1998 Dodge Neon Engine Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE NEON. THE SPEEDOMETER ISNT OPERATING NORMALLY AND DOESN'T DISPLAY THE SPEED; HOWEVER, IF YOU TAP ON THE DASHBOARD IT BEGAN OPERATING NORMALLY. THE INOPERABLE SPEEDOMETER IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE IT DOESN'T DISPLAY THE CORRECT SPEED. THE HEAT GAUGE ALSO FAILED TO SHOW THE PROPER TEMPERATURE, DISPLAYED OVER HEATING AND FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. THE NOISE FROM THE HEATING SYSTEM IS ALSO A DISTRACTION AND A SAFETY RISK. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10233591

Incident

Jun 23, 2008

THE 1998 DODGE NEON IS NOTORIOUS FOR FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. THE PROBLEM IS FIRST NOTICED BY AN OIL LEAK AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING. THE HEAD GASKETS ARE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. AFTER THE CAR GETS HOT, IT STALLS AT EVERY INTERSECTION AND EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SLOW DOWN OR IS PLACED IN NEUTRAL (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION WHERE TRAFFIC WAS GETTING ON AND OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. I HAD TO GET OUT OF MY CAR AND PUSH IT TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY ENTRANCE BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY AVAILABLE PLACE TO MOVE MY CAR TO. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THIS INCIDENT DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR RESULT IN ME GETTING INJURED. CHRYSLER IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED AN IMPROVED GASKET REPLACEMENT KIT, (WHICH IS COSTLY) BUT REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM BY ISSUING A RECALL. MY CAR NEEDS NEW HEAD GASKETS AND I HAVE BEEN QUOTED $900 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY, SO NOW MY CAR SITS PARKED IN THE STREET AND I NOW HAVE TO TAKE THE CITY BUS, WHICH CLOSEST STOP TO MY HOUSE IS 1.5 MILES, OR WALK PLACES WITH MY 3 CHILDREN IN 100 DEGREE WEATHER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WILL DO WHEN WINTER COMES. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO BE FORCED TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE ON WEBSITE SUCH AS MYCARSTATS.COM AND MANY FORUMS. MOST OF THE BLOWN HEAD GASKETS HAPPENED ON LOW MILEAGE VEHICLES. MY CAR ONLY HAS 89,000 MILES ON IT. IF YOU DO A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR 1998 DODGE NEON BLOWN HEAD GASKETS, YOU WILL GET OVER 80,000 LISTING OF FORUMS, DISCUSSIONS AND ARTICLES RELATING TO THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10199315

Incident

Jul 2, 2007

Mileage

90,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 1998 NEON ESPRESSO IN JUNE OF 2004. ON ABOUT JULY 2004 MY CAR DIED. I HAD IT TOWED AND HAD OVER $1,800 OF ENGINE WORK DONE. AFTER WORK WAS DONE THEY STATED MY REAR SEAL WAS LEAKING AND WANTED OVER $600 TO REPAIR THIS.

NHTSA ID

10104959

Incident

Jul 6, 2004

Mileage

116,000 mi

THE OIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OIL WOULD LEAK OUT OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE DOES NOT CONNECT AT FIRST, HAS TO TRY AT LEAST TWO TIMES BEFORE IT WILL START. DEALER STATED IT COULD BE EITHER THE STARTER OR THE ENGINE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10095318

Incident

Apr 13, 2004

Mileage

35,000 mi

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INSIDE THE ENGINE. CONSUMER INDICATED THREE YEARS AGO THEY REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE OF $3,000. CURRENTLY, PROBLEM RECURRED, AND WILL COST CONSUMER ABOUT $5,000. *AK

NHTSA ID

10090144

Incident

Aug 31, 2004

WE HAVE PURCHASED A 1998 DODGE NEON FOR OUR SON WHO IS IN COLLEGE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 24,000 MILES ON IT CURRENTLY. THE HEAD GASKET IS GONE AND OIL IS LEAKING EVERYWHERE. THE REPAIR FOR THIS WILL BE BETWEEN $700 AND $800. I HAVE MADE CONTACT TO CHRYSLER WHO STATED THAT BECAUSE THE 36,000/3 YEAR WARRANTY WAS UP THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT. I ASKED THEM IF THAT WAS THE BEST THAT THEIR ENGINES COULD DO (HEAD GASKET GOING AT 24,000 MILES). FROM WHAT I HAVE READ AND BEEN TOLD BY A DEALERSHIP, CHRYLSER KNEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM IN 1998 WITH HEAD GASKETS AND RECTIFIED IT DURING THE SAME YEAR BUT NEVER RECALLED THE CARS THERE WERE MANUFACTURED EARLY IN THE PRODUCTION. I HAVE SEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THE HEAD GASKET ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO GET A RECALL ON THIS PART.*AK

NHTSA ID

10075018

Incident

May 7, 2004

SUN ROOF GLASS CAME OF THE TRACK AND WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE. THE TRACK WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. *AK THE SUNROOF WOULD DRAG AND MAKE KNOCKING NOISES. THE VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED A BATTERY PROBLEM AND OIL LEAKS WHICH HAD COME FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10055505

Incident

Feb 7, 2001

Mileage

46,124 mi

WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO MALFUNCTION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10059389

