1996 Dodge Neon Highline Sedan from North America - Comments

What hasn't gone wrong with this car? It had the infamous head-gasket problem, and I had to replace it twice.

The back-up lights stopped working, had them fixed, then they stopped working again.

One day I was driving from Albany, NY to Oneonta, NY (about an hour and a half drive) and it sounded like the car wouldn't shift into overdrive. Then over the next few weeks it developed this problem where the gas pedal would get harder and harder to press down. Then, it eventually got to the point that if you forced the gas pedal down too far or too quick, it would pop out of drive into neutral. Pulling out into traffic was almost impossible because it was so slow to pick up speed. This apparently was all connected with the back-up light problem as well, because they work now that this problem has been fixed.

The brakes have also been a constant problem. They always squeal, and have been replaced numerous times.

Another problem I've encountered is that the gas gauge works only half the time. Also related to this problem, I'm assuming, is the fact that my speedometer AND odometer stop working occasionally, so who knows just how many miles are ACTUALLY on the car.

Now, the trunk won't open by the pop-latch. You have to physically open the trunk with the key and pull up.

The alignment is always off as well.

In the winter time especially, the car doesn't like to start up and run right away. And when you start it up, it makes this horrendous whinning sound, like the power steering is going or something.

And finally, I think, the car makes a clunking sound in the back like the shocks are bad, but my mechanic doesn't see a problem when he looks at it. But then again, if he took it for a ride, then maybe he'd know, so maybe that's a problem with the mechanic. :-P.

This car is very unreliable. It has left me stranded on numerous occasions. It wears the tires, as I am replacing them way too quickly, and I don't drive like a maniac. Its not a very comfortable ride after about 3 years of driving. I wouldn't recommend purchasing this model. Hopefully they've fixed some of the problems, but I have a hard time believing they did anything, except for maybe fix the head-gasket problem.

I have the same problems with my neon. My solution, don't buy dodge.

I bought a 98 plymouth neon at 70,000 miles... the only problem that I've had was last winter the thermostat froze... and that was because of the weather... i got 140,000 miles on it now...it's a great and extremely reliable...on the other hand my friend has a 96 plymouth neon... and just about everything you had gone wrong has been wrong to his too... so he swapped his engine out with one from a wrecked 99 neon... he hasn't had any engine problems with it since... so I guess the old ones are lemons... but the new ones are great and reliable cars from my experience...Tim.

Hey I had the same problems with mine; speedometer went out, gas gauge, back up lights and other stuff.

I own a 96; I think it was their worst year, but I only bought because I needed a really cheap car on insurance, because I had totalled my Honda Prelude, which is a great car, and I'm never buying a Dodge again, but Chevy is coming out with some good models.