE LAST 2 MILES WERE AT 55MPH. A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS HOME AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE. ALL WIRING AND PLASTIC COMPONENTS ARE A COMPLETE LOSS, HOOD IS DAMAGED, AND ALL LIGHT UNITS ARE RUINED. *TR”
Electrical system
45 reports1 crash1 fire1 related recall
“I was driving when the instrument cluster gauges started moving up and down like if the instrument cluster was making false contact with the connector to get a calibrated read on the speed, gasoline, temperature gauges”
Service brakes, hydraulic
32 reports5 crashes1 related recall
“OIL LEAKS, DASHBOARD FAILURE, NOISE IN BRAKES, WIND NOISE IN PASSENGERS DOOR. HAVE REPLACED VALVE COVER GASKET TWICE, REPLACED OIL SENDIND UNIT,CAM SENSOR WAS REPLACED NOW I HAVE A BIG OIL LEAK, CAR ONLY HAS 45000 MILES ON IT. *AK”
Power train
25 reports2 crashes
“CONSUMER 1996 PLYMOUTH NEON PCM HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED CAUSING COMER VEHICLE TO FAIL EMISSIONS. *TS THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FAILED STATE EMISSION INSPECTION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE'S READINESS CODES WERE CLEARED EACH TIME THE KEY WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION. THE CONSUMER FOUND A TSB WHICH STATED THAT THE PCM MUST BE REPROGRAMMED TO REMEDY THE CONDITION. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO GET THE LOCAL DEALER TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE ELSEWHERE WHERE THE PCM WAS REPROGRAMMED AT NO CHARGE. *NM”
Air bags
21 reports18 crashes1 fire
“ON EVERY PLYMOUTH NEON IN THE COLOR OF BLUE, THE PAINT IS CHIPPING FROM THE HOOD TO THE TRUNK. ALSO, WHEN IT RAINS, THE INSIDE OF THE CAR ON THE FLOORS AND IN THE TRUNK GETS WET AND IN ORDER TO GET THE WATER OUT, IT HAS TO BE VACUUMED. I BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS. AFTER HAVING TO INVEST A LOT OF MONEY IN SOMETHING THAT YOU EXPECT TO HAVE FOR MANY YEARS, THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING UNLESS IT IS CAUSED BY YOU.”
Fuel system, gasoline
14 reports4 fires
“MY NEON HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY STALLING OUT WHEN SLOWING FOR STOPS, STARTING THE VEHICLE AND INTERMITTENTLY WHEN I AM AT IDLE. THIS BECOMES AN ISSUE WHEN I AM PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR STALLS, THUS MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR VEHICLES BEHIND ME TO STOP IN TIME. NO CRASHES HAVE INCURRED YET, BUT THEY ARE POSSIBLE. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN 3 TIMES NOW TO LEBANON CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH FOR REPAIR. 11-19: FUEL PUMP AND VARIOUS CABLES REPLACED. PROBLEM RETURNED. !2-31: IDLE MEMORY NEEDED TO BE RESET. 1-2-02: THROTTLE BODY AND THERMOSTAT NEED REPLACED...ALL OF THESE ITEMS WERE COMPLETED ON DIFFERENT DATES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT LEBANON CHRYSLER AND HOPEFULLY THE PROBLEM WILL BE FIXED COMPLETELY THIS TIME, BUT IT HAS BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE WHILE I DRIVE. I LEAVE SUFFICIENT DISTANCE BETWEEN MYSELF AND OTHER VEHICLES, BUT I CANNOT PREDICT HOW OTHERS WILL DRIVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP. LISA BRADY. *AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.