2003 Dodge Neon

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE NEON SXT. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2008. 6 MONTHS LATER THE TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT. THE CAR WOULD NOT RUN AT ALL. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS TO THIS. AAMACO SAID THAT THE RADIATOR BLEW WHICH LED TO THE COOLANT AND TRANS. FLUID MIXING TOGETHER AND DESTROYING THE TRANSMISSION. I HAD NO WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT USED. IT COST ME 3500 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND THE CAR IS BURNING FUEL. I AM GETTING ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 17 MPG DEPENDING ON THE DAY. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS, INCLUDING A DEALERSHIP, WHO CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. THE WORST PROBLEM YET IS THAT WHEN IT IS RAINING OUTSIDE AND I AM DRIVING THE CAR THERE IS A SMALL THUNKING NOISE, AND THEN A LOUD THUNKING NOISE THAT LOCKS UP THE REAR TIRES AND BRINGS THE CAR TO A SKIDDING HALT. SO FAR, KNOW ON WOOD, NO ACCIDENTS, BUT IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AGAIN, THE CAR HAS GONE TO SEVERAL MECHANICS WHO CLAIMED THEY FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM. HAVE CHANGED EVERYTHING FROM AXLES, TO BRAKE CYLINDERS AND BRAKES. PAID APPROXIMATELY 1500 DOLLARS OUT OF POCKET, AND THE CAR IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. I HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN WHO I REFUSE TO DRIVE ANYWHERE IN THIS CAR FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY. *TR

IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING SPARK PLUGS IN OUR NEON, I NOTICED THE FUEL RAIL FOR THE INJECTORS UNDER THE HOOD HAS A LOT OF SEVERE RUST AND PITTING ON IT. IT MUST BE MADE OUT OF STEEL. THIS VEHICLE WAS NEVER UNDER WATER SO THIS MUST BE BAD PARTS. I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT IT IS RUSTING OUT. ONE PIN HOLE AND THERE WOULD BE AN ENGINE FIRE. I HAVE MY CHILDREN WHO WORK IN A SALVAGE YARD LOOKING TO GET ME A RUST FREE ONE NOW TO REPLACE THIS ONE. I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

I HAVE A DODGE NEON SXT 2003, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. I WENT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO PEP BOYS TO HAVE THE COMPUTER PUT ON IT AND IT WOULD TELL ME WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT AND BRING IT BACK TO THE DEALER. I DIDN'T DO THAT, I TOOK IT SOME WHERE ELSE TO HAVE IT CHECKED. IT WAS THE PURGE SOLENOID THAT HAD GONE BAD. SO I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY ASKED ME WHAT I FOUND OUT WITH IT, I TOLD THEM I DID BUT I WASN'T TELLING THEM WHAT I FOUND OUT, IT WAS THEIR JOB TO FIND OUT AND WHEN THEY FIND OUT TO LET ME KNOW SO I WOULD SEE IF THE PROBLEM MATCH WITH WHAT I FOUND OUT. THEY CLAIMED THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM . A MONTH LATER I TOOK IT BACK BECAUSE IT STILL WAS TAKING TO MUCH GAS TO FILL UP THE VEHICLE, THIS TIME THEY FOUND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG THEY DID FIND IT WAS THE PURGE SOLENOID THAT HAD GONE BAD. I HAVE A 7-YEAR 70,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE NEON. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WASN'T COVERED AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY 479.00 FOR THE PART NOT INCLUDING THE LABOR. DID I MENTION THAT THE NEON IS A 2003 AND WHEN THE SOLENOID WENT THE CAR ONLY HAD 28,000 MILES ON IT AND RIGHT NOW IT HAS ONLY 31,500. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS CAR FOR THAT PART. I AM LOOKING INTO BUYING A HONDA OR A TOYOTA. I HAVE HAD IT WITH CAR. AS MANY REPAIRS THAT I HAVE HAD DONE I THINK I WOULD HAVE TWO CARS IN MY DRIVEWAY BY NOW. *TR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN WAS NOT WORKING. THE HORN WAS REPLACED ON AUGUST 3, 2004 AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2004 . SHE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING WHEN CRANKED. SHE STATED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS IT WOULD START. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP , AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, AND THE FLASHED PCM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STARTING AGAIN; THIS BEGAN ON OCTOBER 19, 2005. THE VEHICLE WILL HAVE TO BE TOWED THIS TIME. *AK

