1995 Dodge Neon complaints

ENGINE HEAD GASKET OF THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF NEONS ARE KNOWN TO FAIL OFTEN. THIS FAILURE CAN CAUSE ENGINE HEAD TO LEAK OIL AND ANTI-FREEZE. THIS COULD LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE IF NOT REPAIRED. THE HEAD GASKET FOR NEON'S WAS REDESIGNED AT LEAST ONCE TO FIX THIS DESIGN PROBLEM. IN MY OPINION, THE EARLY NEON HEAD GASKETS SHOULD BE RECALLED TO FIX THIS DEFECT. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKS AND NEEDS REPAIRS ON MOST IF NOT ALL NEONS FROM WHAT I HEAR. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT DEVELOPS A LEAK AT CYL#4. IT WAS DETECTED WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN OVERHEATING. A NEW HEAD GASKET WAS DEVELOPED MID 1998 DUE TO THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS AND WAS USED SUBSEQUENTLY FOR ALL NEW ENGINES AND REPAIRS. *AK

VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS BUBBLING. CONSUMER THOUGHT IT WAS SOME COOLANT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JIFFY LUBE AND COOLANT/OIL CHANGE WAS DONE. TWO DAYS LATER, VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING HOT AND WAS TAKEN TO FIRESTONE. THEY CHECKED THE THERMOSTAT AND NOTICED THAT COOLANT HAD LEAKED ONTO THE SPARK PLUGS. IT WAS TAKEN TO FAST TO JIFF LUBE, PROBLEM IS STILL HAPPPENING. *AK

I FEEL THAT BECAUSE OF THE NEGLECT OF CHRYSLER, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. I INCURRED EXPENSES OF $55.80 FOR PARTS, AND $495.15 FOR LABOR. AT 61,535 A CAR SHOULD NOT NEED A HEAD GASKET TO BE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPRESSOR AND THE CONDENSER. THE CONDENSER WAS LEAKING OIL AND THE EXPENSES INCURRED AGAIN WERE APPROXIMATELY $630. I FEEL THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR SOME OF MY REPAIR COSTS. *AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET ANLONG WITH THE FRONT BRAKES NEEDED REPLACED AND THE REAR BRAKES LEAKING. THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK. I KNOW THERE MAY BE EXTRA MILES ON MY CAR HOWEVER MOST WERE HIGHWAY DUE TO ALLOT OF TRAVELING SO THESE PARTS TO GO OUT SO SOON ARE VERY DISSAPOINTING WHEN I TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF MY CAR

OVERHEATED THE LAST WEEK OF DECEMBER 99 AND HAVE BEEN LOSING RADIATOR FLUID SINCE THEN; NO SIGN OF WATER IN OILPAN UNTIL TODAY. TOWED TO AN OREGON DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT MANUFACTURER WILL ONLY PAY FOR THE PARTS AND NOT LABOR. THE SERVICE ADVISOR AS WELL AS ONE OF THEIR MECHANICS ADMITTED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL CORK-BASED HEAD GASKET DESIGN AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS A NEW METALLIC-BASED GASKET. IF THE MANUFACTURER HAS THESE NEW PARTS AVAILABLE WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL FOR THIS ITEM? CONSUMERS OF THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL SHOULD BE REASSURED THAT THE VEHICLE THEY HAVE PURCHASED WILL NOT FAIL DUE TO ONE FAULTY ITEM! *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS FIRST STARTED UP, SPEED DOES NOT ACCELERATE PASSED 20MPH UNTIL IT HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR AT LEAST A HALF AN HOUR. DRIVER HAS TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE IN ORDER TO STAY OUT OF FAST TRAFFIC. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE CAUSE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET NEEDS REPLACEMENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE WOULD FAIL TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE WHEN WEATHER IS COLD OUTSIDE. PREVIOUSE OWNER HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT FOR SAME PROBLEM IN 1995. OWNER NOW HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT FOR HARD SHIFTING INTO REVERSE. INSURANCE COMPANY REFUSED TO COVER DUE TO DESIGN FLAW FROM MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT COVERING EVENTHOUGH A NEW UPDATED PART IS AVAILABLE. *AK ACCORDING TO THIRD PARTY MECHANICAL INSPECTOR IT WAS FOUNDING THAT THERE WAS A MATERIAL FAILURE TO THE FORWARD PISTON SEAL DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE INSURANCE POLICY DOES NOT COVER DESIGN FLAWS. *YH

