Pure Junk!! 1997 Neon 147,000km, Automatic.
Head Gasket Gone, Oil in Radiator.
3rd Alternator installed, still not getting any power to Battery!! Car Only running off battery!! New Wire Harness, Battery, Alternator, No One can Fix!!!
First gear slips first 10-20 min in morning, transmission fluid topped up!!!
Every change in gear, 1st-2nd-3nd there is a squeak!!
Clunks Hard from 1st to 2nd gear!!!
Overheats, both front fans don't work, one works sometimes.
Engine idles up and down, new sensor, didn't work!!!
Passenger side and driver side door locks broken!!!
Replaced ball joints, upper and inner tire rod ends, everything, and still hits the bumps like a tank!!!
Constantly out of alignment, always replacing tires, can't fix!!!
No interior Lights work, dome light, cigarette light, floor light, hood light, trunk light, all lights replaced, fuses good, but still no lights work at all!!!
All windows squeak loud when rolled up or down.
Can't get rear speakers to work at all, tried everything accept replace radio!!
Floor of car always wet, even if no rain for days!!!
Hood will never shut properly, scared to drive on highway, always popping up!!!
Windshield wipers about to fall off, from the link, not just the wipers.
Rear defrost won't work, but fuse OK!!
The whole car has electrical problems, in every single area!!
Still many, many, many more little problems, too much to list!!
BOUGHT FOR $3000, SO FAR SPENT SPENT $3000 IN REPAIRS, STILL WON'T RUN RIGHT, PROBABLY GOING TO SCRAP, TOO MANY PROBLEMS, POINTLESS TO SPEND ANY MORE!!! STAY AWAY FROM THESE CARS!!
Basically, this is the worst car I've ever bought. it's now sitting at my cabin, while I stay in town saving up for another car. the repair estimates run over $5000.00 and I can't sell it to anyone. I need a head gasket, and transmission rebuild, just to start, and there's no point in getting this done because I've been to 5 garage's, all professionals, and no one can fix my alternator/battery problem. the battery just won't charge at all, even after 3 new alternators, and a new wire harness!! I just can't understand why there is so many problems with this car, and even the cars manufacturer can fix its own problems!!! I just want everyone to know that huge problems come with these cars, buyers beware!! and if anyone knows what might be wrong with my battery not charging up, please respond to my comments, it would really help out. the developers of this car should be ashamed. there is not one thing good about this car. it is sad when people spend so much time and money in a car like this, and can never drive it. my car is a 1997, always at the dealer, and should not have so many problems.
Actually Consumer Reports already gives this vehicle it's lowest possible reliability rating. My suggestion is that you pick up a copy of their annual used car buyer guide BEFORE you purchase your next vehicle.
Sorry dude, but I just know of way too many people who have bought these mass-produced lemons. Dodge really puts way too much money into their styling and not enough, if any, into quality control.
The headgasket is a common problem, if you have the money and the time get a new top end. For overheating problems try changing the thermostat, thermostat housing and radiator cap; you can get all of the parts from any auto parts store for under $40. Get a new fan relay switch it's a $12 dollar part at the store, you have to remove the battery and battery housing to get to it and it should be on the right side. Transmission is another problem the Neon faces, I replaced mine at 97,000 due to heavy jerking shifts from 1st to 2nd. I got a rebuilt one for $570 and its doing just fine. To fix the door lock problems you're going to have to take it to the dealership or a certified mechanic because chrysler made a special clip tool to fix that. Have you ever thought the bulbs may be burned out in your lights? Another common problem with the Neon is the up and down stream 02 sensors failing, Don't go with replacements from Mopar, instead go to your autoparts store and get Bosch or another aftermarket company. In my Neon the brakes seemed to go out awfuly fast so I replaced the rotors with Powerslot drilled and slotted rotors and Hawk brakes, my brakes no longer sqeek and they last longer. Most of the problems you and a friend can do at home and save a ton of money.
The idling up and down is your air conditoner pump. its out of refrigerent so it causes it to idle ruff.
Your charging problem may be caused by the battery temp sensor. it is located in the bottom front of the battery box. a friend of mine did an engine swap and didn't plug this back in. his car wouldn't charge at all. new battery, new alternator, nothing worked. it only ran off the battery. after 2 weeks of looking we noticed sensor was unplugged. plugged it in everything worked again. turns out the sensor regulates battery charging in relation to battery temp. when battery temp goes up charging goes down. and when unplugged no charge. hope this info helps someone.
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