IN THE PAST YEAR SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR THERE HAS BEEN WATER IN THE TRUNK, UNDER THE BACK SEAT, AND THE BACK SEAT FLOOR BOARD. *TR
2004 Dodge Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 Dodge Neon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 173.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Neon years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
73 reports with mileage · 21 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
94 reportsTHE TRANSMISSION COOLER THAT IS INTERNAL TO THE RADIATOR IN MY 2004 DODGE NEON STARTED TO LEAK CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO ENTER MY COOLING SYSTEM AND GET INTO MY ENGINE. THIS IS THE 8TH TIME I HEARD OF THIS OCCURRING IN THIS MODEL, THIS IS WINDING UP BEING AN EXTENSIVE REPAIR DUE TO THIS FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT. CHRYSLER DO…
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THE TRANSMISSION COOLER THAT IS INTERNAL TO THE RADIATOR IN MY 2004 DODGE NEON STARTED TO LEAK CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO ENTER MY COOLING SYSTEM AND GET INTO MY ENGINE. THIS IS THE 8TH TIME I HEARD OF THIS OCCURRING IN THIS MODEL, THIS IS WINDING UP BEING AN EXTENSIVE REPAIR DUE TO THIS FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT. CHRYSLER DOES NOT THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE NEON. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR EAGLE LS, SIZE P225/60R16 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT QUICKLY PULLED OFF THE ROAD. SHE LATER PURCHASED A NEW TIRE. SHE DID NOT CALL THE DEALER, BUT FELT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY R…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE NEON. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR EAGLE LS, SIZE P225/60R16 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT QUICKLY PULLED OFF THE ROAD. SHE LATER PURCHASED A NEW TIRE. SHE DID NOT CALL THE DEALER, BUT FELT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK. SHE HAS PICTURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000. UPDATED 12/12/07
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT HAS REPLACED THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY FOUR TIMES SINCE JUNE OF 2005. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT WAS IN JUNE OF 2005. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED. IN OCTOBER OF 2005, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE TWIC…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT HAS REPLACED THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY FOUR TIMES SINCE JUNE OF 2005. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT WAS IN JUNE OF 2005. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED. IN OCTOBER OF 2005, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE TWICE. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY. ON JULY 3, 2007, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND # OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 53,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.
IDLING OF THE MOTOR WAS NOT REGULAR. THIS 2004 DODGE NEON WAS PURCHASED USED ,AND I HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS OUT OF IT. THE CHECK ENGINE REMAINED ON, AND THE ENGINE IDLED TERRIBLY. VERY DANGEROUS ON DRIVING, WILL CUT OUT AND PROCEEDS TO CUT OUT MOST OF THE TIME. ALSO, WHEN PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATE IT HESITATED TO THE POINT …
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IDLING OF THE MOTOR WAS NOT REGULAR. THIS 2004 DODGE NEON WAS PURCHASED USED ,AND I HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS OUT OF IT. THE CHECK ENGINE REMAINED ON, AND THE ENGINE IDLED TERRIBLY. VERY DANGEROUS ON DRIVING, WILL CUT OUT AND PROCEEDS TO CUT OUT MOST OF THE TIME. ALSO, WHEN PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATE IT HESITATED TO THE POINT THAT ONE DAY I MAY GET RUN OVER AND KILLED. *AK
IT WAS ANOTHER SUNDAY AFTERNOON, WE HAD JUST LEFT CHURCH (ME, MY HUSBAND, AND 2 YEAR SON AND WAS ON OUR WAY TO SEE A FRIEND AND HER NEWBORN BABY AT THE HOSPITAL. ON OUR WAY TO THE HOSPITAL A TRUCK PULLED OUT FROM THE ACCESS ROAD FROM I-20 DIRECTLY INTO OUR PATHS. WE WERE TRAVELING UNDER 50 MPH AND HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY....ALL WE…
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IT WAS ANOTHER SUNDAY AFTERNOON, WE HAD JUST LEFT CHURCH (ME, MY HUSBAND, AND 2 YEAR SON AND WAS ON OUR WAY TO SEE A FRIEND AND HER NEWBORN BABY AT THE HOSPITAL. ON OUR WAY TO THE HOSPITAL A TRUCK PULLED OUT FROM THE ACCESS ROAD FROM I-20 DIRECTLY INTO OUR PATHS. WE WERE TRAVELING UNDER 50 MPH AND HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY....ALL WE COULD DO TO AVOID THE TRUCK WAS TO HIT THE BRAKES. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT. OUR 2004 DODGE NEON STRUCK A CHEVYROLET AVALANCHE PICK UP. THE IMPACT WAS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHERE IT COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER, GRILL, HEADLIGHTS, AND THE HOOD IS NOW A RAINBOW OVER THE ENGINE. THE UGLIEST PART OF THIS THOUGH, IS THAT I WAS THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT, THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG AS WELL AS THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. IN ADDITION, THE SEAT BELT NEVER LOCKED, AND I WAS THROWN FORWARD WITH THE IMPACT OF THE CAR. MY FOREHEAD STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD, THEN THE DASHBOARD IN FRONT OF ME. MY CHEST ALSO HIT THE DASHBOARD, AND MY KNEES WERE FORCED UP UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT AREA. YES, I KNOW THIS MAY SOUND MINOR WITH ALL THE ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPEN, AND THANK GOD IT WAS. BUT I HATE TO KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENED TO ME,AND COULD MORE THAN LIKELY HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE, AND THEY MAY NOT BE AS FORTUNATE. I AM NOW SUFFERING FROM SORENESS IN MY CHEST AND BACK, MY KNEES ARE BRUISED, AND I HAVE SEVERE WHIPLASH IN MY NECK. THIS INCIDENT HAS MADE ME RETHINK THE SAFETY OF THE DODGE NEON, AND I WILL NOW RECONSIDER A MUCH SAFER ALTERNATIVE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. *AK
