1996 Dodge Neon complaints

OIL LEAKAGE/SEEPING ON THE POSTERIOR SIDE OF THE ENGINE BLOCK HEAD GASKET.

BRAKES FAILED.

ALL INSTRUMENTS, SPEEDOMETRE/ODOMETER, FUEL GUAGE, AND TEMPERATURE GUAGE FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

MAJOR OIL LEAK. I TOOK THE CAR TO TWO MECHNICS, WHO TOLD ME THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACED. I SPOKE TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT THE JOB WOULD COST OVER $700. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMON PROBLEM AND THE REPLACEMENT PART IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL BECAUSE OF SOME DEFECT. CHRYSLER STILL DOES NOT ACKNOWLEGE A PROBLEM?

GAS GAUGE FAILED.

DUE TO AN OIL LEAK THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

BRAKES SEEMED LOW AND MECHANIC CHECKED, NO REPAIRS. WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH, APPLIED BRAKES AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURRED, WHEN PUMPING BRAKES THEY GET BETTER. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

REAR SEAL ON ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO BECOME DEFECTIVE. *AK

FIRST, WHEN IT IS COLD, MY BRAKES DO NOT WORK. AT FIRST THEY DO NOT GO TO THE GROUND AND THE CAR TAKES A LONG TIME TO COME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY THIS HAS ONLY OCCURED WHEN CAR IS STARTED OR WHEN IT IS GOING LESS THAN 5MPH. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC LOOKING AT IT NOW. HAS REPLACED SOME BRAKES PADS AND SERVICES THE BRAKES. WATER WAS FOUND IN A VALVE FOR THE POWER ASSISTED BRAKES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. THIS MECHANIC BELIEVES WATER IS GETTING INTO THE BRAKE LINE BUT IS UNSURE AS TO HOW. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT SO JUST WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE OKAY THE BRAKES FAIL AGAIN. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE WINDOWS. EVEN WHEN THE DEFROSTERS AND DEFOGGERS ARE ON, THE SIDE WINDOWS NEVER DEFOG, I NEED TO CONSTANTLY TURN ON REAR REFROST (EVERY 5 MIN OR SO) SO THAT I CAN SEE OUT OF IT. THIS IS A NEW PROBLEM THIS WINTER. I CANNOT SEE OUT PASSENGER OR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WHILE DRIVING. A THIRD PROBLEM IS THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM . EVEN WHEN THE WINDOW IS ALL THE WAY UP WIND HOWLS IN THE WINDOW. YOU CAN SEE A GAP AND IF IT IS RAINING WATER COMES IN. FINALLY THE LAST PROBLEM IS ALSO NOT A NEW PROBLEM. I DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE LAST PROBLEM BECAUSE IT OCCURRED LONG BEFORE THAT PROBLEM. AFTER IT RAINS, WATER COLLECTS IN THE WELL BETWEEN THE INSIDE AN OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR (MOSTLY ON PASSENGER SIDE, BUT OCCASIONALLY ON DRIVERS SIDE) CONSEQUENTLY WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR A PUDDLE OF WATER FALLS OUT ON MY FEET. IN THE WINTER THE WATER IN THE WILL FREEZE

TRANSMISSION REBUILT BY AMOCO SAID ALMOST ALL PARTS WERE "CHEWED UP" NOW 1 YR LATER SLIPS GOING INTO 1ST AND HAS NO REVERSE THE HEAD HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES AND HAS GONE AGAIN SPPEDOMETER STAYS ON 0

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 185R14 )

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING OIL LEAKS FROM ENGINE, UNABLE TO LOCATE WHERE IT COMING FROM. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKING.

RECALL 96V026000/626. EXPERIENCING SAME WIRE HARNESS PROBLEMS. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND SMELLED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE GRILL AND THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. FLAMES OCCURRED, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. DEALER CONTACTED BECAUSE THEY WERE SERVICING VEHICLE AT THE TIME. PROBLEM WAS NEVER REMEDIED AFTER DEALER HAD CAR THREE TIMES. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

RECALL 96V026000/626; EXPERIENCING SAME WIRE HARNESS PROBLEMS. VEHICLE ENGINE PROBLEMS ON 11-NOV-98. ALSO WIRE HARNESS PROBLEMS. SECOND INCIDENT CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN. DEALER CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND THE COSNUMER LOST POWER AND THE VEHILCE WILL DIED OUT AND THEN CME BACK ON. ALSO, WHENEVER THE RADIO OR THE A/C WAS ON THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN. *AK

I GET OIL CHANGES REGULARLY SO THAT THE CAR WILL LAST, THEN THE LAST OIL CHANGE I GET, A MONTH LATER OIL STARTS LEAKING SEVERELY OUT FROM UNDER THE CARE. TWO ESTIMATED LATER AND THE HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NOT ONLY HAS THAT GONE UP BUT THE FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AT 40,000 MILES. I AM ALWAYS REPLACING SOMETHING ON THIS CAR AND IT IS NOT EVEN 3 YEARS OLD. WILL THESE CARS EVER LAST THE FULL LOAN?

WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PADS AND THE REAR BRAKES HAD BEEN CHANGED. ALSO, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT RADIO SPEAKER. *AK

MY BRAKES SQUEEK ALL THE TIME. I'VE HAD THE BRAKES CLEANED TO REMOVE ACCESS DUST AND BUILD UP..AND ALSO HAD THE FRONT BRAKE PADS CHANGED. THIS HAS ALL HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST 4 MONTHS. I ALSO NOTICE ALL MY REALIVES/FRIENDS EXPERIANCE EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF SQUEEKING THAT MY CAR SUFFERS FROM. IF THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL, THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. I DON'T KNOW HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS, BUT IT IS AT THE VERY LEAST, ANNOYING AND VERY VERY NOTICABLE. IT HAPPENS IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. WET/DRY, COLD/WARM ETC ETC. ANY FEEDBACK YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. RICH MARTIN

11/10/98 - HEAD GASKET FAILURE - REPLACED. SPARK PLUGS (TUNE UP) PERFORMED SAME DAY AT PERFORMANCE DODGE SERVICE CENTER. 11/25/98 - ENGINE - BEGAN STALLING AND STUTTERING, SIGNIFIGANT LOSS IN POWER, INTERMITTENT "NO-STARTS" SIGNIFIGANT INCREASE IN GAS USAGE.

CYLINDER HEAD IS LEAKING OIL, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD ,PARTS ARE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. *AK

OWNER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, FOUND PROBLEM TO BE WITH THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

AFTER ONLY 70000 MILES THE DODGE NEON HAS A LEAKING HEAD GASKET. THROUGH CONVERSTATIONS DISCOVERED THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. IS THERE A RECALL IN THE WORKS? THANKS, DAMIEN

ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL. TOOK IT TO DEALER WHO SAID THAT IT NEEDS A NEW HEAD GASKET. WHEN I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE COST (APPROX $500.) HE SAID THEY COULD TAKE CARE OF 1/2 OF IT. SAID THAT THE PROBLEM IS A POORLY MANUFACTURED GASKET & THEY REPLACE A LOT-IN FACT ITEM IS ON BACK ORDER

WHEN DRIVING AT 20 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL WAS COMING OFF THE STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING THEVEHICLE TO PULL OVER AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 48750 MILES, PROBLEM REPAIRED. BRAKES ARE NOISY AND CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE AIR CIRCULATION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS, CAUSING THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP. THE BRAKES AND AIR CIRCULATION PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE FIXED. *AK

WHENEVER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY WOULD SQUEAK. HAD NOTICED THE ROTORS WERE RUSTING OUT. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & TOLD WOULD NOT REPAIR THE ROTORS DUE TO STATE USING SALT ON THE ROAD. ALSO, THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN & STARTED TO LEAK A LOT OF OIL. *AK

CYLINDER HEAD WAS PITTED AND CRACKED,HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED CAN'T GET REPLACEMENT PARTS,BECAUSE OF NATIONAL BACK ORDER.MAYBE WE COULD DRIVE 250 MILES TO COLUMBIA MO. THEY MIGHT HAVE PART; HAD TO GO TO JUNK YARD FOR CYLINDAR HEAD STILL NO GASKET...NEW PARTS NOT IN PARTS BOOKS THEY HAVE UP TO 96,BUT NOT 96...AL'S MACHINE SHOP IN BELLEVILLE, IL. STATED THERE HAD BEEN AT LEAST 60 HEADS REPLACED IN THE AREA.CONSEQUENTLY WE HAVE A CAR THAT HASN'T BEEN IN OPERATIO SINCE OCTOBER, THIS IS 11/12/98

THE REAR BUMPER IS CRACKED AND CROOKED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK

THE COMPUTER CONTROL MODULE DOES NOT WORK, LEAVING THE CONSUMER NOT KNOWING HOW MAUCH GAS, OR WHAT SPEED HE IS TRAVELING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

