The 1996 Dodge Neon has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 166,800 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 887 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID DUE TO A DAMAGED DOUBLE LIP REAR PISTON SEAL.
BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE CAN RESULT IN DIMINISHED EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE HALF OF THE SPLIT BRAKE SYSTEM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHT(S) WILL SIGNAL SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT PRIOR TO PARTIAL BRAKE SYSTEM LOSS.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDR PISTON ASSEMBLY.
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.
DEALERS WILL REROUTE THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS PROPERLY AND ANY WIRE THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED WILL BE REPLACED.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“My headlights are too low. Hard for me to see. Especially when going around a corner, I can't see far enough ahead. Afraid of wrecking. I tried cleaning the outside headlights thinking they may have a film on them, but it didn't help. If their are no reflective markers on the road it is very hard…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 dodge neon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who performed a tune-up however, the failure recurred three times. The dealer replaced the emission coil and…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 dodge neon. The contact was driving 25 mph when the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact had to coast to the side of the road and have the vehicle towed to a local mechanic. The mechanic noticed that a faulty wiring harness was the cause of the vehicle stalling…”
“Tl* the contact was servicing a 1996 dodge neon. The vehicle was parked out front of an independent repair shop with the engine turned on when the shifter independently shifted out of park and into reverse. The vehicle travelled approximately eight miles onto the highway at a slow speed. The…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 dodge neon. The contact stated that all braking function was lost while driving at an unknown speed. She stated that in order to stop the vehicle she had to engage the emergency brake. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop who diagnosed that the rotors, brake…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 dodge neon. The contact stated that all braking function was lost while driving at an unknown speed. She stated that in order to stop the vehicle she had to engage the emergency brake. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop who diagnosed that the rotors, brake…”
“My car was driving very shaky and the alignment was off significantly. This lasted approximately two days before my front left tire blew up in front of my residence which caused the left frame to pop out. The front left tire was a firestone supreme si p185-65r14 m+s. I also have a right front tire…”
“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…”
THERE ARE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.WHILE CONDUCTING THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI FOUND THAT THE SUBJECT CINCHES MEET THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 208, AND THAT MANY OF THE REPORTED FAILURES WERE DUE TO INCORRECT CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSTALLATIONS.…
There is no summary currently available
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1996 Dodge Neon as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.