1996 Dodge Neon problems
NHTSA has received 887 complaints about the 1996 Dodge Neon, and 41% of them involve engine. After that come electrical system (12%) and brakes (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 887 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 41% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 58 and 5
- Injuries and deaths
- 35 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 75,000 miles 62 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 3 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 4 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 16 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 9 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 19 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 4 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 6 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 62 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 75,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 80,000 miles (13 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 58 complaints mention a crash; 5 complaints mention a fire; 35 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 11 model years of the Dodge Neon with enough data (557 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
In august of 1999, due to a health problem (unknown to me), I fell asleep at the wheel of my 1996 neon. I awoke in time to force the car over to a grassy median between two parts of a four lane highway. The car flew twenty or so feet in the air, making impact with the grass, and continuing without power steering, etc., for approximately. 300 feet. While in the air, my left arm broke the driver side window.
Dual airbags did not deploy during front and rear end collisions; four car collision; vehicle rearended, then, rear, vehicle totaled, in hands of insurance company.
While stopping was rearended by vehicle traveling 25 MPH down incline; forced vehicle 1 into vehicle in front; dual airbags did not deploy.
The vehicle horn sounded on its own. Consumer stated the only way to stop horn from blowing was to disconnect the fuse. Ts horn continued to sound after fuse replacement. Consumer had to bang on horn switch in order to stop sound. Horn switch is part of air bag assembly therefore air bag assembly needed to be replaced.
Same engine wiring harness problem as stated in recall # 96v026000, but my neon was not included in the recall, because it was not made in mexico. An engine wiring harness can short circuit due to contact with the exhaust gas recirculation tube.. Shorting of the wiring harness can cause various electrical malfunctions, including engine stalling.