1998 Dodge Neon Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Neon years
- More complaints than other years 4th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 339 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Dodge Neon. That ranks 4th out of 11 Neon model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (199 complaints, 59%), typically at around 49,284 miles. Complaints mention 43 crashes, 3 fires, 46 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 339owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 43complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 | 199 | 59% | 49,284 | “head gasket” (50%) | $1,450 |
| Air Bags | 34 | 10% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 22 | 6% | 46,550 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 21 | 6% | 72,094 | — | — |
| Power Train | 20 | 6% | 39,640 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 18 | 5% | 88,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 16 | 5% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 14 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 13 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 10 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 3% | 76,750 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 8 | 2% | 111,750 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 2% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Dodge Neon recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure:body
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The rear suspension crossmember may be missing spot welds.
Risk: This condition can result in structural cracks in the body, and reduced crash protection in the event of a rear impact.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for any missing welds, and will have structural rivets installed in place of the missing welds.
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 had an car wreck in my 1998 dodge neon (blue) in november 24,2002 due to the breaks & the tires & the air bag did not come out when i wreck & i got stuck in my seat belt out the car wreck & then i had another 1999 dodge neon (white) & i had car problems with it to
Motor/transmission mount replacement,4-5 times,will not hold. Egrvalve replacement ,engine light keeps saying it need to be replaced even after it has been replaced and light cleared. 4-5 times .both are now on going. *tr
1998 dodge neon was forced off the roadway by a mitsubishi eclipse that turned across 19 year old female drivers lane of travel. Sideswipe caused left front control arm to collapse, vehicle briefly bottomed onto pavement, leaving a short distance gouge mark. The neon then jumped onto a curb and…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 dodge neon. The contact stated that the speedometer and fuel gauge only functioned on an intermittent basis. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the instrument cluster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 dodge neon. The contact stated that while parked, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the technician stated that the fuel pump would have to be replaced. The fuel pump was replaced three different times. The failure continued after the…
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 | 339 | 1 |
| 1997 Neon | 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.
Similar Dodge models
Embed this 1998 Dodge Neon badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Dodge Neon?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, air bags, structure problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 199 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Dodge Neon?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.