1996 Dodge Neon

I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS ON A 96 NEON. I THINK AROUND 35,000 MILES (10/29/98) THAT THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. I TOOK IT TO BE FIXED AT A COST OF $100 COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AGAIN AT 50,000 + MILES (4/29/99) WE HAD TO TAKE IT IN AGAIN FOR A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. IN ADDITION, I THINK THIS WAS THE TIME THAT WE HAD TO REPLACE SOME KIND OF FRONT OIL SEAL. WE ALSO HAD THEM TRY TO FIX THE SPEED GAUGE THAT HAD STARTED ACTING STRANGE. WHEN THE SPEED GAUGE ACTED UP SO DID ALL THE OTHER LIGHTS ON THE DASH COME ON FOR NO REASON. THEY REPLACED THE CABLE BUT WE SOON FOUND OUT THAT IT DIDN'T HELP. THIS WAS AT A COST OF $114.58 COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 75,000 (12/3/99) BACK AGAIN FOR SOME OIL SEAL AROUND THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE CHANGING SPARK PLUGS ETC. MOSTLY UNDER WARRANTY AT A TOTAL COST TO ME OF $134.41. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM SO I TOOK IT BACK FOR MORE CHARGES OF $197.43. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE SOMETHING IN THE DASH TO KEEP THE WARRANTY GOOD SO THAT THE TACHOMETER WOULD STILL WORK. I TOLD THEM TO GET THE PARTS ORDERED BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE MORE THAN FIVE DAYS TO GET THIS DONE AND MY WARRANTY ONLY COVERS A RENTAL FOR 5 DAYS. I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM. TWO DAYS AGO, I CHANGED THE OIL AND IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT SEAL (OR IT SEEMS TO ME). YESTERDAY THE SERVICE ENG. LIGHT COMES ON. I WILL BE CONTACTING BOB ALLEN CHRYSLER IN DANVILLE MONDAY TO SEE WHAT THEY WILL DO. MY POINT IS THAT CHRYSLER NEEDS TO HELP ALL OF US THAT HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKET. ONE OF THE SERVICE WORKERS TOLD ME THAT THEY WORKED ON WAY TO MANY OF THE NEONS FOR HEAD GASKETS. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE DASH AND THE CAR SEAT DOES NOT LOCK INTO PLACE VERY WELL WHEN YOU ADJUST IT. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED, LEAKING LARGE AMOUNTS OF OIL INTO THE POSTERIOR PART OF THE ENGINE. THROUGH RESEARCH HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEON, AND AT TIMES HAS RESULTED IN ENGINE FIRES. THIS POSES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK AND I AM WONDERING WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. I ALSO FEEL THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS FAILURE AND NEEDS TO PAY FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *AK

I HAVE HEARD RECENTLY THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS VERY COMMON WITH THE DODGE NEONS AS WELL AS OTHER CHRYSLER CARS. I NOTICED MY CAR WAS LEAKING LAST WEEK SOMETIME, AND DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS COMING FROM TEH HEAD GASKET. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT SO MANY OF TEH DODGE NEONS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM IF DODGE MADE A GOOD PRODUCT. IF THEY KNOW THAT ALL OF THESE CARS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND THERE IS RUMOR OF A SECRET WARRANTY OUT THERE IF YOU RAISE ENOUGH FUSS, DOESN'T IT SEEM FAIR, AND LAWFUL THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THE CARS AND FIX TEH HEAD GASKETS ON THEIR PRODUCTS BEFORE FURTHER TROUBLE IS CAUSED. IF I WAS OBLIVIOUS TO TEH LEAK COULDN'T I HAVE CAUSED FURTHER DAMAGE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD CHRYSLER NOT CUT CORNERS AND MADE A CHEAP GASKET TO BEGIN WITH? IS IT MY FAULT THAT WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR I WAS NOT INFORMED THAT EVENTUALLY I WOULD HAVE TO SPEND CLOSE TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FIX MY CAR BECAUSE CHRYSLER DIDN'T FEEL LIKE MAKING A STRONG HEAD GASKET, AND WANTED TO SAVE A LITTLE MONEY. I FEEL AS IF I AM BEING SCREWED HERE, AND I FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. HOW MANY PEOPLE MUST COMPLAIN BEFORE CHRYSLER ISSUSES A RECALL. A RECALL THAT IS OBVIOUSLY NECESSARY. *AK