IllustrationTHE FRONT FRAME THAT HOLDS ENGINE,STRUTS, BRAKES , STEERING ARE ROTTED OUT FROM RUST CAUSING MAJOR ISSUES AND POSSIBLE INJURIES AND DEATH !!!!!!!!!!! CHRYSLER KNOWS OF THESE ISSUES AND WONT DO ANYTHING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *TR
2004 Dodge Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 Dodge Neon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 173.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Neon years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
190–25K
1325–50K
1450–75K
1275–100K
8100–150K
7150K+
73 reports with mileage · 21 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports3 fire reports12 injury reports
Steering complaints
4 reportsI WAS LEAVING THE PARKING LOT SUNDAY AND SOMETHING SNAPPED. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND CHECKED THE FRONT END AND ONE WHEEL WAS ONE WAY AND OTHER WAS THE OTHER DIRECTION! LOOKED UNDERNEATH AND SAW THAT THE BALL BROKE OUT OF THE SOCKET. IF THAT WOULD OF HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, I WOULD BE DEAD OR SEVERELY INJURED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THE FOG LIGHTS SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO EMIT SMOKE AND BECAME UNUSUALLY HOT IN TEMPERATURE. SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME; HOWEVER, A BURNING SMELL FILLED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE D…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THE FOG LIGHTS SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO EMIT SMOKE AND BECAME UNUSUALLY HOT IN TEMPERATURE. SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME; HOWEVER, A BURNING SMELL FILLED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT EITHER THE WIRING HARNESS OR THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH HAD FAILED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000. UPDATED 4/26/10 *CN UPDATED 05/06/10.*JB
THERE HAS BEEN A POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR SINCE APRIL OF 2004. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP A TOTAL OF 14 TIMES SINCE PURCHASED IN JANUARY OF 2004. THE RACK AND PINION HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. STARTING SOMEWHERE AROUND AUGUST IT STARTED SQUEAKING. AFTER SPEAKING TO A FAMILY MEMBER THAT USED TO W…
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THERE HAS BEEN A POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR SINCE APRIL OF 2004. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP A TOTAL OF 14 TIMES SINCE PURCHASED IN JANUARY OF 2004. THE RACK AND PINION HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. STARTING SOMEWHERE AROUND AUGUST IT STARTED SQUEAKING. AFTER SPEAKING TO A FAMILY MEMBER THAT USED TO WORK AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED I WAS TOLD THAT THE RIGHT STRUT INSULATOR WAS BAD. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY ARE REPLACING THE BALL BARING IN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR.*AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.