AIR BAGS DEPLOYED - WHILE DRIVING BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT COLLISION. DRIVER SUFFERED LEFT ARM INJURIES AND CUTS ON HAND. POLICE WOULD NOT TAKE A REPORT BECAUSE NO OTHER CARS INVOLVED. CHRYSLER SAYS THAT WE HIT SOMETHING IN THE UNDERBODY TO CAUSE THE BAGS TO DEPLOY - THIS IS AN OUT AND OUT LIE. WE ARE NOW FOLLOWING UP ON A POSSIBLE DEFECT. *AK

I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION TO A FEW DIFFERENT SERVICE CENTERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THE SAME. THE DIAGNOSIS REVEALS THAT MY HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL. UPON INSPECTION AT EACH DIFFERENT SERVICE CENTER, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL NEONS BETWEEN 95-98 THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. I HAVE EVEN BEEN TOLD THIS FROM A SERVICE REP AT THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. I PURSUED THIS ISSUE BY CONTACTING CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AFTER ROUGHLY TWO WEEKS, I WAS TOLD THAT CHRYSLER DENYS ANY CLAIM OF NEGLIGENCE IN THE MANUFACTURING OF MY HEAD GASKET. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER NEONS OR OTHER CHRYSLER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME SIZE ENGINE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY WILL NOT ASSIST IN ANY REPAIR OF THIS KIND. *AK

SMELLED GAS BUT DIDN'T NOTICE ANY LEAK OR PROBLEM UNTIL ATTEMPTING TO REFILL GAS TANK. AT THAT POINT, NOTICED THAT FILLER TUBE HAD CORRODED AND BROKE AWAY FROM REFILL THROAT MOUNTING. DEALER SAID IT WAS CORRODED, BUT NOT UNDER RECALL. *AK

HEADLIGHTS WERE ON AND FLICKERED. SOMETIMES CAR FLUTTERED/ LOST POWER. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. WHILE DRIVING AGAIN SMOKE CAME FROM THE CRACKS OF THE DASH/AIRBAG COMPARTMENT AND VENTS. SMOKE FILLED THE CAR UP, AND DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE, OR BREATH. THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. NO HEAT/ REAR DEFROSTER, OR BLINKERS. ALSO, WHEN TURN ON THE SIGNALS, CONSUMER WOULD HEAR A BUZZING SOUND, AND BLINKERS WOULD NOT WORK. ONLY THING THAT WORKED WAS THE RADIO ON THE DASHBOARD. *AK

CONSUMER HAD EXPERIENCED TROUBLE WITH HEATER/DEFROSTER, AND HEADLIGHTS FLICKERING, AND SMOKE COMING FROM DASHBOARD. THIS FORCED CONSUMER TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE OF POOR VISIBILITY. *AK

OIL LIGHT CAME ON, CAR WAS LEAKING OIL, HAD CAR TOWED, INFORMED OF HEAD GASKET PROBLEM.

THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN TO OTHER DODGE NEON OWNER THAT I HAVE TALKED. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN THE SUMMARY.*AK

STALLED ON FREEWAY AT 55 MPH, STALLED IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AT 45 MPH AT NIGHT,

AS I WAS DRIVING MY 1995 NEON HOME FROM WORK, I NOTICED THAT THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I BECAME CONCERNED AND PULLED INTO THE NEAREST SERVICE STATION WHICH WAS LESS THAT 1/2 MILE AWAY. I ASKED THE SERVICE TECH TO LOOK AT THE CAR AND HE SAID THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK. HE SUGGESTED THAT I HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AND SEE IF THERE WERE ANY LOOSE FITTINGS FROM MY PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE A FEW WEEKS EARLIER. THE OIL WAS CHANGED AND THE CAR STARTED ONLY TO CONTINUE TO LEAK OIL AGAIN. I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE IT AND HAD IT TOWED TO MY DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAM SEAL/PLUG HAD CRACKED OFF AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT, I WOULD NEED A NEW SHORT BLOCK INSTALLED IN MY 5YR OLD CAR AT A PRICE OF $3500.00. I FEEL THAT THE CAM SEAL/PLUG IS DEFECTIVE AND THAT IS WHY IT CRACKED OFF. I HAVE SPOKEN TO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY/REPAIR INDUSTRY AND IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE NEON CAR. I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT I SHOULD BE HELD TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE WHEN I DID EVERYTHING I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO BY STOPPING THE CAR IMMEDIATELY. I SPOKE TO CHRYSLER DIRECTLY AND WITHIN MINUTES OF CONTACTING THE DEALER, THEY (CHRYSLER) AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE REPAIR ONLY IF I HAD THE SERVICE DONE AT A DODGE DEALERSHIP. I APPRECIATED THIS GESTURE BUT I AM STILL LOOKING AT PAYING $1700.00 OUT OF POCKET FOR THE DAMAGE. I FEEL THAT CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS DEFECTIVE PART. I HAVE READ COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE AND WOULD GREATLY APPRECI

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE ENTIRE HEAD GASKET SYSTEM LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. ALREADY IT IS LEAKING OIL. THAT IS RIDICULOUS. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND ENGINE CUT OFF. *ET

LEFT TURN SIGNAL ON, ALL LIGHTS IN BACK OF CAR FLASH. THEN APPLIED BRAKES, ALL LIGHTS WERE STEADY. TAKE FOOT OFF BRAKES, ALL LIGHTS IN BACK FLASHED AGAIN. FRONT LEFT SIGNAL DOES THE SAME THING. *AK

HEATER NO LONGER WORKED. FLUCTUATION IN OPERATING TEMPERATURE. EMISSION GASSES IN COOLING SYSTEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET

THIS WAS THE 2ND TIME THE SAME PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED, THE FIRST TIME WAS ON 2/21/95. AT THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO REBUILT, ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYING ON. THIS WAS ALSO REPAIRED ON 12/27/94, AND I AM HAVEING THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. *AK

HEATER CORE BLEW ,CAUSING INTERIOR DAMAGE ALONG WITH VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITH BAD WEATHER UNDER 15 DEG. *AK

THEY SAID IF THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, THIS WOULD HAPPEN, ONLY MY ENGINE HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. IT DOESN'T LEAK OIL, BUT THE ENGINE COOLANT SEEMS TO DISAPPEAR REGULARLY. ALL THEY COULD TELL ME WAS "IT HAPPENS". *AK

WE HAD TROUBLE WITH A "SHORT" FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS - WENT TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS WITH REPSONSE "NOTHING SHOWS ON THE COMPUTER" & "REPLACED THE RADIO. *AK

VEHICLE STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR AT 15 MPH DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS DECLARED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN AND ENGINE HAS LEAKED OIL FOR ALMOST A YEAR. THE REPAIR COSTS ALMOST $600 AND THE DEALER TOLD ME HE HAS SEEN MORE OF THESE THAN HE CAN COUNT, YET NO RECALL. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL AIRBAGS. UPON CAREFUL INSPECTION CONSUMER NOTICED THE COVER OVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS GLUED AND AS THE GLUE DETERIORATED THE COVER CAME APART AND THE AIRBAG SPACE WAS EMPTY, SAME FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. NLM

VEHICLE WAS LOSING OIL DUE TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION/ ENGINE CONTINUE TO STAY AT HIGH IDLE AFTER FOOT IS TAKEN OFF GAS; WINDOWS SOMETIMES LEAK DUE TO MOULDING ASSEMBLY, AND TRUNK LEAKS ON DRIVER'S SIDE EVERYTIME IT RAINS! *AK

