1997 Dodge Neon Body & structure Problems

MY FIRST COMPLAINT WOULD BE ABOUT THE PAINT. MY CAR HAS BEEN PEELING FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS NOW, IT BUBBLES THEN PEELS AND GETS BIGGER AND BIGGER EVERY DAY. IT IS NOW PEELING IN 6 SPOTS, THE LARGEST IS THE SIZE OF A WATERMELON. VERY UNHAPPY!!!! SECOND, THE BRAKES ARE HORRIBLE, THE SQUEALING OF METAL ON METAL HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE DAY 1 OF GETTING MY CAR. I WAS RECENTLY DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING LIKE CRAZY. I PULLED OVER AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE BUT COULD NOT ACCELERATE FASTER THAN 60KM/HR. I TRIED DRIVING MY CAR TO THE MECHANICS BUT IN THE END DID NOT GET VERY FAR. I PULLED OVER ONCE AGAIN AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM MY DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WHEEL. I ALSO NOTICED THE WHEEL WELL CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THE FRICTION. MY CAR WAS THEN TOWED AND MY MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A CEASED CALIPER. BEWARE, THIS WAS SCARY. MY WHOLE FRONT END BRAKE SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. TOO ADD, I FIND IT'S HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PLASTIC THAT COVERS THE HEAD LIGHTS. THEY ARE FOGGY AND DON'T GIVE OUT ENOUGH LIGHT. LASTLY, I FIND THAT THE SEALANTS ON THE WINDOWS OF MY TWO DOOR ARE HORRIBLE. I HAVE TO PUSH ON MY WINDOW WHEN CLOSING IT IN ORDER FOR THE WINDOW TO SEAL. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM, MY CAR WAS STOLEN BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. A RECALL SHOULD DEFINITELY BE CONSIDERED FOR THE PAINT, BREAKS AND HEADLIGHT COVERS AND WINDOWS/SEALS!!! *JB

NHTSA ID

10155727

Incident

Apr 1, 2006

VEHICLE'S BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED.*MR THE VEHICLE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS A BAD BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, THREE TURN SIGNAL SWITCHES, A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, STICKING THROTTLE BODY, AN OIL PAN LEAK, ALL FOUR WINDOWS HAD AN AIR LEAK WHICH WHISTLE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT HIGH SPEEDS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10079946

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE NEON. WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THE PAINT HAS SUDDENLY STARTED TO PEEL AND BUCKLE AS IF THE PRIMER NO LONGER HOLDS IT. I HAVE NOTICED THE PAINT ON OTHER NEONS AS I AM DRIVING ARE ALSO PEELING THE SAME WAY. *LA

NHTSA ID

10054943

Incident

Dec 1, 2003

PROBLEM: WATER LEAKING INTO THE TRUNK THROUGH THE TAILLIGHT FILLED THE SPARE TIRE WELL AND SOAKED INTO THE BACK SEAT. WE NOW HAVE A MUSTY SMELL INDICATING A MOLD PROBLEM, PROBABLY FROM THE SEAT. WE HAVE USED PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SUPPLIES TO TRY ELIMINATE THE SMELL. THE CLEANING DID HELP BUT THE SMELL IS STILL THERE. SINCE MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAVE ASTHMA, AND ARE ALERGIC TO MOLD, I WILL MOST LIKELY HAVE TO REPLACE THE BACK SEAT. COST UNKNOWN. I STARTED SEARCHING THE WEB FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH NEONS LAST NIGHT AFTER A NEIGHBOR, WHO ALSO OWNS A NEON AND KNEW ABOOUT OUR PROBLEM, CAME TO TALK TO ME BECAUSE THE SAME THING JUST HAPPENED TO THEIRS. PROBLEM SHOWED UP LAST SUMMER (2002)AT APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10070560

Incident

Jul 15, 2002

1997 DODGE NEON - HEAD GASKET LEAKED - WAS REPLACED FOR A SMALL FEE ONCE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. NOW WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT ON THE TRUCK AND SIDE PEELING AND BUBBLING OFF. WHAT CAN WE DO? CAN WE CONTACT THE DEALER TO HAVE THE CAR REPAINTED? I'VE NOTICED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WITH NEONS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10045295

Incident

Nov 2, 2003

THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THE PAINT IS PEELING FROM MY LAPUIS BLUE NEON. WHY WON'T THEY REPAINT THE ENTIRE CAR?*AK

NHTSA ID

10033268

Incident

May 9, 2003

PAINT DEFECT. MR

NHTSA ID

768064

CONSUMER OFTEN FINDS WATER ON FLOORBOARD WHETHER IT RAINS OR NOT, AND DOES NOT KNOW WHERE IT IS COMING FROM. DEALER HAS A BRAND NEW AUTOMOBILE ON THE LOT AND IT DOES THE SAMETHING. CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE.*AK

NHTSA ID

8010695

Incident

Apr 15, 2002

ROOF IS LIFTING WATER LICKING INTO CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

760336

WHILE PARKED, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER FOUND TRANSMISSION LINES LOOSE. VEHICLE SHIFTING BY ITSELF DUE TO A STICKY CABLE. OIL LEAK IN ENGINE. DEALER FOUND HEADGASKET FAILURE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ENGINE RUNS ROUGH. CAMSHAFT REPLACED. VEHICLE SHAKES AND TREMBLES WHILE BRAKING. WEATHERSTRIPPING FELL OFF ON DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. ANTIFREEZE LEAKING. DEALER REPLACED WATER PUMP. BATTERY CLAMP LOOSE CAUSING BATTERY LIGHT TO STAY ON. *AK *TT

