Body complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Broken tie rod ends both sides, transmission failure, head gasket failure, read door driver's side will not close at all, trunk will not unlock with key, brakes wear every 3 to 4 months, high rate of oil burn off. The car had less than 60,000 miles on it.
The trunk seals leak. Excess water is collected in the spare wheel and surrounding carpet. The carpet begins to grow mold. This is a problem because a lot of people will not realize that there is mold growing in the spare tire section of their trunk. Mold can be toxic and even deadly. I have cleaned this area once, but now I will clean it again to try and kill of all of the mold.
Tl* the contact owns a 200 Plymouth Neon. While driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lowered to the ground and both front tires blew out. The contacted called roadside assistance who determined that the jack went through the frame. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the frame was rusted. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and dealer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Approaching a stop sign, the vehicle suddenly came to a jarring stop after the right front wheel hit a small recessed gas company access cover, perhaps 2" deep and 6" in diameter. The frame member between the two front wheels cracked right through in a shower of rust. Fortunately this did not happen at higher speeds or major injuries could have occurred. 12 years seems too soon for this kind of undercarriage wear to have occurred. Car is scrap now but had been running well.
Dt: the vehicle would not start,.opened the hood, looked like an electrical short, the wiring on the end glowed red right above the battery. Previously, there was an air conditioning problem, and the check engine light came on. They said it was a sensor. Also a trunk latch.
Oil was leaking from underneath vehicle. Engine check light came on dashboard. Dealership replaced wire harnesss. Leaking inside of back truck and a mold like substance was inside of truck. Passenger's side door was leaking when there was rainy weather. Als, dealership replaced a weather strip on side of panel.
Passenger's side airbag cracked. Consumer contacted manufacturer and was told that she would have to pay for repairs. Consumer stated that if the air bag suddenly deployed she was afraid it will harm her daughter. The heat from the sun warped the dash board.
Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision 0f 30-40 MPH and front structure was damaged, poorly designed. Dealer and manufacturer were not notified at this time. Feel free to provide any further informatiom concerning this matter.
Related recalls (1)
Structure › Body
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The rear suspension crossmember May be missing spot welds.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for any missing welds, and will have structural rivets installed in place of the missing welds.
Frequently asked questions
Which Plymouth Neon years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (17), 2000 (13), 1998 (10), 1997 (9) and 1996 (8) model years. Body complaints make up 4% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Plymouth Neon body problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 99V-001 (body, Jan 7, 1999). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Plymouth Neon body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 99,000 miles; 38% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (18 mentions), followed by the body › door (13).
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.