1997 DODGE NEON Complaints

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING AND LEAKING OIL, CONSUMER REPLACED THERMOSTAT WHICH SUFFICED FOR 2 MONTHS, BUT VEHICLE STALLED OUT COMPLETELY, VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, THIS WAS THE SECOND GASKET THAT WAS REPLACED WHICH WAS INSTALLED BY RECALL. *TT

WHILE PARKED, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER FOUND TRANSMISSION LINES LOOSE. VEHICLE SHIFTING BY ITSELF DUE TO A STICKY CABLE. OIL LEAK IN ENGINE. DEALER FOUND HEADGASKET FAILURE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ENGINE RUNS ROUGH. CAMSHAFT REPLACED. VEHICLE SHAKES AND TREMBLES WHILE BRAKING. WEATHERSTRIPPING FELL OFF ON DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. ANTIFREEZE LEAKING. DEALER REPLACED WATER PUMP. BATTERY CLAMP LOOSE CAUSING BATTERY LIGHT TO STAY ON. *AK *TT

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE BLOCK.*AK

RECALL 97V080000/AIR BAG: WHILE DRIVING, THE BELL ALARM WENT OFF AND THEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT SENOR CAME ON AND WENT OFF, DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN.*AK. CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REPLACED THE MODULE.*JB

NEON HEAD GASKET BLOWN, HAD TO PAY 680$ TO HAVE REPLACED. THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS. PLEASE CONTACT ME ABOUT THIS, AND WHAT SHOULD I DO. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

I PURCHASED THIS CAR WITH APPROXIMATELY 26,000 MILES ON IT AND HAVE TAKEN METICULOUS CARE OF IT, INCLUDING ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE COST I'VE BEEN QUOTED TO REPLACE THIS HEAD GASKET IS APPROXIMATELY $977. A PART LIKE THAT SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE ENGINE... NOT 61,000 MILES. JUDGING FROM ALL THE POSTINGS I'VE READ ON THE INTERNET, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON FAILURE MODE FOR THE NEON ENGINE AND I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BEAR SOME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A PART LIKE THIS THAT IS FAILING PREMATURELY.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET STARTED LEAKING AT 60200 MILES, VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET.*AK

I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH NEONS MADE IN 97 AND THEY SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. ALSO THE PAINT IS COMING OFF. I HAVE SEEN MANY NEON'S SINCE I BOUGHT MINE, WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. . NO SAFETYD EFEC TMENTIONED. *AK

A SPLIT ON LEFT SIDE OF ALL 1997, DODGE, NEON BUMPERS. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK

HEAD GASKET BEGAN LEAKING, CONSUMER MADE ATTEMPTS TWO MONTHS LATER TO SCHEDULE REPAIRS UNDER AN 8 YEAR 80000 MILE WARRANTY, HOWEVER DEALER WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE WARRANTY, 2 MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE BLEW OUT BECAUSE OF THE LEAKING HEAD GASKET, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIR COSTS. *SLC