TAIL LIGHT IS FILLED UP WITH WATER AND IT LEAKS. SPARE TIRE HOLDER IN THE PROCESS TRUNCK IS WET, ALSO LEAKS DOWN THROUGH THE SIDES OF THE BACK SEATS AND FLOOR, WATER SHORTED OUT THE WIRES ON THE TAIL LIGHT. DEALER CONTACTED AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH WHEN TURNED ON DOES NOT RELEASE BACK TO THE PROPER POSITION, CAUSES THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO STAY ON. NONE OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OPERATE UNLESS TURNED ON MANUALLY. DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS FAULTY PART. THE NEON IS ONLY 2 TO 3 YEARS OLD AND SHOULD NOT HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET! REGUARLY GIVE TUNE UPS, SO NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHY THE CAR ALREADY HAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET.

GOING 30MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL HAD NO RESPONSE. HAD HEARD A POP. HAD VEHICLE TOWED. MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. TOO MANY BROKEN PARTS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LEAKS OIL AND OVERHEAT. DEALER NOTIFIED,AND INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL, AND THE COST WOULD GO TO CONSUMER. *AK

ENGINE GASKETS AND SEALS AND RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED.

I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM HEARING THAT ALL NEONS (INFORMED BY DEALER-COYLE DODGE IN NEW ALBANY, IN) HAVE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MAIN GASKET IN THE ENGINE. I HAD A BIG MISFORTUNE IN HAVING MY 96 NEON'S MAIN GASKET FAILED AND SPEWED OUT A LOT OF OIL AND ALMOST HAD MYSELF IN A SERIOUS SMOKE PROBLEM THAT I SMELLED THE OIL BURNING ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM NEAR THE ENGINE AND COULD LEAD TO A FIRE! I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO COYLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A BIG

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS/HEAD GASKETS, ETC. PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING, DLR CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

HEAD GASKET/ INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED.

HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING SEVERE OIL LEAKAGE. ALSO ABS BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE,RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL.

DRIVER WAS DISTRACTED BY FAILED SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE AS IT WAS SWINGLING WILDLY. DISTRACTION CAUSED ACCIDENT.

WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR. THE VEHICLE WOULD CRANK WOULD NOT TURN OVER. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED 6 TIMES BETWEEN THE 21ST AND 24TH OF AUGUST 1998. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, THE VEHICLE JUST CRANKED AND NEVER STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP.

WATER LEAK IN FRONT OF DRIVER'S SIDE CABIN.

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REA REND COLLISION, SEAT BELT FAILED TO WOTK PROPERLY AND DRIVER'S HEAD HIT STEERING WHEEL, AND IS CURRENTLY SUFFERING FROM2 HERNIATED DISCS. 3 YEAR DAUGHTER WA SINA CAR SEAT IN THE REAR. CAR SEAT MOVED OUT OF PLACE BECAUSE SEAT BELT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. ALSO, WHEN MAKING ANY LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS STEERING COLUMN SOUNDS A SIF IT IS GOING TO POP OUT.

ENGINE BLOCK HAS BEEN LEAKING ,THE CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP MORE THEN SIX TIMES FOR SAME THING. *AK

HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE PURCHASE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.

THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL BLINK ON WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AND THE CAR ALSO HAS AN OIL LEAK.

THE CAMSHAFT SYSTEM BROKE, CAUSING THE OIL TO LEAK WHICH MAY RESULT A FIRE IF THERE WAS A SOURCE OF IGNITION. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALER TWICE. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WHILE CLOSING DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, DOOR GLASS SHATTERED. PROBLEM OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. THE SECOND TIME 9-YEAR OLD SON SHUT THE DOOR AND GLASS SHATTERED. THIRDAND FOURTH TIMES WHEN DRIVER SHUT DOOR, THE GLASS SHATTERED. *AK

SINCE PURCHASE IN 1996 OWNER HAS HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. 4 NEW TIRES IN NOV 1997, BECAUSE OF FRONT END PROBLEMS - ALL 4 TIRES WERE BADLY WORN. 2 FRONT END ALIGNMENTS, AND SEVERAL WHEEL BALANCES. FRONT BRAKE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF SQUEALING SINCE PURCHASE DATE. OIL LEAK. PROBLEMS SHIFTING TO REVERSE. REAR SEATBELT IS LOCKED. PLUS ADDITIONAL PROBLEM.