AI Damage2001 Plymouth Neon: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Plymouth Neon filed 49 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 49
- involving a crash
- 15
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 29% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 24% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 12% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 6 Tires 8% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 8 Seat belts 6% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 14 complaints (29% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 12 complaints (24% of all), 11 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 6 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 5 complaints (10% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 49 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 12 | 11 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I had hit the side of a van with the front of my vehicle, I was braking when I hit him so I could have been going between 40 and 50 mph. My air bags did not deploy.
In inspecting the neon, 2001 it appeared that the seat belts did not lock out. She went forward into the airbag. She had a fractured sternum and 4 fractured rib's, and multiple bruises ( so many she had to have a transfusion. How can this be! She was hardly moving and the other vehicle was only going 25 miles/hour?
Dt consumer stated the air bag did not deploy in a front end collision. The air bag light did not come on any time before the accident.
While driving about 55mph on the highway a vehicle in front of the consumer made a quick stop and the consumer hit the rear end of the others person vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy causing severe damage to the consumer.
When coming to or waiting at 4 way stops to turn left the car chokes and dies. This is very dangerous because sometimes I'am yielding to oncoming traffic. The diagnostic at the dealers cannot locate the problem because the engine light does not come on.
When backing into a parking space vehicle accelerated backwards, resulting in an impact in reverse. Vehicle was towed to dealership, and they were unable to duplicated problem. Both dealership and insurance company were unable to find the cause. Consumer states on several occasions the vehicle would not start.
I was driving my 2001 with only 65,000 miles on it and heard a loud bang. I was able to bring it to my mechanic and he said the front end rotted out.its a good thing I was going slow or I could have been severly injured.in addition when it rains the floor boards and trunk well fill with water.this car should not be…
Sagging gas tank due to broken strap. Drive train shudder and clunk due to stretched drive/engine mounts.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 5,395 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Neon has 153 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 49, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Plymouth Neon?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 49. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (18%), knocking, grinding or other noise (4%), seat belts (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Plymouth Neon?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2001 Plymouth Neon from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2001 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.