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Dodge NeonModel year report

1996 Dodge Neon Problems

Complaints
611filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
81,500miles, 38 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
28 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 24 city / 35 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1996 Dodge Neon (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 1996 Dodge Neon most often write about engine oil leaks traced to the head gasket, usually noticed as oil spots or a low oil level and sometimes leading to repeated repairs. A second cluster of complaints describes stalling and intermittent dash/electrical faults linked to under-hood wiring. The median reported mileage is around 81,500, but many complaints come in well under 60,000 miles, so these are not only high-mileage cars.

  1. Engine cooling

    Oil leaks from the head gasket

    • 180 complaints (29%)
    • median 70,000 mi at 7.4 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $655 (median of 14 quotes)
    • filed 1998–2011

    Complaints describe oil leaking from the head gasket area, often first noticed as oil spots or a dropping oil level, with some owners reporting the gasket failed more than once. Several say a mechanic or the dealer confirmed a head gasket leak and quoted a repair in the several-hundred-dollar range, and some report the repair was covered under warranty or split with the dealer. A few mention oil reaching the exhaust area and worry about a fire risk; others describe a check engine light along with the leak. Reported from roughly 24,000 to about 94,000 miles, with many cases in the 30,000-50,000 mile range; age appears to matter as much as mileage.

    What to check: Check for oil residue along the back of the engine and under the car, ask for service records showing whether the head gasket was replaced and when, and watch the oil level over the first few hundred miles of ownership.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “1996 Dodge NEON with a little over 70,000 miles on it. Car is leaking oil..according to mechanic, the head gasket needs to be replaced at a cost of $700-$800. Mechanic indicated that this is a very common problem with the NEON. I would like to know if there is a recall on this issue. If not, is there any steps I can take to have this cost paid by Dodge? Ts”

    NHTSA complaint #10000506, filed 2003-01, 70,000 miles

    “My 1996 Dodge NEON had two head gasket failures to date now. The first was repaired 29,000 miles ago, and now, at 89,000 miles, I had another head gasket fail on me. The car is also peeling paint excessively. Instead of under ten years old, the car looks over twenty years old!”

    NHTSA complaint #10010376, filed 2003-03, 88,000 miles
  2. Electrical system

    Engine wiring harness shorts and stalling

    Mentioned in 13 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners describe the engine cutting out at speed or while driving, sometimes with warning lights flashing, smoke from the dash or the front of the car, or burned wiring. Several say a mechanic found the under-hood harness melted or shorted where it runs near the exhaust, and some had the harness replaced only to have stalling return. Multiple complaints note that a recall for under-hood wiring existed but their car was not included, and some report a fire. Usually reported between about 60,000 and 140,000 miles; several describe stalling above 50-65 mph or during acceleration into traffic.

    Recall 96V026000

    What to check: Ask whether recall 96V026000 was performed on this vehicle, and have a mechanic look at the wiring near the exhaust and EGR tube for cracked insulation, chafing or melted loom before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 1996 Dodge NEON that keeps blowing fuel pump fuses when shifting to 3rd gear. It is an electrical short that I found in same vehicle made few months sooner july through november car in 1995 through 1996 I feel this is still happening my car is at risk to catch fire. Would greatly appreciate if this could be resolve and checked out. Thank you.”

    NHTSA complaint #10222375, filed 2008-03, 150,643 miles

    “I own a 1996 Dodge NEON. I took my car in to have the speed sensor fixed on it due to that is the code that came up on the check engine light. After the sensor was replaced the wiring harness under the hood fried 3 feet of it. The mechanic fixed the three feet of wiring and every thing was in working order. I took my car to moses lake which is approximately 100 miles from my house upon arriving. My NEON stopped working. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10216980, filed 2008-02, 137,703 miles
  3. Engine cooling

    Intermittent stalling and no-start

    • 77 complaints (13%)
    • median 85,000 mi at 8.6 yrs old (13 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1996–2014

    Complaints describe the engine dying without warning at any speed or while slowing to a stop, sometimes restarting after a few minutes and sometimes not restarting at all. Owners report replacing fuel pumps, filters, computers, crankshaft sensors and ignition parts with the stalling returning, and several say dealers could not find the cause. Some connect the stalling to low oil or to the wiring harness, and one describes the engine dying when the oil pressure dropped. Spread from low mileage up to about 130,000 miles, with many reports in the 70,000-120,000 range; described as intermittent and hard to reproduce.

    What to check: Test drive long enough to include highway speeds and stop-and-go, ask about any history of stalling or repeated sensor and computer replacements, and check for stored fault codes.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Recently (in october), the car stalls intermittently. I happens in low speed and when I don't add oil. There is a oil warning together with the stalling. Usually I can not start the car right then. But if I add oil immediately and keep adding oil when I turn on the key, I can turn on the car. When I release the oil press, the engine stalls again. I tried twice in the local Dodge dealer. They can not fix it and can not find the real problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #10071098, filed 2004-01, 94,000 miles

    “The consumer stated while approaching a stop vehicle idled/slowed down, and died. The consumer had to restart it. This happened continuously. The consumer had taken the vehicle to several dealers, and they could not resolve the problem. The consumer stated that one dealer charged him $700.00 for repairs, but it did not fix the problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #10091991, filed 2004-10, 80,000 miles
  4. Brakes

    Brake fluid leaks and soft or failing brakes

    Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners report the pedal going soft or to the floor, hard pedal with reduced braking, locking brakes, and fluid leaking at a wheel or from the master cylinder area. Some had the master cylinder, booster, pads, rotors or rear lines replaced, sometimes repeatedly, and a few describe the rear of the car skidding under hard braking. One complaint notes fluid leaking from a rear wheel. Typically reported between about 17,000 and 137,000 miles, with several cases under 75,000 miles.

