Comments: 1-15, 16-18
Head gasket.
Dash electronics.
Sometimes will not start.
Loud engine.
Turn signals went out.
My girlfriend bought this car even though I told her DO NOT buy a Chrylser product. I told her to buy a Honda. But she bought the car and what a pile of crap! It's put together cheaply, things rattle, sometimes things don't work, then the next day they will. I can't believe Chrysler put a three speed automatic in this car also! She's now waiting for the tranny to go out, since there is a problem with that too. She now regrets buying anything from this company. When trying to trade, no dealership even wants the car. We took it to a Honda dealership and they just about laughed at us! I think she learned her lesson and if she can dump it cheap, she will and buy Japanese.
Well, I couldn't agree more. I have a '96 and so far I replaced the head gasket (under warranty) and 2 PCMs (thank God under warranty) BUT I'm stuck with the on and off speedometer. (Not covered of course) Now I have to replace the instrument panel cause the other gauges go nutty too. The brakes squeak and whole car is a big pain in my side. I really got a dud. Good luck, if you're smart you'll set on fire and roast marshmallows on it.
Please, don't replace the instrument panel. My gauges finally stopped working last week. Today, I took my '97 Neon to the Chrysler dealer. They told me that I needed a new instrument panel control board at a cost of about $275.00 before labor.
With the problem isolated, I set out to check out the control board myself.
Being an electronics tech, the board proved no problem. Now my gauges work. If interested in what I did, email me at gary24630@yahoo.com
Chrysler boasted the fastest concept-to-production speed for the Neon. Hint: That means that they didn't truly do their homework!
When I read this comment about dodge neon's I died laughing. I thought my boyfriend had wrote this about me. I am always having trouble with my 2000 neon. It's a never ending battle. Next time I will be buying a HONDA. That way I know the car is going to start every day.
I read your site and I laughed. I have a 96" Plymouth neon. The biggest mistake ever! I traded in a 98" ford escort for this piece of junk. I owe about $5,500 on it and the car isn't even worth a grand. I tried to trade it in many times and I just can't win. My head gasket blew, the ac pump went, my transmission is going, and of course my instrument panel went as well. Thank God, I married a mechanic. But we've tried to fix the instrument panel for the 20th time. It's dead so now I need to replace it. Along with the $200 car payment still for the next 2 years, and taking care of my 3 kids. It's been one headache after another with this car.
I have a 1996 Plymouth Neon and the only problem I have had in 2 years is my speedometer does not work and my ignition fuse keeps blowing. Reading the other comments on this site makes me feel very lucky.
My mother just sold me her 1995 neon and she bought it new, in 95. The only problem she ever had was having to replace a tire that got a nail in it! It has never had any problems.
My dad bought me a 1996 Neon Sport Coupe w/sunroof...I must admit it is a pretty car, but what a lemon of a car... i spent so much money on parts that, I probably bought the car over 2 or 3 times... I had to change the transmission twice which cost me over...changed the throttle-body because during the winter months the car would idle at 3,000 rpms...speedomoter was changed because it works on and off... I don't even know what the real mileage is... just last week I changed the timing belt and crankshaft pulley and tensioner. Now the car is dieseling and the mechanic is telling me that I need to change the oxygen sensors... what a headache. I'm thinking of getting a Jeep Cherokee next... heard they are pretty reliable.
My 96' Neon has had many problems with the transmission (not a surprise) and brakes and now the squeak. Both front wheel areas have a nasty squeak that no mechanic has been able to get rid of. Besides that, I just baby it and it allows me to get from point A to B. What more can you ask from a Dodge
Take this comment with a grain of salt. There is a known rivalry between Honda and Dodge Neon owners. Both are popular 4 cylinder cars to hop up and take to the drag strip or auto cross circuit. The guy who wrote this is obviously a Honda fan, so naturally, would not have anything nice to say about a Dodge Neon. Neons have had their share of problems, but check reviews on any car and you will find that every manufacturer (Honda included) has had their share of problems. Such is the business of building cars... particularly when a new design hits the streets.
I truly have to say. that someone said in this forum (or whatever),that all cars have defects. Well, that may be right. but, one thing is true. DODGE NEONS! are among the worst of them. when I viewed the NEON comments vs. the TOYOTA, or even the HONDA comments. there were many more good comments than there were bad ones. DODGE NEONS are nothing but a piece of junk car. my wiring harness went out and although the car was not under warranty, and I had just had the car for less than a week. I surely complained enough to were they did fix it. NO COST!...
Sincerely, Sleepless in Ohio, over my DODGE NEON PIECE OF CRAP!!!
Does the 2003 models have the same problem??? God I hope not I just bought one.
Scared.
I have a '97 Dodge Neon and the worst problem the car had was the head gasket going out which I was aware was going to happen. I bought the car when it had 52 miles on it and now has about 160,000 miles and still runs like a champ!
I have to question how some of these people take care of their vehicles.
I have a 1996 Dodge Neon, we got it used, and so far all the more we have had to replace are both 02 sensors and a pulley that got damaged some how, not sure how yet. Beyond that it has been a cherry of a car, 106k on the odometer and still gets around 30mpg. Personally I take care of the car, its the base model, it doesn't even have power locks. 5 speed manual transmission, has been great to us, its getting time to replace the clutch, but then again around 100k miles most clutches need to be replaced, I have heard of them lasting 200k, but not very often. If you take care of the car, and follow the manufactures recommendations as to when to change fluids, belts, and parts I honestly don't see why you would have any issues, the Guage cluster I havn't heard of being a major problem, I think in my area we have had 5 maybe 6 come in for it. But, to those of you who are having a lot of problems with the car, I'm sorry, personally I havnt had much of a problem. But, like any other car out there, even the ford focus, Honda's etc etc, there are problems. And there is bound to be a bad one in every bunch, Yea, here you hear mostly about the bad ones, but then again think about the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of these cars out there and here is only a handful of complaints.
Just my two cents.
We bought a new 96 Dodge Neon for our Daughter when she
graduated high school. After the gas pump failed around 80 K she refused to pay for repairs.
She bought a Civic with her money.
I now drive her Neon. with new fuel pump.
It had a cylinder head oil leak Dodge first said would be covered, but after work was done only the gasket was covered labor of several hundred dollars was my responsibility.
Then transmission would not go into reverse take a while to get into second especially on cold days.
I changed filter and put Quaker state synthetic blend and a can of transmission seal re-conditioner in the fluid.
It slowly improved over a six month period runs fine now.
Instrument cluster some times dies and then returns.
Sometimes just the speedometer / odometer dies.
Going to remove clean and put it back. 120K now. 30 - 34 mpg... it is better than the A.M.C. Gremlin I had.
Jbcundiffjr@comcast.net.