Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Dodge Neon owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My first complaint would be about the paint. My car has been peeling for the past 2 years now, it bubbles then peels and gets bigger and bigger every day. It is now peeling in 6 spots, the largest is the size of a watermelon. Very unhappy!!!! Second, the brakes are horrible, the squealing of metal on metal has been occurring since day 1 of getting my car. I was recently driving on a major highway and my steering wheel began shaking like crazy. I pulled over and everything seemed fine. I continued to drive but could not accelerate faster than 60km/hr. I tried driving my car to the mechanics but in the end did not get very far. I pulled over once again and noticed smoke coming from my drivers side front wheel. I also noticed the wheel well caught on fire due to the friction. My car was then towed and my mechanic diagnosed the problem as a ceased caliper. Beware, this was scary. …
Biggest concern at this point is the air and water leak. This has gone all the way up to the attorney general. Air leak is so loud I feel it is a safety concern. We cannot hear sirens or anything else but air for that matter. Alamo car company and Chrysler say it is not repairable and air and water leaks are common in neons. We requested they buy our vehicle back for the numerous problems we've had with it, but they refused to. They offered us a 6 year/75,000 mile warranty. We had purchased an extended warranty when we purchased our vehicle, so this is useless. It is also useless because Chrysler states they cannot fix the problem, so how will the warranty help the air and water from leaking. I have all documentation on hand.
Problem: water leaking into the trunk through the taillight filled the spare tire well and soaked into the back seat. We now have a musty smell indicating a mold problem, probably from the seat. We have used professional cleaning supplies to try eliminate the smell. The cleaning did help but the smell is still there. Since my wife and daughter have asthma, and are alergic to mold, I will most likely have to replace the back seat. Cost unknown. I started searching the web for similar problems with neons last night after a neighbor, who also owns a Neon and knew aboout our problem, came to talk to me because the same thing just happened to theirs. Problem showed up last summer (2002)at approximately 50,000 miles.
I bought this Neon in August of 1998, it has been nothing but problems since purchase. I have had to have the electrical system worked on twice. When you go over 60mph the steering wheel rattles. The speakers for the radio work sometimes. The overhead light comes on while driving. When it rains the front floor boards get soaked with water. Last month the I needed to replace the headgasket, and after several calls the the manufacturer they paid half, but the next day the engine started to knock severly.
I bought my Neon used (but only a year old) I have had many problems with this car my blinkers come on by themselves, my trunk and back floors are getting drenched (puddles of water 3 inches) my brakes are squaling, my door light is shorting my reverse lights are blown my head gasket has blown twice. I have also had problem with my fires under the hood. This car is made poorly. I am trying to trade it and it not as much as I owe. Talk to dealer but does not seem like they want to help.
While parked, transmission fluid leaked out of vehicle. Dealer found transmission lines loose. Vehicle shifting by itself due to a sticky cable. Oil leak in engine. Dealer found headgasket failure. On several occasions engine runs rough. Camshaft replaced. Vehicle shakes and trembles while braking. Weatherstripping fell off on drivers side door. Antifreeze leaking. Dealer replaced water pump. Battery clamp loose causing battery light to stay on.
1997 Dodge Neon - head gasket leaked - was replaced for a small fee once dealer was contacted. Now we have a problem with the paint on the truck and side peeling and bubbling off. What can we do? Can we contact the dealer to have the car repainted? I've noticed several complaints online regarding this problem with neons.
Engine is leaking oil/dashboard lights go out and come back on at random intervals/ engine check light comes on and stays on/ door ajar alarm will come while vehicle is in operation, and transmission will get stuck between gears and engage forcefully. . Please provide any additional information/attachments.
Driver pulled into a parking space and the vehicle sat low to the ground which caused the front to hit the front wheel, resulting in deployment both of the air bags. Once the air bags deployed, the driver's and passenger's side windows blew out. The driver does not understand way the air bags deployed.
Vehicle's brakes malfunctioned. The vehicle had other problems such as a bad battery, alternator, three turn signal switches, a blown head gasket, sticking throttle body, an oil pan leak, all four windows had an air leak which whistle when the vehicle was driven at high speeds.
Body complaints in other Neon years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 1997 Dodge Neon?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the body & structure of the 1997 Dodge Neon, 6% of the model year's 390 complaints. The component named most often is body (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Dodge Neon body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 1997 Dodge Neon, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.