1997 Dodge Neon: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 553 complaints
553
Total Complaints
62,000mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Top Issue
61
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

44,438 25th Percentile
62,000 Median Mileage
89,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
151
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
47
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
31
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
21
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
21
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
17
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
17
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
11
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
10
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
10

Severity Assessment

61
Crashes
17
Fires
40
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHILE ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS AT AN STAND STILL WAITING TO TURN THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT THE VEHICLE THAT WAS AT AN STAND STILL, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER HAD A FRONTAL COLLISION. *AK"
"WAS DRIVING ALONG APPROXIMATELY 40MPH,WHEN VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME MADE A SUDDEN STOP AND I RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. NEITHER DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE IS IN FOR REPAIRS. *AK"
"DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING TOTAL FRONT END COLLISION, DRIVER LOST CONTROL, VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL, CHRYSLER HAS DETERMINED NOT MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28