1997 Dodge Neon complaints

SPARE TIRE CAVITY WAS FULL OF WATER. THIS CAUSED THE SPARE TO BE RUSTED AS WELL AS THE FLOOR UNDER THE TIRE AND THE JACK. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO USE THE SPARE SO I DONT KNOW HOW LONG THE WATER HAS BEEN THERE. FROM THE AMOUNT THAT WAS IN THERE, I WOULD SAY IT HAS COLLECTED EVERY RAIN DROP SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR. THIS CAUSED ME TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO USE THE SPARE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD IF I HAD BEEN IN A RURAL AREA OR IF I HAD NO CAR PHONE. IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. A REAR TAILLIGHT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY WHEN I FIRST GOT THE CAR DUE TO WATER INTRUSION. MAYBE THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM.

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT ONLY 75,000 MILES. CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. NO PRIOR WARNING.*AK

NO SUMMARY

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL FROM UNDERNEATH/ ALSO, THERE WAS OIL INSIDE SPARK PLUGS. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED OVERHEATING DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

MY SISTER IN TN HAS A NEON THE DEALER FIXED HER HEAD GASKET THESE CARS I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY ONE AUTO REPAIR THAT HE FIXES THESE HEAD GASKETS AT LEAST ONE EVERY OTHER WEEK DODGE SHOULD HAVE DONE A RECALL OR AT LEAST FIX THE PROBLEM I CAN NOT GET ANY ONE ON THE PHONE AT CHRYSLER AND I LIVE HERE. THEY SHOULD PAY THE COST THEY KNOW THAT ITS A PROBLEM. THE UP AND DOWN STREAM SENSORS WENT BAD IT COST ME $300. TO FIX. I KNOW A GENTLEMAN THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM HIS WENT BAD TWICE AND THE CAR DEALER PAID FOR HIS. I ON THE OTHER HAND COULD GET NO ONE HELP WITH THIS EITHER. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE PROBLEMS WITH THERE NEON'S AND PAY TO CORRECT THESE PROBLEMS I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER ONE. IF CHRYSLER WANTS ME TO BUY THERE PRODUCT AGAIN THEY NEED TO MAKE THE FIRST ONE RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONCERN.

NO SUMMARY

OIL LEAK DETECTED BY MYSELF AT ABOUT 40-45,000 MILES; HAD A NON-CHRYSLER MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND TOLD ME IT LOOKED LIKE THE HEAD GASKET (50,000+ MILES BY THIS TIME) - COULDN'T AFFORD THE $400.00+ TO REPAIR AT THAT TIME. WHEN I FINALLY HAD THE MONEY (8/10/00 AND 88,000 MILES) MY MECHANIC REFERRED ME TO O-REILY'S BECAUSE HE HAD HEARD OF A RECALL. O'REILLY'S GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND. I AM PURSUING EVERY AVENUE TO GET THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED INCLUDING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. *AK

MECHANIC ADVSD OF PROBLEM W/HEAD GASKET ON NEON & TO CALL CHRYSLER. CHRYS PAID 50% OF CHARGE, BUT NOW PAY 100%. DEALER ADVSD OF PROBLEM W/ORIG VENDOR PRODUCING FAULTY HEAD GASKET. CONTACT CHRYSLER FOR ASSISTANCE.

ON SUNDAY JULY 23, 2000, I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM A RESTAURANT WITH MY FAMILY, I CAME UP TO AN INTERSECTION AND STOPPED. AFTER APROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS AT THE STOP LIGHT, I NOTICED THE AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN BLOWING HOT AIR. I IMMEDIATELY GLANCED AT THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE IN THE CAR. IT HAD RISEN TO APROXIMATELY 3/4 OF THE WAY TOWARD THE RED MARK. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE AC OFF AND THEN TURNED THE HEAT ON AS TO NOT RAISE THE HEAT ANYMORE THAN WHAT IT ALREADY WAS. I WAS WITHIN A MILE OF MY MECHANICS , SO I DROVE OVER THERE AND DROPPED OFF THE CAR. ON THE NEXT DAY, MY MECHANIC CALLED ME TO TELL ME THAT MY HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. HE THEN TOLD ME THAT THESE CARS WERE KNOWN FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. I THEN CALLED SMITHFIELD DODGE ( WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR ) THEY GAVE ME THE SERVICE MANAGER AND HE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE HAVING ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKETS ON THE NEONS. HE TOLD ME TO CALL THE COMPLAINTS LINE AT DODGE/CHRYSLER AND THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY THAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY REPAIR IT FOR FREE AS THEY WERE ON THE VERGE OF A RECALL WITH THESE CARS. MY WIFE CALLED AND LEFT A MESSAGE WITH THE REGIONAL DISTRICT MANAGER WHO CALLED ME BACK AND TRIED TO STRIKE UP A BOGUS DEAL WITH ME, OFFERING TO FIX THE CAR FOR 544.00 SAYING THIS WAS THE BEST THEY WERE GOING TO DO. I HAD ALSO HEARD FROM PEOPLE OVER THE INTERNET WHO HAD ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR REPAIRS AND, THEY TOO WERE ALSO OVER THE WARRANTY. I ALSO HEARD THAT THIS

