2001 Dodge Neon from North America - Comments

The back defrost stopped working.

Then the sun roof.

Then the air-conditioner.

Now, the gas indicator no longer works, it sits at empty, no matter how much gas I have in it.

To make matters worse, now it won't start at all. Go figure.

Sounds like a gun going off when I try to start it. Someone suggested that it was the starter. My father believed it simply needed a new battery. He changed the battery and it started for him. Two days later... it won't start again. We are now getting opinions left and right, the starter, the fuel injector (?), the timing belt has a chipped tooth. With every diagnosis we get, the cost to fix it jumps considerably. I wish I could just trade this piece of junk in for another Honda. I've always loved Hondas, but thought this Neon was cute as a sporty little button. It's sitting in my garage, and my husband and I have been carpooling to work... in his lovely Honda of course. We're still trying to get opinions on a reliable garage for a real diagnosis. I have a headache just thinking about this darn thing that has been a price waiting to happen at every turn. Ugh.

And now that I want to get rid of it, my husband insists we have to fix everything first. Bloody terrific. After spending so much money on it, I'm just going to have to end up keeping that darn thing.

I can say though, when it was working properly. It was nice to drive and all the windows are so big and nice you can see all around you. It's still a hot looking little thing, deceptive indeed.

I thought it would be too small for me as I am 5'11" but it was fine.

If you replaced the battery and it started, and then it failed again, it may be the alternator. Like you said, though, you are getting opinions left and right.

If the car sounded like guns going off it was not the car, but people from Honda shooting at you for buying it.

I feel your frustrations, everywhere you turn there is no solution and while that is headache enough, then there is the pain of knowing you have to keep looking at it for a while. I'm going through the same thing, its nice to know its not just me.

It sounds to me like you need to stop back-yarding it and take it to a reputable shop. Try the dealer, or hell, even canadian tire sounds like it could give a better diagnosis than you've been provided with.

I crack up every time I read "I'm going to buy a Honda" from some disgruntled American car owner. Our stupid Civic was the biggest piece of junk I ever saw. It was parked as junk at 90,000 miles. If the Japanese spent half as much in building quality cars as they do spreading inaccurate advertising hype about them they really WOULD be able to build a good car.

I completely disagree with the person above.

While it is true every car brand will have its lemons, some have a lot fewer than others. American brands tend to have more than the Japanese, and European more than the others.

Unfortunately you bought a Neon and you should have done your homework before making this purchase. There is no shortage of reviews to tell you how horribly built this car is. Do yourself a favour next time and avoid any Chrysler product like the plague.

Not sure if any of you saw or heard of this, but Chrysler's cars were ranked the 2nd worst in terms of reliability this year, just ahead of Suzuki, by consumer reports. Says a lot about what they think of quality.

Did anyone bother to read the WHOLE review?This person bought the car at 150k, that's high mileage. Then drove it to 300k.Any high mileage car will have issues. If you want less issues, buy a car with less mileage.DUH!

No... I see 15,000 and 30,000. That's not high mileage at all.

I agree on taking it to the nearest dealer or other garage with a good reputation. Ask around and see who your friends use.

It could be your fuel pump. They have a rep of going out at 60k. I had the same thing happen to me. I thought it was the battery, didn't fix the problem. I had the fuel pump checked out, replaced and now it starts up right away every time.