1997 Dodge Neon

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

DODGE NEON 1997, I FOUND OUT TODAY THE HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED, I WAS TOLD BY 4 DIFFERENT MECHANICS, 2 WERE DODGE MECHANICS, THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS FIXING THE HEAD GASKETS AND IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW, THE GASKET WAS TOO THIN, I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 2500-3000 MILES THE CAR WAS NEVER RUN HARD AND IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED THEY NEED TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. TS

CHRYSLER SOLD NEONS WITH KNOWN FACTORY DEFECTS AS EVIDENCED BY ISSUANCE OF 70 TSBS AND FAILED TO RECALL CARS WHICH ARE HIGHWAY HAZARDS.TO DATE, I HAVE SPENT $10,088.79 ON REPAIRS DUE TO THESE KNOWN DEFECTS. TWO HEAD GASKETS, CYLINDER HEADS, CAM SEALS AND SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER CHRYSLER'S "SECRET WARRANTY"--AT 20,871 AND 54,049 MILES. NOW SUPPOSEDLY ONLY DEFECTIVE CAMSENSORS ARE THE PROBLEM. OTHER DEFECTS BEGINNING 20,000 MILES: RADIO/TAPE PLAYER, VIBRATION, CLINKLING/CLUNKING SOUND, STEERING WHEEL SHAKE, "TOE" PROBLEM DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE TIRE CONSUMPTION (TIRE & WHEEL RUN OUT), ABS FAILURE, BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN, BRAKE HOWLING, BRAKE METAL TO METAL CONTACT, NEED FOR LARGER BRAKE DRUMS, TRUNK WEATHERSTRIPPING DEFECTIVE, FAULTY DESIGN RESULTS IN LEAKS TO INTERIOR, LOWER CONTROL ARM DEFECTIVE, CANNOT HOLD ALIGNMENT, SUSPENSION SYSTEM DEFECTIVE, TIRES COLLAPSE AND FLY OFF, AC FAILURE (HOSE LEAKS, COMPRESSOR REPLACED), NEW BATTERIES REPEATED REPLACED ( AAA CALLED 12 TIMES AND RECHARGER PURCHASED) NOW A TBS SAYS THIS IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE RKE TRANSMITTER, 02 SENSORS, VARIOUS SEALS LEAK, WIRING DEFECTIVE, TRANSMISSION REPLACED (NOTHING BUT SHARDS OF METAL LEFT--ON DISPLAY AT TRANSMISSION SHOP), TRANSAXLE DIFFERENTIAL REPLACED, OIL LEAKAGE, LIFETIME BRAKES REPLACED EVERY 6 MONTHS, INSUFFICIENT POWER ON INCLINE, WITH PARKING BRAKE AND FOOT BRAKE ON CAR ROLLS OR LURCHES WHEN IGNITION TURNED OFF, STEERING COLUMN SHAKES VIOLENTLY AT 45 MPH, DIFFICULT TO STEER AT UNDER 45 MPH, DRIVER SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF, TURN SIGNAL DEFECTIVE, SEPARATION OF LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT, WHEELCOVER LOSS DUE TO MISSING OR LOOSE BOLTS, RIM REPLACEMENTS DUE TO TIRES FLYING OFF, OIL LEAK, GLOVE COMPARTMENT LATCH FAILURE, POOR DESIGN WITH NO LIGHTS AROUND LIGHTER, AND OTHER MINOR PROBLEMS. CHRYSLER IS A NEGLIGENT MANUFACTURER AND ALL NEONS SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. *AK

I BOUGHT THIS NEON IN AUGUST OF 1998, IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WORKED ON TWICE. WHEN YOU GO OVER 60MPH THE STEERING WHEEL RATTLES. THE SPEAKERS FOR THE RADIO WORK SOMETIMES. THE OVERHEAD LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING. WHEN IT RAINS THE FRONT FLOOR BOARDS GET SOAKED WITH WATER. LAST MONTH THE I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE HEADGASKET, AND AFTER SEVERAL CALLS THE THE MANUFACTURER THEY PAID HALF, BUT THE NEXT DAY THE ENGINE STARTED TO KNOCK SEVERLY.

SPARE TIRE CAVITY WAS FULL OF WATER. THIS CAUSED THE SPARE TO BE RUSTED AS WELL AS THE FLOOR UNDER THE TIRE AND THE JACK. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO USE THE SPARE SO I DONT KNOW HOW LONG THE WATER HAS BEEN THERE. FROM THE AMOUNT THAT WAS IN THERE, I WOULD SAY IT HAS COLLECTED EVERY RAIN DROP SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR. THIS CAUSED ME TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO USE THE SPARE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD IF I HAD BEEN IN A RURAL AREA OR IF I HAD NO CAR PHONE. IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. A REAR TAILLIGHT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY WHEN I FIRST GOT THE CAR DUE TO WATER INTRUSION. MAYBE THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM.

HELP ! IT WAS JUST SEVEN MONTHS AGO I PURCHASE A 1997 NEON. I WAS SO HAPPY, I WAS GOING TO BE DRIVING A FAIRLY DECENT CAR. IT WAS 1998 AND I WAS GOING TO BE DRIVING A 1997. WITH A/C EVEN. HA. HA. HA. NEEDLESS TO SAY I DIDN'T KNOW THREE WEEKS LATER I WOULD BE PUTTING IN A NEW TRANSMISSION. CAR IN THE SHOP FOR TWO WEEKS WAITING ON A PART THEY HAD TO ORDER. BOY DID THAT PUT A SOUR TASTE IN MY MOUTH. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND WANTED TO GIVE THE CAR BACK. I NO LONGER WANTED THE CAR. I KNEW THEN I WOULD NOT HAVE NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS AFTER THAT. WELL YOU KNOW THEY SAID NO. GOOD THING I HAD THE 1595.00 EXTEDED SERV. CONTRACT I GOT THE PROBLEM FIX FREE . WELL NOT REALLY FREE IT COST ME 1595.00 FOR THE WARRANTY AND FIFTY DOLLARS EVERYTIME YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR CAR IN THE SHOP. I ONLY HAD 30.000.00 MILES AND ALREADY NEEDED IT A TRANSMISSION? HMMMM. IN DECEMBER WE HAD A RECALL ON THE CAR. IN JAN.1999 I STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL FAILURE. IN FEB.1999 MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED COMING ON. ALSO IN FEB. I TURN ON MY AIR CONDITING TO FIND OUT IT DOESN'T WORK. IT WAS BLOWING OUT HOT AIR. I CALL CHRYSLER AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN. IT WAS GOING TO COST ME THE $50. WHICH I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS FAIR, BEING I JUST PURCHASE THE CAR IN NOV.1998. IN MAR. 12TH I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR BRAKE INSPECTION BECUASE I WAS HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WHEN I WOULD STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE CAR, THE BRAKES MAKE NOISE LIKE GRINDING METAL TO METAL. MY FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE WORN OUT, WHICH THEY SAID HAD RUINED THE FRONT ROTORS. AND THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING ROTORS AND D PADS. THEY SAID THE VEH. WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN CURRENT CONDITION. WELL THEY WANTED TO CHG. ME OVER $300.00 AND I JUST DIDN'T TRUST THEM ANY MORE SO MY DAD DID THE JOB FOR $100.00. M Y EXTENDED SERV. CONTRACT DID NOT COVER THE BRAKES. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A LEMON FOR A CAR. I DON'T THINK THIS CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE THERE IS ALL WAY SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT. AND IT IS PUTTING A HOLE IN MY POCKET. SO MUCH FOR A NEWER CAR SO YOU CAN HAVE FEW