2000 Dodge Neon

WHEN I ATTEMPED TO PULL OUT FROM A STOPLIGHT THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T GO ANYWHERE. ALMOST WAS REARENDED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER BEING THAT I WAS TRYING TO MOVE AND MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE BRAKE TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE LIGHT. ... TOOK A FEW SECONDS TO REALIZE IT WASN'T GOING TO MOVE AND PUT MY FOUR WAYS ON. THIS WAS AT AN INTERSECTION WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 45. VEHICLE FINALLY ENGAGED BUT WAS LEAKING TRANS FLUID. GOT IT HOME IN 1ST GEAR AND NOW THE CAR IS CONSTANTLY ENGAGED IN DRIVE. WHEN STARTED IN PARK THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD. THE FIRST TIME I STARTED IT AFTER GETTING IT HOME I ALMOST RAN OVER THE PERSON LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD. ODD THING IS THAT THERE IS STILL FLUID IN THE TRANS... AT ADD BUT STILL THERE AND THE LEAK HAS STOPPED. TRANS IS STILL ACTING LIKE IT DID THE DAY IT FAILED THOUGH.

I AM WRITING THIS ON BEHALF OF MY ELDERLY MOTHER WHO IS IN THE HOSPITAL UNDERGOING MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR INJURIES SHE RECEIVED WHEN HER CAR DROPPED INTO REVERSE FROM PARK WHILE SHE WAS GETTING ITEMS OUT OF THE TRUNK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. SHE WAS PINNED UNDER THE CAR FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE A FAMILY MEMBER FOUND HER AND MOVED THE CAR OFF HER. SHE HAS MULTIPLE ABRASIONS, SOME STITCHES, AND IS UNDERGOING TESTING FOR INTERNAL INJURIES. *TR

MAKE: DODGE MODEL: NEON TYPE: PASSENGER CAR YEAR: 2000 SUMMARY: AS NOTED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS, WITH ANY HEAVY RAINFALL, THE FLOOR IN THE BACK SEATS FILLS WITH WATER (UP TO AN INCH OR MORE). APPEARS TO BE ENTERING THROUGH THE TRUNK AREA, AS THE SPARE TIRE WELL ALSO FILLS WITH WATER. USING SPONGES AND A SHOPVAC TO SOAK UP THE WATER AND THEN LEAVING WINDOWS OPEN TO DRY IT OUT IS MY ONLY REMEDY TO THE MOISTURE AND ODOR. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 2001. THE DEALER IS OF NO HELP BECAUSE (MERCIFULLY FOR OTHERS) THAT DEAL WENT BANKRUPT A YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. I HAVE A LITANY OF OTHER CONCERNS WITH THE 2000 NEON. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE (CHRYSLER REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY - PARTLY A PROBLEM WITH RECORDS AS THE DEALERSHIP OF PURCHASE/INITIAL MAINTENANCE HAS GONE OUT OF BUSINESS), EACH TIME I START THE CAR, THE FUSE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, THOUGH ALL FUSES HAVE BEEN CHECKED AND LOOK OK. AN ELECTRICAL HARNESS HAS FAILED AND AS A RESULT I HAVE NO FUNCTIONING INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS OR EXTERIOR BACKUP LIGHTS. REPEATED EFFORTS BY SEVERAL REPAIR FACILITIES TO LOCATE THE CORRECT HARNESS HAVE FAILED. VEHICLE HAS UNDER 72,000 MILES OF RELATIVELY EASY CITY DRIVING (COMMUTE TO WORKPLACE) OR DIVIDED HIGHWAY DRIVING), YET MOST FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM COMPONENTS HAVE FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED (ALL STRUTS, SWAY BARS, ETC). TRANSMISSION FLUID HOSE OR CONNECTOR FAILED ON FEB 19, 2006, RESULTING IN SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF FLUID. *NM

THE CAR IDLES VERY HIGH AND THEN ACCELERATES TO HIGHER SPEEDS WITHOUT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE IS A HIGH ACCELERATION BOOSTS AND SPURTS WHEN FIRST ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION, CAUSING CAR TO LUNGE FORWARD AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE CAR REFUSES TO START WHEN NOT USED DAILY, SUCH AS A PROBLEM WITH THE STARTER OR THE ALTERNATOR, BUT NO PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN FOUND WITH EITHER PARTS UPON INSPECTIONS BY A MECHANIC. FRONT AXLES POP WHEN TURNING. KEY IS HARD TO DISENGAGE OR REMOVE FROM THE IGNITION. BRAKES ARE CONSTANTLY SQUEALING AND WEAR EVERY 3-6 MONTHS REGARDLESS F HOW THE CAR IS DRIVEN. THOUGH IT MAY OR NOT BE A PROBLEM FOR SOME, THE FOLD DOWN SEATS IN THE REAR SEAT DO NOT HAVE A DISENGAGE LEVER FROM THE TRUNK. OVER-HEAD DOME LIGHT DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND HAS FAULTY WIRING, SO THAT EVEN THOUGH ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED THE DOME LIGHT NEVER SHUTS OFF. THERE IS CONSTANTLY A FUSE LIGHT THAT FLASHES IN MY DASH, THOUGH ALL FUSES HAVE BEEN CHECKED NUMEROUS TIMES AND ALL ARE IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER, THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED, THE WARNING LIGHT STILL FLASHES. THE UTILITY OUTLET/CIGARETTE LIGHTER OUTLET DOESN'T AND HAS NOT EVER WORKED SINCE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT IN 2004. FUSES HAVE BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. WATER LEAKS IN FROM RAIN OR WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAUSING MUSTY ODOR IN THE CAR. CAR CONSTANTLY OVER-HEATS DURING TRAVEL OVER 35-40 MILES AND LEAKS ANTI-FREEZE, THOUGH NO LEAKS OR PIN HOLES OF ANY KIND COULD BE FOUND. TRUNK STICKS MAKING IT HARD TO OPEN OR DISENGAGE, CAUSED KEY TO BE BROKEN OFF INSIDE THE TRUNK LOCK. *JB

