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
1998 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 4.7× the fleet median for that category across the 2583 model-years tracked on this site.
339Complaints
6Recalls
43Crashes
3Fires
46Injured
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 (39.8% of complaints) — has no NHTSA recall or open investigation on file.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints here are 4.7× the median for that category across the 2583 model-years tracked on this site.
None of the 6 most-reported categories on this page have a recall or open investigation on file — they rest on unverified owner reports alone.
| Complaint category | Reports | Official status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine | 135 · 39.8% | No official action | — |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline | 43 · 12.7% | No official action | — |
| Air Bags:frontal | 28 · 8.3% | No official action | — |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 13 · 3.8% | No official action | — |
| Power Train:automatic Transmission | 12 · 3.5% | No official action | — |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System | 10 · 2.9% | 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 339 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
Structure:body
NHTSA campaign 99V001000 · 1999 · reported 01/07/1999
THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN STRUCTURAL CRACKS IN THE BODY, AND REDUCED CRASH PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT. 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
“WENT IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE AND THEY NOTICED A OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE HEAD GASKET. CONTACTED DEALER.”NHTSA complaint 865322 — filed 07/12/2000 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
“CHRYSLER KNOWS THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE HEAD GASKET AND HAS "SECRET WARRANTY" WHICH CHRYSLER HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY UP TO 5 YEARS/100,000…”NHTSA complaint 724730 — filed 06/28/2000 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
“HEAD GASKET BEGAN LEAKING AROUND 48,000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED BY MYSELF AT 54,000 MILES.”NHTSA complaint 724442 — filed 06/23/2000 · 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 1998 Dodge Neon?
Engine and engine cooling:engine issues are the most-reported category, cited in 135 of 339 NHTSA complaints (39.8%), followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (43), air bags:frontal (28), unspecified/other issues (19). Complaints are unverified owner reports.
How many complaints does the 1998 Dodge Neon have?
339 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Of those, 43 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, and 46 reported injuries. No deaths were reported.
Does the 1998 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 1998 Dodge Neon's reported problems?
0 of the 6 most-reported complaint categories on this page are 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.
