RoadVitals

1996 Dodge Neon Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Apr 23, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 611 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Dodge Neon submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structureVisibility
Filed Apr 23, 2004

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WRONG WITH THIS CAR. THANKFULLY, NONE OF THEM MECHANICAL, BUT COSTLY STILL. THE DOOR PANELS ON MY 2 DOOR KEEP ON GETTING DISCONNECTED FROM THE DOOR FRAME DUE TO SUBSTANDARD (IN MY BOOK ANYWAY) ANCHORS BETWEEN THE DOOR FRAME AND THE PANELS. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, AND ONCE ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAR. I GET THE ISSUE FIXED, AND WITHIN AN FEW MONTHS IT'S BROKEN AGAIN. THE ANTENNA BROKE OFF AT THE BASE AND FLEW OFF SOMEWHERE ON THE HIGHWAY THIS WINTER (2004). THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF. THE TRUNK LEAKS. SOME OF THE OUTSIDE TRIM PIECES FELL OFF FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON. THE FUEL TANK DOOR BROKE OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON ONE DAY WHILE I WAS FILLING THE TANK. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR NO LONGER SHUTS RIGHT. IT HAS TO BE LIFTED AND SLAMMED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DOSEN'T WORK CORRECTLY, (IT FELL OUT ONCE) EVEN AFTER I HAD IT FIXED AND THE REGULATOR REPLACED. I EXPECT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, ETC., BUT THIS IS SILLY. I AM AFRAID TO KEEP THE CAR, WHO KNOW'S WHAT WILL FALL OFF NEXT, LANDING IN SOME UNKNOWN PLACE ON I-95! I WON'T BE BUYING ANOTHER NEON. NOT BECAUSE I HAVE HAD SERIOUS ISSUES OF UNRELIABILITY, BUT BECAUSE THINGS FALL OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID
10067743
Incident
Jun 1, 2000
Visibility
Filed Nov 14, 2002

THE DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS, DEVELOP CRACKS OVER TIME. THESE CRACKS OBSTRUCT DRIVERS VISION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ID
8022775
Incident
Nov 1, 2002
Interior & seatsVisibility
Filed Oct 18, 2001

HEATER WENT OUT AND VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE. HEAT BLEW ONLY ON HIGH. ALSO, CONNECTOR WIRING IN DASH WAS BURNED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT WIRING CONNECTOR WAS NOT AVILABLE BY MANUFACTURER. *AK

NHTSA ID
897954
Incident
Oct 17, 2001
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+3 more
Filed Aug 29, 2001

CONSUMER STATES THE CHASSIS BOLTS ON VEHICLE BECAME LOOSE.*JB

NHTSA ID
785492
Visibility
Filed Aug 5, 2001

I'VE NOTICED ON ALL 94-99 NEON'S THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW HAS SRATCHES ON THE SAME SPOT OF THE WINDOW AND THAT THEY ALL LOOK IDENTICAL TO EACH OTHERE. YOU CAN TELL THAT IT IS THE WINDOW TRIM THAT IS CAUSING IT. AND ONCE AGAIN IT IS ON ALL NEON'S THAT'S I'VE SEEN. 4 OF MY FRIENDS ALL HAVE THEM AND THEY ALL HAVE IT ECXEPT FOR THE 2001 NEON. THE OTHER 3 AND MINE HAVE IT AND JOURS ARE 94-99 NEONS. *AK

NHTSA ID
749865
EngineVisibility
Filed Aug 3, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
749772
Incident
Aug 20, 1998
EngineVisibility
Filed Jun 7, 2001

WINDOWS NOT AIR TIGHT. GET BOTH WATER AND AIR AROUND WINDOWS. WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED ONCE BY VIN DEVERS IN TOLEDO, OH. TURN SIGNAL SOMETIMES EMITTS A HORRIBLE BUZZING NOISE WHICH CONTINUES UNTIL SIGNAL IS TURNED OFF. ORIGINAL HEAD GASKET REPLACED AND NOW REPLACEMENT IS GOING OUT.

NHTSA ID
746582
ElectricalEngineInterior & seats+3 more
Filed Mar 15, 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
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed May 2, 2000

BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS HAVE COME UNBOLTED AND FALLEN TO THE "FLOOR" TWICE ON EACH SIDE. THE WINDOW ON THE PASSANGER SIDE HAS SCRATCHES IN THE ACTUAL GLASS. THIS IS CAUSED BY SOMETHING INSIDE THE DOOR. I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL OTHER NEONS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
722184
Incident
Jul 17, 1998
BrakesHeating & air conditioningVisibility
Filed Aug 15, 1999

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
710000
Incident
Aug 14, 1999
Body & structureFuel systemVisibility
Filed Jan 7, 1999

GAS GAUGE FAILED.