MY CAR HAD EXACTLY 12000 MILES ON IT WHEN PURCHASED. AT AROUND MILE 43000, THE CAR BEGAN TO LEAK OIL. I THEN TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE VALVE COVER GASKET. THE REPAIR WAS TO COST ME $800 UNTIL HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS REOCCURING IN DODGE NEONS AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THE DODGE DEALERSHIP TOOK CARE OF IT. THEN, AROUND MILE 70000, THE CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT TREMENDOUSLY, GOING DEAD EVERY TIME THE GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BEGAN TO GO HAYWIRE, THE BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND AS WELL AS THE THERMOSTAT. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND FOR THIS TO BE MY DEPENDABLE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION, IT IS TRULY A JOKE. THE DODGE CORPORATION SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU!*AK

THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED ON TWO OCCASIONS CAUSING OIL LEAKAGE. *MJS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

I AM CONCERNED ABOUT OIL LEAKS FROM MY 2.0L 16V ENGINE, AT 29,000 MILES THE DEALER CORRECTED THE OILLEAK BY REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET. AT THAT TIME I ALSO COMPLAINED OF A NOISE (LIFTER KNOCK), THEY SAID IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL AND I LET IT GO. NOW I HAVE 46,000 MILES ON THE VEHICAL AND THE OIL CONTINUES TO DRIP AND THE SO-CALLED NORMAL LIFTER NOISE NOW SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE WHEN IT IS COLD. IT IS NOW PAST ITS WARRANTY PERIOD. I WOULD LIKE TO LET THE MANUFACTURE KNOW ABOUT MY PROBLEM AND REFER TO AN ARTICLE CONTAINED IN THE SEATTLE TIMES NEWSPAPER DATED MARCH 24, 2000 PAGE F1 ENTITLED "CHRYSLER QUIETLY PAYS HEAD-GASKET BILLS ON NEON".*AK

OIL FROM LEAKING HEAD GASKET AND VALVE COVER GASKET LEAK DIRECTLY ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSING FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. I HAVE KNOWN AND READ OF MANY,MANY OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. OIL LEAKAGE IN EXCESS OF 3 QTS. PER WEEK. THE SMELL OF BURNING OIL INSIDE OF THE CAR IS NOXIOUS. I HAVE A 3 MONTH OLD BABY, A 5 YEAR OLD, AND MY WIFE AND WE CAN HARDLY TAKE A 30 MINUTE TRIP WITHOUT HAVING TO STOP FOR FRESH AIR. THERE IS A DEFINATE POSSIBILITY OF THE DRIVER OR PASSENGERS LOSING CONCIOUSNESS. SMOKE HAS BEEN VISIBLE INSIDE THE CAR BEFORE FROM THE BURNING OIL. *AK

WENT TO START VEHICLE IN THE MORNINGS AND IT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING WAS CLOGGING THE ENGINE. LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED PUDDLE OF OIL. CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

EVAPORATOR COIL, EXPANSION VALVE & HOSES REPLACED; FREON ADDED X4; AC STILL FAILS; HAS FAILED 4 TIMES SINCE AUGUST, 1999. DOES NOT BLOW COLD AIR.*AK

I SEE WHERE THE AIR BAG IMPACT SENSOR IS ON THE RECALL LIST YOU HAVE PROVIDED, BUT I REPORTED IT ALSO. MY NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT IS THE WAY MY VEHICLE AND SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES THE SAME COLOR AS MINE IS PEELING. MY VEHICLE COLOR IS LAPIS BLUE AND THE PAINT IS PEELING ALL OVER. I'VE TOOK IT TO THREE DODGE DEALERS, AND NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PAINT PEELING. WHEN THE VEHICLE FIRST STARTED PEELING ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I HAD IT, I TOOK IT TO ARCHER DODGE IN HOUSTON, TX. AND I WAS SOLD SOME LAPIS BLUE TOUCH-UP PAINT BY ONE OF THE SERVICE AGENTS, AND FROM THAT POINT MY VEHICLE CONTINUED TO PEEL , AND TO THIS DATE THE PAINT PEELING IS UNBELIEVEABLE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT'S PEELING DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S ERROR. LIKE I SAID THERE ARE SEVERAL LAPIS BLUE DODGE NEONS THAT ARE PEELING, AND I DO HAVE AT LEAST TEN OTHER LICENSE PLATES NUMBERS TO THE OTHER LAPIS BLUE NEONS THAT ARE PEELING. HERE IT IS I'M PAYING A CAR NOTE FOR A VEHICLE THAT LOOKS HORRIBLE AND IT TAKES AWAY FROM THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS ISN'T FAIR TO THE CONSUMERS, BEING THAT THIS PAINT PEELING IS DUE TO ERROR OF THE MANUFACTURER. THE PEELING OF THE PAINT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MILEAGE NEITHER, AS SOME ARE TRYING TO CONNECT TOGETHER. I'VE SEEN OLDER MODEL VEHICLES THAT STILL HAVE THEIR ORIGINAL PAINT JOB , AND THERE'S NO PEELING AT ALL. THE PAINT PEELING WILL SPEAK FOR ITSELF. I ALSO WAS TOLD AT ONE OF THE DEALER'S I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THAT THEY COULD GET THE VEHICLE PAINTED, BUT THAT I WOULD HA

HEATER BLOWER MOTOR FAILED. NLM

THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND HEAD GASKET FAILED. *SLC

CONSUMER NOTICED A SEVERE OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE REAR OR THE HEAD GASKET, THE OIL IS RUNNING DOWN ONTO THE AXLES AND EXHAUST PIPE RESULTING IN A STRONG SMELL OD BURNING OIL. NLM

DASH WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND THEN CAR OVERHEATED, CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AGAIN. HAD TO BE TOWED.*AK

TEMPERATURE GAUGE ALARM WENT OFF, WARNING CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS RUNNING HOT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN . *AK

SIMILAR COMPLAINTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILED WIT REGARDS TO OIL LEAKS AT THE HEAD GASKET. ATTEMPTED REPAIR WERE MADE APPROX. 1 1/2 MONTHS AFTER LEAK WAS DISCOVERED. TWO ATTEMPTS TO REPLACE THE LEAKING GASKET WERE MADE BY A LISENCED MECHANIC. AFTER THESE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. *AK

EVERY TIME IT RAINS OUR TRUNK GETS SOAKED AND THE WATER MOVES THROUGH THE FLOOR BOARD CARPET AND SOAKES THE FLOOR FROM FRONT TO BACK. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN CITY VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING. STOPPED FOR A LITTLE WHILE TO LET THE VEHICLE COOLDOWN. STARTED UP AGAIN AND IT WORKED FINE. THEN, IT HAPPENED AGAIN TWO DAYS LATER. CONTACTED DEALER , VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. HE LOOKED AT IT, AND SAID THAT THERE WAS AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. *AK

POINT OF IMPACT WAS DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. NEON WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO SUSPENSION AND ENGINE DAMAGE. *AK

HEAD GASKET AND CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILED RESULTED IN OIL LEAKAGE. *MJS

PAINT HAS BUBBLED, CRACKED AND PEELED OFF LEAVING THE METAL BARE. RUSTING HAS ALREADY STARTED IN SEVERAL SPOTS AND IT GETTING WORSE. HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT PAINT PEELING IS A FACTORY DEFECT BUT CHRYSLER IS DENYING FAULT.NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY.

