Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 09E012000 · 2009 · reported 04/07/2009
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
1997 Dodge Neon Problems & Recalls
Built from official NHTSA complaint and recall data · data through 07/14/2026
High complaint levelIts most-reported problem — Engine And Engine Cooling:engine — runs 4.6× the fleet median for that category across the 2583 model-years tracked on this site.
390Complaints
6Recalls
44Crashes
12Fires
28Injured
0Deaths
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint & recall data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Is this problem acknowledged?
The most-reported problem — Engine And Engine Cooling:engine (38.7% of complaints) — has no NHTSA recall or open investigation on file.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints here are 4.6× the median for that category across the 2583 model-years tracked on this site.
1 of the 6 most-reported categories on this page are backed by a recall or open investigation; the other 5 rest on owner reports alone.
| Complaint category | Reports | Official status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine | 151 · 38.7% | No official action | — |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline | 47 · 12.1% | No official action | — |
| Air Bags:frontal | 31 · 7.9% | Recalled | Recall 97V080000 |
| Power Train:automatic Transmission | 21 · 5.4% | No official action | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components | 17 · 4.4% | No official action | — |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 17 · 4.4% | No official action | — |
Recalled = an NHTSA safety recall covers this category, so a free repair exists. Under investigation = NHTSA has an open probe but no recall yet. Investigation closed = NHTSA examined it and closed the probe — this is not a defect finding; where a closed probe led to a recall we name the campaign. Not available = recall or investigation data could not be confirmed for this vehicle — it is not a “no”. Categories are matched by NHTSA's top-level component. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Percentages are the share of the 390 complaints citing each component; one complaint can cite several components. “Unspecified / other” is NHTSA’s own catch-all category — we show it rather than hide it.
Recalls — 6 campaigns
Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 06E060000 · 2006 · reported 06/29/2006
LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 06E049000 · 2006 · reported 05/24/2006
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Exterior Lighting:headlights
NHTSA campaign 09E025000 · 2009 · reported 05/11/2009
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 06E026000 · 2006 · reported 03/23/2006
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control Module-inactive
NHTSA campaign 97V080000 · 1997 · reported 05/16/1997
UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Park it Park outside Specimen badges — shown on a recall card only when NHTSA sets the flag. None of the campaigns above carries either flag. Always check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
“DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING HESITATION AND STALLING WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.”NHTSA complaint 853221 — filed 11/22/1999 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
“KEPT HAVING A LEAKE. TOOK IN VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED, TIRE TO BE ROTATED. CAR INSPECTED, AND THEY NOTICED ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING, COMING…”NHTSA complaint 853090 — filed 11/18/1999 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
“STARTED AS SMALL OIL LEAK, KEPT GETTING WORSE. TOLD 3-4 WEEKS AGO THERE WAS A BAD HEAD GASKET AND A CHRYSLER ZONE REP WOULD BE…”NHTSA complaint 714445 — filed 11/07/1999 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Complaint trend by year filed
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Dodge Neon?
Engine and engine cooling:engine issues are the most-reported category, cited in 151 of 390 NHTSA complaints (38.7%), followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (47), air bags:frontal (31), unspecified/other issues (21). Complaints are unverified owner reports.
How many complaints does the 1997 Dodge Neon have?
390 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Of those, 44 involved a crash, 12 involved a fire, and 28 reported injuries. No deaths were reported.
Does the 1997 Dodge Neon have any recalls?
Yes — 6 NHTSA safety recall campaigns, including campaign 09E012000. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Has NHTSA acted on the 1997 Dodge Neon's reported problems?
1 of the 6 most-reported complaint categories on this page is backed by an NHTSA safety recall or open investigation; the rest are unverified owner reports. A recall means a free repair is available at authorized dealers.
Is a complaint proof of a defect?
No. Complaints are reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints, and a complaint is not proof that a defect exists.
About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.
