1997 Plymouth Neon problems & reliability
161 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Plymouth Neon. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
16 complaints report injuries (23 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 103 | 64% |
| Air Bags → | 16 | 10% |
| Power Train → | 14 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 11 | 7% |
| Unknown OR Other | 11 | 7% |
| Structure | 9 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 8 | 5% |
| Steering | 6 | 4% |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 3% |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 65,000 miles (middle 50% between 52,500 and 84,250 miles), based on 22 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was in a drive-thru, both frontal airbags deployed. The contact was not in the vehicle when this occurred, but stated nothing was hit or run over. Both front windows shattered and the occupants sustained minor injuries. The vehicle has not been seen by a mechanic.”
Air Bags · filed Feb 2, 2006
“I bought this 1997 plymouth neon on 8/19/2005 used with 66000 miles it seemed like a solid vehicle but in sept/oct we had quite a bit of rain and I noticed puddles in my back seat area on the floor both sides,I checked around the car for open windows ect.....there was nothing I checked the trunk and it seemed damp but…”
Structure · filed Oct 20, 2005
“Since 2003 this vehicle had small patches and a car wash by hand or brushless and no sun will cause it to peel. The patches have become larger.*jb”
Unknown OR Other · filed Aug 8, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATE
Preliminary Evaluation PE02082 · opened Nov 6, 2002 · closed Apr 23, 2003
Technical service bulletins
48 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Plymouth Neon. The 10 most recent:
Charging 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…
08-049-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 22, 2020
Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
3100519 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use 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.
3100319 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
3100619 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
31-005-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use 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.
31-003-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
31-006-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Valve Body. These may cause over drive cycling.
R2118796A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 26, 2016
Flash programming failure recovery. *slc
1802002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 24, 2002
Subject regarding outside rearview mirror glass replacement. *slc
2301502 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2002
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1997 Plymouth Neon in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Plymouth Neon?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 65,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.