Incident

Feb 11, 2004

WHILE HAVING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, MECHANIC NOTICED AN OIL LEAK DUE TO A DEFECTIVE OIL GASKET. *LA THE SERVICE TECH SUGGESTED THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH. A WEEK LATER THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED AND THE SERVICE TECH FOUND THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS NO GOOD. *SC

NHTSA ID

10059424

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER DETERMINED THAT VALVE SEALS WERE LEAKING. CONSUMER FELT ENGINE COULD OVERHEAT AND CATCH ON FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10058034

I AM IN THE PROCESS OF COMPILING ALL INFORMATION ON THE REPAIRS WE HAVE DONE ON THE NEON. I HAVE DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL I HAVE ALL THE FACTS, FROM THE FIRST TIME WE HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING REPAIRED TO THE RECENT $900+ REPAIR OF THE COMPUTER AND THE TWO-WEEK-OLD PROBLEM WITH THE SHEETS OF PEELING PAINT. THE UNBELIEVABLE PAINT PEELING IS INEXCUSABLE AND WAS ALSO THE LAST STRAW. I WILL BE FILING A LENGTHY COMPLAINT SHORTLY

NHTSA ID

10070564

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

BROUGHT CAR IN FOR REPAIR OF SEVERE OIL LEAK AT ENGINE REAR. DODGE DEALER ADVISES THAT IT WAS A LEAKING HEAD GASKET (BLOWN HEAD GASKET) ON 1998 NEON WITH APPROXIMATELY 46,463 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. COULD NOT REACH CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-922-1997 (STAYS BUSY); DEALER REFUSED TO WARRANT WORK EVEN THOUGH CAUSE OF PROBLEM WAS APPARENTLY A DESIGN/LATENT DEFECT IN THE ALUMINUM HEAD. VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW 5/21/98. INTERNET REVEALS NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR DIDN'T BREAK DOWN AND CAUSE INJURIES, FATALIITES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. A MANUFACTURER AND DEALERS SHOULD STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS. IT COST ME $636.94 TO "REPAIR" SOMETHING THAT THE DEALER WOULD NOT WARRANT BECAUSE OF APPARENT DESIGN/LATENT DEFECT (DAMAGE ALLEGEDLY REQUIRED PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF NEW CYLINDER HEAD TO PROPERLY REPAIR (AT MY EXPENSE) AND I TOLD THEM "NO WAY"; ITS THEIR PROBLEM, NOT MINE).*AK

NHTSA ID

10052788

Incident

Jan 2, 2004

Mileage

46,463 mi

CONSUMER NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM HEAD GASKET. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET AND THE HEAD BOLTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10053620

Incident

Dec 30, 2003

Mileage

50,000 mi

CAR OVERHEATED EVENTHOUGH THERE WERE PLENTY OF COOLANT. THICK SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD SO I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND CRUISED TO A STOP. I DID NOT WANT THE ENGINE TO CATCH FIRE. MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEON. WHY WAS THERE NOT A RECALL. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GET INJURED BEFORE THERE IS ONE. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND THEY NICELY SAID THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. IF THIS WAS DEFECTIVE TO START WITH, THE WARRANTY SHOULD COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. BC

NHTSA ID

10051355

Incident

Dec 28, 2003

HEAD GASKET FAILURE AS WELL AS OTHER OIL LEAKS ON 98 DODGE NEON. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047562

Incident

Nov 25, 2003

HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN ON CAR THAT HAS ONLY 38000 MILES. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047525

Incident

Jan 30, 2001

Mileage

38,000 mi

THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN. THIS IS THE SECOND 1998 NEON I HAVE OWNED THAT HAS HAD TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047522

Incident

Nov 24, 2003

THE DRIVER NOTICED OIL ALL OVER THE DRIVEWAY. THE DEALER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND THEY WOULD NOT LOOK AT IT. *AK *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10044327

Mileage

60,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND OIL WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AREA. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANALYSIS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10044547

Incident

Oct 22, 2003

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND MECHANIC FOUND THAT CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL, AND MUST BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10044180

BAD HEAD GASKETS DUE TO FLAWED DESIGN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10041128

Incident

May 10, 2003

Mileage

820,000 mi

BLOWN HEAD GASKET DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. *PH

NHTSA ID

10038762

Incident

Jun 17, 2003

Mileage

77,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A RATTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN ACCELERATING. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER SAYS THE OIL PAN GASKET IS DEFFECTIVE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10026996

HEAD GASKET BLEW AT 60,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY, MY COUSIN IS A CLAIMS ADJUSTER FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY GROUP. I WAS TOLD TO GO TO CHRYSLER AND REMIND THEM OF THE OTHERS THAT THEY HAVE REIMBURSED FOR THESE DAMAGES AND IT WORKED. CHRYSLER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS, ALL THOUGH IT WAS NOT EASY. I GOT THE RUN AROUND AND AN EAR FULL OF LIES. BUT, IN THE END THEY PAID. DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. THEY HAVE TO FIX IT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10025590

Incident

Jun 16, 2002

Mileage

62,000 mi

1998, NEON SPORT HEAD GASKET OIL LEAK ON DRIVER'S SIDE (NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT DODGE IS VERY AWARE OF BUT REFUSE STO FIX AT THEIR EXPENSE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10023840

Incident

May 22, 2003

Mileage

31,000 mi