2004 Dodge Neon

THIS IS ON BEHALF OF MANY OWNERS OF 2003-2005 DODGE NEON SRT-4 VEHICLES. MY VEHICLE AS WELL AS THOSE OF SEVERAL HUNDRED OTHERS COMMONLY HAVE PROBLEMS SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR. THE PROBLEMS CONTINUE TO GET WORSE UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION CEASES TO FUNCTION ENTIRELY LEAVING THE DRIVER STRANDED. THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS WITH LESS THAN 10K MILES ON THEIR CAR. I HAVE 65K MILES AND I AM ON MY 2ND TRANSMISSION AND NOW IT IS STARTING TO ACT UP AS WELL. MOST DEALERS WILL NOT WARRANTY CLAIMS ON THIS DEFECT STATING THAT IT IS DRIVER ABUSE OR DUE TO MODS DONE ON THE VEHICLE (IN VIOLATION OF THE MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY ACT). THE DEALERS ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO TAKE ANY ACTION. *NM

I PURCHASED A 2004 NEON SXT ON NOVEMBER 23, 2004. MILEAGE ON DELIVERY WAS 200. IN DECEMBER OF 2004, THE SOLENOID MALFUNCTIONED. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THIS AND MY BASIC LIMITED WARRANTY COVERED IT. ON MARCH 5, 2005, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. ON MARCH 23, 2005, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THIS TIME THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION WITH MY TIMING CHAIN CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN! IT WOULD REACH SPEEDS OF 60 TO 70 MPH WITHOUT APPLYING GAS! THE DEALER REPAIRED THIS, AGAIN COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. IN JUNE 2006, THE PROBLEM RECURRED CAUSING ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. OUT OF NO WHERE, WITH NO WARNING, AS I WAS TURNING A CORNER, THE ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED AND MY CAR TOOK OFF! I COULD NOT STOP IT! ITS 5PM, THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND CARS A WAITING FOR A RED LIGHT! I DROVE IN BETWEEN LANES TO AVOID HITTING OTHERS! I FINALLY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL (DIDN'T STOP) THEN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET! AS I DID THIS I HIT TWO CARS. IM SURE YOU CAN IMAGINE MY HORROR! ITS SOMETHING I WILL NEVER FORGET NOR WANT TO RELIVE. IM SENDING YOU THIS LETTER BECAUSE IM NOW FACED WITH A DILEMMA. MY CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING TO BE REPAIRED. THEY ARE TELLING ME THIS PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED BY MY POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. NOW WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE POWER TRAIN WAS ALL ENGINE RELATED PARTS. NOW ACCORDING TO YOUR WARRANTY MANUAL, THE TIMING CHAIN IS AN ENGINE PART AND IS COVERED BY THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. WHY AM I HAVING A PROBLEM? BESIDES THIS, I NO LONGER WANT TO DRIVE THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE! WHO KNOWS WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND WHERE ILL BE! I RISK INJURING MYSELF AND ANYONE IN THE PATH OF THAT CAR! *NM

FIRST TIME CAR SHUT DOWN WAS ON THE FREEWAY AT THE TIME HAD NO CLUE WHAT WAS GOING ON HAD POWER TO EVERY ACCESSORY BUT ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING. NEARLY MISSED BEING HIT BY A TRUCK AS I MERGE OVER TO EMERGENCY LANE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOUND THAT IT WAS MY FUEL PUMP ASD FUSE KEPT BLOWING THEY VOIDED MY WARRANTY STATING AN AIR INTAKE WAS THE PROBLEM. THE INTAKE PURCHASED IS C.A.R.B LEGAL AND DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT REPLACED ANYTHING AS OF NOW. I DO FEAR THAT I WILL BE INVOLVED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF IT KEEPS SHUTTING DOWN ON THE FREEWAY. *NM

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR HARD IN A PARKING LOT, AND THEN BOOOM CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL CAME APART. THE CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL CAME OUT SO HARD IT WENT THROUGH THE HOOD AND CUT THE CORE SUPPORT IN HALF. IT ALSO WENT THOUGH RADIATOR, STARTER, AND THROTTLE BODY. THERE WERE PEOPLE STANDING ALL AROUND LUCKILY NO WAS HURT. IT THROW PIECES OF CLUTCH ABOUT 50 FEET IN FRONT OF CAR. DODGE WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE CAR OR EVEN FIX IT. SO I HAD TO BUY ALL PARTS AND HAVE THEM INSTALLED. WENT WITH A DIFFERENT CLUTCH TOO. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIRS OVER 10 TIMES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION PAN, TRANSMISSION STICK, HEAD GASKET, BOLTS AND THE DEALER SENT THE VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION EXPERT. ALTHOUGH, THESE CHANGES WERE MADE, THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO LEAK. THE DEALER RECENTLY DETERMINED THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE DUPLICATED AND NO ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WERE MADE. CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED ON 0313-2006 BY M&M DODGE TO BRING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR TRANSMISSION WORK. THE CONTACT HOPED THAT THIS WILL SOLVE THE LEAK PROBLEM. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. THIS HAPPENS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND UNDER NORMAL DRIVING AND ROAD CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, IT HAPPENS MOSTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED FROM THIRD, FOURTH OR FIFTH GEAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES, THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE STARTER HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED, THE O2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR AND BOLTS WERE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH, THESE REPLACEMENTS WERE REPLACED THE PROBLEM STILL EXITS.