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Plymouth NeonModel year report

2001 Plymouth Neon Problems

Complaints
49filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
59,000miles, 14 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
26 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 24 city / 30 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2001 Plymouth Neon (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 49 consumer complaints for the 2001 Plymouth Neon. The part named most often is brakes, with 14 complaints (29% of the total), followed by air bags (12) and electrical system (7). 14 of the complaints include a mileage, and 36% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 59,000 miles. Of all complaints, 15 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 5 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 13 technical service bulletins for this model year. Brakes complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the vacuum filed under the same part.

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: Equipment (2), Steering (2), Transmission and drivetrain (2), Engine (1), Exterior lighting (1), Other or unknown (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “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.”

NHTSA complaint #10242269, filed 2008-09, 60,000 miles

Air bags: “My daughter was dirving to work, another vehicle ran a red light and they collided. The driver side air bag failed to deploy. My daughter hit the steering wheel and suffered a concussion. The car was totaled by the insurance company.”

NHTSA complaint #10113932, filed 2005-03, 50,000 miles

Electrical system: “The starter on my 2001 Plymouth NEON needed to be replaced before I even owned it for 2 years. I did not buy the extended warranty and my 3 year/36,000 mile warranty has expired by 6000 miles. I had a remote car starter installed but I have been told the remote starter more than likely did not cause the starter to fail. A brand new, or 2 year old car's starter should not have failed so soon. Is there any way to get reimbursed for my repair and brand new starter's cost of $405.00 by either the dealer of the vehicle or the manufacturer or installer of the remote car starter?”

NHTSA complaint #10014093, filed 2003-04, 42,193 miles

Engine cooling: “2001 Plymouth NEON purchased new. While driving,engine started knocking loudly.continued home for about 3 more miles. Engine still knocking,vehicle was towed to dealer,and diagnosed as needing a new engine. 95,000 miles. No advance warning of engine failure, oil clean and full,oil changed every 4-5000 miles.”

NHTSA complaint #10110621, filed 2005-02, 95,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

36% of the 14 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 45,000 and 87,500 miles.

0%0–1014%10–2521%25–5036%50–7514%75–1007%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (14 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 59,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

1320022004200620102017
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 2001 Plymouth 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 2001 Plymouth 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 manual243026$2,600
Neon FWD2.0L 4-cyl3-speed automatic212824$2,800

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 2001 Plymouth Neon → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

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. 13 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 13 bulletins →

Other model years of the Plymouth Neon

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20014959,0002—26Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200014174,5005—27Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19996252,0000—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199816765,5621—29Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199716165,0001—29Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199630883,0002—28Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199548185,0006—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable

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

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2001 Plymouth Neon have?

NHTSA recorded 49 consumer complaints for the 2001 Plymouth Neon as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2001 Plymouth Neon is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 14 complaints (29% of the total), followed by air bags with 12.

Has the 2001 Plymouth 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 2001 Plymouth Neon get?

The EPA rates the 2001 Plymouth Neon (Neon, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 26 mpg combined, 24 city and 30 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,600 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2001 Plymouth Neon reported?

Among the 14 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 59,000 miles and the middle half falls between 45,000 and 87,500 miles; 36% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 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.