UPON PURCHASING MY CAR, BRAND NEW IN 2004, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH IT. AFTER A SHORT YEAR OF HAVING MY CAR MY POWER WINDOWS WENT OUT, SHORTLY AFTER MY FRONT DOOR SPEAKERS STOPPED WORKING AND MY RADIO/CD PLAYER OFTEN DOESN'T WORK CORRECTLY...CD DISCS WILL GET STUCK IN PLAYER AND CONTINUALLY PLAY UNTIL CAR IS SHUT OFF AN…
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UPON PURCHASING MY CAR, BRAND NEW IN 2004, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH IT. AFTER A SHORT YEAR OF HAVING MY CAR MY POWER WINDOWS WENT OUT, SHORTLY AFTER MY FRONT DOOR SPEAKERS STOPPED WORKING AND MY RADIO/CD PLAYER OFTEN DOESN'T WORK CORRECTLY...CD DISCS WILL GET STUCK IN PLAYER AND CONTINUALLY PLAY UNTIL CAR IS SHUT OFF AND SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T EVEN RESOLVE PROBLEM. FRONT BRAKES STARTED TO SQUEAK AND GROAN CONSTANTLY, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES TO HAVE THEM TRY TO FIX BRAKES. WHILE HAVING BRAKE PROBLEMS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR STARTED TO CHUG AND JERK FREQUENTLY. TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP, DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED #4 CYLINDER MISFIRE, HAD PLUGS AND WIRES REPLACED, HOWEVER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AFTER DRIVING CAR <10 MILES. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES TO FIX, ON THE FOURTH OCCASION THEY FINALLY FOUND A BROKEN RING LEADING TO THE MOTOR, PROBLEM IS STILL UNRESOLVED. I THEN CALLED WARRANTY PEOPLE TO DISCOVER THAT MY RING IS COVERED UNDER MY POWER-TRAIN WARRANTY AFTER HAVING BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THE RING COULDN'T BE FIXED. WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE WIRING WAS FAULTY IN THE RADIO PLAYER AND NOT THE SPEAKERS.
TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HIS 2004 DODGE NEON DOWN HILL AT A SPEED OF 40 MPH, HE TRIED TO APPLY THE BREAKS AND THE BRAKES SEIZED, REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WAS CRUSHED, AS WELL AS, THE ENGINE FALLING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT CONTACT S…
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TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HIS 2004 DODGE NEON DOWN HILL AT A SPEED OF 40 MPH, HE TRIED TO APPLY THE BREAKS AND THE BRAKES SEIZED, REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WAS CRUSHED, AS WELL AS, THE ENGINE FALLING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT CONTACT STATED THAT HIS HEAD STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38504. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE A COPY OF POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES IF NEEDED. UPDATED 2/16/2007 - *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT IMPACT CRASH WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH IN WHICH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT WEARING THE SEATBELT DURING THE CRASH AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNING OF THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTI…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT IMPACT CRASH WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH IN WHICH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT WEARING THE SEATBELT DURING THE CRASH AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNING OF THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. UPDATED 12/5/2006 - *NM
PURCHASED BRAND NEW 2004 DODGE NEON SRT IN AUGUST OF 2004. WITHIN TWO MONTHS MY CARS VALUE DEPRECIATED OVER HALF WHAT I PAID. WHEN MY MILEAGE HIT 11,000 I STARTED HAVING A LOT OF TRANSMISSION LEAKAGE. AT 12,000 MILES I HAD A NEW SOLENOID PUT ON, STILL LEAKED. TOOK IT AGAIN TWO WEEKS LATER AND THEY CHANGED GASKETS. TWO WEEKS LAT…
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PURCHASED BRAND NEW 2004 DODGE NEON SRT IN AUGUST OF 2004. WITHIN TWO MONTHS MY CARS VALUE DEPRECIATED OVER HALF WHAT I PAID. WHEN MY MILEAGE HIT 11,000 I STARTED HAVING A LOT OF TRANSMISSION LEAKAGE. AT 12,000 MILES I HAD A NEW SOLENOID PUT ON, STILL LEAKED. TOOK IT AGAIN TWO WEEKS LATER AND THEY CHANGED GASKETS. TWO WEEKS LATER THEY PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE MINE WAS POROUS. NOW HERE I AM TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER AND 39,000 MILES AND I AM LEAKING AGAIN. THEY SUSPECT I NEED YET ANOTHER TRANSMISSION. TWO TRANSMISSIONS UNDER 40,000 MILES THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING UP HERE. WE ARE GETTING RID OF IT ASAP! *JB
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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