    Recall 96V075000

    What to check: Check brake fluid level and look for wetness around the master cylinder and inside the rear wheels, ask whether recall 96V075000 was completed, and have the brake lines and rear hydraulics inspected.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I had the car for just over a year and I have had the brakes replaced twice and the rotors replaced once. All of this happened within about 9 months. I have had the 2 nd pair of brakes now for about 6 months and they already need changed.”

    NHTSA complaint #10010602, filed 2003-03, 53,000 miles

    “I have had ongoing problems with my 1996 Dodge NEON sport, it has been inoperable for the last year or so, due to electrical problems and stalling which I believe stem from the wiring harness. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10143833, filed 2005-11, 50,000 miles
  5. Air bags

    Airbag not deploying and horn/clock spring faults

    • 54 complaints (9%)
    • median 73,000 mi at 7.3 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
    • 35 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1995–2004

    Complaints describe airbags that did not deploy in a frontal impact, or deployed late as the occupant was getting out, along with seat belts that did not lock or retract. Others report the airbag warning light coming on followed by loss of the horn and cruise control, with the clock spring or horn switch inside the airbag assembly replaced. Reported at low mileage in several cases (around 30,000 miles) as well as on older, higher-mileage cars; no clear mileage pattern.

    What to check: Confirm the airbag warning light comes on at start-up and goes out, test the horn and cruise control, and ask whether the clock spring or airbag assembly has ever been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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.”

    NHTSA complaint #8023614, filed 2002-12, 73,000 miles

    “While driving the air bag light came on, then the horn and the cruise control failed to function. The mechanic replaced the clock spring. Please provide more details. Ts”

    NHTSA complaint #10005954, filed 2003-01, 30,000 miles

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 611 consumer complaints for the 1996 Dodge Neon. 38 of the complaints include a mileage, and 11% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 81,500 miles. Of all complaints, 46 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 32 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 8 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Vehicle speed control (16), Exterior lighting (15), Equipment (12), Seat belts (10), Suspension (7), Seats (6), Tires (4), Interior lighting (3), Engine (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “Dear sir's, it was some-what hard to be really acurate on the milages in your form, but while these things were going on, I was keeping notes. I compiled them all down to a journal type document, dates & times. (06) pages. And I can further extend points in there, in a phone conversation. I will be happy to send you a copy of this also. Respectfully, e w. Moss. No safetyd efect listed.”

NHTSA complaint #757703, filed 2002-02

Electrical system: “While driving at any speed vehicle will intermittently stall. After a few minutes engine could be started as if nothing ever happened. Vehicle experienced this problem twelve times in the last year. Dealer informed consumer that there was a problem with the wiring harness, and there was a recall. However, consumer's vehicle was not included due to VIN.”

NHTSA complaint #10038535, filed 2003-09, 92,000 miles

Brakes: “Consumer was concerned that vehicle would stall when braking. None of the instrument gauges were operating, and the interior light would intermittently coming on while driving. Dealer informed consumer that none of the above issues were covered under recall due to VIN.”

NHTSA complaint #10090177, filed 2004-09, 74,561 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Chrysler was contacted in my case and chose to do nothing about it, unfortunately I am not the only owner of a NEON that has had problems with the headgasket and the speedometer. Obviously something needs to be done about them.”

NHTSA complaint #744950, filed 2001-05

Mileage when problems were reported

11% of the 38 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 58,000 and 100,000 miles.

3%0–103%10–255%25–5034%50–7529%75–10024%100–1503%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (38 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 81,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’96’99130’02’05’08’15
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1996 Dodge Neon. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Neon · sedan not rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1996 Dodge Neon version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Neon FWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manual243528$2,400
Neon FWD2.0L 4-cyl3-speed automatic223025$2,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1996 Dodge Neon → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 8 on record; the latest 8 are shown.

Other model years of the Dodge Neon

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20059645,2000—25Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20049460,0000—25Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200320254,7000—25Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200217348,0000—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200114653,5004—26Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200033762,5005—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199911659,9950—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199833961,0001—29Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199739062,0001—29Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199661181,5002—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199597682,7416—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19949—0———Not enough data

All Dodge Neon model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1996 Dodge Neon?

Owners of the 1996 Dodge Neon most often write about engine oil leaks traced to the head gasket, usually noticed as oil spots or a low oil level and sometimes leading to repeated repairs. The issues reported most often: Oil leaks from the head gasket; Engine wiring harness shorts and stalling; Intermittent stalling and no-start.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1996 Dodge Neon have?

NHTSA recorded 611 consumer complaints for the 1996 Dodge Neon as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1996 Dodge Neon is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 340 complaints (56% of the total), followed by electrical system with 93.

Has the 1996 Dodge Neon been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1996 Dodge Neon get?

The EPA rates the 1996 Dodge Neon (Neon, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 28 mpg combined, 24 city and 35 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,400 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1996 Dodge Neon reported?

Among the 38 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 81,500 miles and the middle half falls between 58,000 and 100,000 miles; 11% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.