Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1995 record →
I HAVE COMPLAINED OF A POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WITHIN 18 MONTHS OF PURCHASE. THE DEALERS COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE POPPING NOISE. NOW WITH 60,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE RACK IS WHAT ALWAYS MADE THE POPPING NOISE DUE TO BAD SEALS IN IT. CHRYSLER CORPORATION OFFERED TO PAY 50%, BUT I FEEL THEY SHOULD PAY 100% DUE TO THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN EXISTING PROBLEM.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE GOING INTO 5TH GEAR. NLM
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, CAUSING SEVERE OIL LEAKS. ALSO, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON. *AK
BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET/CRACKED ENGINE HEAD DUE TO INTERNAL MALFUNCTION. *AK
THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP ABOUT EVERY OTHER MONTH SINCE WE BOUGHT IT. VERY DISAPOINTED IN WE HAVE LOST ALOT OF MONEY TRYING TO KEEP THIS VEHICLE.
ENGINE BEGAN HESITATING WHILE TRAVELING 60MPH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED & THEN ENGINE STALLED. TOOK VEHICLE IN TO DEALERSHIP. ENGINE DISASSEMBLED & REVEALED HEAD GASKET FAILURE DUE TO EXCESSIVE PITTING ON HEAD AND BLOCK WATER JACKET PORT. INFORMED BY DEALER THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND I VISUALLY SAW TWO OTHER ENGINES OPEN ON THEIR WORKBENCH WITH THE EXACT SAME PITTING. DEALER STATED RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACED ALONG WITH THROTTLE BODY, CONTROL MODULE, BATTERY, IGNITION CABLES. RECEIVED VEHICLE AFTER TWO MONTH WAIT. AFTER DRIVING 23 MILES, WHILE ON FREEWAY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOLLOWED BY ENGINE HESSITATION AND STALLING. VEHICLE BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER AND IS STILL IN THE SHOP (3 WEEKS). DEALER REPORTS UNKNOWN CAUSE FOR PROBLEM. ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE CATYLICTIC CONVERTER.
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN A PANIC STOP THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, INJURING THE DRIVER. THERE WAS NO COLLISION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS SHORT IN IT, FAILURE OF POWER LOCKS AND STEREO, EMERGENCY BRAKE SNAPPED, CLUTCH QUIT SHIFTING- HAD TO SHIFT W/O CLUTCH, BRAKES DO NOT WORK RIGHT, DAMAGE TO CAR DEALER DID NOT DISCLOSE. CAR IS NOW PARKED AT THE DEALER, UNDRIVEABLE, THEY WILL NOT FIX AND I HAVE ONLY PWNED IT SINCE 5/26/99
LEFT TURN SIGNAL DID NOT WORK. OWNER BOUGHT A NEW FUSE, AND SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND FILLED THE CAR. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE.
THIS IS APPARENT ON OTHER DODGE NEON MODELS. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
HAVE HAD SEVRAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE,THE HEADGASKET LEAK OIL,NEEDS TO BE REPLACED/AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT AND NOW IT OVERHEATS ,FUEL GAUGE WENT OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP.WHEN IT RAINS CAR FLOODS INSIDE AND TRUCK,SHOCKS FRONT AND BACK HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *AK
AFTER DRIVING TO WORK AND PARKING VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BROKE OUT IN A FIRE, REASON UNDETERMINED.FIRE WAS PUT OT BY FIRE DEPARTMENT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
ELECTRIC WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNED THROUGH CAUSED EXTENSIVE SMOKE INDSIDE VEHICLE. DEFECT HAD TO BE IN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. FEARFUL OF OTHER OWNERS INJURY . CONTACTED CHRYSLER WHO AGREED TO SEND AN INVESTIGATOR IN TWO WEEKS. FEAR FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. *AK
VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIFT, WHEN CORRECTED, THE STEERING FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TURN SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND COLLIDE HEAD ON INTO A BARRIER CAUSING INJURIES TO DRIVER. NLM
VEHICLE WAS PARKED. HAD NOTICED OIL LEAKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC & WAS INFORMED HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN & NEEDED REPLACING. ALSO, MOTOR MOUNTS SCREWS WERE WORN & NEEDED REPLACING. *AK
EXTERNAL OIL LEAK AT THE HEAD GASKET. *ET
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT CAME OUT OF THE BUCKLE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO FLY THROUGH THE WINDOW. THE SEATBELT WILL UNLATCH BY ITSELF JUST BY A NORMAL PULL AND WITHOUT PRESSING THE BUCKLE. *AK
HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN OUT. DEALER INSPECTED AND REPAIRED VEHICLE. MANUACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
SMOKE POURED OUT FROM STEERINGCOLUMN, DEALERSHIP SAID WIRING UNDER DASH WERE BURNED. DEALER REPLACE HARNESS. AIR CONDITIONER DID NOT WORK AFTER THE FIRE, VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED FOUR TIMES FOR BOTH PROBLEMS. ALSO VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHENEVER FOOT WAS TAKEN OFF THE BRAKES. *AK
THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL IN A BUSY INTERSECTION WHEN THE GAUGE STILL INDICATED 1/4 TANK OF FUEL REMAINED. NLM
'IVE HAD MY CAR SINCE 9/94 AND NOW WITH 123,000 MILES. I LIKE THE SHAPE AND THE COLOR AND COMFORT OF THE CAR. I WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL DEALERS TO DRIVE IT TO THE END. I WILL NEVER GET WHAT I PAID FOR A TRADE-IN. AS OF NOW, IVE USE MY EXETENDED WARRANTY, CANT AFFORD TO PUT IN SHOP, 2/98 MADE A CALL TO HOLZAUERS AND ASKED ABOUT MY SKRUNTCHED IN BITS PIECES ROTOR. THEY CHECKED FOR SQUEEKS AND DIDNT TELL ME ABOUT A BAD ROTOR. SQUEALING AND NO BRAKES. A NEW BRAKE SYSTEM WAS DONE AND STILL SQUEAKING. NOW BACK BRAKES ARE BAD. IVE HAD LOTS OF BAD THINGS HAPPEN. BUT IVE HAD LOTS OF COMPLIMENTS OFTHE COLOR. ONE WEEK AFTER I GOT IT A CAR SPUN ROCKS & SCRATCHED THE HOOD PAINT. THE PAINT JOB IS NOT GOOD. IM GETTING RUSTY SPOTS NOW. WATER LEAKED INSIDE AND HOLZAUERS RIGGED IT TO STOP. WHEN IT GET 90/100' HOT WEATHER, AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON, HEAT/AIR FAN DONT WORK TIL CAR COOLS. I USE PHILLIPS 66 GAS W/93 OCT MOST OF THE TIME. 10% ETHONOL IS BAD. IT WILL FLUTTER W/LOW OCT WATER BASED GAS. IN REVERSE GEAR IT GRINDS AND WONT GO INTO GEAR. IVE TOLERATED MOST OF THESE THINGS TIL IT WONT MOVE OR START. IM GLAD TO HAVE A CAR. AT THE PRICE THEN 13,000$ IS NOT FAIR. MY RIGHTS AS A CONSUMER W/ANEW CAR HAVE NOT BEEN MET. ARBITRATION TURNED ME DOWN OVER MY WINDOWS AND DOORS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. SAID MY MILEAGE WAS TOO HIGH. BUT FOR MONTHS W/LOW MILEAGE I WAS IGNORED. CHRYSLER JUST WANTED MONEY. I DID RECOMMEND A NEWER NEON TO MY AUNT. SHE PURCHASED ONE. I LOVE MY CAR. BUT WITHOUT DEFECTS. MY WINDOW STILL L
CONSUMER CANNOT ENGAGE EMERGENCY BRAKES. ALSO MUST PLACE VEHICLE IN PARK WHEN PARKING SO THAT IT WOULD NOT ROLL. *AK
THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT . THE COMPUTER READ MALFUNCTIONED TPS AT 1.8 WHEN IT SHOULD IT HAVE READ AT 5.2 MAXIUM.THERE IS A TSB OUT WITH VIN# OF VEHICLES INCLUDED WITH A NEW DESIGN THROTTLE BODY THAT HAS A O-RING TO STOP MOISTURE FROM GETTING IN IT . *AK
DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET COVER WHICH BROKE AND LEAKED, VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THIS AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
SEALS ARE FAILING AND OIL LEAKS ON ENGINE, CAUSES BAD SMELL
MOTOR SEIZED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE . *AK
I KNOW OF MANY NEONS WITH FAILING HEAD GASKETS, YET DODGE SAID THEY HAVE NO PLANS TO RECALL THE PART. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND I CAN NEITHER AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE GASKET NOR A NEW CAR. HELP! *AK
