1997 Dodge Neon Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Neon years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 390 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Dodge Neon. That ranks 3rd out of 11 Neon model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (222 complaints, 57%), typically at around 50,000 miles. Complaints mention 44 crashes, 12 fires, 28 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 390owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 44complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Dodge Neon problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 222 | 57% | 50,000 | “head gasket” (55%) | $1,250 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 44 | 11% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 41 | 11% | 123,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 33 | 8% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 26 | 7% | 33,719 | — | — |
| Structure | 24 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 19 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 17 | 4% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 15 | 4% | 136,400 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 3% | 73,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 9 | 2% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 | 2% | 96,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 8 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Dodge Neon recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: The electrical circuit design allows the potential for an inadvertent air bag deployment upon vehicle ignition shut down.
Risk: Unexpected air bag deployment can result in occupant injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the air bag electronic control module with a newly designed module.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Safety belt cinching latch plate (PE02082) — opened Nov 6, 2002, closed Apr 23, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I am having a lot of problems with my 1997 dodge neon. The steering wheel has nothing but clicks. I am having so much problems turning on my signal lights. The problem has gotten worse. I am hoping that this is a recall so i won't have to pay so much money out of pocket. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 dodge neon. While placing fuel into the vehicle, the filler tube fell to the ground and caused gasoline to leak onto the ground. The dealer stated that there was no recall and the vehicle was taken to a repair shop. The mechanic stated that the filler tube had rusted out…
None of my vehicles have latch supported systems although all my carseats do. Is it still safe to use a carseat with just a seat belt? Can the vehicle manufacturers install the latch systems in my vehicles for free as this is a safety requirement for carseats? I cannot afford to pay for this myself…
I made a short trip to a local store and large amounts of smoke started coming from the front of my car. The car was overheating and i had to stop and pull over. The car had to be towed to the dealership. The car had a head gasket failure.which cost $920 to repair. Although the vehicle is old…
Safety/emissions reprt states recall on my vehicle/ defect number: dr-1158. The solid state fan relay may fail because of heat rellated electrical over stress causing the fan to stop and the vehicle to over heat. *tr
Other Dodge Neon years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Neon | 96 | 0 |
| 2004 Neon | 94 | 0 |
| 2003 Neon | 202 | 0 |
| 2002 Neon | 173 | 0 |
| 2001 Neon | 146 | 4 |
| 2000 Neon | 337 | 5 |
| 1999 Neon | 116 | 0 |
| 1998 Neon | 339 | 1 |
| 1997 | 390 | 1 |
| 1996 Neon | 611 | 2 |
| 1995 Neon | 976 | 6 |
See all Dodge Neon problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Dodge Neon?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic, air bags problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 222 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Dodge Neon?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Dodge Neon a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Neon model years, the 1997 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.