SEVERAL MACHANICS HAVE MENTIONED SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN/ON DODGE NEONS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

ENGINE LEAKED OIL FROM THE BOTTOM WHERE THERE ALWAYS WAS SMELL AS IF VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 20-25 MPH AND COMING DOWN HILL ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING OUT OF DRIVEWAY & DIDN'T STOP, CONSUMER REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT, AND AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. NO INJURIES. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK

DODGE NEON HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE HEAD GASKETS- ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THEM ( 4 X'S IN JUST 7000 MILES ) WERE FUTILE- CHRYSLER SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES. *AK

ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING MAJOR OIL LEAK/HEAD ALSO BADLY PITTED. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AT ONLY 56,000.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

MY CAR HAS HAD TO HAVE A CIRCUT BOARD, FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, AND NEW GASKETS AT ONLY TWO YEARS OLD AND 39280 MILES. I FEEL THAT THE CIRCUT BOARD COULD CAUSE CRASH OR INJURY BECAUSE I CANNOT TELL HOW FAST I AM DRIVING OR IF I HAVE GAS IN MY CAR. I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS A NEON WITH THE SAME PROBLEM (CIRCUT BOARD) THAT THEY HAD FIXED JUST THE WEEK BEFORE.

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING FLUID. TIRES WOULD MAKE NOISES WHEN TURNING. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS ON TIRES & HAD THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED. REPAIRS ON TIRES HAVE BEEN DONE AT LEAST 3 TIMES. PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK *ML

CONSUMER NOTICED OIL LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER HAS NOT YET CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM. *AK

CURRENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH LEAKAGE AROUND HEAD GASKET, REPAIRED FOLLOWING OIL LEAK AROUND CAM SENSOR HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH CAR WHICH CHRYSLER SAYS IS NOT RECALLED AND WILL NOT HELP ME WITH THESE REPAIRS ALTHOUGH YOU SHOW THEM AS BEING RECALLED PARTS. *AK

NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE 1 MO. AGO. PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN THREE YEAR OLD VEHICLE. AIR BAGS ALSO FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END COLLISION. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED, HOWEVER CHRYSLER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS SINCE THESE PROBLEMS APPEAR TO BE OVERWHELMINGLY COMMON.*AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH OIL LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. DEALER NOTIFIED,AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

ONLY HAD CAR FOR 2 1/2 YEARS, SHOULDN,T BE HAVING THSE PROBLEMS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED OIL LEAKAGE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. VEHCILE HAS ALSO HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *AK

THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE HEAD GASKETS AND A TRANSMISSION REPLACED ONCE, AS WELL AS THREE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCHES BECAUSE THE BACK UP LIGHTS WOULD NOT SHUT OFF, THERE IS ALSO A CLNKING SOUND IN THE FRONT END AND SAFETY TSB'S ON IT AND THE DEALER STILL REFUSED TO CORRECT IT WHEN UNDER BUMPER TO BUMPER, DODGE'S PHILOSOPHY IS WAIT TILL THE BUMPER TO BUMPER IS DONE TO HAVE THE PERSON PAY EITHER WITH THE DEDUCTABLE ON THE SERVICE CONTRACT OR OUT OF POCKET. LEGISLATION SHOULD BE PASSED TO HAVE A 3-36 WAR. ON ALL REPLACEMENT PARTS INSTALLED DURING A WAR. PERIOD INCASE OF FAILURE.

IN THE FIST MONTH I HAD THE VEHICLE IT BLEW 4 OXYGEN SENSORS.WHEN YOU GO TO BRAKE THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL COMES ON, ALSO THE CAR WILL SHOCK YOU WHEN YOU GET OUT EVEN WHEN IT IS TRUNED OFF. THE LOCKS ON THE SEAT BELTS IN THE BACK SEAT HAS BROKEN OFF FOR NE REASON. THE BACK SE

LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, THE HEAD GASKET ON MY YOUNG NEON HAS BLOWN.I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES SQUEALING, POWER STEERING LOCKING UP IN WET WEATHER AND THE TURN SIGNAL NOW ONLY WORKS WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT. THE RADIO HAD TO BE REPLACED THE FIRST YEAR I OWNED THE CAR - AND IT TOOK THE DEALER NEARLY A MONTH TO GET THAT DONE.

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN LEAKING OIL DUE TO A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH WHICH CAUSED AN OIL LEAK. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE AT CONSUMER'S COST.

VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG RESULTED IN WINDOWS EXPLODING AND CUTTING DRIVERS FACE. DRIVER ALSO SUSTAINED BURNS TO ARM FROM THE AIRBAG. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED DURING A SIDE IMPACT CRASH. NLM