2001 Dodge Neon

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT END WAS REWIRED. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHERE THE ALTERNATOR, ALTERNATOR BELT, CAM SHAFT, BATTERY, HORN AND THE GROUND WIRE CABLE WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIRS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REWIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, SMOKE HAS BEEN EMITTED FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN. INITIALLY, FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. LATER, SMOKE CAME FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, AND THE FOG LIGHTS TURNED OFF, BUT WOULD NOT TURN ON. 1 MONTH LATER, MORE SMOKE CAME FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, WITH A BAD ODOR, AND THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. NOW, I HAVE HAD TO BUY THE MFS (MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH) BUT IT DOES NOT WORK, AS THE WIRING HARNESS AND WIRES ARE BURNED. THE DODGE DEALER SAYS THAT THE ENTIRE WIRING LOOM HAS TO BE REPLACED FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE, AND HAVE FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE. MY CONCERN IS THAT HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, ETC, SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE, AND I HAVE SEEN THAT MANY OTHER NEON OWNERS HAVE HAD TAILLIGHTS GO OUT, TURN SIGNALS NOT OPERATE, ETC. I CHECKED 7 CARS IN JUNK YARDS TODAY, AND FOUND THAT ALL OF THEM HAD BURNED WIRES AND HARNESSES. DODGE SHOULD REMEDY THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS CLEARLY RELATED TO SAFETY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING (MPH UNKNOWN) HE HEARD A LOUD RINGING NOISE THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART TO VEHICLE AFTER ADJUSTING THE WIRING HARNESS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MAIN CABLE INTO THE BATTERY CAUSED THE FAILURE AND THEY MADE THE REPAIR. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MONTHS LATER THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,880 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MAIN CABLE INTO THE BATTERY CAUSED THE FAILURE AND THEY MADE THE REPAIR. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MONTHS LATER THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,880 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 04-07-08 *BF

CAR ELECTRICAL INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE MOVING OR PARKED. RADIO GOES OUT, ALL DIALS GO DOWN TO ZERO, POWER STEERING AND BRAKES DO NOT WORK. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, MOSTLY BY TOW-TRUCK, TO FIX THE PROBLEM. DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, INSTALLS CO-PILOT, BUT CAR DOES NOT ACT UP WHILE IT'S INSTALLED. I HAVE CONTACTED DAIMLERCHRYSLER ASSISTANCE CENTER, BUT THEY SAY IT'S NOT THEIR PROBLEM. MY WARRENTY IS ALMOST UP AND I AM AFRAID I WON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO TAKE THE CAR IN ANYMORE, THIS SITUATION IS SEVERELY DANGEROUS, THE CAR WILL COME TO A DEAD STOP ON THE FREEWAY OR IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION, I HAVE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS AND AM WORRIED THAT I WILL GET HURT, OR WORSE. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THERE IS A BURNING SMELL WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ON AT NIGHT. THE SMELL COMES FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER TURNING ON THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR THE ELECTRICAL DEFECTS BEGAN TO SURFACE. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON, IT DRAINS POWER FROM THE VEHICLE. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK