1998 Plymouth Neon complaints

HEAD GASKET BLEW ON 1998 NEON. DID NOT NOTICE UNTIL OIL DUMPED ALL OVER GARAGE FLOOR. LUCKILY REPAIRED FOR FREE, BUT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM ON NEONS. CHRYSLER SHOULD MAKE REPAIRS FOR FREE UP TO 100,000 MILES BECAUSE IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT. THERE ARE 108 POSTS IN THE BAD NEON HEAD GASKET DISCUSSION GROUP ON THE INTERNET. SUPPOSEDLY THERE IS A "SECRET WARRANTY" OUT ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT CHRYSLER APPLIES IT INCONSISTENTLY. I DO NOT HAVE THE VIN BECAUSE I JUST TRADED IT LAST WEEK, BUT STILL CONCERNED BECAUSE I BOUGHT ANOTHER '98 NEON ON 1/28/01. *AK

NOTICED OIL STAIN ON GARAGE FLOOR AND TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC WHO PUT IT ON A LIFT AND DETERMINED VISUALLY THAT THERE EXISTS AN OIL LEAK AT HEAD GASKET. ADVISED ME TO TAKE CAR TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. HIS COMPUTER SEARCH INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH 1998 NEONS AND IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY 3 YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED 10/30/2000. I CALLED DEALER AND ARRANGED FOR APPOINTMENT ON MONDAY 01/22/2001 AND HOPE THIS WILL BE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY SINCE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. INFORMING YOU FOR THE RECORD OF EXISTING PROBLEM.

WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH ON FREEWAY, LOST FEELING IN STEERING, DEALER FOUND THAT ENGINE MOUNTS WERE LOOSE, DEALER REPLACED ENGINE MOUNTS. *TT

ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO A TECHNICIAN, AND TECHNICIAN SAID THERE WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CRANKSHAFT SENSOR FAILED AND STOPPED ENGINE. *AK

THIS CAR IS THE WORST. I HAVE LOST MORE WAGES FROM MISSING WORK DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THIS VEHICLE. I AM GOING TO BE CONTACTING MY ATTORNEY FOR LEMON LAWS IN OUR STATE. NO ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP EVEN WANTS TO DEAL WITH ME OR MY PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR REASONS WHY CERTAIN "FIXED" THINGS SEEM TO ALWAYS BE BREAKING DOWN? I AM GOING TO GET RID OF IT ASAP. * NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONE DIN SUMMARY. *AK

REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE AND WON'T PROTECT OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF A CRASH. ALSO, VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE OVERHEATING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AT 46,000 MILES. DEALR HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

DURING RECENT HEAVY RAINS CONSUMER VEHICLE EXPERIENCED LEAKAGE PROBLEM IN BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY UNITS WHICH IN TURN, OVERFLOWED DOWN INTO THE SPARE TIRE WELL AND FLOWED INTO THE INTERIOR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT COLLECTING IN THE BACK SEAT FLOORBOARD ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT PASSENGER SEAT LOCATIONS, DEALER REFUSED ASSISTANCE. NLM

HEAD GASKET FAILED CAUSING OIL LEAK. *ET

VEHICLE LEAKING OIL SEVERELY; AT OIL CHANGE TOLD CAM SEAL BROKE. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO AFFECT THE HANDLING OF THE CAR. THE NOISE OCCURS AFTER THE CAR IS COMPLETELY WARMED UP, WHETHER THE CAR IS MOVING OR STOPPED AND IS HEARD WHEN THE CAR IS IN OR OUT OF DRIVE. IT IS A GRINDING NOISE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A COLLISION. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISES THAT I 'JUST GO BUY A BATTERY.' I THINK IT IS UNREASONABLE FOR A CAR TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS AFTER TWO YEARS, ALTHOUGH THE MILEAGE IS HIGH, THESE ARE NOT HARD MILES IN MY OPINION. *AK

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL, AND WAS CONSUMING ALOT A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER NOTICED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS PUMPING OIL ONTO THE ROAD SURFACE. ACCORDING TO DEALER, CHRYSLER HAS UPGRADED THE GASKET THREE TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DLR CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAPPEN 3XS. *AK

WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75MPH WHEN A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT WITH DEER, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. VEHICLE TOWED TO BODY SHOP. WHILE AT BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS, MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND LOCATION OF AIR BAG SENSORS. FOUND WIRING HARNESS FOR AIR BAGS. 1 INJURY. NO EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT.*AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND CRACKED HEAD. MECHANIC SAYS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN IN ABOUT A YEAR AS WELL HE SAYS IT IS A REACCURING PROBLEM FOR THE NEONS.