HEAD GASKET LEAKS OIL BETWEEN CYLINDER HEAD AND ENGINE BLOCK, CAUSING A LOSS OF OIL AS ENGINE IS RUNNING ,CAUSING ENGINE TO RUN OUT OF OIL. CHRYLSER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM IN AS MUCH AS THEY HAVE A NEW DESIGN HEAD GASKET, BUT THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 80 MILES. MANUFACTURER HAS CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE HEAD GASKET. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
WE ARE EXTREMELY DISPLEASED WITH THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THIS CAR. WE WILL BE CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THIS AND OTHER ISSUES WITH THE NEON. HOPEFULLY, A RECALL CAN BE ISSUED SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE DO NOT SUFFER THE SAME PROBLEMS WE ARE HAVING. NO MENTION OF SAFETY DEFECT. *AK
COMPANY WILL NOT DEAL FAIRLY WITH ME.
WITHIN THE LAST 8 MONTHS A/C COMPRESSOR WENT OUT; THE SPEED CONTROL SURGED, WORKED INTERMITTENTLY THEN STOPPED FUNCTIONING; THE LEFT REAR ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILED CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY; THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW AND MY REAR WINDOW BLEW OUT AND SHATTERED WHEN I CLOSED THE DOOR DURING 00F WEATHER. PRESENTLY I HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THE TECHNICALITY OF "OUT OF WARRANTY" "NOTHING WE CAN DO" DEAF EARS. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE OR SUGGESTIONS ON HOW I CAN PROCEED TO RECOVER SOME OF MY COSTS FOR REPAIRING SO MANY ITEMS THAT HAVE FAILED WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
FOUR TIMES I'VE HAD THE CAR IN FOR OIL LEAKS. FIRST TIME IT WAS THE HEAD GASKETS(COVERED BY WARRANTY). SECOND TIME HEAD GASKETS 1 MONTH PAST WARRANTY (13 MOS. LATER), THIRD TIME (THEY THOUGHT HEAD GASKETS AGAIN AND TOLD ME THEY HAD FORMULATED NEW ONES, THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE OLD ONES), BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE OIL SENDING UNIT AND IT'S GASKET, OR O RING. FOURTH TIME(ONE MONTH LATER) IT WAS THE REAR MAIN SEAL AND THE CRANK GASKET. APPARENTLY GASKET PROBLEMS FROM THE START. WHY SHOULD I PAY? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AND THE CONSUMER COULD SMELL FUMES WITHIN THE VEHICLE. *AK
LEAKING HEAD GASKET AT 37,000 MILES, THEN AT 82,000 MILES. *MJS
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEY WOULD MAKE NOISES AFTER THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE WOULD ROLL. BRAKES PUMPED TO STOP. MECHANIC SAID SPEED SENSOR ON REAR LEFT DEFECTIVE. LATER, IT WAS THE RIGHT REAR BRAKES. EACH TIME SENSORS REPLACED OR REPAIRED. THE PROBLEM ALWAYS RETURNS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES TO COME TO A STOP, LEFT REAR AXLE BROKE LOOSE, CAR SKIDDED OVER AN EMBANKMENT AND DOWN HILL. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS AN ODD SOUND AND POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. ALSO, WATER IS GETTING INTO THE SUSPENSION CONTROL MODULE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK
1. CAR LEAKING OIL AT HEAD GASKET AND OTHER SEALS, POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. OTHER '95 NEON OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WHEN THE CAR REACHES 60K MILES 2. LEFT TURN SIGNAL STICKING IN ON POSITION, 3. GLUE MELTED FROM AROUND FRONT AND REAR WINDOWS, AFRAID THAT WINDSHIELD OR REAR GLASS MAY "POP" OUT, 4. CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT, AND EVEN THOUGH NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE CAR STILL STEERS TO EITHER A LEFT OR RIGHT DIRECTION, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT LINE UP WITH THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. MISALIGNED STEERING WHEEL BECOME TIRING ON LONG TRIPS. *AK
OIL IS LEAKING ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD DUE TO BLOWN OUT ENGINE HEAD GASKET. COULD CATCH FIRE . ALSO, HAS HAD A FRONT BRAKE PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON/OFF. *AK
MY CAR HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING SINCE I HAD IT; BUT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP WPULD ALWAYS SAY IT WAS THE THERMOSTAT WHEN IT WASN'T. I CHANGED THE THERMOSTAT THREE TIMES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN THE WARRANTY RAN OUT, I WAS TOLD ALL THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR THAT WAS EXISTING BEFORE IT RAN OUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED. THE CAR HAS BEEN LEAKING OIL AND SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD ( NOT EXHAUST VALVES) BUT I AM TOLD THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, AND THAT THIS HAPPENED WITH ALOT OF NEONS. ALSO THE REAR MAIN SEAL LEAKS RIGHT AROUND 60K MILES WHICH IS WHEN I STARTED HAVING OIL PROBLEMS. MY CAR OVERHEATS IN WARM WEATHER ,MOSTLY WHEN I AM STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR IN TRAFFIC AND I HAVE TO CUT THE HEAT ON UNTIL I START MOVING. I THOUGHT IT WAS A FAN MALFUNCTIONING, BUT AGAIN, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS THE THERMOSTAT, WHICH IT WASN'T. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I HAD THE CAR. IF THIS HAPPENS WITH ALOT OF NEONS I THINK THIS SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES ON WET OR ICY ROAD CONDITIONS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL WHICH MAY SPILL UNTO THE ENGINE AND START A FIRE. DEALER SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM.*AK
WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED THE DEALER TOLD ME I RAN IT OUT OF FLUID/ I WAS 2 MO. / 2000 MILES FROM FACTORY WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP PAY FOR ANY OF THE $1350 THEY WANTED ME TO PAY/ HAD IT TOWED TO AN INDEPENDANT MECHANICH WHICH TOLD ME THAT THE BACK OF THE TRANSMISSION HAD A LARGE HOLE BLOWN OUT OF THE BACK OF IT, COULDNT KEEP TRANSMISSION FLUID IN IT THAT WAY. FOUND A USED ONE WITH 2,000 MI. CHARGED $800. THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE DAY ONE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE, EVER!! THE DEALERS TRY TO ROB YOU BLIND AND THE CO. DOESN'T KNOW YOU ONCE THEY HAVE GOTTEN THEIR MONEY. PAID 10,500 FOR THIS CAR 2 YEARS AGO AND HAVE BEEN PAYING EVER SINCE.
NO AIRBAG WERE DEPLOY - I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT 1995 NEONS AFTER 50K MILEAGE HAS THIS PROBLEM - THE CAR RENTAL CO. TOLD ME THEY HAD 10 OWNERS THIS MONTH WITH THE SAME PROBLE FOR 1995 NEONS AFTER 50K MILEAGE.
WELL, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT I GUESS IF THE HEAD GASKET ON YOUR CAR BLOWS WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING YOU COULD GET INTO AN ACCIDENT?? ANYWAY, ABOUT A MONTH AGO I NOTICE SMALL AMOUNTS OF OIL LEAKING FROM MY CAR. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS I HAD A SLIGHT CRACK IN MY HEAD GASKET. HE SAID JUST TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT SINCE TO FIX IF WOULD BE AN EXPENSE. IN THE MEANTIME A FRIEND OF MINE TOLD ME ABOUT A FRIEND OF THEIRS WHO HAD A NEON AND THEY EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY CONTACT CHRYSLER AND SOMEONE AT CHRYSLER STATED THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND WOULD FIX IT WITH NO COST INCURRED BY THE OWNER. I'VE TRIED TO LOCATED CHRYSLER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE EMAIL AND I HAVE NO LUCK, SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HELP ME OR NOT. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME REGARDING THIS MATTER.
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1995 Dodge Neon → · Every Neon year → · How the figures are calculated →