1998 Plymouth Neon Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

69Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints

41.3%Of all 167 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine and engine cooling:engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE69 · 41.3%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE15 · 9%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL14 · 8.4%

SUSPENSION:FRONT8 · 4.8%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING7 · 4.2%

Share of the 167 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1998 Plymouth Neon overview page.

What owners report

“WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE. AFTER TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER , DEALER NOTED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CURRENTLY, PROBLEM…”NHTSA complaint 8008466 — filed 04/24/2002

“MY CAR HAS A BAD OIL LEAK AND IN LEAKING INTO MY RADIATOR SYSTEM. A CRACK IN THE HEAD GASKET.”NHTSA complaint 760341 — filed 04/06/2002

“ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.”NHTSA complaint 8005296 — filed 03/11/2002

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1998 Plymouth Neon have engine and engine cooling:engine problems?

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine is the most-reported problem area on the 1998 Plymouth Neon: 69 of 167 complaints on file (41.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1998 Plymouth Neon have in total?

167 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 20 involved a crash, 4 involved a fire, 18 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling:engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

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.