UPON COMPLETION OF OTHER REPAIRS TO ACCIDENT DAMAGE WE DISCOVERED AN OIL LEAK, WHICH WE WERE TOLD WAS UNRELATED TO THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. AFTER INVESTIGATING WE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN NEONS. *AK

WHEN DRIVING OR UPON MAKING A STOP VEHICLE CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER BELIEVES THE INSIDE DOOR LOCK ARE POORLY DESIGNED ENABLING THIEVES TO EASILY USE A COAT HANGER OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO BREAK INTO THE VEHICLE, CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS BROKEN INTO BUT NOT STOLEN BECAUSE THE CLUB WAS IN USE. NLM

THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL, DEALER REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY, BATTERY AND THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR BUT THE CONDITION STILL EXIST. NLM

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT DOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 40MPH AND VEHICLE T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND BOTH AIRBAGS: SIDE DOOR DIDN'T DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS INJURED. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK *ML

CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC AT SEARS FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHECK, AND MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK AND A TRANSMISSION LEAK. *AK

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL, A HOLE WAS UNDERNEATH THE CARRIAGE WHICH WAS FULL OF OIL.*AK

SUN ROOF GOES OFF TRACK. WHEN IT RAINS IT LEAKS INTO THE TRUNK. CONTACTED DEALER AT LEAST TEN TIMES. DEALER NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR SUN ROOF APPROPRIATELY. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING ON A NORMAL ROAD CONDITION AT 40 MPH, BOTH AIR BAGS UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED, AND CAUSED INJURIES TO DRIVER RIGHT SIDE WAIST/HAND, AND UP TO SHOULDER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE. TOOK TO DEALER AND REPLACED THE SEAL. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. TOOK BACK, AND THEY REPLACED THE CAM. *AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE CAUSING FAILURE. *YC

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE HAS BAD VIBRATION AND MAKES A LOT OF NOISE. DEALER SAYS THE FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE, BUT VEHICLE IS OKAY TO DRIVE. *AK

VEHICLE BEEN EXPERIENCING VARIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE FOLLOWING: 1. SUN ROOF LEAKING; 2. SPARK PLUGS FAILED, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS WITHIN A YEAR; 3. OXYGEN SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS ; 4. THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE; 5. THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A BROKEN BOLT, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT, WHICH RESULTS IN INTERMITTENT STALLING. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS MATTER. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 TO 45 MPH, CONSUMER HIT A GRAVEL CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLID AND HIT A GUARDRAIL. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAG'S EXPERIENCED NO DEPLOYMENT, BUT NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. *YC

SEVERE VIBRATION & SHAKING WHENEVER VEHICLE REACHES 50 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON SIX OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. SEEKING HELP AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM NHTSA. *AK

DRIVER'S DOOR WINDOW WOULD NOT ALLOW DOOR TO CLOSE WHEN UP. SQUEALING NOISES COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. ELECTRIC LIGHT IN TRUNK FAILS TO WORK. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS ALSO UNEVEN. THE HOOD, LIGHTS & BUMPERS HAVE GAPS (LARGE GAPS ON ONE SIDE, SMALL GAPS ON OTHER SIDE). VEHICLE RUSTING UNDER HOOD. TOOK TO BODY SHOP & INFORMED VEHICLE WAS IN ACCIDENT PRIOR TO BEING SOLD BY DEALER. *AK

VEHICLE MAKES A POPPING NOISE GOING AROUND CORNERS. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ALLOWS DRIVER TO SHIFT WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES (NO/DEFECTIVE INTERLOCK). PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN ONGOING SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE. 1 PREVIOUS REPAIR ATTEMPT DID NOT RESOLVE POPPING NOISE, DEALER DID NOT ADDRESS THE SHIFT INTERLOCK PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE OCCUPANT FELL ASLEEP, THE VEHICLE WENT ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE STREET AND HAD A ROLL OVER WHICH IT ROLL OVER IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAG SHOULD OF DEPLOY BUT IT DID NOT DEPLOY AND DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE WAS HIT IN FRONT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND. CONSUMER WAS HIT IN THE REAR TOO. AFTER BEING HIT IN THE REAR, VEHICLE SPINNED AROUND AGAIN, AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON THEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

THE SUNROOF HAS NOT FUNCTIONED FOR SIX TIMES AFTER 2 DEALERS WORKED ON IT. THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM WAS VERY RUDE THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT BACK, AND THE SERVICE MANGER SAID THAT HE DIDN'T CARE, AND THAT I SHOULD TAKE THE CAR TO THE SECOND DEALER THAT WORKED ON IT. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED RESULTING IN LEAKAGE. NLM

MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WITH A 45 MPH FRONT CRASH. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED RESULTING IN LEAKAGE. MJS

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG IN COLLISION, RESULTING IN INJURY. *YC

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY

WHEN TURNING CORNERS STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP, CANNOT MOVE STEERING WHEEL FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS, CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL,WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE DEFECT. *AK

SEAT LATCH FAILED DURING VEHICLE COLLISION CAUSING THE SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE THEREFOR CAUSING INJURY TO DRIVERS NECK.

FRONT WHEEL ROTORS FAILED.MGM

SUNROOF CONTROL UNIT OUT OF ORDER. YH

OIL PAN LEAK. *YC

THE TROTTLE SOMETIMES STICKS AFTER CRUIDING ALONG AND COMING TO A STOP. AT TIMES THE ENGINE SPEED IS GREAT ENOUGH SO WHEN BRAKING, THE REAR WHEELS LOCK UP AND THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO STOP. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CHECKED THE ENGINE WHEN THE THROTTLE IS STUCK AND FOUND NO CABLES BINDING, BUT THE THROTTLE PLATE WAS NOT AT IDLE. *AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE RUNNING. LOCAL FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK