Dodge Neon Complaints (2003)

202 consumer complaints on file.

#10266032April 19, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DECEMBER 2008, HEADLIGHTS WORKING FINE DURING TRIP, STOPPED FOR GAS, AND HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. USED HIGH BEAMS FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND THEN SWITCHED TO LOW BEAMS WERE THEN WORKING. HAPPENED AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH FOR THE NEXT YEAR. EARLY MARCH, NOTICED A BURNING SMELL, THOUGHT IT WAS OUTSIDE, LIGHTS WERE WORKING FINE. WHILE DRIVING ALONE AT NIGHT APRIL 2009, TRIED TO USE HIGH BEAMS, BUT MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WOULD NOT STAY IN PLACE, HAD TO HOLD THE SWITCH BACK FOR HIGH BEAMS TO WORK. MY HANDS BECAME VERY WARM SITTING ON THE STEERING WHEEL, FELT CLOSER TO THE STEERING COLUMN AND WAS INCREDIBLY HOT. THERE WAS NOWHERE TO STOP, HAD TO KEEP DRIVING ANOTHER HOUR OR SO. STOPPED FOR 5 MINUTES AND SHUT OFF VEHICLE, WHEN VEHICLE TURNED BACK ON, HEADLIGHTS WOULDN'T WORK. HAD TO DRIVE WITH ONLY PARKING LIGHTS AT 2AM, VERY UNSAFE! EVER SINCE, HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER WORK. THIS HAS CLEARLY BEEN AN ISSUE, AND IT VERY EASY TO FIND INFORMATION AND OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. THIS COULD HAVE CLEARLY BECOME AN EVEN WORSE PROBLEM. TRIED TO REPLACE THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH, BUT THE PLUG WAS MELTED IN PLACE. PARTS WERE BURNED BLACK AND BROWN AND INCREDIBLY BRITTLE FROM THE INTENSE HEAT THAT EMANATED FROM THE WIRING. THIS FINAL PROBLEM HAPPENED AT ABOUT 90,000 MILES. I AM STILL CURRENTLY WAITING TO FIND THE LARGE SUM OF MONEY TO GET THIS FIXED. I AM CURRENTLY NOT ABLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT , SINCE I DO NOT HAVE PROPER LIGHTING. AFRAID TO EVEN USE PARKING LIGHTS, AS THIS SUPPLIES ELECTRICAL JUICE TO THE SWITCH AND COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE, AS I HAVE READ ABOUT OTHER OWNER'S PROBLEMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10265681April 16, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY HEADLIGHTS AND FOGLIGHTS WOULD PERIODICALLY SHUT OFF OR NOT COME ON. THEN ONLY THE BRIGHTS WOULD WORK AND WHILE DRIVING WOULD SHUT OFF ALTOGETHER. FINALLY THE HEADLIGHTS AND FOGLIGHTS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. THE MARKER LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS STILL WORK, BUT I HAVE NO ILLUMINATION AHEAD OF ME. IT REQUIRED A SWITCH AND CONNECTOR CHANGE. SO FAR THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER NEONS THAT HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM AND THE DEALER REFUSES TO HELP US IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM. THE OLD PARTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION AND THE OEM BULBS ARE STILL AROUND AS WELL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257367February 3, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AT 60,000 MILES MY 2003 DODGE NEON R/T STARTED SMOKING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS DUST CAUGHT BY THE SUNLIGHT AND SINCE NOTHING APPEARED TO BE WRONG WITH MY CAR, I FORGOT ABOUT IT - ONE WEEK LATER- I STARTED BY CAR AND MY HEADLIGHTS WOULDN'T WORK, CONCERNED AND REMEMBERING THE "DUST IN THE SUNLIGHT THE WEEK BEFORE, I CALLED THE DODGE DEALERSHIP IN THE AREA AND DROPPED OFF MY CAR A LITTLE WHILE LATER. TURNS OUT THE WIRING HARNESS ON THE STEERING COLUMN HAD OVERHEATED AND MELTED TOGETHER ( THERE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE GAS TANK PRESSURE BUT I COULD NEVER GET THEM TO TELL EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS) LUCKILY THE HARNESS WAS NOT COMPLETELY DESTROYED SO THE WIRES COULD JUST BE REPLACED. I ASKED THEM WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM AND IF THEY WERE JUST REPLACING WIRES, WELL, WOULDN'T IT HAPPEN AGAIN? ONCE AGAIN ALL I GOT WERE VAGUE NON COMMITALE ANSWERS, A 1,200 DOLLAR BILL, PLUS, I WAS REFUSED A COURTESY VEHICLE - YEAH I HAD TO FOOT THE BILL FR DRIVING A RENTAL CAR FOR A WEEK. I RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THE 1996 NEON HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED, ALSO, THE PT CRUISER HAS THE SAME DEFECT. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND BASICALLY WHAT WENT WRONG WAS MY FAULT, SOME HOW. AGAIN VERY VAGUE AND NON-COMMITTAL. I FOUND OUT THAT UNLESS A PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE, MEANING I GUESS THAT A FEW PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE, A RECALL WILL NOT BE ISSUED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252274December 19, 2008
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE NEON. EVERYTIME THE CONTACT ACTIVATES THE HEAT IN THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED AN INFLUX OF CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE VEHICLE. HE EXHIBITS PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING, SUCH AS FEELING LIGHT HEADED. THE DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE OR FIND A REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248209November 9, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2003 DODGE NEON SRT-4 WAS MAKING A FUNNY SMELL AT NIGHT THEN MY LIGHTS WENT OUT AND THEY WOULD ONLY WORK WITH MY BRIGHT SWITCH PULLED BACK. I PULLED APART AND SAW THAT MY SWITCH TO MY MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WAS BURNT. I WENT TO DODGE AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. SO I BOUGHT A NEW MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH AND PLUG. I DO HAVE ALL THE OLD PARTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10245873October 18, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2003 DODGE NEON, LOW BEAMS QUIT WORKING A FEW WEEKS LATER THE FOG LIGHTS BECAME INTERMITTENT, THEN EVENTUALLY QUIT WORKING TOO. UPON EXAMINATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CONNECTOR THAT ATTACHES TO THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH IS MELTING FROM BEING OVERHEATED DURING HEADLAMP/FOGLAMP USE. DODGE IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL ON IT. A REPAIR KIT IS AVAILABLE, THE DESCRIPTION FOR WHICH CLEARLY INDICATES THAT DODGE IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. RESEARCH ALSO REVEALS THAT THE SAME REPAIR KIT IS INDICATED FOR SEVERAL OTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCTS EXHIBITING SIMILAR DESIGN DEFICIENCIES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10245799October 17, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHEN I USE MY HEADLIGHTS FOR 15-20 MINUTES, I BEGIN TO SMELL A BURNT PLASTIC SMELL AND NOTICE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL GETS VERY WARM. AFTER 20-30 MINUTES OF HEADLIGHT USE THE LOW BEAMS JUST GO DEAD, IT "AUTOMATICALLY" SWITCHES TO HIGH BEAMS IMMEDIATELY. IF I TRY TO TURN IT BACK DOWN TO LOW BEAMS, EVERYTHING GOES DARK (*VERY* DANGEROUS AT NIGHT!). THEN I AM FORCED TO USE HIGH BEAMS AND BLIND EVERYONE ELSE FOR THE REST OF MY TRIP, OR I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND LET THE APPARENT CAUSE (THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH) COOL OFF FOR AN ETERNITY BEFORE RESUMING MY TRIP. I'M HIGHLY UNCOMFORTABLE KNOWING THAT MY CAR HAS PLASTIC BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL ON THE VERGE OF ERUPTING INTO FLAMES WHEN I USE MY HEADLIGHTS. I ALSO CONSIDER IT EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS, NOT ONLY FOR THE FIRE RISK, BUT ALSO THE LOW BEAMS DYING SUDDENLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10244647October 7, 2008
CHILD SEAT, CHILD SEAT:TETHER: STRAP/WEBBING
THE STRAP THAT ATTACHES THE CAR SEAT BASE TO THE HOOK IN THE CAR IS NOT SECURED TO THE BASE VERY WELL. THE STRAP IS SECURED BY ONE SCREW AND THE STRAP IS NOT REINFORCED WHERE THE SCREW GOES THROUGH IT SO THE HOLE STRETCHES AND EVENTUALLY BECOMES LARGER THAN THE SCREW HEAD MAKING IT SO THAT THE STRAP IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE BASE. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2003, MAKE=DODGE, MODEL=NEON). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243501September 26, 2008
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
BOUGHT CAR NEW AND I AM METICULOUS ABOUT IT'S MAINTENANCE. OIL SEAL IN MANUAL TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE NOW. ONCE IN 2004 WITH ABOUT 10,000 MI. ON THE CAR WITH NO DAMAGE TO CLUTCH DISC AND AGAIN NOW IN 2008 WITH 45,000 MI. THIS TIME THE CLUTCH DISC WAS CONTAMINATED WITH OIL AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE REPAIR UNDER CHRYSLER'S 7 YR. 70,000 MI. DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY. ENDED UP PAYING FOR A NEW CLUTCH ASSEMBLY AS WELL AS THE 100.00 DEDUCTIBLE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. THIS IS JUST ONE OF ABOUT 15 TIMES THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR MAJOR REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243503September 26, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT
BOUGHT CAR NEW. REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS HAVE FAILED TWICE ON THIS CAR AND DURING MY LAST INSPECTION THE PASSENGERS SIDE BUSHING WAS STARTING TO TEAR AND FAIL AGAIN. A LOCAL DODGE DEALER STILL INSPECTED THE CAR AFTER FIRESTONE WOULD NOT DUE TO SAFETY THE SAFETY ISSUES OF A FAILED CONTROL ARM BUSHING. FIRST FAILURE HAPPENED AT AROUND 25,000 MI. AND SECOND AROUND 40,000 MI. THEY WILL BE REPLACED AGAIN DURING NEXT YEARS SAFETY INSPECTION DONE AT FIRESTONE THIS TIME. THIS CAR IS GARBAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242401September 16, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2003 DODGE NEON BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD GO ON REVEALING LOW BRAKE FLUID. PROBLEM RESOLVED BY ADDING BRAKE FLUID AND LIGHT WOULD GO OUT. AFTER TWO INCIDENTS OF CORRECTING SAME PROBLEM CAR WAS DRIVEN AND BRAKES WERE HARD TO PRESS AND DID NOT STOP WITHIN ACCEPTABLE DISTANCES. CAR WAS INSPECTED BY SERVICEMAN AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LOWER BRAKE LINE FITTING PERPENDICULAR TO THE GROUND AND ATTACHED TO THE MASTER CYLINDERS LEAKED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU ASSUME YOU LOSE BRAKE FLUID BY USE AND IT IS REALLY A LEAK. ADDING FLUID APPEARS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT BY THE TIME YOU RECEIVED A BRAKE LIGHT WARNING AIR HAS ENTERED THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND CAUSES A SITUATION WHERE YOUR BRAKE DISTANCED IS COMPROMISED AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS YOU MAY NOT STOP WITHIN THE DISTANCE YOU ARE ACCUSTOMED TO AND THIS MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. TIGHTENING THE FITTINGS DID NOT WORK AT HE TIME OF THIS COMPLAINT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229930June 4, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WIRING MELTED IN STEERING COLUMN AND HEAD LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK. HAD TO HAVE DEALER REPAIR WIRING, REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228238May 19, 2008
TIRES
HIGH SPEED BLOW OUT AFFTER ONLY 3 1/2 MONTHS TOTALED MY CAR ON TOP OF IT. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10227006May 8, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SUDDENLY HAD NO LIGHTS ON VEHICLE EXTERIOR, HEADLIGHTS MOST NOTABLY. MECHANIC REPLACED MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH ON STEERING COLUMN BUT SHOWED ME THE PLUG FOR THIS MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN HEATING UP BECAUSE IT HAS MELTED IN SEVERAL PLACES. BY THE WAY I CANT FIND A REPLACEMENT PLUG YET. