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1997 Plymouth Neon Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

76Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints
47.2%Of all 161 complaints
#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine and engine cooling:engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE76 · 47.2%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE16 · 9.9%
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL13 · 8.1%
Unspecified / other11 · 6.8%
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION9 · 5.6%

Share of the 161 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Plymouth Neon overview page.

What owners report

“AFTER THE CONSUMER PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING.”NHTSA complaint 567799 — filed 10/28/2002
“CONSUMER NOTICED OIL SPOTS UNDER CAR, RADIATOR BLEW TWO MONTHS PRIOR, CONSUMER FEELS ITS A DEFECTED HOSE, ITS TOO SMALL AND BLOWS OUT HEADGASKET. PLEASE…”NHTSA complaint 8021019 — filed 10/17/2002
“BRAKES REDONE AFTER 3 YEARS, HEAD GASKET REPLACED AFTER 4 YEARS, CLEAR COAT ON PAINT ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED, MUFFLER ALMOST FELL OFF, EXHAUST…”NHTSA complaint 10007436 — filed 10/02/2002

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints by year filed

119972199812199925200015200112200292003

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Plymouth Neon have engine and engine cooling:engine problems?

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine is the most-reported problem area on the 1997 Plymouth Neon: 76 of 161 complaints on file (47.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Plymouth Neon have in total?

161 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 19 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 22 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling:engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.