Problems · NHTSA complaints
1999 Plymouth Neon problems
Owners filed 67 complaints about the 1999 Plymouth Neon with NHTSA between Nov 1998 and Jul 2016. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (31).
Complaints
67
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling31
- Electrical system8
- Air bags6
- Structure5
- Equipment5
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Power train5
- Suspension3
- Visibility3
- Fuel system, gasoline3
- Steering2
- Seats2
- Engine1
- Tires1
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 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
7
6
9
12
13
9
3
1
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 7 |
| 2000 | 6 |
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 12 |
| 2003 | 13 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 2 |
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
31 reports
“MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUT 1999 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER HOME FROM WORK AFTER A SNOWSTORM. ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY FROM OUR HOME, HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN A CORNER WHEN HE HIT A SMALL PILE OF SNOW THAT THE PLOWS HAD LEFT BEHIND. THE SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF FROM THE PULLEYS, CAUSING HIM TO LOSE THE POWER STEERING. WITHOUT TIME TO SLOW DOWN OR STEER HARD ENOUGH TO GET AROUND THE CORNER, HE WENT ACROSS TRAFFIC AND ALMOST HIT A PARKED CAR AND SNOW BANK. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND HAD THE SERPENTINE BELT PUT BACK ON. LAST SPRING WE ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM DURING A RAINSTORM AFTER DRIVING THOUGH SOME PUDDLES. AT THAT TIME THE REPAIR WAS TO REPLACE THE SERPENTINE BELT, THE A/C BELT (IT WAS TANGLED WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT) AND REPLACE THE BELT TENSIONER PULLEY. *JB”
Electrical system
8 reports1 fire
“FUEL GAUGE SUDDENLY DROPS TO EMPTY. EVEN AFTER A COMPLETE TANK REFILL. IT WOULD SEEM TO BE AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN EITHER THE SENSOR OR DASH GAUGE ITSELF. IT CAN BE "CLEARED" FROM BEING STUCK ON EMPTY BY SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE AND THEN RESTARTING IT.”
Air bags
6 reports6 crashes
“AIR BAG FAILURE. STRUCK A DEER IN FRONT OF CAR. FRONT BUMPER, GRILL, HOOD, DRIVER SIDE FRONT FENDER, HEADLIGHT AND WINDSHIELD WERE DAMAGED QUITE SEVERELY. DAMAGE IS APPROXIMATELY $4000. SPEED WAS 45 MPH. DEER WAS LARGE BUCK, 12 POINTS. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *JB”
Structure
5 reports
“DT: THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START,.OPENED THE HOOD, LOOKED LIKE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, THE WIRING ON THE END GLOWED RED RIGHT ABOVE THE BATTERY. PREVIOUSLY, THERE WAS AN AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEM, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THEY SAID IT WAS A SENSOR. ALSO A TRUNK LATCH.*AK”
Equipment
5 reports
“THE HOOD SUPPORT STRUTS FAIL AND THE HOOD OF MY 1999 PROWLER COMES CRASHING DONE WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE REPLACED THE HOOD STRUTS 3 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR - 4 YEARS.*AK”
Service brakes, hydraulic
5 reports1 crash
“WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, CONSUMER HEARS A GRINDING NOISE; HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES & DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH NEONS. VEHICLES BRAKES LININGS NEED TO BE CLEANED SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT THIS NOISE. *AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.