1997 Dodge Neon complaints

WHILE MAKING A DEAD STOP WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AT SAME TIME CONSUMER REAR ENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL/DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO OUT AND COME BACK ON AT RANDOM INTERVALS/ ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON/ DOOR AJAR ALARM WILL COME WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION, AND TRANSMISSION WILL GET STUCK BETWEEN GEARS AND ENGAGE FORCEFULLY. . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

CONSUMER CAN SEE OIL DRIPPLETS ON ENGINE AND ON FRAME , AND SMALL PUDDLES OF OIL ON GROUND UNDER VEHICLE. *AK

I HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR FOR THREE YEARS AND IT BLOWS A HEAD GASKET AT 60K COSTING A $1000 TO REPAIR. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE POSTED COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB BUT NOT HERE. *AK

UPON IMPACT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIR BAG THERE WERE NOTICEABLE HOLES IN THE AIR BAG. NLM

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOME OIL LEAKING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO A MECHANIC, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT HEAD GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWNOUT, LEAKING OIL AND COOLANT INTO ENGINE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED.*AK

ENGINE LEAKING OIL/WATER MIXTURE OUT THROUGH COOLANT BOTTLE, AVERAGE ABOUT 1 QUART PER ENGINE RUN OR 100 MILES WHICHEVER IS FIRST.*AK

NOTICED OIL LEAKING. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. *AK *SLC

I HAVE HAD 2 HEAD GASKETS LEAK IN THIS VEHICLE WITH OIL LEAKING ON THE ENGINE BLOCK. ONE WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS NOW HAPPENED AGAIN. I KNOW OF MANY OTHER NEONS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. APPEARS DODGE KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM BASED ON THEIR SERVICE BULLETINS. A FIRE HAZARD EXISTS WITH OIL LEAKING ON THE ENGINE BLOCK.

UPON INSPECTION OF VEHICLE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM HEAD GASKET WHICH COULD CAUSE A PROBLEM IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

CONSUMER HAS TO CONSTANTLY FILL UP OIL. WHEN PARKING AND MOVING ONE CAN SEE OIL ON GROUND. *AK

CONSUMER HAD FOUND OIL ON DRIVEWAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR OIL LEAKAGE, AND THEY SAID CAUSE OF OIL LEAKAGE WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, IT IS NOT LATCHING. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY FOR BEING UNPROTECTED.*AK

REPLACED HEADGASKET IN 12/99 NEEDS HEADGASKET AGAIN\OIL LEAKS AGAIN. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. DEALER REPLACED HEAD GASKET, BUT AN INDEPENDENT DEALER TOLD CONSUMER HEAD GASKET WAS NOT REPLACED. ALSO, DEALER WANTED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION/TRANSMISSION PAN AND FLYWHEEL. VEHICLE NOT IN CONDITION TO BE DRIVEN. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED. DEALER REFUSES TO HELP W/COSTS. PLEASE HELP! *AK

ALTERNATOR FAILED 6 MILES AFTER WARR. EXP. DEALER REFUSE TO HELP W/ ANY OF COSTS. NOW THE HEAD GASKET SAME FROM DEALER. *AK

SIX MILES OVER MY WARRANTY MY ALTERNATOR WENT OUT. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO FIX IT. MY HEADGASKET WITH LESS THAN 60,000.*AK

THE HEAD GASKET WENT OUT OF MY '97 NEON ONLY 45 DAYS AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED. I CALLED THE 800 # ON THE WARRANTY CARD AND THEY PRETTY MUCH HUNG UP THE PHONE ON ME SAYING THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. I HAVE DONE SOME INVESTIGATING AND IT SEEMS THIS IS A VERY COMMON ERROR WITH THIS CAR, EVEN THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS A PROBLEM. IT COST ME $678.00 TO REPAIR A DEALER DESIGN FAULT.*AK

SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THIS CAR IT STARTED TO SHOW OIL ON THE FLOOR, MOST CARS LEAK A LITTLE THOUGHT LITTLE OF IT. JANUARY 15 I SEEN A LARGE WET SPOT ON FLOOR AND INVESTIGATED IT TO FIND IT WAS THE LEFT REAR CORNER OF THE HEAD. TALKED TO CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS VERY COMMON. I REMINDED THEM THAT THERE WAS ONLY 32000 MILES ON THE CAR. WAS INFORMED I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD GO TO 50% ON THE TOTAL BILL. I'VE SEEN WHERE THERE ARE A LOT LONGER WARRANTIES THAT ARE KEPT SECRET FROM US, IF THIS IS SO CAN YOU GET ME TO THE PLACE THAT I HAVE TO BE TO FIND THIS INFO SO THAT I MIGHT GET THIS RECTIFIED? IF NO RECALL IS GOING TO EVER HAPPEN ON AN ITEM THAT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE FOR A LONG TIME WHAT ARE WE TO DO?*AK

OIL LIGHT COMES ON ALL TIME,AND THERE WERE PUDDLES OF OIL ON GROUND. TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT ENGINE GASKET HAD AN OIL LEAK.*AK ACCORDING TO THE INVESTIGATION DONE BY CONSUMER, THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM LIES ON DETECTIVE HEAD GASKET USED BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE VEHICLE. *YH

ENGINE GASKET HAS CRACK IN REAR,CAUSING AN OIL LEAK IN COMPARTMENT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK ORIGINAL GASKET WAS A FIBER GASKET AND WAS A FAILURE. THE NEW NEON'S GASKET CONTAIN A METAL AND FIBER GASKET. *YH

CONSUMER NOTICED A PUDDLE OF OIL FORMING IN DRIVEWAY. DEALER HAS REPAIRED ONCE, BUT ENGINE IS LEAKING AGAIN. *AK *SLC

OIL IS LEAKING BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY CONTACT TO VEHICLE BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEPLOYMENT CAUSED BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOWS TO SHATTER. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID NO!

WHEN CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO GET OIL CHANGED WAS NOTIFIED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING .*AK

DEALER NOTIFIED AND WORKING TO RESOLVE $ EXPENSE WITH ME AND WARRANTY DEPT. HEAD GASKET FAILED AND NOTICED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS IN THIS AREA. WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN MADE? WAS THIS JUST A POORLY DESIGNED ENGINE?*AK

CYLINDER HEAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. LEAKING OIL. REPLACEMENT PART WAS TWICE AS THICK AS ORIGINAL PART. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD GASKET BROKE. IT WAS LEAKING OIL ALL OVER. DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST IN HELPING WITH PAYMENT BECAUSE CHRSYLER WOULD NOT REIMBURSE THEM. DEALER SAID IT WAS A FAULTY DESIGN OF HEAD GASKET. *AK HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *YH

HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL FROM RIGHT HAND REAR CORNER OF CYLINDER HEAD. VIEWING ENGINE FROM FLYWHEEL END. *AK

FIRST- THE CAR BLEW A HEAD GASKET AT LESS THAN 24000 MILE. NOW WE CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR STALLING. THE FUSE UNDER THE HOOD FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM CONTINUES TO BLOW. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM, I HAVE COMPLETELY REPLACED THE FUEL SYSTEM. IT IS NOW IN THE GARAGE FOR THE EIGHTH TIME. DODGE WILL NOT BACK THEIR PRODUCT AND THE DEALER JUST SENDS THE CAR OUT TO BE REPAIRED, SINCE "THEY CAN NOT FIX IT". THE VIN NUMBER THAT WAS SUBMITTED IS THE NUMBER FROM THE CAR. IT IS COMING UP THE WRONG NUMBER, THIS IS THE ONLY NUMBER I HAVE. *AK

AFTER ONLY 32,000 MILES, HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING OIL LEAKAGE. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE 97 DODGE NEON. IT MUST BE RECALLED.*AK

OIL LEAKGES AFTER TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE, VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO DEALER FOR LEAKAGES, AND DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

