2000 Dodge Neon

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST UNTIL ACTIVATING THE CRUISE CONTROL TO MAINTAIN SPEED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT SHE BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,191.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING IN THE CENTER LANE AT 40 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MOVED ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT AND UNDERNEATH THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT COULD NOT DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAUSE IT WOULD PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AS WELL. SHE APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER UNTIL THE SPEED COMPLETELY SLOWED DOWN AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE CONTACT TIED A ROPE FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE MIDDLE CONSOLE, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ROPE WAS PULLED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE DEALER STATED THAT SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY REPLACED THE VEHICLE FOR FREE; HOWEVER, SHE BELIEVES A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 150,000. UPDATED 3/19/09 *CN UPDATED 03/23/09. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AND ENGAGED, I WAS FORCED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES. THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE, NOR WAS I ABLE TO TURN IT OFF VIA THE BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I CAME WITHIN 5 FEET OF REAR-ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN WE WERE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55 MPH. IF I DID NOT KEEP THE BRAKES DEPRESSED, THE CRUISE CONTROL TRIED TO BRING THE VEHICLE UP TO THE SET POINT. AFTER ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, THE CRUISE CONTROL SHUT ITSELF OFF AUTOMATICALLY. SUBSEQUENT TIMES THE ON/OFF SWITCH HAS WORKED ON THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT IT DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO A DEALERSHIP DETAILING THE PROBLEM TO FIX IT. THEY CHARGED ME FOR A DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE IS A BAD SERVO. BEING IN THE DETROIT AREA, WITH THE RECENT FORD RECALLS FOR FAILING CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES, I WAS IMMEDIATELY AND STILL AM VERY WORRIED. *JB

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WILL START TO PULSATE AT ANY SPEED. ALSO, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THE FOLLOWING AS PROBLEMS OCCURED: THE PASSENGER AIR BAG, THROTTLE BLADE ICING, DEFECTIVE ROTORS, CHARGING SYSTEM OVER CHARGING-NO TROUBLE CODES; 3 BATTERY REPLACEMENTS(DEFECTIVE PER MECHANIC), MANY GAS TANK REPAIRS/REPLACEMENTS(WOULD NOT TAKE GAS WITHOUT CLICKING AND TICKING/FILLER TANK/GAS TANK), WARNING BRAKE LIGHT AND BUZZER CHIMES WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED ALSO WITH THE GAS PEDAL WHEN APPLIED (DUE TO DEFECTIVE ROTORS AND LACK OF BRAKE FLUID, TRANSMISSION PROBLEM-GRINDING NOISE/WON'T GO IN REVERSE, BRAKE NOISE IN REAR TIRE/BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACE PER RECALL-NEEDS ROTORS & PADS IN FRONT, A/C BLOWS WARM AIR-COMPESSOR CLUTCH WOULDN'T ENGAGE(FOUND BROKEN WIRE), PROBLEM WITH THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR, AND NOISE IN THE POWER STEERING. *SCC

CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH. IDLES ROUGH. WHEN SHIFTING GEARS CAR "JERKS" EXCESSIVLY. WHEN TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE CAR AT A STEADY SPEED THE CAR "ROCKS AND JERKS" UNTIL ACCELERATION. CAR DOES NOT WANT TO STAY RUNNING. WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP THE CAR WILL START TO TAKE OFF AND DIE. VERY DANGEROUS TO TRY TO CROSS AN INTERSECION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND WILL STAY ON FOR DAYS AT A TIME AND THEN GO OFF AND NOT COME ON FAR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.*AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS EXTREME SURGES IN THE MOTOR, ON START UP IF A/C UNIT IS TURNED ON CAR MAY STALL, ALSO "GRINDING" NOISE FROM ENGINE ON OVER NITE START UPS. SURGE IN ENGINE DURING THE WINTER SEASON IS ALSO A PROBLEM, SNOW OR ICE COVERED ROAD ARE BAD ENOUGH, LET ALONE THE VEHICLE DECIEDS TO SURGE, WHEN THIS HAPPENS I WOULD PUT THE GEAR SELECTOR TO NEUTRAL. DODGE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO KEEP THE CAR OVERNIGHT, BUT THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR ME BECAUSE I NEED MY CAR. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NOISES THAT DODGE HAS DEEMED ACCEPTIABLE.*AK