DT: WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND FIRST STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT ON THE OUTSIDE LANE THE GREEN LIGHT CAME ON ,AND THE CAR WAS IN FIRST GEAR. WHEN TRYING TO PLACE CAR IN SECOND GEAR CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT AND FELT THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE GEARS. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD TO THE NEAREST TURNOFF LANE. A POLICE OFFICER FOLLOWED CONSUMER AS TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER, AND THE DEALER SAID THE CROSSOVER CABLE BROKE. NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. CONSUMER HAD THIS REPAIRED AND HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE REPAIR. *AK THE BATTERIES HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. THE GASKET WERE REPLACED BECAUSE WATER WAS GETTING INSIDE THE CAR DURING RAINSTORM. THE RIGHT FRONT MOTOR MOUNT CRACKED. *NM

2000 DODGE NEON-I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 5 YEARS AND USE IT SOLELY FOR COMMUTING TO AND FROM WORK. I AM A CAREFUL DRIVER AND DO NOT ABUSE THIS VEHICLE. *AK DURING THESE 5 YRS I HAVE HAD THE FOLLOWING WORK ON THIS CAR; REPLACED THE BRAKES TWICE WITHIN THE FIRST 2 YRS REPLACED THE BATTERY 3 TIMES OVER 5 YEARS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT 70K REPLACED THE RADIATOR AT 70K THE CAR PERFORMS VERY POORLY IN ICE AND SNOW. I HAVE SPUN OUT ON SEVERAL MAJOR HIGHWAYS MERELY DOING LESS THAN 10 MPH IN SNOW/SLUSH. I WAS TOLD MY MECHANIC THAT IT IS THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION AND POOR DESIGN OF MY VEHICLE THAT THIS HAPPENS. MY TIRES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED/REPLACED WHEN TREAD WAS GETTING LOW. I RECENTLY PAID $400 FOR A SET OF NEW MICHELIN HARMONY TIRES HOPING THAT THE UPCOMING SNOW AND ICE SEASON MAY NOT KILL ME. CAR HAD A MUSTY/FISHY ODOR WHEN I USED THE HEATER DURING THE FIRST 2 YEARS. THIS HAS SINCE GONE. MY TRANSMISSION DIED DURING A THUNDERSTORM ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK. IT GAVE NO WARNING, ALL FLUIDS HAD JUST BEEN CHECKED THE WEEKEND BEFORE WHEN MY OIL WAS CHANGED. THIS INCIDENT RESULTED IN OVER $1900 WORTH OF REPAIR CHARGES. I HAD JUST BOUGHT OUT MY LEASE THAT VERY WEEK. THE $1900 I PAID WAS MY ENTIRE SAVINGS. THE FOLLOWING REPAIR WORK OUTSTANDS; CDPLAYER IS DEAD. IT CHEWED UP MY CDS. (1 YEAR) MY REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOCK BUZZES WHEN I LOCK IT. IT APPARENTLY NEEDS A NEW DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY AND ACTUATOR. (2ND YEAR) THE TRUNK LATCH DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY OPEN. IT TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO LOCK. (1ST YEAR).

ON NUMEROUS INSTANCES MY CLUTCH WOULD STICK, AFTER DEPRESSING ONE MORE TIME IT WAS RELEASED. THIS CONTINUED, UNTIL FINALLY IT REMAINED STUCK WITH ME IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THIS CONDITION THEN REQUIRED A FULL REPLACEMENT OF THE CLUTCH SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH IT WAS THE FAULTY CLUTCH CABLE WHICH CAUSED THE CONDITION. THE CABLE CONSISTENTLY FOLDED UPON ITSELF, AS I AM TOLD, AND WAS KINKING UP IN THE ENGINE. I DON'T AGREE THAT A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD AND UNFORTUNATELY JUST OUT OF WARRANTY SHOULD BE EXPERIENCING SUCH COSTLY OR DANGEROUS PROBLEMS. *JB