2002 Dodge Neon

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE FOGGY AND PROVIDED POOR ILLUMINATION. THE LIGHTS ALSO FACE DOWNWARD INSTEAD OF STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WHEN SHE WOULD SHIFT INTO DRIVE, THE GEAR WOULD SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR NEUTRAL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,250 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000. UPDATED 03/18/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT IN 02/08 AT THE COST OF $1,864.18. UPDATED 03/18/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE FUEL GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, AND OTHER INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES WERE INOPERABLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER CAUSED THE FAILURE. AS OF NOVEMBER 14, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 46,000. UPDATED 01-10-08. *KB THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD AN INTERNAL FAILURE. THE CLUTCH, ALTERNATOR AND TIE RODS WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 01/08/08. *JB

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE NEON. IN THE FIRST YEAR I HAD THE CAR I HAD THE TYPICAL CAR PROBLEMS BUT NOTHING TOO MAJOR. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY 6 TIMES IN THE CAR, SINCE PURCHASE. IN MAY OF 2006, IS WHEN THE PROBLEMS BEGAN ROLLING IN. MY MAIN COMPUTER HAD DIED IN THE CAR, A $900 REPAIR. AFTER CONTACTING DODGE TO GET A NEW COMPUTER TO PUT IN THE CAR, I HAD TO WAIT FOR 7 MONTHS FOR IT TO BE SHIPPED, DUE TO SUCH A LARGE BACK ORDER. AND THE COMPUTER WAS ONLY SHIPPED AFTER DODGE WAS CALLED AND I HAD THREATENED TO CONTACT THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. THE DAY I HAD PICKED UP THE CAR FROM GETTING THE COMPUTER INSTALLED, MY RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. SO I HAD TO REPAIR BOTH OF THEM. ONLY A FEW WEEKS LATER THE CAR WAS YET AGAIN IN THE SHOP FOR YET ANOTHER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOW BACK ON, UPON HAVING THE COMPUTER CODE HOOKED UP TO THE CAR, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE IS A TRANSAXLE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE AND AN INCORRECT GEAR RATIO CONDITION IN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. THE CAR WILL NOT GO ABOVE 45 MPH. WHEN I START IT AND PUT IT IN DRIVE IT TAKES A FEW MINUTES FOR THE CAR TO RECOGNIZE THAT ITS IN THE DRIVE GEAR AND WHEN IT FINALLY DOES GO INTO DRIVE THE ENTIRE CAR JERKS. IT WILL DO THAT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THIS WILL NOW BE THE 8TH TIME FROM DECEMBER, 07 TO AUGUST, 07 THAT I HAVE HAD TO MAKE REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION. MY CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD, THERE IS NO REASON ON WHY I SHOULD BE HAVING SO MANY PROBLEMS. I HAVE TAKEN CARE OF MY CAR AND IT HAS RECEIVED THE PROPER MAINTENANCE. I HAVE PUT MORE THEN $9000 IN THE CAR SINCE PURCHASE, HAVING TO GO AS FAR AS TO HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER TAKE OUT A SECOND MORTGAGE ON THEIR HOME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. AFTER LOOKING UP COMPLAINTS ONLINE, I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED?? WHY IS IT THAT THE ONLY RECALL ON THE NEON IS THE LIGHTING SYSTEM?? *TR

VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE, UPON HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE GARAGE WE WERE INFORMED, IT HAD A SIZABLE HOLE IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY ALSO FOUND AN OIL LEAK. TOTAL REPAIR COST EXCEEDED $600. THIS VEHICLE IS A 2002 DODGE NEON AND WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS. THE VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS RECEIVED PROPER CARE AS FAR AS OIL CHANGES, TIRES, SPARK PLUGS ETC. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT EVEN REACHED 60,000 MILES YET, AND WE'RE ENCOUNTERING SUCH PROBLEMS. IN ADDITION, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED US, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SMALL LEAKS, BUT IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR EACH LEAK, THUS THEY ONLY FIXED WHAT WAS CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO SLIP AND THE OIL LEAK, WHICH WAS ALSO SUBSTANTIAL. *JB

VEHICLE HAS CONTINUED TO IDLE HARD AFTER TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT IN NOV OF 2004. VEHICLE HAS STARTED TO STALL WHEN STOPPED. ON DATE OF INCIDENT, OWNER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE HOME IN A 55 MPH ZONE. VEHICLE MADE A SCREECHING NOISE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SPUTTER. TRANSAXLE HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE (FIRST ONE SHIPPED FROM MANU WAS DEFECTIVE). *NM

VEHICLE HAD IDLED HARD SINCE PURCHASE. TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR KNOCKING SOUND ON START UP OF VEHICLE EVERY MORNING. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT SOUND COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. ON DATE OF INCIDENT, VEHICLE STARTED JERKING IN AND OUT OF GEAR ON HIGHWAY. LOUD WHINE STARTED AND INCREASED WITH ACCELERATION. OWNER PULLED VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND GOT OUT TO TRY TO LOCATE SOURCE OF SOUND. WHEN OWNER TRIED TO PUT CAR BACK INTO GEAR, GEAR SHIFT MOVED BUT DID NOT ENGAGE. TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NM

DRIVING AT 49.9K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THIS BEING 19.9K MILES AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRES (30K MILE WARRANTY). JUST MADE A LONG TRIP FROM HAMPTON, VA TO APPLETON, WI. ABOUT A WEEK AFTER ARRIVING IN WI, I AM HEADING TO WORK AND START TO HEAR A HIGH-PITCHED WHINE. WITHIN ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF HEARING THIS WHINE, I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARK AND RIDE JUST AS THE CAR STOPPED MOVING. I WAS STILL ABLE TO REV THE ENGINE, BUT NO ACCELERATION. I PLACED THE CAR INTO PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. I STARTED IT BACK UP, AND STILL COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO MOVE. PLACED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, AND THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN I TRIED TO PUSH IT. FOUND OUT, AFTER CAR WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO SHOP, THAT A PINION BOLT INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION (2002 MODEL) HAD BROKEN OFF AND WAS THE CAUSE TO THE SEIZURE OF THE VEHICLE. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, AND THIS HAD HAPPENED, THE CAR WOULD HAVE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND BEEN THE CAUSE OF A SERIOUS ACCIDENT THAT, THANKFULLY, WAS AVOIDED IN THIS INSTANCE. NEW TRANSMISSION (2006 MODEL) INSTALLED. THE NEW SAFETY FEATURE FOR THIS MODEL IS THAT IT HAS METAL PLATES (BRACKETS) AROUND THE OFFENDING BOLT SO THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. SEMI-OFF TOPIC: IF THEY (THE MANUFACTURES OF THE TRANSMISSION, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE DEALERSHIPS THAT SELL THE VEHICLE) KNEW THIS WAS AN ISSUE (APPARENT FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF THE METAL PLATES FOR THE BOLT) WHY WAS IT NOT ANNOUNCED AND CORRECTED WHILE UNDER WARRANTY FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2002? *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN A LOUD POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE AXLE WAS BROKEN. THIS MANUFACTURES DEFECT CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH THE CB UNIT AND THE ENGINE COMPUTER UNIT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT WHERE THE CB UNIT WAS REPLACED. THE PROBLEMS STILL PERSISTS. THE VEHICLE WAS AWAITING A PART TO ARRIVE FOR THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO PERFORM A REPLACEMENT. THERE WERE NO RECALL NOR COMPLAINT FOUND ON THIS PROBLEM. UPDATED 12/05/06. *JB

MY 2002 DODGE NEON ES HAS HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS LEADING UP TO THE EXPIRATION OF MY WARRANTY. EVERYTHING FROM ELECTRICAL ISSUES TO RADIATOR PROBLEMS TO THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK IT FOR SERVICE AT 65,000 MILES BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. MY DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS THE RADIATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS FINE. I KNEW THEY WERE LYING AND SURE ENOUGH, AT 72,000 MILES, 2,000 MILES AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED, MY TRANSMISSION IS DEAD. CHRYSLER CORP. REFUSES TO FIX OR EVEN DISCOUNT A TRANSMISSION FOR ME SAYING THAT MY CAR IS "ABOVE AND BEYOND" ANY WARRANTY. I DON'T CONSIDER 2,000 MILES ABOVE AND BEYOND, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE CAR HAD 5,000 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND WAS CONSIDERED BRAND NEW. *JB