1996 Dodge Neon Transmission Problems

TL* THE CONTACT WAS SERVICING A 1996 DODGE NEON. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUT FRONT OF AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WITH THE ENGINE TURNED ON WHEN THE SHIFTER INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE TRAVELLED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES ONTO THE HIGHWAY AT A SLOW SPEED. THE MECHANIC CHASED AFTER THE MOVING VEHICLE AND WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO OPEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WERE IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE SHIFTER CABLE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,537.

NHTSA ID

10402507

Incident

May 20, 2011

Mileage

137,537 mi

REPROGRAM (FLASH) PCM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144788

Incident

Oct 24, 2005

Mileage

9,500 mi

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

PURCHASED IN JULY OF 1996 ONLY PUT ON 26,345 MILES MOTOR MOUNT REPAIRED TWICE,BRAKES FRONT REPLACED THEY WERE COMPLETLY GONE ,BACK BRAKES ARE NO GOOD NEED TO BE REPLACED, HIGH PITCH SQUEALING COMES FROM THEM ,OIL GASGETS HAD TO BE REPLACED, STEARING TO A HARD RIGHT OR LEFT YOU GET A GRINDING NOISE, TRANSMISSION IS KNOW LEAKING CONSTANTLY HAVING TO PUT TRANSSMISSION FLUID IN ALL THE TIME HAVE A LIST OF PAPERS FROM THE CAR BEING SERVICED AT DAIMLER ON ANDOVER ST IN PEABODY WERE I PURCHASED CAR ALSO WROTE TO MAIN OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD REPLACE THE VEHICLE AFTER PURCHASING WITH CASH AND JUST GOT THE RUN AROUND KNOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE HER THAT IS WHY SHE ONLY HAS 26,345 MILES ON HER IN 10 YEARS I AM NOT A RICH PERSON SO I CAN NOT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR IF THERE IS A RECALL ON ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW SO THEY CAN BE FIXED SO I CAN DRIVE HER WITHOUT WORRYING WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT ALSO DAMPNESS AND MILDEW SMELL AND OTHER PROBLEMS.TIRES ALSO WERE REPLACED THEY WORE TO QUICKLY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10113995

Incident

Feb 10, 1998

CONSUMER STATES THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, FUEL GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GUAGE, AND SPEEDOMETER FAILED. DEALER FOUND FAULTY CIRCUIT BOARD. REPLACED PLUGS AND WIRES. *TT

NHTSA ID

786005

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

761573

Incident

May 5, 2002

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS LEAKING MOTOR OIL. *SLC

NHTSA ID

785925

Incident

Mar 1, 2002

WHILE IN PARKING LOT, ENTERING A PARKING SPACE, TRANSMISSION SIEZED AND THE CASING BLEW TO PIECES. PICTURES ARE ONLINE AT WWW.EROLS.COM/LANDSPEEDER FOR A LOOK-SEE. THE DIFF. PIN IS VISIBLE IN ONE PICTURE, IT'S BENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

753702

Incident

Oct 1, 2001

OIL LEAK IS DUE TO A GASKET; TRANSMISSION WENT OUT(COULD NOT USE REVERSE UNTIL CAR WAS ON 20 MINUTES OR MORE), PAINT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS NOW, NUMEROUS SETS OF BRAKES REPLACED

NHTSA ID

749397

Incident

Aug 1, 2000

I HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM TWICE. THE FIRST ONE WAS AT 29000 MILES AND TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED AND OXYGENE SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THEN, AT 64000 MILES THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED. TALKED TO EXTENEDED WARRANTY COMPANY AND THEY SAID THE PROBLEMS ARE NOT REALATED. TALKED TO DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID THAT THE PROBLEMS WERE "PECULIAR". CALLED DIAMLER-CHRYSLER, AND THEY SAID THAT THE TWO SYSTEMS WERE NOT RELATED. BUT THE PROBLEMS WERE EXACTLY THE SAME BOTH TIMES.*AK

NHTSA ID

749284

Incident

Jul 24, 2001

TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED VEHICLE HAD 47,000 MILES, AND THE ENGINE WAS REBUILD. CONSUMER TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT REBUILD FOR A SECOND TIME.*AK

NHTSA ID

891945

Incident

Dec 1, 1999

VEHICLE HAD SKIPPING IN ENGINE AND IT WOULD JERK AS IN LOSING POWER WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE WAS PLUGGED TO COMPUTER, AND READING SHOWED CRANK SENSOR OR CAM SENSOR PROBLEMS. 15 MILES LATER, IT CUT SO SMOOTH THAT CONSUMER DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL ACCELERATING UP A HILL, IT HAD NO POWER. VEHICLE WOULD START UP, BUT WOULDN'T KICK OVER TO RUN. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND SENSORS TO RECTIFY PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

888485

Incident

Apr 14, 2001

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD MOMENTARILY SLIP BEFORE ENGAGING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUME RVEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, AND OUT OF WARRANTY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

