Dodge Neon Reliability

4,954 NHTSA complaints (1993–2005). Complaint rate: 15149.9 per 1,000 vehicles.

Severity Score
51513.8
Complaints
4,954
Crash Rate
13.3%
Fire Rate
3.2%
Injuries
558
Fatalities
71

Which Years to Buy & Avoid

Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.

Bottom line: Avoid the 1995–1998 Dodge Neon (349 crash-related complaints). The 2005 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.

Avoid These Years

1995–1998
~827/yr complaints · 349 crashes
2000
~489/yr complaints · 104 crashes

Average

1999
~152/yr complaints
2001–2004
~215/yr complaints

Better Years

2005
~133/yr complaints
1993–1994
~7/yr complaints
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Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA complaint count per model year

Dodge Neon — Complaints by Model YearPeak: 1995 (1,415)
04078141,2201,6271993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005

Common Dodge Neon Problems

Most reported component complaints to NHTSA

ComponentComplaintsCrash %
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE8421.1%
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL30582.6%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2761.8%
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1705.3%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1513.3%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP14326.6%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1400.7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL11716.2%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS11120.7%
AIR BAGS11060.9%

Year-by-Year Breakdown

NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.

YearGenerationComplaintsCrashesFiresDetails
1993GOOD—40—View→
1994GOOD—102—View→
1995AVOID—1,41517472View→
1996AVOID—887585View→
1997AVOID—5536117View→
1998AVOID—451563View→
1999—152295View→
2000AVOID—4891047View→
2001—199501View→
2002—230343View→
2003—2903135View→
2004—141248View→
2005GOOD—133342View→

See also: Dodge Neonaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.

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Dodge Neon Years to Avoid (1993–2005) — Reliability, Problems & Best Years to Buy | VinItel