NO SUMMARY

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WHICH WERE LEAKING DUE TO BEING TORN. VEHICLE REPAIRED, BUT GASKET PROBLEMS REAPPEARED AT 20,000 MILES. MECHANIC NOTICED OIL LEAKING ON GARAGE FLOOR & IT WAS REPAIRED,AGAIN. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES FOR IT MISSING AND BACK-FIRING AND NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS. THREE OF ITS SEAT BELTS HAVE BROKEN ALSO.

WHILE WASHING CAR ENTIRE SHEET OF PAINT BEGAN TO AND COMPLETELY PEELED AWAY FROM CAR.

ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HEAD REPLACEMENT HEAD GASKET. FIRST REPLACED AT 44,763 MILES, LEAKING AGAIN AT 71,300 MILES. *AK

AIR BAGS (DRIVER AND PASSENGER) DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. NO PRE-DEPLOYMENT IMPACT OR COLLISION. DEPLOYMENT BLEW OUT PASSNGER'S SIDE (FRONT) WINDOW. DRIVER'S LEFT ARM AND HAND WERE PROPELLED INTO UPPER WINDSHIELD, SHATTERING WINDSHIELD AND INJURING DRIVER'S WRIST, ELBOW, AND SHOULDER. TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL BY DRIVER, BUT NO COLLISION SUBSEQUENT TO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING BOTH PASSENGER'S SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON OR WARNING. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE, AND HAD NO COMMENT. *AK

DRIVER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, DRIVER PUT VEHICLE IN PARK TO GET HIMSELF TOGETHER ,AND THEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HEAD GASKET DEFECTIVE, CUASING MAJOR OIL LEAK. LOCAL DEALER SAID IT'S COMMON PROBLEM FOR NEONS. CONTACTED DEALER THAT SOLD IT AND CHRYSLER.

VEHICLE BRAKES EXPERIENCED LOCKED-UP CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT A UTILITY TRUCK. THE AIRBAG'S EXPERIENCED NO DEPLOYMENT DURING COLLISION. *YC

THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 34,000 MILES ON IT! THE FIRST SERVICE STATION I TOOK IT TO WOULD NOT WORK ON IT BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT (95) NEONS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO ACCIDENT OCCURED BUT I COULD HAVE EASILY SEIZED THE ENGINE WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY.

RIGHT TURN SIGNAL CANCEL SWITCH BROKE AND WON'T GO OFF. CONSUMER HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED. ONCE AND THE PROBLEM OCCURREDAGAIN. IF THE CONSUMER DIDN'T TURN THE SWITCH OFF, THE SWITCH WOULD STAY ON THE RIGHT TURN. WILL REPLACE DEFECTIVE TURN SIGNAL CANCEL SWITCH FOR $200. 00. *AK

FUEL TANK LEVEL UNIT FAILED. MJS

THIS IS TEARING MY CAR UP AND THE VALUE OF THE CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT DODGE DOES NOT COVER REAR STRUTS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WITH ONLY LESS THAT 37,000 MILES ON THE CAR THAT IT OBVIOUSLY WAS THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTUER'S FAULT. WHY WOULD I TEAR UP A CAR THAT I JUST BOUGHT? THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS .THE VEHIICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWO TIMES ,BUT THEY CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE SHIFTING GEARS AND CAR IDLED UP REAL HIGH SO CONSUMER TURNED OFF THE CAR SO THE ENGINE WOULD NOT BLOW UP.

DEFECT IN FRONT WINDOWS -- SCRATCHES WINDOWS. DEALER SAYS NEED NEW GLASS GLIDES. SHOULDN'T THIS LAST LONGER THAN 4 YEARS? ALSO, AFTER THE CAR SITS ON WARM DAYS THE DRIVERS ELECTRIC LOCK DOESN'T WORK.