Your vehicle report
1996 Dodge Neon
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 611
- Received Oct 1995 to Jun 2015
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Head gasket leaks coolant into engine159 complaints · 26% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes36 complaints · 5.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving25 complaints · 4.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #96V075000The brake master cylinder can leak brake fluid due to a damaged double lip rear piston seal.
- Recall #96V026000An engine wiring harness can short circuit due to contact with the exhaust gas recirculation tube..
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 46 crashes, 5 fires, 32 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Brakes make grinding or squealing noise
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 2 |
| 1996 | 25 |
| 1997 | 53 |
| 1998 | 72 |
| 1999 | 122 |
| 2000 | 130 |
| 2001 | 94 |
| 2002 | 49 |
| 2003 | 28 |
| 2004 | 19 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 611 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 159 | 26% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 36 | 5.9% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 25 | 4.1% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 24 | 3.9% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 21 | 3.4% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 15 | 2.5% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 15 | 2.5% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 12 | 2.0% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 12 | 2.0% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 11 | 1.8% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 10 | 1.6% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 10 | 1.6% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 10 | 1.6% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 9 | 1.5% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 9 | 1.5% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 8 | 1.3% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 7 | 1.1% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 7 | 1.1% | – | |
| Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly | 6 | 1.0% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 6 | 1.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #96V075000May 3, 1996151,800 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder
The brake master cylinder Can leak brake fluid due to a damaged double lip rear piston seal.
Brake fluid leakage Can result in diminished effectiveness of one half of the split brake system. The instrument panel warning light(s) will signal system impairment prior to partial brake system loss.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the rear brake master cylindr piston assembly.
NHTSA recall #96V026000February 5, 199615,000 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring: front underhood
An engine wiring harness Can short circuit due to contact with the exhaust gas recirculation tube..
Shorting of the wiring harness Can cause various electrical malfunctions, including engine stalling.
Remedy
Dealers will reroute the engine wiring harness properly and any wire that has been damaged will be replaced.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1996 Dodge Neon.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN