Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 Plymouth Neon, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling167
- Electrical system45
- Service brakes, hydraulic36
- Power train27
- Air bags22
- Unknown or other20
- Steering15
- Fuel system, gasoline14
- Visibility13
- Equipment12
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 33 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 1996 Neon vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 8.5–9.8 L/100 km (about 24–28 mpg US), CO₂ 196–225 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neon · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.7 | 7.0 | 8.5 |
| Neon · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.2 | 8.1 | 9.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 1996 Plymouth Neon.
| 1996079 17 May 1996 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the brake master cylinder may leak brake fluid due to a damaged double lip rear piston seal. Brake fluid leakage may result in diminished … |
| 1996029 12 Feb 1996 | Electrical AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS MAY SHORT DUE TO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION (EGR) TUBE. SHORTING OF THE HARNESS MAY CAUSE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIO… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID DUE TO A DAMAGED DOUBLE LIP REAR PISTON SEAL.
AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CAN SHORT CIRCUIT DUE TO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION TUBE..
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Plymouth told its dealers about the 1996 Plymouth Neon: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634272 | FLASH PROGRAMMING FAILURE RECOVERY. *SLC |
| 620066 | SUBJECT REGARDING GENERIC SCAN TOOL (GST), PUBLICATION NO. 81-170-00008 PROVIDED WITH THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO PROVIDE REFERENCE INFORMATION WHEN USING GENERIC SCAN TOOL ON OBDII VEHICLES. *TT |
| 620059 | SUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL YEAR JEEP LIBERTY. *TT |
| 615688 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 612600 | SUBJECT ON PROPORTIONING VALVE BRAKE PRESSURE ADAPTER TOOL REVISION. *TT |
| 610635 | SUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 610007 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION IS NOW OFFERING INTERNAL EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASES FOR SELECTION VEHICLES. *TT |
| 609995 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A REVISED WIRE SPLICE PROCEDURE AND RELATED PARTS. *TT |
| 6092304 | SUBJECT REGARDING NON-DEPLOYED AIRBAG HANDLING PROCEDURES. *TT |
| 6089824 | CONCERNS WITH SUNROOF MAKING A RATCHETING TYPE NOISE WHEN OPENING OR CLOSING. *TT |
| 6089800 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION IS NOW OFFERINB AIRBAG ON / OFF SWITCHES FOR SELECTED VEHICLES. *TT |
| 6088834 | INFORMATION REGARDING NHTSA AUTHORIZED AIRBAG DEACTIVATION FOR MEDICAL NECESSITY. *NLM |
| 6088786 | CONCERNS WITH ENGINE COOLANT USAGE. *NLM |
| 6088542 | PAINTED SURFACES OF THE VEHICLE THAT ARE COVERED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME WITH FRONT END COVERS OR MAGNETIC SIGNS MAY APPEAR TO HAVE A WHITE "MILKY" OR "FOGGED" DISCOLORATION. *AK |
| 607963 | INFORMATION ON CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT |
| 607959 | THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY AND INSTALLATION OF A RESUABLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OIL PAN GASKET. *TT |
| 603635 | SUBJECT ON FLASH PROGRAMMING FAILURE RECOVERY. *YC |
| 603153 | SUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG ON - OFF SWITCHES. *YC |
| 603107 | SUBJECT REGARDING OIL SEEPAGE AT CAM POSITION SENSOR / MISINTERPRETED HEAD GASKET LEAK. *YC |
| 602898 | A NEW MULTI-LAYER STEEL ( MLS ) HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND IS BEING IMPLEMENTED INTO PRODUCTION VEHICLES. *YC |
| 602881 | SUBJECT REGARDING I/M ( INSPECTION MAINTENANCE ) TESTING - OBD II "CARB" READINESS MONITOR INFORMATION. *YC |
| 602450 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE AIRBAG ON-OFF SWITCHES. *YC |
| 601763 | SUBJECT ON LABOR OPERATION TIME CHANGE FOR DOMESTIC 2.OL DOHC AND 2.4L HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT. *YC |
| 601578 | INFORMATION ON THE COMPETITION PACKAGE ( SALES CODE ACR ) FRONT FASCIA. *YC |
| 601572 | EXPERIENCING POPPING NOISE OVER BUMPS WITH WHEELS STRAIGHT OR WHEN TURNING. *YC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATE
UNDERHOOD FIRES
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation