1996 Dodge Neon Steering Problems

I HAVE HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH MY 1996 DODGE NEON SPORT, IT HAS BEEN INOPERABLE FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO, DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND STALLING WHICH I BELIEVE STEM FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED A FEW TIMES, THE A/C REPLACED, FUEL INJECTION ACTS UP AND THE FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATES, MY TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED SLIPPING, POWER STEERING AND EXHAUST ARE LEAKING, NUMEROUS OIL LEAKS, REAR LIGHTS/ BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE NOT WORKED IN OVER A YEAR, DRIVERSIDE WINDOW BROKE ALONG THE EXTENDING ARM INSIDE OF THE DOOR FRAME, TRUNK RELEASE IS BROKEN AND MY CRUISE CONTROL IS BROKEN! FOR THE LAST 4MONTHS MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT ATLANTA DODGE LLC! JUST AFTER LEAVING IT WITH THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT, I RECEIVED A CALL SAYING I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY AND UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED FOR $180 THEY COULD NOT DO A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK FOR ANY OTHER PROBLEMS!! THE BATTERY WAS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD AND WORKED FINE WHEN I LEFT THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP!! BUT IN HOPES OF ANY DECENT SERVICE I BOUGHT ANOTHER BATTERY FROM ADVANCED AUTO PARTS $40 AND TOOK IT IN MYSELF. DURING THIS VISIT I REMINDED THEM THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL CAR WAS UNDER A RECALL, THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS NOT!! I GAVE THEM THE NHTSA RECALL DOCUMENTATION AND WAS TOLD THAT IT DIDN'T APPLY TO MY CAR, ONLY TO THE NEONS FROM THE PLANT IN NEW MEXICO!! JUST AFTER THANKSGIVING I DECIDED TO CALL THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON. I SPOKE WITH BRIAN THE CS REP. AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THE MECHANICS COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR AND REFUSED TO RESEARCH ANY FURTHER UNLESS I AGREED TO SPEND NO LESS THAN $250 TOWARDS THE REPAIRS!! IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT THE SAME PARTS ARE IN NEED OF REPAIRS AS 15,000 OTHER NEONS -- REGARDLESS OF WHICH PLANT THE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLIED, THE DEFECTS LIE IN THE PLACEMENT AND/OR MANUFACTURING OF THE FAULTY PARTS AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER ANY RELATING RECALLS! *NM UPDATED 12/1505. *JB

NHTSA ID

10143833

Incident

Sep 21, 2005

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IN ANY DIRECTION, THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS INSPECTED AND WAS DETERMINED TO BE ADEQUATE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10015701

Incident

Mar 1, 2003

WHILE TRAVELING ON INCLEMENT WEATHER THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP. UNABLING HIM TO TURN THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM

NHTSA ID

8019956

Incident

Sep 1, 2002

DEAR SIR'S, IT WAS SOME-WHAT HARD TO BE REALLY ACURATE ON THE MILAGES IN YOUR FORM, BUT WHILE THESE THINGS WERE GOING ON, I WAS KEEPING NOTES. I COMPILED THEM ALL DOWN TO A JOURNAL TYPE DOCUMENT, DATES & TIMES. (06) PAGES. AND I CAN FURTHER EXTEND POINTS IN THERE, IN A PHONE CONVERSATION. I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU A COPY OF THIS ALSO. RESPECTFULLY, E W. MOSS. NO SAFETYD EFECT LISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

757703

Incident

May 29, 2001

VEHICLE WAS MAKING A CRUNCHING NOISE, AND WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AT HIGH SPEEDS. THIS WAS DUE TO A FAULTY RACK AND PINION STEERING. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

853782

THE DEFECTIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN THIS VEHICLE CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STOP WHEN DECELERATING. THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEARS MODEL ACCORDING TO LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOPS. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION WAS CHANGED FOR THE NEXT YEARS MODEL.

NHTSA ID

715661

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN WHILE DRIVING VERY SLOWY, CAR CONTINUED TO GO STRIAGHT, CAUSING RIGHT FRONT TIRE TO HIT CURB. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE STEERING SPINDLE AND KNUCKLE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALERS. *AK

NHTSA ID

850167

Incident

Sep 29, 1999

WHENEVER DRIVINGS VEHICLE UNDER WET CONDITIONS THE POWER STEERING WILL STOP WORKING, WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL, IT DOESN'T RETURN AS IT SHOULD. AFTER DRYING IT WILL BEGIN WORKING CORRECTLY. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

852443

WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THIS HEAD GASKET PROBLEM HAS NOT PROMPTED A RECALL. I PUT 3-4 QTS OF OIL IN A WEEK. CAN NOT AFFORD TO GET OT FIXED NOW. SHOULDN'T HAVE TO AFTER 27,000 MLS. I'LL NEVER BUY DODGE AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

710835

Incident

Feb 6, 1999

IN MAY MY STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. IT WAS AGAIN LOOKED AT IN NOVEMBER OF 1996. NOW, MY STEERING COLUMN HAS ONCE AGAIN FAILED. IT TAKES 10 TURNS OF MY WHEEL TO TURN FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER. ALSO, MY HEAD GASKET, AT 45000 MILES STARTED TO LEAK. THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO A CAR 3 YEARS OLD. *AK

NHTSA ID

705017

Incident

May 13, 1996

I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN FOR REPAIR 4 TIMES IN 3 YRS. FIRST THE SPARK PLUGS WERE BAD, HAD TO BE REPLACE. SECOND THE WIRES MELTED TOGETHER IN MY STEERING WHEEL COLUMN, 4RD THE FUELD SENSOR WENT OUT IN FUEL PUMP HAD TO HAVE THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED. ASK WARRENTY COMPANY WHAT MOST COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE DODGE NEON WAS THEY SAID THE HEAD GASKET BLOWING, NOW I GUESS IT'S MY TURN FOR THAT I TOOK TO DEALER TODAY FOR OIL LEAK , THEY SAID HEAD GASKET BLOWN, NEED TO TEAR DOWN ENGINE TO MAKE SURE NOTHING ELSE IS BAD ( CRACKED BLOCK / HEAD) SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR A CAR THAT'S NOT THAT OLD AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED, VERY DISSAPOINTED IN VEHICLE

NHTSA ID

704575

Incident

Mar 17, 1999

HEAD GASKET LEAKING.

NHTSA ID

543085

Incident

Aug 1, 1998

WHEN DRIVING AT 20 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL WAS COMING OFF THE STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING THEVEHICLE TO PULL OVER AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID

831071

Incident

Nov 5, 1998

GOING 30MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL HAD NO RESPONSE. HAD HEARD A POP. HAD VEHICLE TOWED. MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. TOO MANY BROKEN PARTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

830043

Incident

Oct 12, 1998

ENGINE GASKETS AND SEALS AND RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED.

NHTSA ID

781408

Incident

Oct 26, 1998

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REA REND COLLISION, SEAT BELT FAILED TO WOTK PROPERLY AND DRIVER'S HEAD HIT STEERING WHEEL, AND IS CURRENTLY SUFFERING FROM2 HERNIATED DISCS. 3 YEAR DAUGHTER WA SINA CAR SEAT IN THE REAR. CAR SEAT MOVED OUT OF PLACE BECAUSE SEAT BELT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. ALSO, WHEN MAKING ANY LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS STEERING COLUMN SOUNDS A SIF IT IS GOING TO POP OUT.

NHTSA ID

540583

Incident

Aug 16, 1998

STEERING DIFFICULTY CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

525945

Incident

Mar 3, 1996

BRAKES CONTINUALLY MAKE NOISE.

NHTSA ID

525730

Incident

Mar 25, 1996

WHEN IT IS WET OUTSIDE VEHICLE LOSES ALL STEERING. VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER STEERING AND THE DRIVER HAS TO USE BOTH HANDS TO STEER THE VEHICLE. DEALER DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE ON THE PROBLEM CONCERNING THE STEERING. *AK

NHTSA ID

816191

Incident

Sep 9, 1996

EVERYTIME THAT IT RAINS THE STEERING LOCKS UP, AND DRIVER LOSES STEERING COMPLETELY. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT FIX. *AK

NHTSA ID

814672

Incident

Jul 21, 1997

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THROUGH PUDDLE OF WATER LOSES CONTROL OF VEHICLE. OWNER CANNOT STEER LEFT OR RIGHT.VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO DEALERS. *AK

NHTSA ID

813928

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES PROBLEMS WITH PULLING AND NOISE IN THE FRONT END, RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE STEERING KNUCKLES, CONSUMER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE RECALL NOTICES PRIOR TO INCIDENTS.

NHTSA ID

509308

Incident

Jul 1, 1996

COULD STEER TO LEFT BUT COULD NOT GET UP THE RAVINE, TRIED TO TURN RIGHT TO AVOID A UTILITY POLE AHEAD BUT STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN RIGHT, COULDN'T GET BACK TO THE RAVINE, ATTEMPTED TO TURN RIGHT, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A UTILITY POLE, RESULTING IN AN INJURY. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

801064

Incident

Aug 4, 1996

STEERING WHEEL LOCK UP ON HIGHWAY. *AK

NHTSA ID

984825

Incident

May 23, 1996