2000 PLYMOUTH NEON Complaints

ENGINE OIL LEAKS THREE SET OF HEAD GASKETS/ TRANSMISSION SLIPPING REBUILT THREE TIMES/ POWERSTEERING PUMP REPLACED 2 TIMES / SPEED CONTOL DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE CLOCKING SPRING DEFECTIVE IN AIR BAG CONTROL/ DEALER STATED THA MANUFACTURE WOULD ON PAY FOR PARTS ONLY AND THE COUSTOMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE LABOR OUT OF THE TWO PLUS YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEAD LIGHT SWICH BURNED OUT WHICH CAUSED THE CABLE TO BURN AND THE HEAD LIGHT NO LONGER WORK.DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. NLM

I PURCHASED A NEW PLYMOUTH NEON 2000 ON 12/11/99. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. IT WAS DISCOVERED AT MY FIRST GAS-UP THAT I WAS A QUART LOW ON OIL. I HAD ALSO EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE LOSING POWER WHILE I WAS SITTING IN TRAFFIC AT A STOP LIGHT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP (WINDWARD DODGE-HAWAII)RIGHT AWAY. THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IN THE CAR FOR DIAGNOSIS. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AND COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAKAGE. I CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. LOSS OF OIL, LOSS OF POWER AND STALLING. I WENT TO THE LOCAL DEALER 2 MORE TIMES BEFORE CALLING THE CORPORATION TO MAKE A CASE. I CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS AFTER CALLING THE CORP AND WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP A 4TH TIME, THEY TOLD ME THAT MY NAME HAD BEEN RAISED IN A MEETING AND THAT THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF ME. WHEN I GOT THERE, I SURPRISED TO BE ASKED TO PURCHASE THIS NEW CAR AT AN ADDITIONAL $4000. I WAS TOLD THAT MY MODEL WAS DISCONTINUED AND THE ONLY CAR THEY HAD WAS AN UPGRADED MODEL WHICH COST MORE. I RAISED HOLY HELL IN THE PLACE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS ORDERED TO FULLY INSPECT MY CAR AND PAY FOR A RENTAL FOR ME. STILL THEY CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. NOW, MY CAR BEGAN TO LEAK OIL IN FEB 2002. THIS TIME, THE LEAK WAS VISABLE. I TOOK THE CAR TO 2 DIFFERENT REPAIRSHOPS, WHO TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CAM SHAFT GASKET. THEN WE TOOK IT TO FIRESTONE ON A MILITARY BASE. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND GAVE US A MUCH BETTER RATE SO WE SCHEDULED THE REPAIR. BUT, ON THE DAY THAT WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO THEM, WE GOT A CALL BACK STATING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT WHAT THEY HAD ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET WHICH REQUIRES EXTENSIVE ENGINE WORK. THEY TOLD US THAT 15 CARS HAD COME IN TO THEM IN 1 WEEK WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. THEY WERE ALL PLYMOUTH NEONS. (DUE TO THE LIMITATIONS IN THIS FIELD, I AM UNABLE TO FILL IN THE DETAILS. PLEASE CONTACT ME REGARDING WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE). *AK

CALIPER BOLTS WERE LOOSE AND WERE MAKING A NOISE. AFTER CHECKING FOUND THAT THESE BOLTS WERE LOOSE BEFORE THEY FELL OUT COMPLETELY.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE A/C VENTS WERE LOOSE AND BROKE. *YH

WHEN IT WAS TIME TO DO THE BRAKE INSPECTION ON THE FRONT BRAKES, SO I HAD MY DAD A MECHANIC INSPECT THEM. THE SQUEAKER ON THE DRIVERS SIDE JUST STARTED TO MAKE NOISE ABOUT 1 WEEK PRIOR TO THE INSPECTION. ON THE DAY BEFORE I TOOK IT TO MY DAD TO BE INSPECTED THE BRAKE PETAL SANK TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP CAUSING US TO SKID & SLIDE TO THE RIGHT ALMOST HITTING ANOTHE VEHICLE,WHILE WE HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN MY DAD TOOK THE LEFT TIRE OFF TO INSPECT THE BRAKES HE DISCOVERED THAT THE CALIPER WAS STUCK AND IT CAUSED THE ROTOR TO BE COMPLETLEY DAMAGED (EVEN THE COOLING FINS ON THE BACK OF THE ROTOR WERE ALMOST GONE.THE RIGHT SIDE FRONT BRAKE WAS ONLY ABOUT 70% WORN THE SQUEAKER WASN'T EVEN SQUEAKING YET. I HAVE RESEARCHE THE HISTORY OF CALIPERS AND I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST FOREVER UNLESS IT IS DEFECTIVE. PEOPLES CHRYSLER IN FOLSOM,CA HAS INSPECTED CAR AND SAID CALIPER IS SHOT. I KNOW THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS RECALLED, I HAVE RESEARCHED A COUPLE OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM THROUGHT NHTSA. I HAVE TO PAY $300.00 FOR THE REPAIR OF CAR BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE CALIPER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE SO OTHERS WONT HAVE TO PUT IN SAME SITUATION. I HAD TO USE MY RENT MONEY FOR THE REPAIRS JUST SO I COULD GET TO MY JOB. *AK

TRANSMISSION CAN SLIDE BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

CONSUMERS ARE WRITING ON THE BEHALF OF THEIR SON AARON LEE MAYANRD, CONSUMER STATES WHILE THEIR SON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT WENT OUT OF CONTROL, HIT A DIRT BANK AND FLIPPED OVER, THE DRIVER WAS KILLED IN THIS ACCIDENT, THERE WAS NEVER A CAUSE FOR THE ACCIDENT, HOWEVER CONSUMER JUST RECEIVED RECALL 01V154 AND QUESTIONS THAT MAYBE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY THERE IS A KNOCKING AND VIBRATION UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

DRIVING VEHICLE AWAY FROM STOP SIGN, ENGINE MOUNT GAVE AND ENGINE FELL ONTO THE FRONT AXLE, CRUSHING IT. PREVIOUSLY INSPECTED DUE TO LOUD SOUNDS WHEN BACKING UP AND PUTTING CAR INTO GEAR. DEALER GAVE CAR BACK SAYING IT WAS "FINE". IF THIS HAD HAPPENED GOING 65 MPH I'D BE DEAD RIGHT NOW. PLEASE BRING INSIST ON SERVICE IF YOU HEAR ANY SOUNDS WHEN YOU BACK UP OR START OFF IN GEAR...THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER. DEALER REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEFECT.*AK

THERE IS LEAKAGE OF WATER IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE AFTER IT RAINS OR AFTER A CAR WASH. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK