1996 Plymouth Neon Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Neon years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 308 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Plymouth Neon. That ranks 2nd out of 7 Neon model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (167 complaints, 54%), typically at around 70,000 miles. Complaints mention 32 crashes, 11 fires, 33 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 308owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 32complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Plymouth 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 | 167 | 54% | 70,000 | “head gasket” (50%) | $1,500 |
| Electrical System | 45 | 15% | 84,200 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 36 | 12% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 27 | 9% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 22 | 7% | 87,418 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 20 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 15 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 14 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 13 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 12 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 3% | 26,800 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 1% | 116,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | 102,850 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Plymouth Neon recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: The brake master cylinder can leak brake fluid due to a damaged double lip rear piston seal.
Risk: 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.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear brake master cylindr piston assembly.
Electrical system:wiring:front underhood
Problem: An engine wiring harness can short circuit due to contact with the exhaust gas recirculation tube..
Risk: Shorting of the wiring harness can cause various electrical malfunctions, including engine stalling.
Fix: Dealers will reroute the engine wiring harness properly and any wire that has been damaged will be replaced.
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.
- Underhood fires (PE98012) — opened Feb 26, 1998, closed Jun 23, 1998.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Dbr2 not working or obd 2 not working when plug in obd reader no sign of workingness on vehicle
I was driving when the instrument cluster gauges started moving up and down like if the instrument cluster was making false contact with the connector to get a calibrated read on the speed, gasoline, temperature gauges
The car was run for 45mins at 10mph following a tractor. The last 2 miles were at 55mph. A few minutes after the vehicle was home and the engine turned off, the engine compartment caught on fire. All wiring and plastic components are a complete loss, hood is damaged, and all light units are ruined…
Entire instrument cluster ceases to function. Speedometer goes to zero, tachometer goes to zero, gas gauge stops, temp gauge goes to cold. This happens usually while on the highway at 70 mph., or whatever the legal limit for a given area is. A bit disconcerting at times. After a time period, things…
Dt*: the contact stated during an accident the driver's side seat belt failed to retract. As a result of the seat belt failure injuries were sustained. While attempting to exit the vehicle, the seat belt was observed to be wrapped around the contact's legs. A police report was filed at the scene of…
Other Plymouth Neon years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 Neon | 49 | 2 |
| 2000 Neon | 141 | 5 |
| 1999 Neon | 62 | 0 |
| 1998 Neon | 167 | 1 |
| 1997 Neon | 161 | 1 |
| 1996 | 308 | 2 |
| 1995 Neon | 481 | 6 |
See all Plymouth Neon problems by year, every Plymouth model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Plymouth Neon?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 167 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Plymouth Neon?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Plymouth 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 1996 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.