1997 Dodge Neon

I MADE A SHORT TRIP TO A LOCAL STORE AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE FRONT OF MY CAR. THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING AND I HAD TO STOP AND PULL OVER. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR HAD A HEAD GASKET FAILURE.WHICH COST $920 TO REPAIR. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS OLD (1997), IT ONLY HAS 39,000 MILES ON IT AND IT IS RIDICULOUS FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN TO CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH ONLINE TO FIND THAT SEVERAL NEON OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE 1995-1997 MODELS HAVE BEEN PREDOMINANTLY AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS AND THEY WILL TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. *TR

WHENEVER I SIT IN THE DRIVEWAY, OR LOOK FOR A PARKING SPACES, OR SIT IN TRAFFIC...THE CAR'S TEMPERATURE GAGE GOES ALL THE WAY TO HOT. I HAD IT DIAGNOSED AND THEY SAID THAT ITS THE FAN CONTROL MODULE OR RELAY...BASICALLY THE FANS STOP WORKING. *TR I HAD A NEW WATER PUMP PUT IN, A NEW THERMOSTAT, A NEW RADIATOR PUT, AND I"M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARE COMING UP WHEN THE FANS STOP WORKING. IT HAS 145000 MILES ON IT, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT IS NOT A COMMON THINK ON THIS MODULE. I'M GOING TO GET REPAIRED, BUT I FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE. *TR

THROUGH THE LIFE OF OWNING THIS CAR. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET SEVERAL TIMES 3 TIMES IN LAST 2 YEARS ALONE AND REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE HEAD GASKET STILL LEAKS AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIX IT EVEN THE DEALER. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEONS AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME EXACT HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COSTLY REPAIR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE NEON. THE HEADLIGHTS AND HIGH BEAMS ARE VERY DIM. THE BULBS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE LIGHTS REMAINED DIM. OIL WAS PLACED IN THE VEHICLE, BUT THEN LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND, CAUSING THE OIL WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT NOTICED A GRAYISH-COLORED SMOKE EXITING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,301.

OIL LEAKAGE, HEAD GASKET REPLACED 2X IN 1997, AGAIN HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN, CAM AND TRANSMISSION LEAKAGE ALSO. CAR HAS ALWAYS LEAKED A BIT OF OIL DAILY; HOWEVER, OIL CHANGES EVERY 2000 MILES COUPLED WITH WEEKLY LEVEL CHECKS MAINTAINED ABILITY TO DRIVE VEHICLE. AS OF 2/05, OIL LEAKING PROFUSELY VIA PASSENGER PORTION OF ENGINE GASKET. MECHANIC CONFIRMS BLOWN HEAD GASKET, SAYS THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT OF THE NEONS AS A WHOLE. I HAVE CHOSEN TO NOT REPAIR HEAD GASKET AT MY EXPENSE AT THIS TIME. I PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW IN OCT. 1996, AS A NEW YEAR NEON FOR 1997. I MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE METICIOUSLY, AND BOTH THE BODY AND INTERIOR ARE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION (BODY HAS NO RUST). CAR HAS 88,000 MILES CURRENTLY. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN DODGE'S LACK OF CONCERN AND RESPONSIBILITY IN PRODUCING A QUALITY CAR. I BOUGHT THIS NEW AND HAD HOPE TO TRANSFER IT TO MY DAUGHTER WHO WILL BE LEAVING FOR COLLEGE SOON. REPLACING A HEADGASKET TWICE SHOULD ASSURE ME, THE BUYER, THAT I CAN MAINTAIN MY CAR WITHOUT SUDDENLY FINDING OUT THIS WAS A DAMAGED VEHICLE FROM THE GET GO, AND NOW I HAVE TO FIND ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION TO WORK WHILE I SET TIME ASIDE TO QUICKLY FIND ANOTHER CAR. SHAME ON DODGE!*AK

MY FIANCEE BOUGHT A 97 DODGE NEON FROM A FRIEND AT 35,000 MILES. NOW AT 70,XXX THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LEAK OIL, I WAS PUTTING IN 3 QUARTS A WEEK, THE CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON ANDI CANT AFFORD TO TOW IT TO A SHOP TO FIND THE PROBLEM (MAYBE CAUSE IVE SPENT ALL MY MONEY ON OIL DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET LEAKING?) I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF REPAIRING MY SELF JUST TAKEING A BREAK FROM THE CHAOS AND MY BACK HURTS. MANY NEON HAVE THIS PROBLEM THE MANUFACTURERS REDESIGNED A NEW HEAD GASKET, IS THIS THIER WAY OF SAYING " HEY WE AT DODGE MESSED UP BAD AND NOW YOU AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE CAN PAY $600.00 -$1,000 TO GET IT FIXED" ANOTHER BULLITIN FROM CAR QUEST SAY THE OIL LEAKS DUE TO THE CAM SENSOR COVER ILE FIND OUT SHORTLY I ASSUME AND IF THATS THE CASE WHY ARENT ANY OF THESE OTHER MECHANICS CATCHING THAT OR DO THE KNOW AND JUST SAY IT IS THE HEAD GASKET FOR MORE MONEY FROM YOU? AND I GUESS THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE MY PARENTS NICE NEW DRIVE HAS DODGE DIRTY OIL STAINS ALL OVER IT, THANKS DODGE !! -- @$#HOLES!!*AK