Most common 2000 Dodge Neon problems
Share of the 337 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Neon complaints by model year
Best Neon years: 2005, 2004, 1999. Years to avoid: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000. Compare all years →
2000 Dodge Neon recalls (5)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. In the presence of oil and heat, the brake booster vacuum hose could swell and loosen from the intake manifold.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake booster vacuum hose. Owner notification began July 2, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within…
Child seat
Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." some of the owner's manuals for these vehicles are missing instructions that provide a step-by-step procedure, including diagrams, for properly…
Remedy: Owners will be provided with an addendum to the owner's manuals.
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: passenger cars. Vapors from the positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) system can condense and freeze inside of the throttle body when the vehicle is operated in extremely cold ambient temperatures.
Remedy: Dealers will replace and relocate a pcv system tube.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower arm
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The front suspension lower control arms May have been inadequately welded between the pivot tube and the arm.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the lower control arm.
Air bags › Frontal
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Some frontal (passenger side) air bags May not inflate properly.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the air bag module on the passenger side.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2000 Dodge Neon:
Control arm welds
There is no summary currently available
Safety belt cinching latch plate
There are no injuries or fatalities associated with this alleged defect.while conducting this investigation, odi found that the subject cinches meet the load bearing requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard 208, and that many of the reported failures were due to incorrect child safety seat installations.
What 2000 Dodge Neon owners say
Air bags all 71 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Dodge Neon. The contact stated that while attempting to stop the vehicle, the anti-lock braking system failed and caused her to crash into the rear of another vehicle. The seat belts did not properly restrain and the air bags did not deploy. The contact and a passenger were reported injured and transported to the hospital via ambulance. The police were notified and a police report was filed. The vehicle was severely damaged and towed to the contact's residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure who advised that there was an open recall on the vehicle for the brakes (NHTSA campaign id number: 01V154000-service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum) but not for the seat belt and air bags. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 129,000.
Bought car from father in law, he bought the car new. He had no problems with it.soon after I bought from him in 2000(it was still new!),power windows quit working then started working again.cruise control went out, still dont work. Front end crash 2003 May, 4783.45 in damage, air bag did not deploy at 40mph !!! I had car repaired by non Chrysler garage as per advice of erie insurance co. Erie wont cover because they say its Chrysler's problem, Chrysler says its my problem because work was done at non daimler Chrysler garage and they were rude and hung up on me! Erie told me to have diagnostic check done on it becuz in aug 03 the air bag lite started to come on and horn wont work. I had the check done and they said clockspring needs replaced. Not erie or Chrysler will fix.
Brakes all 69 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Dodge Neon. The contact stated that while attempting to stop the vehicle, the anti-lock braking system failed and caused her to crash into the rear of another vehicle. The seat belts did not properly restrain and the air bags did not deploy. The contact and a passenger were reported injured and transported to the hospital via ambulance. The police were notified and a police report was filed. The vehicle was severely damaged and towed to the contact's residence. The manufacturer was notified of the failure who advised that there was an open recall on the vehicle for the brakes (NHTSA campaign id number: 01V154000-service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum) but not for the seat belt and air bags. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 129,000.
Bought car from father in law, he bought the car new. He had no problems with it.soon after I bought from him in 2000(it was still new!),power windows quit working then started working again.cruise control went out, still dont work. Front end crash 2003 May, 4783.45 in damage, air bag did not deploy at 40mph !!! I had car repaired by non Chrysler garage as per advice of erie insurance co. Erie wont cover because they say its Chrysler's problem, Chrysler says its my problem because work was done at non daimler Chrysler garage and they were rude and hung up on me! Erie told me to have diagnostic check done on it becuz in aug 03 the air bag lite started to come on and horn wont work. I had the check done and they said clockspring needs replaced. Not erie or Chrysler will fix.
Engine & cooling all 54 →
The complaints that I have for the air bags, seat belts and brakes the same problems occured during another accident on January 16, 2001. During both accidents I was pressing on my brakes and it seemed as if the car would not stop. At the time of impact the seat belts did not catch and the air bags did not deploy. The accident that occured on January 16, 2001, because the seat belt did not catch and the air bag did not deploy I was injured when my head impacted the windshield. I informed the Dodge corporation of the problems and all I was told is that there is not a recall on my car. I noticed that the headgaskets began leaking approximately a month ago, I contacted the dealership about a week ago and was told it would take about $700.00 in repairs. …
I have a 2000 Dodge Neon I bought at 32,000miles. Started over heating at 34,000mi. Only on really hot days. Now at 56,000 miles over heats all the time. Can't drive it. Found out it is a blown head gasket. Dealer estimates $2500 repair. (single mom, can't afford it) found out through research and mechanics that neons are prone to blown head gaskets between 30 to 60 thousand miles. Mechanic explained that the gaskets chemical compounds within the metals are not compatible. But they are no longer useing those gaskets and have replaced them with new ones that are compatible. I was informed that once replaced they have not seen any reoccuring problems. This leaves me wondering why the gaskets have not been recalled. Thank you brandi
2000 Dodge Neon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 31 / 27 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 28 / 24 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Dodge Neon a good car?
Based on 337 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 Neon rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Neon at the same age. It is one of the Neon years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2000 Dodge Neon?
The air bags — 71 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the brakes (69) and engine & cooling (54).
How many recalls does the 2000 Dodge Neon have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2000 Dodge Neon, the most recent from May 8, 2001 (vacuum). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Neon?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 2004 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2000. See the full Dodge Neon years comparison.
At what mileage do 2000 Dodge Neon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 63,000 miles; 34% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.