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE NEON THAT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW WITH ONE MILE ON IT WHEN I TOOK IT OFF THE LOT. SINCE THAT DREADFULL DAY I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE STARTING AROUND 10K MILES. FIRST SOME ELECTRICAL COMPONETS IN THE SOUND SYSTEM WENT OUT. FROM THERE I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS REPLACEDBECAUSE NEARLY EVERY 5K MILES STARTING AROUND 10,500 MILES. THE CAR HAS A HARD TIME STARTING WHEN THE TEMPERATURES GET TOO CLOSE TO 20 DEGREES F, WHEN YOU GET TO ZERO FORGET IT. I HAVE HAD THE BATTERY TESTED MY DEALER CHARGED ME $30.00 SOME ODD DOLLARS TO DO THAT AND SAID IT IS JUST ME. WHEN IT GETS TOO HOT LIKE AROUND 85 DEGREES OR SO IT RUNS LIKE IT IS BOGING DOWN. THE FULE INJECTION SENSORS HAVE GONE OUT TWICE 200 MILES APPART AND AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE HAS NEARLY 33K MILES ON IT. I HAVE IT SERVICED EVERY 3K MILES AND HAVE CHANGED THE AIR FILTER AND SPARK PLUGS AS DIRECTED. I ALSO HAVE ALL OF MY SERVICE RECEIPTS FROM THE TRIPS TO THE DEALR I REGUARDS TO THE ELECTRICAL, BREAK AND INJECTION WORK I HAVE HAD DONE. THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO BEEN TAKEN TO THREE DIFERENT DODGE DEALERS HOPING ONE WOULD FIND SOMETHING THE OTHERS KEEPT OVERLOOKING. MORE INFO CAN AND WILL BE PROVIDED IF REQUESTED.

I HAVE A DODGE NEON 2003. JANUARY 2004 I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE (OIL CHANGE/PLUGS. ABOUT A WEEK LATER A SPARK PLUG SHOT OUT OF CYLINDER ONE. I CALL THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TOOK IT BY THE DEALSHIP (DARCARS) THEY PUT THE SPARK PLUG BACK IN BUT MY CAR HASN'T RUN PROPERLY YET.THEY REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S TAKES A THOUSAND DOLLAR OR MORE TO FIX. I'VE HAD DIANOGSTICS DONE AND NOW THE CAR IS BE REPAIRED AT LEE'S AUTO SHOP WITH PROBLEMS HARD FOR MR. LEE TO FIX (ELECTRONIC PROBLEM IN THE NO. 4 CYLINDER; IT WON'T OPEN AND CLOSE PROPERLY. LEE'S DONE ALL HE COULD DO SO FAR (THE CAR NOW IS STILL IN HIS SHOP. IT'S BEEN ABOUT A WEEK). FURTHERMORE I WAS TOLD AFTERWARD THAT A NEW CAR DOSN'T NEED A TUNE UP FOR TWO YEARS. I THINK THE SERVICE GUY SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ME OF THAT INSTEAD HE TOOK MY MONEY WITH NO REFUND. THE EXACT DAY I DON'T HAVE RIGHT NOW BUT I COULD GET IT I HAVE ALL MY PROBLEM PAPER WORK. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COLLIDED WITH A SIDE RAIL. NEITHER FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A AUTO BODY SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *NM ALSO, 2 MONTHS AFTER THE CONSUMER PURHCASED THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THERE IS ALSO AN INCIDENT THAT THE VEHICLE DOESN'T START. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATED AND CONSUMER COULDN'T GET AN ACCURATE READING OF THE VEHICLE'S SPEED. *PH THE MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE SPEEDOMETER NUMEROUS TIMES, ONCE BY REPLACING THE INTERNAL CLUSTER. THERE WAS A SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THE NOISE WAS FIXED BY BLOCKING THE AIR INTAKE ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE FREEWAY, HOWEVER THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE HEAT SHIELD. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CONSUMED A LOT OF FUEL, THERE WAS A RATTLE FROM THE EXHAUST AND THE ENGINE HAD AN OIL LEAK, SUBSEQUENTLY THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY THE CONSUMER'S CONCERNS. *JB