TRANSMISSION IS SLUGGISH AND HEADGASKET LEAKING, TOOK TO DEALER. *AK TRANSMISSION IS NOW COMPLETELY FAILED. *YH

NOTICED OIL LEAK, TOOK TO MECHANIC, WAS TOLD HEAD GASKET WAS GONE. I HAVE ONLY 37,000 MILES ON THIS CAR AND IT HAS BEEN ROUTINELY MAINTAINED. I AM WAITING FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO LOOK AT IT AND DECIDE WHEN THEY WILL PAY FOR IT TO BE FIXED. THEY ARE LOOKING AT THESE CASES ON A ONE ON ONE BASIS, WHICH SHOULD SHOW THAT THESE CARS NEED TO BE RECALLED OR PAID TO BE FIXED BY THE DEALER OR CHRSYLER. *AK

WELL LETS SEE THE FIRST DEFECT WAS A FAN RELAY WHICH WAS REPLACED 5 TIMES BEFORE A WIRING DEFECT WAS FOUND NEXT WE HAVE "HARD BRAKES" WHICH CONTRIBUITED TO AN ACCIDENT WHICH CAUSED 7000 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE AND 1 MINOR INJURY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WE FOLLOW THAT UP WITH A LEAKY HEAD GASKET WHICH CHRYSLER WAS KIND ENOUGH TO RETURN 1/2 OF MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES ALONG WITH WIRING DEFECTS AND AIR BAGS THAT DON'T COME OUT OTHER THAN THE FACT I HAVE HAD MORE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR THAN EVERY OTHER CARS I HAVE EVER OWNED THEY MADE UP FOR THIS LEMON BY HAVING A BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOO.

NO SUMMARY

THE CAR HAS BEEN OVER HEATING AND CUTTING OFF FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. THE COMPANY HAS ONLY PUT A PATCH ON THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP ABOUT 13 TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THIS CAR IS A SAFTY FACTOR AND IS VERY DANGEROUS.

I FOUND OUT ABOUT A POSSIBLE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR ANOTHER SERVICE. THE REPAIR MAN WAS GOING TO CHANGE MY TRANSMISSION FLUID/PAN BUT THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAL TO THE PAN ON THE HEAD GASKET MAY BE LEAKING, BUT THE PAN WAS SEALED WITH SOME TYPE OF SEALANT THAT HE COULD NOT REMOVE IT. ALSO, WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE ARE DEFECTS IN THE AIRBAGS AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN RECALLED, BUT I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN ANY INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS "VERY IMPORTANT" ISSUE. ALSO, THE PAINT ON MY CAR IS LITERALLY FALLING OFF IN PATCHES. IT APPEARS TO ONLY BE THE ONLY COLOR (PURPLEISH/BLUE) OF THE NEON'S THAT THE PAINT IS COMING OFF. MY CAR (KEEP IN MIND ONLY 2YRS OLD) ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE A SPOTTED COW. I CAN TAKE MY FINGER AND PEEL THE PAINT OFF WITH EASE. THERE ARE CARS THAT ARE 10YRS OLDER THAN MY 97 AND THE PAINT LOOKS 100 TIMES BETTER! DODGE IS ALSO AWARE OF THIS "BAD PAINT" BUT THEY WANT TO CHARGE $300 TO GET IT RE-PAINTED--THE EXACT SAME COLOR??!!! DODGE SHOULD REPLACE THE PAINT FREE OF CHARGE ON ALL THESE MODELS WITH THIS COLOR PAINT. IT MAKES ME NOT EVEN WANT TO DRIVE MY 2 YR OLD CAR WITH PAINT MISSING FROM FRONT,BACK,SIDE TO SIDE.

THE BRAKES ARE HORRIBLE.. GRIND AS IF METAL ON METAL.. HAVE HAD THEM CHECKED BY DEALER AND TWO OTHER BRAKE SPECIALITS. ALL SAY BRAKES WORK FINE.. HOWEVER GRIND HORRIBLY.. AND CHIRP CONTINUOUSLY.. NOBODY CAN FIGURE IT OUT. THE PAINT IS ANOTHER ISSUE. IT PEELS ALL OVER INCLUDING TRUNK, DOORS, ROOF, ETC. SEEMS TO BE ONLY LAPIS BLUE COLOR THAT DOES IT. I HAVE A LIST OF 12 VEHICLES IN THIS COLOR THAT ARE PEELING AS WELL AS SEVERAL PHOTOS. DEALER WANTED ME TO PAY, EVEN WHILE UNDER WARRANTY.. PHONED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND IT TOOK 4 MONTHS OF FIGHTING WITH THEM TO AGREE TO RE-PAINT HOWEVER THEY WILL ONLY RE-PAINT WHERE IT IS PEELING.. UNACCEPTABLE, AS MORE PAINT WILL CONTINUE TO PEEL IN OTHER AREAS. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE COVERED WITH NO QUESTIONS.. THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.. THE BRAKES SHOULD BE FIXED ALSO. I DID NOT BOUGHT A NEW CAR TO AVOID PROBLEMS LIKE THESE.. THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS LISTED ON THE COMPLAINT PAGE FOR THIS VEHICLE.. HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE SOMEONE AT THE NHTSA DOES SOMETHING FOR US??*AK

CONSUMER WILL COMPLETER FORM CONCERNING ENGINE OVERHEATING. *AK

THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER IS WELL AWARE OF. THEY SHOULD RECALL THIS AND MANY OTHER NEONS INSTEAD OF MAKING ME PAY FOR THE REPAIR MYSELF. IF ONE LOGS ONTO THE INTERNET IT BECOMES PAINFULLY APPARENT WITH A QUICK SEARCH THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE AS ME.

I HEARD ALOT OF HEAD GASGETS ON 95-99 NEON HAVE FAILED AND CHYSLER HAS PAID TO REPAIR THEM EVEN WHEN THEY ARE OUT OF WARENTY. WHEN I CALLED THEM THEY ACTED LIKE THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND THEY JUST BLEW ME OF TO . MY BILL WAS $900.00. I CAN'T BELIVE THERE WAS NOT A RECALL WHEN SO MANY HEAD GASGETS HAVE FAILED.

WHEN DRIVING OVER A PUDDLE OR WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN POWER STEERING BELT GETS WET, CAUSING STEERING TO BECOME DIFFICULT WHICH CAUSED DRIVER TO ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED BELTS AND HAS TIGHTENED THEM. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RETURNS WHENEVER IT RAINS. MANUFACTURER HAS PROVIDED DEALER WITH INSTRUCTION TO TIGHTEN BELTS, AND CHECK THE TORQUE EVERY THREE THOUSAND MILES.*AK

HEAD GASKETS LEAKING HAD TO BE REPALCED AT47272 PROBLEM STARTED AT 28000 MILES STOCKTON DODGE KEPT TELLING NOTHING WAS WRONG UNTILL I WAS LOSING A QT OF OIL A WEEK AND POWER FAILURE WS GETTING WORSE AND HAS CONTINUED EVERY SENCE. ENGINE POWER FLATENS OUT I HAVE NO EXCELORATION ABILITY DURING THAT TIME ENGINE SURGES WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO LOSE SLOW DOWN WHILE AT HIGH SPEEDS. GAS MILEAGE HAS DROPED TO 1/2 THE NORMAL RATE OF 300 MILES PER TANK OF GAS. HOWELING NOISE FROM NEWLY INSTALLED TRANSMISSION AT 20-30 MPH AND AGAIN AT 55-65 MPH. *AK

I BOUGHT MY NEON USED (BUT ONLY A YEAR OLD) I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR MY BLINKERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES, MY TRUNK AND BACK FLOORS ARE GETTING DRENCHED (PUDDLES OF WATER 3 INCHES) MY BRAKES ARE SQUALING, MY DOOR LIGHT IS SHORTING MY REVERSE LIGHTS ARE BLOWN MY HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN TWICE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEM WITH MY FIRES UNDER THE HOOD. THIS CAR IS MADE POORLY. I AM TRYING TO TRADE IT AND IT NOT AS MUCH AS I OWE. TALK TO DEALER BUT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE THEY WANT TO HELP.

FIRESTONE TIRE PEELED OFF WHEN DRIVING