1996 Plymouth Neon reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 1996 Plymouth Neon — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 476
- 4 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
- 119 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 0
- none on record
- Reported harm
- 41 reported crashes · 45 injuries · 11 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#1,097
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Plymouth median
+187
median 289 across 33 Plymouth records
Vs 1994-1998
+231
median 245 complaints in 551 records
Top component share
34%
Engine And Engine Cooling: 163 complaints
What owners report fails — 1996 Plymouth Neon
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE 119
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE 44
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 23
- AIR BAGS:FRONTAL 22
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS 14
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1996 Plymouth Neon
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1996 Plymouth Neon units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Plymouth Neon reliable?
NHTSA has 476 consumer complaints on record for the 1996 Plymouth Neon. The most-reported problem area is engine and engine cooling:engine (119 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1996 Plymouth Neon units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Plymouth Neon?
Owners most often report problems with: engine and engine cooling:engine (119), engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (44), unknown or other (23), air bags:frontal (22). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1996 Plymouth Neon?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.