2000 Dodge Neon

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A CLICKING AND BUMPING NOISE. SHE PULLED TO THE SIDE, GOT OUT, AND NOTHING APPEARED TO BE WRONG. SHE WENT BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AND DROVE ON THE HIGHWAY AND SAME NOISE STARTED, BUT JUST A LITTLE LOUDER THEN, CONSUMER PULLED OFF INTO A DRIVEWAY, GOT OUT AND NOTICED THAT THE RUBBER SEPARATED FROM TIRE SIDEWALL. GOODYEAR, EAGLE MS, P1855/60R15.*AK

I OWNED A 2000 DODGE NEON. I LAST DROVE THE VEHICLE ON MAY 25, 2004 AND IT HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE MY APARTMENT SINCE THAT TIME. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, ON MAY 27, 2004 AT ABOUT 2:45AM MY CAR WHILE PARKED OUTSIDE MY APARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS AND WAS ASLEEP IN MY APARTMENT AT THAT TIME. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE WAS CONFINED TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND HAD TO BE PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. ACCORDING TO THE INSURANCE FIRE INVESTIGATOR, THE HEAT FROM THE FIRE WAS SO INTENSE AND ENGINE AND FRONT END DAMAGE SO SEVERE THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE AN OFFICIAL CAUSE BUT SUSPECTED THE FIRE TO BE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. OFFICIALLY ACCORDING TO MY INSURANCE, THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. MY INSURANCE DETERMINED MY VEHICLE TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. I HAVE NO REASON TO EXPECT ARSON OR THAT IT WAS DELIBERATELY SET FIRE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ALSO DID NOT SUSPECT ARSON AND ARE NOT PURSUING FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS FIRE WAS A BIG FINACIAL LOSS FOR ME(BASED ON MY ANNUAL INCOME) DUE TO THE INSURANCE REIMBURSING ONLY HALF THE ORIGINAL COST OF THE CAR. I ALSO AM THANKFUL THAT I WAS NOT OPERATING THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS HAPPENED WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED ME SERIOUS INJURIES. I DID HAVE TWO PRIOR ACCIDENTS TO THE FRONT END OF THIS VEHICLE WITH ONE OF THE CRASHES REQUIRING THE ENGINE TO BE REMOVED AND PUT BACK IN. THIS CRASH, HOWEVER, TOOK PLACE OVER A YEAR AGO AND I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE NEON UP UNTIL MAY 27, 2004. AS A RESULT, I DO NOT SUSPECT THE PRIOR REPAIRS TO BE THE CAUSE OF THIS FIRE. WITH THE RECENT RECALL OF THE CHRYSLAR PT CRUISER, I THOUGHT I SHOULD REPORT THIS NEON ENGINE FIRE TO PROTECT OTHER NEON OWNER'S SAFETY.

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR YOU CAN HEAR BANGING UNDER THE FRONT CHASIS. THE SWAY BAR LINKS HAVE BEEN BREAKING FROM THE SWAY BAR. TWICE THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT MY COST. THE THIRD TIME THEY REPAIR AT NO COST. I HAVE REPLACED TWO LINKS ON THE RIGHT AND TWO ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE FIRST TIME WAS THE RIGHT. THE SECOND TIME WAS THE RIGHT AND LEFT. THE THIRD TIME THE RIGHT. THE FIRST TIME WAS MAY 16, 2002. THE SECOND WAS SEPTEMBER 24, 2003. THE THIRD TIME JUNE 1, 2004. THE DEALERSHIP CAN NOT FIND THE REASON TO THE FAILURE OFTHE LINKS. *AK