886509

Incident

Dec 15, 2000

VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO GET IN REVERSE. THIS WAS WORSE WHEN 20 TO 85 DEGREES OUTSIDE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE UNTIL 55-60 MPH, BUT 1 AND 2 WERE OKAY. I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT LOCAL CHICAGO NON-SELLING DODGE DEALER AT MY COST OF $1,200. THE DEALER ADVISED FRONT PUMP SEAL FAILED CAUSING ENTIRE TRANSMISSION TO OVERHEAT AND FAIL. THE SERVICE WRITER ADVISED THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THESE VEHICLES. REVIEWING WEB SITES (INCLUDING THIS ONE) I SEE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR THIS EXACT SET OF SYMPTONS. I HAVE RECENTLY REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FROM DODGE, BUT THEY HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO RESPOND YET. *AK

NHTSA ID

742647

Incident

Feb 12, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT OUT. HAD NO INTERIOR OR OUTSIDE LIGHTS. HAD SOME LEAKAGE FROM TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC REPAIRED LEAKAGES/STARTER/HEAD GASKETS/ OIL PRESSURE SWITCH, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS.*AK WATER LEAK FROM THE TRUNK TO REAR FLOOR BOARDS CAUSED CORROSION. ALSO, SIGNAL LIGHT FAILED TO GO OFF. CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS BEFOR E PURCHASE. *YH

NHTSA ID

883192

Incident

Feb 16, 2000

HEAD GASKET WAS FIRST REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY WITH 20,901 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE TRANSMISSION LET GO WITH 35,654 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AT THIS TIME. THE HEAD GASKET FAILED A SECOND TIME WITH 46,958 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS REPAIR WAS DONE AT DARTMOUTH DODGE, 225 STATE RD., NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA. 02747, SINCE IT WAS CLOSER TO MY HOME, AND THEY WERE NOT IN BUSINESS AT THE TIME THAT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. CHRYSLER GAVE ME A $300.00 CREDIT TOWARDS THE REPAIR OF THE HEAD GASKET. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS REPAIR SINCE IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY THE FIRST TIME, AND IT BROKE AGAIN APPROXIMATELY 26,000 LATER. APPARENTLY, THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKETS FOR THIS VEHICLE. I ALSO FEEL THAT A RECALL CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE INSTITUTED TO REPAIR ALL THESE VEHICLES SINCE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

739306

Incident

Dec 29, 1999

HEAD GASKET IS A KNOWN ISSUE AT CHRYSLER, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECTIFIED BY RECALL. TRANSMISSION ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS BECUASE BECAUSE OF POOR DESIGN. CHRYSLER DID NOT HELP BECUASE OF MILEAGE AND USED CAR. WHAT CAN A 19 YR OLD AFFORD OTHER THAN A USED CAR?*AK

NHTSA ID

737510

Incident

Dec 1, 2000

THIS CAR HAS HAD 3 TRANSMISSIONS AND NOW NEEDS ANOTHER WITH ONLY 56,200 MILES. IT HAS ALSO HAD A STARTER, RADIATOR,BATTERY, 7 FRONT RIGHT TIRES(NONE FROM NAILS ETC.),2 HEAD GASKETS,EGR VALVE,MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH, 2 SETS OF BRAKES(WHICH STILL MAKE NOISE). OUR MECHANIC HAS TOLD US THAT THE 96 NEON IS A LEMON. THE BRAKES ARE MADE FROM A METAL THAT RUSTS VERY QUICKLY AND THE HEAD GASKETS ARE FAULTY AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS. WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION?? IS 4 TOO MANY FOR A CAR WITH ONLY 50+THOUSAND MILES?? HELP!!!!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 1857014 )

NHTSA ID

722105

THE VEHICLE SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEAR WHEN IN MOTION. HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE REVERSE GEAR TO MOVE CAR IN MORNING. ENGINE TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS CANNOT DETECT PROBLEM BUT CONFIRM THAT IT EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

719015

Incident

Sep 20, 1998

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH A 2.0L ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. FROM MARCH OF 1996 TO PRESENT, VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED REPLACEMENT OF 2 HEAD GASKETS, EGR VALVE WITH EET, OIL PRESSURE SENSOR/SWITCH, AND TRANSMISSION.*AK *ML

NHTSA ID

857162

Incident

Mar 18, 1996

THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND ARE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AGAIN, THEY SEEM TO WEAR EXCESSIVELY. *MJS

NHTSA ID

784492

CONSUMER WAS ACCELERATING TO 45 MPH WHEN THE THE FORWARD GEARS FAILED, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

784490

Incident

Feb 6, 2000

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

VEHICLE HAS HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION, HEAD GASKET, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, AND THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED FUNCTIONING. ALL BEFORE 60,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

708537

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. DEALER CALLING US LIARS WHEN REPORTED.HAVE RETURNED TO DEALER 4 TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

702994