2003 Dodge Neon

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

THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE SCRAPING AND SQUEAKING NOISES WHILE GOING OVER BUMPS AND DIPS. I INSPECTED THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND HAD FOUND THAT THE REAR BUSHINGS ON BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS SEPARATED FROM THE CONTROL ARMS. THE PASSENGERS SIDE CONTROL ARM HAD FAILED AND WAS TOUCHING THE SUB FRAME, THE DRIVERS SIDE WAS CLOSE TO FAILING. BOTH BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

DT: THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE WIRING UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THIS HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2005, CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE GOING TO INVESTIGATE IT, BUT HAVE NOT DONE SO. THE VEHICLE CUT OFF, AND SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. THEN , THE VEHICLE TURNED ON FOUR TIMES BY ITSELF WHILE CONSUMER HOLDING THE KEY IN HAND. THE HORN STARTED BLOWING AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON. *AK

DT: THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE IN MOTION AND THE STEERING WOULD LOCK. ALSO, THE HAZARD LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN A TEN MONTH SPAN. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS ON NOVEMBER 15, 2004, THE SECOND WAS MARCH 23, 2005, AND SEPTEMBER 25, 2005. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE, AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING, NOISE AND OR WARNING LIGHTS. *AK (11/21/05) *SC

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.

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES DUE TO IMPACT. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK MANUFACTURER AND INSURANCE COMPANY NOTIFIED, BUT NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *TT CONSUMER CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THE TALRO INSURANCE COMPANY, NEITHER WANTED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING NEITHER DID THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE INCIDENT. THE APOLLO CASUALTY COMPANY TOLD HER TO CALL CHRYSLER BACK. CONSUMER WANTS TO SUE BUT LAWYER SAID THAT THERE CAN'T BE ANYTHING DONE BECAUSE NOBODY WENT TO THE HOSPITAL.*SB

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON I-35 IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS IN JANUARY, 2004, MY 2003 NEON R/T (WITH APPROXIMATELY 10,865 MILES) EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. LUCKILY THE MOMENTUM WAS GREAT ENOUGH TO ALLOW ME TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I CHECKED THE VEHICLE (CABLE CONNECTIONS AND FUSES) AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. AFTER 10 MINUTES THE CAR STARTED AND RAN FINE. I TOOK IT TO GUNN DODGE IN SAN ANTONIO IN FEBRUARY, AND THEY SAID A CELL IN THE BATTERY CHECKED BAD AND THAT WAS WHAT CAUSED THE TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY. WHILE DRIVING FROM SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS TO KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE ON APRIL 18, 2005, THE CAR AGAIN EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, OUTSIDE OF DALLAS, TEXAS. I WAS AGAIN ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, AND I DETECTED A SLIGHT SCENT OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OVERHEATING.. AGAIN ALL CABLES AND FUSES APPEARED TO BE OK, BUT CAR WOULD NOT START. AS I WAS TALKING WITH CHRYSLER ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE ON MY CELL PHONE, MY WIFE CHECKED THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE CONNECTION, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR, AND IT STARTED (APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES AFTER THE TOTAL LOSS OF POWER). I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TRIP TO KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE WITHOUT INCIDENT. I TOOK MY CAR TO RICE CHRYSLER-DODGE IN KNOXVILLE ON APRIL 19, 2005 (CAR HAD 24001 MILES). AFTER SEVERAL HOURS, THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME ALL CABLES, WIRES AND FUSES CHECKED OUT FINE, AS DID ALL GROUND CONNECTIONS. HE ALSO TOLD ME THEY HAD CALLED CHRYSLER TO SPEAK WITH AN ENGINEER ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND THE ENGINEER COULD THINK OF NO REASON WHY MY CAR HAD EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, NOR HAD HE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS HAPPENING TO ANYONE ELSE.

MY 2003 DODGE NEON, PURCHASED FROM CARMAX NEAR LAX IN INGLEWOOD, CA. IT NOW HAS UNDER 24000 MILES, AND HAS STALLED IN TRAFFIC 7 TIMES IN THE PAST 1500 MILES, TWICE FAILING TO RE-START IN TRAFFIC, AND ONCE AGAIN IN A PARKING GARAGE. THE 1ST TIME WAS ABOUT 5 MONTHS AGO IN WEST LOS ANGELES. THE VEHICLE RE-STARTED ONLY AFTER A JUMP FROM AAA, AND STALLED 2 MORE TIMES AS I DROVE TO THE CARMAX LOCATION FOR SERVICE. CARMAX FAILED TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG TO EXPLAIN THE STALL, & FOUND ONLY A LOOSE BATTERY TERMINAL BOLT, WHICH THEY SAID CAUSED THE STALLING. THEY TIGHTENED THE BOLT AND RETURNED THE CAR TO ME. LESS THAN 5 WEEKS LATER, THE CAR STALLED 3 TIMES AGAIN AROUND TOWN, RESTARTED AFTER 20 MINUTES, AND FINALLY STALLED IN SANTA MONICA, WHEN THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIED, NO BRAKE LIGHTS OR SAFETY HAZARD LIGHTS AT ALL, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD CHRYSLER TOWING TAKE THE CAR TO BUERGE CHRYSLER IN WEST LA, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, & DECLARED THAT THE BATTERY WAS FINE. THEY SAID A SERVICE BULLETIN SUGGESTED "FLASHING THE POWER CONTROL MODULE", WHICH THEY DID. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE. LESS THAN 6 WEEKS LATER, THE CAR STALLED ON THE ROAD TWICE AGAIN, AND ONCE MORE IN AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE, WHERE IT WOULD NOT RESTART: AGAIN, NO POWER AT ALL, NO BRAKE LIGHTS OR HAZARD LIGHTS. THE CAR WAS AGAIN TOWED TO BUERGE, AND 2 DAYS LATER THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE FOUND A DEFECTIVE CONNECTOR ON THE BATTERY GROUNDING CABLE, WHICH WAS REPLACED. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE. WHEN A CAR IS BARELY 2 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 24000 MILES ON IT, AND STALLS 7 TIMES, 3 TIMES STRANDING THE DRIVER, IN THE MIDST OF TRAFFIC, THIS MUST BE CONSIDERED A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. I STILL OWE THE BANK $$ FOR THIS LEMON, AND AM AFRAID TO VENTURE TOO FAR FOR FEAR THAT THE ALLEGED FIXES OF TIGHTEEDG BOLTS, FLASHED PCMS, AND REPLACED CONNECTORS MAY NOT BE CERTAIN FIXES. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS INEXCUSABLE PROBLEM.