NHTSA ID

8005218

Incident

Apr 20, 2000

I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH NEONS MADE IN 97 AND THEY SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. ALSO THE PAINT IS COMING OFF. I HAVE SEEN MANY NEON'S SINCE I BOUGHT MINE, WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. . NO SAFETYD EFEC TMENTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ID

757823

A SPLIT ON LEFT SIDE OF ALL 1997, DODGE, NEON BUMPERS. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK

NHTSA ID

8003001

Incident

Mar 15, 1998

TRUNK LEAKS, CAUSING BACK SEAT FLOOR TO FLOOD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

894409

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

TRUNK IS SOAKED WITH WATER EVERY TIME IT RAINS, CAUSING ALL CARPETING TO BE MILDEWED AND MOLDY, JACK AND SPARE TIRE RIM TO RUST.*AK

NHTSA ID

747411

Incident

Jun 22, 2001

I BOUGHT THIS NEON IN AUGUST OF 1998, IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WORKED ON TWICE. WHEN YOU GO OVER 60MPH THE STEERING WHEEL RATTLES. THE SPEAKERS FOR THE RADIO WORK SOMETIMES. THE OVERHEAD LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING. WHEN IT RAINS THE FRONT FLOOR BOARDS GET SOAKED WITH WATER. LAST MONTH THE I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE HEADGASKET, AND AFTER SEVERAL CALLS THE THE MANUFACTURER THEY PAID HALF, BUT THE NEXT DAY THE ENGINE STARTED TO KNOCK SEVERLY.

NHTSA ID

744722

Incident

Mar 21, 2001

ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL/DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO OUT AND COME BACK ON AT RANDOM INTERVALS/ ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON/ DOOR AJAR ALARM WILL COME WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION, AND TRANSMISSION WILL GET STUCK BETWEEN GEARS AND ENGAGE FORCEFULLY. . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

885526

Incident

Mar 1, 2000

I BOUGHT MY NEON USED (BUT ONLY A YEAR OLD) I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR MY BLINKERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES, MY TRUNK AND BACK FLOORS ARE GETTING DRENCHED (PUDDLES OF WATER 3 INCHES) MY BRAKES ARE SQUALING, MY DOOR LIGHT IS SHORTING MY REVERSE LIGHTS ARE BLOWN MY HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN TWICE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEM WITH MY FIRES UNDER THE HOOD. THIS CAR IS MADE POORLY. I AM TRYING TO TRADE IT AND IT NOT AS MUCH AS I OWE. TALK TO DEALER BUT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE THEY WANT TO HELP.

NHTSA ID

731841

EVERY TIME IT RAINS OUR TRUNK GETS SOAKED AND THE WATER MOVES THROUGH THE FLOOR BOARD CARPET AND SOAKES THE FLOOR FROM FRONT TO BACK. *AK

NHTSA ID

724163

Incident

Apr 1, 2000

TRUNK LEAKS WHEN IT RAINS MATS AND PANEL SMELL . IT SEEMS TO BE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS OF THE TRUNK . DEALER WAS CONTACTED, BUT NO COAPERATION. MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, BUT CAN'T GET THROUGH TO THEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

853856

Incident

Aug 28, 1999

THERE IS A LEAK IN THE TRUNK AREA, FLOODING THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE WITH THREE INCHES OF WATER . CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE THE NON SEALING OF THE TRUNK AND TAIL LIGHTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

851920

THE PANELS OF THE DOOR ARE FAULTY, AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BE FLOODED WITH WATER IN THE PASSENGER'S SIDE COMPARTMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

843432

BIGGEST CONCERN AT THIS POINT IS THE AIR AND WATER LEAK. THIS HAS GONE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. AIR LEAK IS SO LOUD I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. WE CANNOT HEAR SIRENS OR ANYTHING ELSE BUT AIR FOR THAT MATTER. ALAMO CAR COMPANY AND CHRYSLER SAY IT IS NOT REPAIRABLE AND AIR AND WATER LEAKS ARE COMMON IN NEONS. WE REQUESTED THEY BUY OUR VEHICLE BACK FOR THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD WITH IT, BUT THEY REFUSED TO. THEY OFFERED US A 6 YEAR/75,000 MILE WARRANTY. WE HAD PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN WE PURCHASED OUR VEHICLE, SO THIS IS USELESS. IT IS ALSO USELESS BECAUSE CHRYSLER STATES THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM, SO HOW WILL THE WARRANTY HELP THE AIR AND WATER FROM LEAKING. I HAVE ALL DOCUMENTATION ON HAND. *AK

NHTSA ID

707153

Incident

Nov 1, 1997

DOOR RUBS AGAINST THE HINGES AND IS BENT INWARD. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. DOOR MAKES NOISES WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING. *AK

NHTSA ID

826367

Incident

Jun 1, 1998

DRIVER PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AND THE VEHICLE SAT LOW TO THE GROUND WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT TO HIT THE FRONT WHEEL, RESULTING IN DEPLOYMENT BOTH OF THE AIR BAGS. ONCE THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOWS BLEW OUT. THE DRIVER DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WAY THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

NHTSA ID

824883

Incident

Jun 28, 1998