1998 Dodge Neon
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Dodge › Neon › 1998
These records cover every 1998 Dodge Neon. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
6 recalls name the 1998 Dodge Neon. Newest first.
Dope, inc. IS recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. these headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. the safety recall began on july 28, 2009. owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Sabersport IS recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. these headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. the safety recall began on may 11, 2009. owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
Certain aai motorsports combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above list passenger vehicles. combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk and remedy
Risk
Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
Remedy
Aai motorsports will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. the recall began on august 1, 2006. owners may contact aai motorsports at 909-923-9188.
Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
Remedy
Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. the recall began on july 1, 2006. owners may contact ck motorsport at 1-909-610-7211.
Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
Remedy
Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. the recall began on april 3, 2006. owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. the rear suspension crossmember may be missing spot welds.
Risk and remedy
Risk
This condition can result in structural cracks in the body, and reduced crash protection in the event of a rear impact.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the vehicles for any missing welds, and will have structural rivets installed in place of the missing welds.
Owner complaints
339 complaints43 involved a crash3 involved a fire46 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Air bags · Service brakes · Wheels
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
- Fuel/propulsion system · Power train
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
- Air bags
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…
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 impacted a utility pole head on at an estimated 27-35mph impact speed. this accident occurred on nellis boulevard in las vegas, nevada. the frontal impact airbags did not deploy, female driver had severe neck injuries that resulted in a stroke and permanent disability. trw claims the system performed exactly as designed. they claim their 1998 veam crash sensing algorithm ascertained that the driver would have been out of position at the time of the utility pole impact and the depowered airbag would have caused more harm than good. I am the expert witness on this case for the plaintiff against trw. this defect in the design of the sensing system IS an indication of why this subject vehicle and its similar model years has an exorbitantly high number of non deployment of front airbags complaints in the nhtsa complaints database compared to its peers. I am reporting this at the behest of defense counsel, who claims that my failure to report this defect IS actually a failure of me to provide a service to consumers. I would be glad to discuss this and many other cases with nhtsa personnel, as I believe this defense counsel critique actually opens up a great opportunity for me to work directly with nhtsa to provide more immediate feedback on serious defects that have been occurring in the field on some systems. I would be happy to discuss my proposal with nhtsa on how we might be able to cooperate on narrowing down frivolous claims, but setting a high priority on real issues that typically result in lawsuits but are not necessarily brought to nhtsa's attention. *tr
- Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
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 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 manufacturer was not manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,397. ..updated 05/15/12 * bf updated 05/21/12
- Fuel system, gasoline
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 repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. The vin was not available.
- Service brakes, electric
I have a 1998 neon and water IS coming thou the lights into car on floor I have seen many complaints about same defect on not just my year but newer modules this IS a mold issue and I like many have allege to mold and can trigger a asthma attack that can kill use I asked the dealers to fix but…
I have a 1998 neon and water IS coming thou the lights into car on floor I have seen many complaints about same defect on not just my year but newer modules this IS a mold issue and I like many have allege to mold and can trigger a asthma attack that can kill use I asked the dealers to fix but they say its not a recall I will have to pay for repair in order to stop the leak so whose paying my hospital visit when I have my asthma attack and I have to go on a ventilator death IS not a option why cant they fix it for free. *Tr
- Service brakes, hydraulic
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 dodge neon. while driving 30 mph, the contact could not stop the vehicle when the brakes were applied. the vehicle was inspected and a rusted brake line was discovered, which squirted brake fluid everywhere. this was the first time this failure occurred. the road conditions were not a factor. the vehicle was not repaired before or after the failure. the failure mileage was 105,000.
- Electrical system · Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 dodge neon. The speedometer isnt operating normally and doesn't display the speed; however, if you tap on the dashboard it began operating normally. The inoperable speedometer IS a safety issue since it doesn't display the correct speed. The heat gauge also failed to show…
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 dodge neon. The speedometer isnt operating normally and doesn't display the speed; however, if you tap on the dashboard it began operating normally. The inoperable speedometer IS a safety issue since it doesn't display the correct speed. The heat gauge also failed to show the proper temperature, displayed over heating and failed to work properly. The noise from the heating system IS also a distraction and a safety risk. The current mileage was 137,000 and the failure mileage was unknown.
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
The 1998 dodge neon IS notorious for faulty head gaskets. The problem IS first noticed by an oil leak and the vehicle overheating. The head gaskets are expensive to replace. After the car gets hot, it stalls at every intersection and every time the vehicle starts to slow down or IS placed in…
The 1998 dodge neon IS notorious for faulty head gaskets. The problem IS first noticed by an oil leak and the vehicle overheating. The head gaskets are expensive to replace. After the car gets hot, it stalls at every intersection and every time the vehicle starts to slow down or IS placed in neutral (manual transmission). My car stalled in the middle of a busy intersection where traffic was getting on and off of the freeway and would not start again. I had to get out of my car and push it to the side of the freeway entrance because it was the only available place to move my car to. It was fortunate that this incident did not cause an accident or result in me getting injured. Chrysler IS well aware of the problem and has issued an improved gasket replacement kit, (which IS costly) but refuses to take responsibility for the problem by issuing a recall. My car needs new head gaskets and I have been quoted $900 for parts and labor. I don't have that much money, so now my car sits parked in the street and I now have to take the city bus, which closest stop to my house IS 1.5 miles, or walk places with my 3 children in 100 degree weather. I don't know what I will do when winter comes. Chrysler needs to be forced to issue a recall for this problem. There are hundreds of complaints for the exact same issue on website such as mycarstats.com and many forums. Most of the blown head gaskets happened on low mileage vehicles. My car only has 89,000 miles on it. If you do a google search for 1998 dodge neon blown head gaskets, you will get over 80,000 listing of forums, discussions and articles relating to the same problem. *Tr
- Electrical system · Exterior lighting · Structure › Body › Trunk lid
Trunk full of water - trunk & light seals are bad - why hasn't there been a recall on this safety feature? lights have to work and mold IS deadly! *Tr
- Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
Complete speedometer failure while vehicle IS being driven. loss of all data regarding speed vehicle IS traveling, and at times, all information from the engine temperature gauge and fuel gauge. issues with neon speedometers are widely published on the internet. I am shocked to see that there has never been a recall for such a well documented vehicle failure. *jb
- Exterior lighting
When calling pro-a motors at 323-838-2988,about certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps, for my 1998 dodge neon I was put on hold for a lengthy amount of time before being answered to a horrible personal. In attempts to see if it was the actual…
When calling pro-a motors at 323-838-2988,about certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps, for my 1998 dodge neon I was put on hold for a lengthy amount of time before being answered to a horrible personal. In attempts to see if it was the actual lamp or the outside reflector that was damaged I was given about 5 seconds into my description before being told that no it IS not there problem that I did not have their lamp in my car. Amazing how there IS such a quick answer to my description of 5 seconds. Maybe there are a lot of recalls from their company but I was not even allowed to see if my part was part of that recall before being hung up on. *Nm
- Service brakes, hydraulic · Structure · Suspension › Front
I have a 98 dodge neon. The car grinds in the front end even with new brakes. I cant not drive throw water or the car will die. Going over a speed bump at the recommended speed the front end will bottom out. I had a friend look at the car. And he said it looked fine. The brake spec. Didn't see any…
I have a 98 dodge neon. The car grinds in the front end even with new brakes. I cant not drive throw water or the car will die. Going over a speed bump at the recommended speed the front end will bottom out. I had a friend look at the car. And he said it looked fine. The brake spec. Didn't see any thing and I noticed I had two different tires on the front then the back because of the front end. Please if you find out any thing on this car it would be much obliged. *nm
- Air bags › Frontal
Dt: the contact's daughter was involved in a car accident on october 7, 2005. Upon impact, the front air bags did not deploy. This was front end collision. Has not contacted the manufacturer at this point. *Ak
- Air bags › Side/window
Dt: 1998 dodge neon, when consumer was involved in accident the front driver's side and the front passanger side air bags did not deploy. *ak
- Fuel system, gasoline
The pipe that comes down from the filler into the tank rusted. This caused fuel to leak very heavily at times. fuel pump has had to be replaced twice already. *Ak the local junkyard imformed the consumer that the filler pipe IS a common problem, they sell them as fast as they get them. *bf *nm
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline · Power train › Axle assembly › Axle shaft › Seal
I purchased a 1998 neon espresso in june of 2004. on about july 2004 my car died. I had it towed and had over $1,800 of engine work done. After work was done they stated my rear seal was leaking and wanted over $600 to repair this.
- Electrical system
While driving the left front door speaker started to burn. Consumer put the fire out and called the manufacturer. *Ak *nm
- Exterior lighting › Headlights
The headlight lens on the neon are made of plastic that has degraded to a point that the headlights are ineffective. On top of that, there IS not a replacement lens available. You have to buy an entire $110.00 assembly. *ak
- Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
While applying the accelerator pedal vehicle failed to accelerate. consumer applied the accelerator pedal numerous times and the vehicle accelerated. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the throttle body needed to be replaced. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling
The oil light would come on and oil would leak out of the vehicle. after trying to start the vehicle the engine does not connect at first, has to try at least two times before it will start. dealer stated it could be either the starter or the engine.*ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Intermittently vehicle stalled while driving. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and they determined that the intake manifold was cracked and caused coolant to leak inside the engine. Consumer indicated three years ago they replaced the intake manifold at consumer's expense of $3,000. Currently, problem recurred, and will cost consumer about $5,000. *ak
- Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner
Consumer had the air conditioner repaired for blowing hot air six months after purchasing the vehicle. Two years later, the same problem occurred. dealer repaired the vehicle at half price to the owner. vehicle IS in the shop again for the same problem. manufacturer was notified by the consumer.*ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
We have purchased a 1998 dodge neon for our son who IS in college. the car only has 24,000 miles on it currently. the head gasket IS gone and oil IS leaking everywhere. the repair for this will be between $700 and $800. I have made contact to chrysler who stated that because the 36,000/3 year…
We have purchased a 1998 dodge neon for our son who IS in college. the car only has 24,000 miles on it currently. the head gasket IS gone and oil IS leaking everywhere. the repair for this will be between $700 and $800. I have made contact to chrysler who stated that because the 36,000/3 year warranty was up they would not do anything about. I asked them if that was the best that their engines could do (head gasket going at 24,000 miles). from what I have read and been told by a dealership, chrylser knew they had a problem in 1998 with head gaskets and rectified it during the same year but never recalled the cars there were manufactured early in the production. I have seen so many complaints with the head gasket on this particular model so I don't understand what it takes to get a recall on this part.*ak
- Structure › Body
Rear seat area and inside of trunk getting several inches of water during rainstorm. this has happened several times. can't find leak.*ak
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Safety belt cinching latch plate
There are no injuries or fatalities associated with this alleged defect.while conducting this investigation, odi found that the subject cinches meet the load bearing requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard 208, and that many of the reported failures were due to incorrect child safety seat installations.…
There are no injuries or fatalities associated with this alleged defect.while conducting this investigation, odi found that the subject cinches meet the load bearing requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard 208, and that many of the reported failures were due to incorrect child safety seat installations. Additionally, the report rate IS low (1.60/100k).the information available fails to establish the existence of a defect trend at this time.further allocation of agency resources to this issue IS unwarranted and the preliminary evaluation IS being closed.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10229256KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.
- 10223854Service - Four Piece Oil Pan Gasket All Cummins Equipped Vehicles ONLY - The replacement oil pan gasket can be a four piece gasket rather than a single piece gasket. This applies to Cummins 5.9L and 6.7L engines only. Installation: 1. Clean the oil pan T-joints.~ 2. Fill the T-joint between the pan rail/gear housing and pan rail/rear seal retainer with sealant. Use Mopar Silicone Rubber Adhesive Sealant or equivalent. 3. Apply a 2-mm [0.063-in] bead of Mopar Engine Sealant RTV Silicone Rubber Adhesive, to the oil pan flange.~ 4. The four piece gasket will need to be assembled to make a complete oil pan gasket. 5. Lay the oil pan gasket(s) onto the oil pan flange.~ 6. Ensure the oil pan gasket segment joints are properly aligned. 7. Apply a 2-mm [0.063-in] bead of Mopar Engine Sealant RTV Silicone Rubber Adhesive, to the top of the oil pan gasket.~ 8. Install the oil pan. Starting from the center and working outward, tighten the oil pan bolts to 28 Nm [21 ft. lbs.].
- 10221686KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.
- 10220101Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
- 10220099Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
- 10220097Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
- 10191460Valve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
- 10175735Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery replacements are necessary.
- 10169249Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
- 10169247Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
- 10169245Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
- 10150552Child Seat Tether Anchor Installation This bulletin describes procedures to install Child Seat Tether Anchors based on Customer Request. Retrofits are subject to part availability. Vehicles in the following list that are marked **** for the model year are no longer supported with OEM retrofit kits. NOTE: Dealers are encouraged to honor any customers? request for the installation of the Child Seat Tether Anchors and Dealer reimbursement will be made by FCA US LLC regardless of vehicle age or mileage. See the Warranty Policy and Procedure Manual and/or Warranty Bulletin D-08-33 for reimbursement detail.
- 10001520Seat belt cinch bar service for various models including 2004 models.
- 6092304Subject regarding non-deployed airbag handling procedures.
- 6089824Concerns with sunroof making a ratcheting type noise when opening or closing.
- 6089800Daimlerchrysler corporation IS now offerinb airbag on / off switches for selected vehicles.
- 6089311Concerns with a/c evaporator odor. *Nlm
- 6088884Information on poor drivability with high di (drivability index) fuel. *Nlm
- 6088858Information on gasket surface preparation on aluminum engine components. *Nlm
- 6088845Vehicle may experience remote keyless entry transmitter batteries discharge prematurely. *Nlm
- 6088836Information regarding instrument cluster part specification. *Nlm
- 6088792Concerns with vehicle overheats (radiator fan inoperative) or radiator fan runs continuously. *Nlm
- 6088777Concerns with front brake squeal and /or creep/groan. *Nlm
- 625650Subject regarding outside rearview mirror glass replacement.
- 621898Automatic transmission fluid usage ATF+4.
- 618396This bulletin involves installation of a new component to assist cam seal retention.
- 618049Subject regarding wire splice repairs.
- 612600Subject on proportioning valve brake pressure adapter tool revision.
- 612160Subject on the child seat tether anchors. *Mjs
- 612149Vehicles may experience clunking or rattle in steering wheel/steering column. *Mjs
- 610635Subject regarding child seat tether anchors.
- 610007Daimlerchrysler corporation IS now offering internal emergency trunk releases for selection vehicles.
- 609995This bulletin provides a revised wire splice procedure and related parts.
- 609988Subject regarding misdiagnosed leak detection pump systems with diagnostic trouble codes p1494, p0442 p0455, or p0456.
- 608371Daimler chrysler IS now offering internal emergency trunk releases for selected vehicles.
- 607963Information on child seat tether anchors.
- 607959This bulletin announces the availability and installation of a resuable automatic transmission oil pan gasket.
- 607916Technical service bulletin regarding multi-layer steel (mls) head gasket installation procedures.
- 607620Conditions with engine roughness / misfire usually only apparent on initial cold engine start.
- 607298This bulletin explains the operation and application of the leak detection pump (ldp) monitor test.
Every Dodge Neon model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.