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 1996 record →
HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED IN JULY 1998. CURRENTLY, LEAKING AGAIN. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER FIRST TIME, DEALER HAD TO USE FAULTY PART. DODGE PAID FOR REPAIR FIRST TIME. CURRENTLY, THEY REFUSE. ALSO, HAD TO HAVE AIR CONDITIONER AND CRUISE CONTROL REPLACED. *AK THE A/C FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. BRAKES MAKE LOUD NOISE. *YH
ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS PREMATURELY FAILED AT 66,000 , CAUSING A LEAK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET BROKE WHICH CAUSED OIL TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND COULD RUIN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. COMMON PROBLEM. DODGE WON'T ASSIST CONSUMER BECAUSE HE WENT TO INDEPENDENT DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
VAC ASSIST SOURCED THRU EGR VALVE. LEAK IN EGR VALVE ALLOWS EXHAUST CONDENSATE IN VACUUM ASSIST - FREEZES IN COLD WEATHER, BRAKES WON'T STOP CAR
ENGINE GASKET HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN PAST 2 YEARS. IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKET FAILURES; FIRST OCCURRED AT 24,976, AND SECOND OCCURRED AT 41,743 MILES. BOTH HEEAD GASKETS WERE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO, FAILURE OF EGR VALVE CAUSED WHEEL TO LOCK UP. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
WAS DRIVING 35MPH WHEN A TRUCK RAN STOP SIGN. NEON "T" BONED TRUCK. FRONT END LIFTED UP. FRONT END OF DRIVER'S SIDE WAS CRUSHED. DOOR WAS BENT OUTWARD. UPON IMPACT WITH TRUCK, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUFFERED SOME INJURIES ,BUT NO HOSPITAL TREATMENT. *AK
CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE & ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. CAR HAS ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, AT ONE POINT WE HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHUT IT OFF TO REGAIN CONTROL/SPEED. NEWEST PROBLEM IS ENGINE SHUTS OFF/STALLS WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOSS OF ABILITY TO STEER AND BRAKE, CAUSED ACCIDENT. *AK
OIL LEAK BY HEAD GASKET LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. REPLACED VALVE COVER GASKET (ROCKER ARM COVER GASKET)& PROBLEM STILL EXISTS - FIRE HAZARD. BASED ON INFO FROM MECHANIC CHRYSLER HAS FAULTY HEAD GASKETS WHICH HAVE TO BE REPLACED BY NEW PROCESS HEAD GASKET. NEED ASSISTANCE WITH FACILITATING REPAIR AT DEALER. I AM ALSO CONSTANTLY REPLACING THE BRAKES WITHIN LESS THAN 7 - 8 MOS. LESS THAN EVERYDAY USE OF VEHICLE SHOULD NOT REQUIRE 2 BRAKE JOBS PER YEAR. *AK
HEAD GASKET IS A KNOWN ISSUE AT CHRYSLER, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECTIFIED BY RECALL. TRANSMISSION ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS BECUASE BECAUSE OF POOR DESIGN. CHRYSLER DID NOT HELP BECUASE OF MILEAGE AND USED CAR. WHAT CAN A 19 YR OLD AFFORD OTHER THAN A USED CAR?*AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS DIAGNOSED AS FAILING 2 YEARS AGO. VEHICLE LEAKED OIL & WOULD SOMETIMES CUT OFF. IT TOOK 2-3 MINUTES BEFORE STARTING BACK UP. DEALER WAS GOING TO INSPECT VEHICLE FOR HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AGAIN. CONSUMER FOUND THAT THERE WAS A EXTENDED WARRANTY. HOWEVER, DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO SUCH THING. *AK
AT ANY SPEED CAR WILL DIE. CONSUMER WILL NOT HAVE POWER STEERING. CONSUMER FEARS THAT MAY HAVE A WRECK BECAUSE OF NO STEERING OR LOSS OF SPEED ON HIGHWAY. *AK THERE WAS NO WARNING OF ANY KIND BEFORE THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS NOT BUILT AT A GIVEN PLANT WHILE THE PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO THOSE THAT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE. *YH
HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 50K MILES. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH OIL LEAKAGES FROM SIDE OF THE ENGINE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND INFORMED OF A HEAH GASKET FAILURE ON THE 2.0L ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.
SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER WORK INTERMITTENTLY. WHILE DRIVING ALONG ALL OF A SUDDEN NEEDLE WILL DROP TO ZERO AND ODMETER WILL STOP MOVING. DRIVER IS NOT ABLE TO TELL DRIVING SPEED, AND CORRECT MILEAGE OF VEHICLE. IT COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM A FEW MINUTES UNTIL A FEW DAYS BEFORE THEY START WORKING AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE LAST MONTH. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP.*AK *SLC
CONSUMER HAD FOUND ENGINE LEAKS. TOOK VEHICLE TO A TECHNICIAN, AND HE SAID THAT HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED BEFORE FOR SAME PROBLEM.*AK
REPLACED HEAD GASKET 3 TIMES AND STILL LEAKS. APPARENTLY I'M SCREWED. I WON'T BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER CAR SINCE THEY DON'T BACK THEIR PRODUCTS. *AK
HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWNOUT, CAUSING OIL LEAKAGE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
HEAD GASKET FAILURE-----THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM---MY LOCAL MIDUS REPLACED THIS GASKET THE FIRST TIME. BUT NOW IT IS GONE AGAIN. IT SURE LOOKS LIKE A RECALL IS IN ORDER!!!!*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND EMERGENCY LIGHT WENT OFF. VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDERS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED,AND MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE WIRES TO HARNESS HAD MELTED. *AK
VALVE COVER GASKETS HAVE FAILED TWICE SINCE 1998 AND CURRENTLY NEEDING TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED AGAIN. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED JUST AFTER WARRANTY TERM. DODGE KNOWS OF OIL LEAK PROBLEMS AND HAVE MADE NO EFFORTS TO RECTIFY.
THE HEAD GASKET LEAKS, WITH A COLD ENGINE RADIATOR CAP OFF FLUID WILL BE FORCED OUT LIKE OLD FAITHFUL. OIL LEAKING FROM BACK OF THE ENGINE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. I FOUND OUT THIS ISN'T JUST A ONE CAR PROBLEM. I HAVE 14 PAGES OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO HAVE 15 SERVICE BULLETINS REPORTING THE SAME THING. IT SEEMS IT SHOULD BE A RECALL. PLUS I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING FOR ENGINEERING FAULTS.
HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING A TERRIBLE OIL LEAK AT ONLY 60,000 MILES. *AK
VEHICLE STARTED LEAKING OIL AT ENGINE BLOCK, HAD TO REPLACE 2 HEAD GASKETS. PROBLEM HAS COME BACK, AND MAY HAVE TO REPLACE A THIRD HEAD GASKET. *AK
DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH HIT COW ON THE HIGHWAY HEAD-ON, HITTING WHINDSHIELD AND ROLLED OVER, SMASHING REAR WINDOWS. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. *AK
DODGE NEON MANUFACTURED IN 1996/AS FAR AS I KNOW THE HEAD GASKET HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED THREE TIMES/ ORIGINALLY WHEN BUILT (UNLESS PREVIOUS OWNER HAD SAME PROBLEM) AND TWICE BY ME (9/3/97 AND 10/18/2000) NOW DON'T YOU FIND THAT ABSURD....I FORMALLY OWNED A DODGE DAYTONA FOR TEN YEARS...HAD MANY OTHER PROBLEMS BUT IT NEVER BLEW A HEAD GASKET.. IHAVE AN OLDSMOBLILE THAT HAS 1400000 MILES ON IT..NEVER NEEDED A HEAD GASKET....HAD THIS HEAD GASKET BLOWN OUT ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY NEXT WEEK ON THE WAY TO MARYLAND, THE ENGINE COULD SEIZE AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH SERIOUS RESULTS ..NOT TO MENTION THE COST OF REPAIRING A "CRACKED BLOCK" THIS HEAD GASKET IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AS FAR A DRIVING IS CONCERNED AND I FIND IT UNBELIEVABLE THAT CRYSLER IS ALLOWING THIS SERIOUS MATTER TO CONTINUE//I FEEL THAT REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE TWO HEAD GASKETS SHOULD BE SENT TO ME IMMEDIATELY...CRYSLER HAD MY BUSINESS FOR LONG ENOUGH...I FEEL THAT SOMEONE SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO HELP ALL OF THE NEON OWNERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT CAN NOT GET ANYONE TO LISTEN OR AS USUAL ...THE SMALL GUY IS OUT OF LUCK...THIS FINANCIAL BURDEN IS JUST TOO MUCH AT THIS TIME...THANK GOD MY GRANDDAUGHTER WAS NOT IN THE CAR AND A SERIOUS PROBLEM OCCURRED....CRYSLER SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE NOW AND TO ALL DODGE NEON OWNERS....PICKETING DEALERSHIPS COMES TO MIND....
THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALOT OF 1996-WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO RECALL IT( DOT NUMBER: )
BLOWN HEAD GASKET ALLOWS OIL TO COME IN CONTACT WITH HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE OVERHEATED AND IT WAS USING 5 QUARTS OF OIL A DAY, AND OIL IN THE RADIATOR THAT CAME OUT LIKE COTTAGE CHEESE.*AK
I HAVE TAKEN ME NEON IN THREE TIMES THIS MONTH FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME THEY COULD NOT FIND AS TO WHY THE FUSE FOR THE FULE PUMP BLEW BECAUSE THE COMPUTER DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITHTHE CAR. THE DEALER DID TELL ME THAT IT IS HARD TO LOCATE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT HAPPEN AGAIN TWO TIMES IN ONE DAY. I AGAIN TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALER AND THIS TIME THEY SAID THAT THE ONLY THING ON THIS FUSE IS THE FUEL PUMP AND SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS GOING BAD. SO, WE REPLACED IT AND THEN IT HAPPEN AGAIN. AT THIS POINT I AM VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE I JOB COACH AND DRIVE MY CAR ALL DAY TO AND FROM DIFFERENT CLIENTS JOB SITES AS WELL AS TRANSPORT THEM TO AND FROM WORK. THIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY DU TO THE FACT THAT WITH SOME OF THEM I MUST DRIVE ON A HIGHWAY AND WITH THE CARS FUEL PUMP FUSE BLOWING AT ANY TIME FOR WHAT EVER REASON THIS FRIGHTENS ME WIHT THE WAY PEOPLE DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY THE LAST THING I OR THEY NEED IS A CAR THAT JUST STOPS IN IT'S TRACKS. I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN THE SHOP FOR THREE DAYS AND THEY STILL CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE FUSE KEEPS BLOWING. IT IS AT THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE DRIVING MY CAR AROUND TO SEE AS TO WHY OR AS TO WHAT IS WRONG. PLEASE IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WRITE TO ME OR E-MAIL ME SO THAT I CAN LET THEM KNOW. IN REGARDS TO WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR. IT WAS AT A DEALER SHIP IN SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA FOUR YEARS AGO AND I NOW LIVE IN WISCONSIN. IT MAY BE POSSABLE TO LOCATE THE DEALER WITH MY VIN NUMBER.
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKET IN MY 1996 NEON THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND TIME I HAD TO TAKE IT TO A SHOP AND HAVE IT REPAIRED COSTING ME $450.BOTH TIMES THE CAR WAS UNDER 50,000 MILES. NOW MY CAR HAS 78,000 AND THE GASKET HAS FAILED AGAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF IT. I HAVE FOUND A WEB SITE, NEONHEADGASKETS.ORG, AND SEEN THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD HELP FROM CHRYSLER, CHRYSLER PAYING $500 AND THE CUSTOMER PAYING $100. BUT THE DECISION IS UP TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THE DISTRICT MANAGER. IT REALLY UPSETS ME THAT A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN CALLED. NOW THEY HAVE EVEN REPLACED THE OLD GASKET WITH AN UPDATED NEW ONE, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN PUT ON MY CAR YET. THEY'RE NOT SURE IF THAT WILL EVEN WORK. PLEASE MAKE CHRYSLER TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MISTAKE. IT IS NOT MY FAULT THE GASKET IS BLOWING. *AK
VEHICLE GOT HOT AND HAS DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK, TOOK TO DEALER , AND THEY SAID IT WAS ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, THAT MAY HAVE DAMAGED ENGINE.*AK
DIRECTIONALS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. HEAD GASKET IS GONE. EATS UP OIL. DEALER WON'T TRADE IT IN FOR ANOTHER CAR. HEADLIGHTS PULSATE. ENGINE DIES OUT
NO SUMMARY
BLOWN HEAD GASKET, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. *AK
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & EXPERIENCED A BAD ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKAGE. HAD NOTICED AN ODOR OF BAD OIL BURNING. TOOK TO MECHANIC FIRST TIME & ENTIRE HEAD GASKETS WAS DEFECTIVE & NEEDED REPLACING. HAD ENGINE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED & THE LEAKAGE PROBLEM HAS REAPPEARED.*AK
I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN MY CAR WENT TO 0 IN LESS THAN 3 SECONDS WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. HAD IT TOWED TO PATRIOT IN KILLEEN TX THE COULDNT TROUBLESHOOT SO THEY SENT THE CAR TO DODGE COUNTRY. WHERE IT HAS BEEN SITTING SINCE 8/21/00 I WANT THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED I HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE BUT ALL THE PROBLEMS IT HAS THEY ARE SAYING IT DOESNT COVER ALL. I'VE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. NOT SURE IF THE WORK WAS DONE ON MY NEON PRIOR TO PURCHASING IT. AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ANY INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND ON THIS VEHICLE I'M VERY DISATTISFIED WITH THE NEON AND I'M SORRY I HAVE ONE. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER NEON!!
CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED NOT AT ANY SET TIME OR DISTANCE. FUEL FILTER, FUEL PUMP, AND COMPUTER MODULE REPLACED AND WAS SENT TO THE DODGE DEALER FOR REPAIRS AND TWO WEEKS OF TESTING. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS AT ANY FUEL LEVEL FROM FULL TO AN EIGHTH OF A TANK AND THE SAME GAS STATION WAS USED FOR ALL CARS I OWN SO THE BAD GAS THEORY IS NOT THE PROBLEM.
CIRCUIT BOARD WAS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING SPEEDOMETER TO TOGGLE. RECALL 96V026000 HAS BEEN ISSUED; HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK
HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN AT ONLY 25,000 MILES, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HEAT UP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
HEAD GASKET LEAKS, CAUSED OIL TO LEAK INTO RADIATOR, OIL LEAK CAUSES SMOKE-SMELL TO COME OFF OF ENGINE. ITS AMAZING HOW MANY NEONS HAVE THIS PROBLEM BUT YET THERE IS NO RECALL.
SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, TRIP METER, GAS AND TEMP GAUGES WILL ALL STOP WORKING. SOMETIMES THEY'LL ALL WORK, SOMETIMES THEY'LL ALL QUIT. THE SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER AND TRIPMETER WILL ALL GO OUT EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR AFTER IT'S BEEN RUNNING ABOUT 20 MINUTES. THE GAS AND TEMP GAUGES WILL GO OUT OCCASIONALLY.
DODGE NEON SUCK!!!!! I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ON 1/5/97 AND HEAD GASKET FAIL ON 1/24/97. I HAVE PAID TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET THREE TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP HAS FAIL AND UNABLE TO SUCCEED IN FIXING THE PROBLEM TIL THIS DAY AND HEAD GASKET IS STILL LEAKING.
NO SUMMARY
NO SUMMARY
OIL LEKAGE; CONSUMER GOTTEN TWO DIFFERENT REASONS WHERE IT COULD BE COMING FROM. DEALER NOR MECHANIC CAN'T REALLY DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. CONSUMER SAW LEAKAGE FOM UNDER LEFT FRONT TIRE.*AK
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A RATHER HIGH NUMBER CARS ON THE ROAD THAT HAVE OR HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE. THIS BLOWN HEAD GASKET ALLOWS ENGINE OIL TO LEAKOUT OF THE ENGINE DOWN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE THIS HEATED OLD COULD IGNITE AND CAUSE A "UNDER HOOD FIRE"... I CONTACTED CHRYSLER, THEBLOCK AND ON TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. IT LOOKS LIKE UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS Y SEEM UNCONCERNED.OLD
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH A BUBBLING NOISE WAS HEARD. ENGINE HAD BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. HAD NO PRIOR WARNING OF PROBLEMS. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING AGAIN. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED IN OCT. 97 WITH APPROXIMATELY 19K MILES ON IT. THE HEAD GASKET FAILED WITH THE CAR JUST BARELY UNDER THE WARRANTY BY MILEAGE, BUT I HAD TO FIGHT HARD WITH THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM COVER THE REPAIR WORK. THEY EVENTUALLY REPAIRED IT AND GAVE ANOTHER 1 YEAR/12K MILE WARRANTY ON THE REPAIR. WITHIN THAT TIME FRAME THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AGAIN. THE DEALER REPAIRED IT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THIS TIME WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE WORK OR THE PART. THAT'S A SHAM! I'M GETTING RID OF THIS PEICE OF JUNK! *AK
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 1996 Dodge Neon → · Every Neon year → · How the figures are calculated →