NHTSA ID
543275
Incident
Oct 26, 1998
BrakesVisibility
Filed Jan 3, 1999

FIRST, WHEN IT IS COLD, MY BRAKES DO NOT WORK. AT FIRST THEY DO NOT GO TO THE GROUND AND THE CAR TAKES A LONG TIME TO COME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY THIS HAS ONLY OCCURED WHEN CAR IS STARTED OR WHEN IT IS GOING LESS THAN 5MPH. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC LOOKING AT IT NOW. HAS REPLACED SOME BRAKES PADS AND SERVICES THE BRAKES. WATER WAS FOUND IN A VALVE FOR THE POWER ASSISTED BRAKES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. THIS MECHANIC BELIEVES WATER IS GETTING INTO THE BRAKE LINE BUT IS UNSURE AS TO HOW. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT SO JUST WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE OKAY THE BRAKES FAIL AGAIN. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE WINDOWS. EVEN WHEN THE DEFROSTERS AND DEFOGGERS ARE ON, THE SIDE WINDOWS NEVER DEFOG, I NEED TO CONSTANTLY TURN ON REAR REFROST (EVERY 5 MIN OR SO) SO THAT I CAN SEE OUT OF IT. THIS IS A NEW PROBLEM THIS WINTER. I CANNOT SEE OUT PASSENGER OR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WHILE DRIVING. A THIRD PROBLEM IS THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM . EVEN WHEN THE WINDOW IS ALL THE WAY UP WIND HOWLS IN THE WINDOW. YOU CAN SEE A GAP AND IF IT IS RAINING WATER COMES IN. FINALLY THE LAST PROBLEM IS ALSO NOT A NEW PROBLEM. I DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE LAST PROBLEM BECAUSE IT OCCURRED LONG BEFORE THAT PROBLEM. AFTER IT RAINS, WATER COLLECTS IN THE WELL BETWEEN THE INSIDE AN OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR (MOSTLY ON PASSENGER SIDE, BUT OCCASIONALLY ON DRIVERS SIDE) CONSEQUENTLY WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR A PUDDLE OF WATER FALLS OUT ON MY FEET. IN THE WINTER THE WATER IN THE WILL FREEZES MAKING IT DIFFICULT OT OPEN THE DOOR. I INFORMED THE DEALER OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT FIRST OCCURED AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT OCCURED WITH ALL OF THE CARS AND THAT IT WAS JUST A DESIGN FLAW AND THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. I LEFT IT AT THAT ALTHOUGH IT BOTHERED ME. I AM COMPLAINING NOW BECAUSE SO MANY THINGS SEEM TO BE GOING WRONG WITH THE CAR.

NHTSA ID
701807
Incident
Dec 15, 1998
BrakesVisibility
Filed Nov 19, 1998

HEAD GASKET FAILURE AT 48750 MILES, PROBLEM REPAIRED. BRAKES ARE NOISY AND CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE AIR CIRCULATION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS, CAUSING THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP. THE BRAKES AND AIR CIRCULATION PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE FIXED. *AK

NHTSA ID
831090
Incident
Jan 1, 1997
Visibility
Filed Aug 25, 1998
2 injuries reported

UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WHILE CLOSING DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, DOOR GLASS SHATTERED. PROBLEM OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. THE SECOND TIME 9-YEAR OLD SON SHUT THE DOOR AND GLASS SHATTERED. THIRDAND FOURTH TIMES WHEN DRIVER SHUT DOOR, THE GLASS SHATTERED. *AK

NHTSA ID
826263
Incident
Aug 10, 1998
Body & structureBrakesDriver assistance+3 more
Filed Feb 20, 1998

CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM.

NHTSA ID
531029
BrakesElectricalExterior lighting+2 more
Filed Jan 29, 1998

TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED. IN ADDITION, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTORS/HEADLIGHTS FAILED/ELECTRICAL SHORT DUE TO SEVERED WIRES/WINSHIELD WASHER BOTTLE HAD HOLE IN IT AND INSTALLED HORN. *AK

NHTSA ID
525184
Incident
Sep 8, 1997
BrakesHeating & air conditioningDriver assistance+4 more
Filed Dec 3, 1997

BRAKES CONTINUALLY MAKE NOISE.

NHTSA ID
525730
Incident
Mar 25, 1996

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .