1996 Plymouth Neon

Recalls

2 recalls name the 1996 Plymouth Neon. Newest first.

• Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder

  May 3, 1996NHTSA 96V075000151,800 vehicles

  The brake master cylinder can leak brake fluid due to a damaged double lip rear piston seal.

  Risk and remedy

  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.

  Remedy

  Dealers will replace the rear brake master cylindr piston assembly.

  Full recall details →

• Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood

  Feb 5, 1996NHTSA 96V02600015,000 vehicles

  An engine wiring harness can short circuit due to contact with the exhaust gas recirculation tube..

  Risk and remedy

  Risk

  Shorting of the wiring harness can cause various electrical malfunctions, including engine stalling.

  Remedy

  Dealers will reroute the engine wiring harness properly and any wire that has been damaged will be replaced.

  Full recall details →

Owner complaints

What owners report most

1. Engine and engine cooling179
2. Electrical system49
3. Service brakes, hydraulic39
4. Power train27
5. Air bags22
6. Unknown or other20
7. Steering17
8. Fuel system, gasoline14
9. Visibility14
10. Equipment12

Latest complaints

• Feb 22, 2022CA
  Electrical system

  Dbr2 not working or obd 2 not working when plug in obd reader no sign of workingness on vehicle

• Dec 31, 2021CA
  Electrical system · Unknown or other · Vehicle speed control

  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

• Aug 1, 2007MI400,000 miFire
  Engine and engine cooling

  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. *tr

• Jan 20, 2007IA98,400 mi
  Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel

  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 start to work again, and then they quit again. we have owned this car since new. *Jb

• Jun 23, 2006OH116,000 miCrash1 injury
  Seat belts
  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…

  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 the accident. the dealership and manufacturer have not been alerted. updated 7/13/2006 - the consumer sustained injuries to his chest, neck and left leg. *nm

• Apr 14, 2006MO102,850 mi
  Tires
  On 01/03/06, I purchased 4 new dayton daytona hr tires (size 185/60r14) from reeves tire in joplin, missouri for my 1996 plymouth neon. On 02/01/06, after approximately 1000 miles, the front passenger-side tire went flat while I was traveling on the interstate (approximately 70 mph). The cause was…

  On 01/03/06, I purchased 4 new dayton daytona hr tires (size 185/60r14) from reeves tire in joplin, missouri for my 1996 plymouth neon. On 02/01/06, after approximately 1000 miles, the front passenger-side tire went flat while I was traveling on the interstate (approximately 70 mph). The cause was determined to be a broken bead, with no other damage to the tire. On 04/12/06, immediately after having my tires rotated, rebalanced, and my car realigned (again at reeves tire), my drivers-side front tire detonated, again on the interstate, again at approximately 70 mph. I had traveled, at most, 10 miles after having the work performed. After I stopped my car, I inspected the tire and found that approximately 6-8 inches of the sidewall of the tire was completely gone. There were no cords or fibers hanging from the tire. It was almost as if the side wall had been cut from the tire. The bead was still intact, but there was no rubber anywhere on it. It was just bare steel cords. This was approximately 10,000 miles after the original installation. Again, there was no other indication of damage. I am a factory-trained motorcycle technician, and I am very conscientious about maintaining my vehicles. I typically inspect the condition and tire pressure of my car tires once a week, and have never abused them or hit any road-debris, potholes, etc. the force of the tire explosion pushed the rear of the front fender into the front edge of the door and moderately dented the fender. I almost lost control of the vehicle when the second tire went out. *nm

• Jan 10, 2006NY62,000 mi
  Power train › Automatic transmission › Control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
  Consumer 1996 plymouth neon pcm had to be reprogrammed causing comer vehicle to fail emissions. *ts the consumer's vehicle failed state emission inspection because the vehicle's readiness codes were cleared each time the key was turned to the off position. the consumer found a tsb which stated…

  Consumer 1996 plymouth neon pcm had to be reprogrammed causing comer vehicle to fail emissions. *ts the consumer's vehicle failed state emission inspection because the vehicle's readiness codes were cleared each time the key was turned to the off position. the consumer found a tsb which stated that the pcm must be reprogrammed to remedy the condition. after repeated attempts to get the local dealer to acknowledge the problem consumer took the vehicle elsewhere where the pcm was reprogrammed at no charge. *nm

• Jun 17, 2005DE
  Air bags › Frontal
  On every plymouth neon in the color of blue, the paint IS chipping from the hood to the trunk. also, when it rains, the inside of the car on the floors and in the trunk gets wet and in order to get the water out, it has to be vacuumed. I believe that something should be done about this. after…

  On every plymouth neon in the color of blue, the paint IS chipping from the hood to the trunk. also, when it rains, the inside of the car on the floors and in the trunk gets wet and in order to get the water out, it has to be vacuumed. I believe that something should be done about this. after having to invest a lot of money in something that you expect to have for many years, this should not be happening unless it IS caused by you.

