1997 Plymouth Neon

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

72/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 196 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Plymouth Neon, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Engine and engine cooling	88	45%
Air bags	14	7%
Power train	8	4%
Service brakes	8	4%
Structure	6	3%
Suspension	6	3%
Steering	5	3%
Unknown or other	5	3%
Engine and engine cooling	5	3%
Seat belts	5	3%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

OEM LIFETIME LUBRICATED TIE ROD END SEPARATED CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHILE PARKING - HAD IT FAILED WHILE DRIVING COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. *TR
NHTSA complaint: Steering

WE BOUGHT THIS VAN WITH 46000 MILES ON IT. ONE MONTH LATER THE TRANSMISSION WENT. IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY "REBUILT" THE TRANSMISSION. AT 67,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION WENT AGAIN, AND WE BOUGHT A NEW TR
NHTSA complaint: Power train

ON JULY 17, 2006 MY BELT TENSIONER BROKE ON MY 97 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER SE. I HAD IT TOWED TO AN AUTO SHOP THE NEXT DAY WHERE THEY REPLACED THE TENSIONER AND PUT ON A NEW BELT. ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2006, (THE F
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN A DRIVE-THRU, BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS OCCURRED, BUT STATED NOTHING WAS HIT OR RUN OVER. BOTH FRONT WINDOWS SHATTERED
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

I BOUGHT THIS 1997 PLYMOUTH NEON ON 8/19/2005 USED WITH 66000 MILES IT SEEMED LIKE A SOLID VEHICLE BUT IN SEPT/OCT WE HAD QUITE A BIT OF RAIN AND I NOTICED PUDDLES IN MY BACK SEAT AREA ON THE FLOOR BOTH SIDES,I CHECKED A
NHTSA complaint: Structure

THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE STRUT TOWER HAS RUSTED THROUGH ON TOP, ABOUT HALFWAY AROUND. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS IS $1200 FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT POSSIBLY DUE TO INFERIOR QUALITY METAL USED BUT IS NOT
NHTSA complaint: Suspension

SINCE 2003 THIS VEHICLE HAD SMALL PATCHES AND A CAR WASH BY HAND OR BRUSHLESS AND NO SUN WILL CAUSE IT TO PEEL. THE PATCHES HAVE BECOME LARGER.*JB
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other

PLYMOUTH NEON 1997 FOUND PAINT USED TO PAINT NEON IS DEFECTIVE. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS PEELING OFF IN ALARMINGLY LARGE PATCHES. *JB
NHTSA complaint: Structure

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1997 Plymouth Neon. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive 97V080000

THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT DESIGN ALLOWS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT UPON VEHICLE IGNITION SHUT DOWN.

Risk: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED MODULE.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	78	good
Longevity est.	77	good
Maintenance	90	excellent
Depreciation	60	average
Performance	45	below average
Efficiency	51	average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 28% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 41% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 100% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 56% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 78: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 77: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1997 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 90: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1997 Plymouth Neon?

Owners have filed 196 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine and engine cooling is the most reported area with 88 of them (45%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1997 Plymouth Neon reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 78/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1997 Plymouth Neon last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1997 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1997 Plymouth Neon?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.