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227008May 8, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I BOUGHT MYSELF A 2003 DODGE NEON SRT-4 LAST YEAR. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO SMOKE AND MELTING PLASTIC SMELL STARTED COMING OUT OF STEERING COLUMN. THE HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS SHUT OFF ON ME ONE NIGHT COMING HOME FROM STORE. (NOT GOOD) THE NEXT DAY FOUND THAT HARNESS WAS MELTED AT CONNECTOR TO THE MFS TO THE HEADLIGHTS. I REPLACED THE SWITCH BUT FUSES BLOW IF FOG LIGHTS COME ON OR HIGH BEAMS. PLUS IT JUST STARTED SMOKING AGAIN! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10226397May 1, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH BEAMS, HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED, BUT FAILED AGAIN APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER. THERE WAS AN OPENED AND CLOSED INVESTIGATION (EA06019) FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224696April 16, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
MY HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN ON ONE MORNING. I TOOK THE STEERING COLUMN APART AND NOTICED THAT THE WIRING PLUG WAS MELTED. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE NEONS AND THE WIRING AS WELL AS THE LIGHT SWITCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224203April 11, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, SEAT BELTS:FRONT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A SEVERE CRASH AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT PROPERLY SECURE HER AND SHE STRUCK THE STEERING COLUMN. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE CONTACT NEVER SAW ANY AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. SHE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND IS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 29,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222618March 28, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY, POWER TRAIN
I AM THE 2ND HAND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN IN POSSESSION OF IT FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND 1/2 HAVE METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED IT AND IT HAS 55,000 MILE ON IT. RECENTLY THE TRANSMISSION BECAME RATHER JUMPY AND IT WAS TO GO INTO SERVICE BUT THE DAY BEFORE I WAS TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT IT WAS MORE JUMPY THAN USUAL AND I SMELT TRANS. FLUID THROUGH MY AIR VENTS. CHECKED TRANS. FLUID AND FOUND NOTHING ON THE STICK, SHUT IF OFF, LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF PINK FLUID UNDER ON THE GROUND. LOOKED AT THE LITTLE BIT OF FLUID THAT WAS THE TRANS STICK AND IT WAS THE SAME COLOR. LOOKED IN THE COOLANT, SAME FLUID AS ON THE STICK AND THE GROUND. MY RADIATOR HAD GIVEN OUT MIXING MY COOLANT WITH TRANS. FLUID. THIS LEFT ME TO PAY $974 OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE CHRYSLER WOULD NOT HELP PAY FOR THIS COMMON PROBLEM. CAR IS UNDER A 7/70K POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. RADIATOR IS NOT COVERED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216359January 29, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS:SWITCH, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
I WAS USING MY HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS AND SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM MY STEERING COLUMN. I SHUT OFF MY LIGHTS AND A FEW MINUTES LATER THE SMOKE STOPPED. THAT EVENING MY HEADLIGHTS LOST FUNCTION AND ONLY MY HIGH BEAMS WOULD WORK. MY HIGH BEAMS NOW FLICKER AND I'M FEARING THOSE WILL LOSE FUNCTION AS WELL. WHEN REMOVING THE PANEL BENEATH MY STEERING COLUMN I LOOKED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND ALL I COULD SEE IS THAT ONE OF WIRING HARNESSES IS MELTED. I'VE LOOKED AT OTHER INVESTIGATIONS THAT RELATE INCLUDING EA06019 AND PE06028. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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