• Jun 8, 2005CA
  Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control
  Consumer IS experiencing problems getting her 1996 plymouth neon registered because it allegedly failed to pass a smog check.*mr in september 200 the vehicle passed the test. in september 2003 the consumer received a letter from the manufacturer advising her that her make/model had been recalled…

  Consumer IS experiencing problems getting her 1996 plymouth neon registered because it allegedly failed to pass a smog check.*mr in september 200 the vehicle passed the test. in september 2003 the consumer received a letter from the manufacturer advising her that her make/model had been recalled because of a problem with the obd self test. the consumer's vehicle was not experiencing the symptoms of the recall therefore she didn't take it to the dealer. in september 2004 when she attempted to register the vehicle and obtain a new smog certificate she was advised that her vehicle failed the mil/check engine light due to failure to successfully complete all obd self test. upon reviewing the vin the dmv claimed that the vehicle had been salvaged therefore it did not receive the recall from the manufacturer. *nm

• Mar 4, 2005IL
  Engine and engine cooling · Exterior lighting › Turn signal · Vehicle speed control › Cruise control

  Vehicle stalled unexpectedly at various speeds when on the road. Occasionally, the left turn signal did not operate, which did not inform other drivers when making turns. cruise control did not operate, as well preventing the vehicle from increasing or decreasing speed.*ak

• Feb 15, 2005WA
  Unknown or other

  Paint IS peeling off the roof and passenger side door

• Nov 28, 2004VA45,000 mi
  Electrical system › Wiring › Interior/under dash · Engine and engine cooling · Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

  Oil leaks, dashboard failure, noise in brakes, wind noise in passengers door. have replaced valve cover gasket twice, replaced oil sendind unit,cam sensor was replaced now I have a big oil leak, car only has 45000 miles on it. *ak

• Nov 23, 2004CA83,000 miCrash1 injury
  Air bags › Frontal

  While driving 35 mph the consumer was involved in an accident. The consumer stated the air bags should have deployed. *Jb

• Oct 30, 2004NY
  Unknown or other

  I have a problem with my paint on my 1996 plymouth neon peeling off. its not like it on the roof or hood its all over the car the trunk, the doors, the hood and the roof are all peeling. I know I am not the only one with this problem either.*jb

• Sep 29, 2004PA26,800 mi
  Structure

  While driving, doesn't matter what type of surface all the gauges on my 1996 neon failed. sometimes if you tap the dashboard glass that covers the gauges they come back on or if you hit a bump in the road they come back on, but this isn't always the case. this has happened approximately 4-6 times over a six month period starting in may, 2004. *ak

• Sep 10, 2004NJ103,000 miFire1 injury
  Air bags › Frontal

  When turning into a parking lot dual airbags deployed inadvertently. As a result, when air bags deployed they caught on fire. driver sustained burns to the chest. *Ak *tc

• Aug 16, 2004VA
  Electrical system · Exterior lighting · Structure · Visibility › Windshield
  1. every time it rains outside I have a lake on the inside of the car, mainly on the passenger side in the back and in the trunk which IS molding the carpet and items kept inside. 2. the back up light on the driver side doesn't work properly, due to the moisture. 3. the turn signal on the…

  1. every time it rains outside I have a lake on the inside of the car, mainly on the passenger side in the back and in the trunk which IS molding the carpet and items kept inside. 2. the back up light on the driver side doesn't work properly, due to the moisture. 3. the turn signal on the passenger side blinks really fast, and stays on on the inside of the car. 4. the turn signal on the driver side has to be manually turned off after turning left. 5. the steering wheel has locked on a steep turn resulting me going off road, luckily not hitting anyone. 6. Headlights are very poor at night. 7. Radio reception IS getting worse. stations that used to come in won't anymore. 8. car shakes at different speeds and at a light. 9. there IS glare on the windsheild from dash that causes poor visibility in the day time.*ak

• May 22, 2004WA
  Visibility › Windshield

  Paint IS peeling off my 1996 plymouth neon. IS this a problem because the windshield IS glued to the peeling paint? the dealer says chrysler will not repaint it. *ak

• May 11, 2004MO73,238 mi
  Engine and engine cooling

  Head gasket failure on a 1996 plymouth neon sport SOHC 2.0. head gasket replacement $500.00 repair bill through mechanic along with $200.00 in parts

• Mar 30, 2004GA
  Engine and engine cooling › Engine

  Have persistent oil leak. Went to mechanic, stated should be a recall. Contacted daimlerchrysler and did not find a recall. Because of the problem got gasket fixed 2001. Have same problem now and two new mechanics have advised I need a head gasket.everyone I talk to at chyrsler IS aware of the problem. now what do I do? *ak

• Mar 8, 2004IL87,418 miCrash1 injury
  Air bags › Frontal

  Front airbag failed to function in accident with severe damage to bumper and hood.*ak

• Feb 25, 2004PA70,000 mi
  Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
  An electrical short in the wiring harness caused the vehicle to stall. the consumer received nhtsa recall 96v026000 concerning the wiring harness failure due to an electrical short, but chrysler told the consumer that this recall did not exist. *ak the dealer could not locate the problem but…

  An electrical short in the wiring harness caused the vehicle to stall. the consumer received nhtsa recall 96v026000 concerning the wiring harness failure due to an electrical short, but chrysler told the consumer that this recall did not exist. *ak the dealer could not locate the problem but stated that the wiring in the horn needed to be replaced. the electrical short and the engine misfiring caused the vehicle to lose power and sputter after a short drive. *sc *jb

• Oct 21, 2003IN134,000 mi
  Electrical system

  The electrical system failed. A recall was issued; however, this vehicle was not included in the recall. *Ak

• Aug 22, 2003KY
  Exterior lighting

  Exterior lights come on and off intermittently, cause of failure IS undetermined at this time. *Ak

• Jul 31, 2003NV26,000 mi
  Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
  Since 1999 this car has been leaking oil. replaced cam seal and head gasket once under warranty. 1 month later (when warranty ran out) had to be replaced again at a cost of 500.00. 6 months later started leaking again. took to a mechanic who said this IS common for this type of vehicle.…

  Since 1999 this car has been leaking oil. replaced cam seal and head gasket once under warranty. 1 month later (when warranty ran out) had to be replaced again at a cost of 500.00. 6 months later started leaking again. took to a mechanic who said this IS common for this type of vehicle. replaced cam seal and head gasket again. 1 month later same thing. said chrysler had a new and "improved" seal. guess what we are taking the car to the dealer again tomorrow. this will be the 6TH time. I have probably spent on repairs the same amount I spent for the car. chrysler won't do a thing for the consumers. if there IS a lawsuit I would like to know about it. can you please help? *ph

Defect investigations

NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.

• Safety belt cinching latch plate

  PE02082Opened Nov 6, 2002Closed Apr 23, 2003
  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.

• Underhood fires

  PE98012Opened Feb 26, 1998Closed Jun 23, 1998

  There is no summary currently available

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.

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 6088834Information regarding nhtsa authorized airbag deactivation for medical necessity. *Nlm
• 6088786Concerns with engine coolant usage. *Nlm
• 6088542Painted surfaces of the vehicle that are covered for extended periods of time with front end covers or magnetic signs may appear to have a white "milky" or "fogged" discoloration.
• 634272Flash programming failure recovery. *Slc
• 620066Subject regarding generic scan tool (gst), publication no. 81-170-00008 provided with this technical service bulletin to provide reference information when using generic scan tool on obdii vehicles.
• 620059Subject regarding airbag / clock spring service for various models including 2002 model year jeep liberty.
• 615688Subject regarding child seat tether anchors.
• 612600Subject on proportioning valve brake pressure adapter tool revision.
• 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.
• 607963Information on child seat tether anchors.
• 607959This bulletin announces the availability and installation of a resuable automatic transmission oil pan gasket.
• 603635Subject on flash programming failure recovery.
• 603153Subject regarding airbag on - off switches.
• 603107Subject regarding oil seepage at cam position sensor / misinterpreted head gasket leak.
• 602898A new multi-layer steel ( mls ) head gasket has been developed and IS being implemented into production vehicles.
• 602881Subject regarding i/m ( inspection maintenance ) testing - obd II "carb" readiness monitor information.
• 602450Subject regarding the airbag on-off switches.
• 601763Subject on labor operation time change for domestic 2.OL DOHC and 2.4L head gasket replacement.
• 601578Information on the competition package ( sales code acr ) front fascia.
• 601572Experiencing popping noise over bumps with wheels straight or when turning.
• 600394Excessive exhaust noise/vibration during/after underbody contact with moisture.
• 600302Condition with clunking or rattling in steering/wheel column.
• 52536Momentary loss of power steering assist when driving through heavy rain - deep puddles.
• 52008Intermittent single cylinder misfire and/or mil illuminated.
• 51977Poor am radio reception/static.
• 51969Vehicle overheats and/or a/c inoperative with no mil illumination.
• 51964Popping noise in front suspension when turning.
• 51942Difficult to clean light colored "chalky" residue from plastic body components that are molded in black.

Every Plymouth Neon model year

Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.