Your vehicle report
1997 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
- 390
- Received Feb 1997 to Apr 2014
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Head gasket leaks coolant into engine105 complaints · 27% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes31 complaints · 8.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Paint peels off roof and hood13 complaints · 3.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #97V080000The electrical circuit design allows the potential for an inadvertent air bag deployment upon vehicle ignition shut down.
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: 44 crashes, 12 fires, 28 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
- Brakes make grinding or squealing noise
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly
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
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 |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 14 |
| 1998 | 46 |
| 1999 | 65 |
| 2000 | 88 |
| 2001 | 69 |
| 2002 | 44 |
| 2003 | 23 |
| 2004 | 23 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 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 | 390 |
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 | 105 | 27% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 31 | 8.0% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 13 | 3.3% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 13 | 3.3% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 11 | 2.8% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 11 | 2.8% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 10 | 2.6% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 10 | 2.6% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 9 | 2.3% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 7 | 1.8% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 1.0% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 4 | 1.0% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 1.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 1.0% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 4 | 1.0% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 4 | 1.0% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 3 | 0.8% | – |
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 #97V080000May 16, 1997125,000 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
The electrical circuit design allows the potential for an inadvertent air bag deployment upon vehicle ignition shut down.
Unexpected air bag deployment Can result in occupant injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the air bag electronic control module with a newly designed module.
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 1997 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