1995 DODGE NEON Complaints

THIS PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET APPEARS TO BE WIDESPREAD IN THE NEONS. ALTHOUGH DC HAS NOT ADMITTED TO A FAULTY PART THEY HAVE SENT OUT SEVERAL TECHNICIAL BULLETINS ON HOW TO INSTALL A NEW GASKET AND HAVE PAID FOR THE REPAIRS IN CARS UNDER 50000 MILES. ON MY CAR THE HEAD WAS SO PITTED THAT DEALER COULD NOT REPLACE THE GASKET AND EXPECT IT TO SEAL PROPERLY. I DO NOT THINK THIS IS THE FAULT OF THE DEALER BUT A MANUFATURES DEFECT IN THE HEAD ITSELF WHICH LEAD TO THE GASKET LEAKING. ALTHOUGH MY DEALERSHIP OFFERED TO PICK UP THE COST OF THE HEAD ON A GOODWILL WARRENTY I BELIEVE THE ENTIRE COST SHOULD BE PICKED BY DC SINCE THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS DEFECT. AS IT STANDS NOW, AFTER CALLING DC CUSTOMER SERVICES THEY HAVE NOT MADE A FINAL DECISSION ON WHAT AMOUNT TO PICK UP FOR THE REPAIRS. I HAVE DILIGENTLY MAINTAINED MY CAR SINCE PURCHASING IT AND DO NOT FEEL THEY ARE JUSTIFIED IN ASKING ME TO PICK UP ANY OF THE COST ON SOMETHING CLEARLY THE FAULT OF THE MATERIAL AND THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

TRANSMISSION INTERLOCKING SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK. THE GEARS COULD BE SHIFTED WHILE DRIVING OR ACCIDENTLY AT ANYTIME.I KNOW THE 95' DODGE STRATUS HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM,BUT NO RECALL FOR THE NEON. I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CAR THE FIRST WEEK I BOUGHT IT. AT THE TIME IT DIDN'T SEEM TO MATTER,BUT NOW I HAVE CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND I'M AFRAID SOMEONE MIGHT HIT THE SHIFTER BY ACCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING 40MPH STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE. THEN, NOTICED SMOKE WAS COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN NEAR IGNITION AREA. PULLED OVER & STOPPED VEHICLE. GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AFTER TURNING IT OFF. VEHICLE DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE. AFTER AWHILE SMOKE DISAPPEARED.*AK

VEHICLE LOST POWER ONCE IT STOPPED OR AT SLOW TURNING SPEED. GAS PEDAL PUSHED TO FLOOR, AND VEHICLE WOULD ONLY GO 2 TO 3 MPH. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES, POWER WAS RESTORED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, COULD NOT FIND CAUSE. *AK THE PROBLLEM WAS REOCCURING FREQUENTLY BUT THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *YH

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING OVERHEATING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIRSHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT A HEAD GASKET FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. *AK *SLC

HEAD GASKET LEAKED. THEN HAD TO REPLACE CLUTCH BECAUSE IT FAILED AFTER OIL LEAKED ON IT. SPENT TONS OF MONEY AND IT'S NOW MY UNDERSTANDING THAT DODGE WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. WITH SUCH AS SEVERE OIL HEMMORHAGE, I'M LUCKY MY CAR IS STILL OPERATING. I'M A STUDENT AND CAN'T AFFORD THESE PROBLEMS. NO ONE CAN. AND WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. I'M IRATE. *AK

GASKET FAILURES (HEAD AND TRANSAXLE) DIAGNOSED BY ULTRAVIOLET DYE TEST. BRAKE DEFICIENY DISCOVERED IN HIGH SPEED COMMUTER TRAFFIC WITH NEAR COLLISION. THE FREQUENCY OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS FROM MANY OWNERS SUGGESTS THAT A LARGE RECALL ACTION IS IN ORDER BEFORE MANY SERIOUS ACCIDENTS RESULT.

UPON VERIFYING THAT IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET, WAS INFORMED OF OTHER SUCH PROBLEMS FROM OTHER DODGE NEON OWNERS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. WHAT OTHER PROBLEMS COULD EXIST. DO WE NEED DEATHS TO OCCURE AS WITH THE TIRES? *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE, SECOND TIME. HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED ON 'EXTENDED WARRANTY" AT 61,222 MILES. SECOND HEAD GASKET (REDO) HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 97,932 MILES. DEALER DECIDED TO "SPLIT THE COST" WITH ME, CHARGING $520.08 FOR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT DIRTY FOR ME TO PICK UP. OIL & COOLANT DRIPPING FROM UNDERCARRIAGE, FENDERS AND STEERING WHEEL GREASY. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET ,SECOND FAILURE. HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED ON EXTENDED WARRANTY AT 61,222 MI. SECOND HEAD GASKET (REDO) HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 97932 MI. DEALER "SPLIT THE COST" WITH ME, CHARGING $520.08 FOR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT DIRTY FOR ME TO PICK UP, OIL & COOLANT DRIPPING FROM UNDERCARRIAGE, FENDERS AND STEERING WHEEL GREASY. *AK