2000 Dodge Neon Interior & seats Problems

I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY CAR BACK AND FORTH FROM COLLEGE AND RUNNING ERRANDS AROUND TOWN. I HAVE A COMPLETELY STOCKED 2000 DODGE NEON ES. I USE THE HEADLIGHTS MOST OF THE TIME, EVEN DURING THE DAY, TO INCREASE VISIBILITY. ONE NIGHT, I WAS DRIVING THROUGH MY TOWN. I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING BUT NOT THINKING ANYTHING OF IT SINCE I WAS NEAR A RURAL AREA THAT COULD HAVE CAMP FIRES LIT. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. THEN I NOTICED THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AS THEY USED TO. THE FOG LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON SOMETIMES AND OTHER TIMES NOT. I FIGURED THAT IT WAS JUST A SWITCH AND NOT A BIG DEAL SO I DID NOTHING TO FIX IT. THEN MY HIGH BEAMS STOPPED WORKING ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. I DID A BIT OF RESEARCH TO TRY TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. I STUMBLED UPON A WEBSITE AND READ ABOUT LOOKING AT THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST GOT FINISHED CHECKING OUT MY CAR. THE WIRING HARNESS THAT CONNECTS TO THE MFS IS MELTED AS HAS EVIDENCE OF BURN MARKS. THE HEADLIGHTS CURRENTLY WORK BUT THE FOG LIGHTS AND HIGH BEAMS DO NOT. I HAVE TAKEN SEVERAL PICTURES OF THE MELTED HARNESS AND WILL SEND THEM TO WHOEVER I NEED TO. I HAVE READ UP ON REPLACING THE WIRING HARNESS BUT IT IS RATHER EXPENSIVE. ESPECIALLY IF IT WILL MELT AGAIN SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I BELIEVE THE PART NUMBER IS 5183442AA BASED ON SEVERAL SOURCES. I WILL BE REPLACING THIS PART PROBABLY ON MY OWN TO SAVE SOME MONEY, ESPECIALLY ON A PART I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE ORDERING IN THE FIRST PLACE. *JN

NHTSA ID

10198348

Incident

Jul 31, 2007

Mileage

60,500 mi

THE CAR IDLES VERY HIGH AND THEN ACCELERATES TO HIGHER SPEEDS WITHOUT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE IS A HIGH ACCELERATION BOOSTS AND SPURTS WHEN FIRST ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION, CAUSING CAR TO LUNGE FORWARD AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE CAR REFUSES TO START WHEN NOT USED DAILY, SUCH AS A PROBLEM WITH THE STARTER OR THE ALTERNATOR, BUT NO PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN FOUND WITH EITHER PARTS UPON INSPECTIONS BY A MECHANIC. FRONT AXLES POP WHEN TURNING. KEY IS HARD TO DISENGAGE OR REMOVE FROM THE IGNITION. BRAKES ARE CONSTANTLY SQUEALING AND WEAR EVERY 3-6 MONTHS REGARDLESS F HOW THE CAR IS DRIVEN. THOUGH IT MAY OR NOT BE A PROBLEM FOR SOME, THE FOLD DOWN SEATS IN THE REAR SEAT DO NOT HAVE A DISENGAGE LEVER FROM THE TRUNK. OVER-HEAD DOME LIGHT DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND HAS FAULTY WIRING, SO THAT EVEN THOUGH ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED THE DOME LIGHT NEVER SHUTS OFF. THERE IS CONSTANTLY A FUSE LIGHT THAT FLASHES IN MY DASH, THOUGH ALL FUSES HAVE BEEN CHECKED NUMEROUS TIMES AND ALL ARE IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER, THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED, THE WARNING LIGHT STILL FLASHES. THE UTILITY OUTLET/CIGARETTE LIGHTER OUTLET DOESN'T AND HAS NOT EVER WORKED SINCE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT IN 2004. FUSES HAVE BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. WATER LEAKS IN FROM RAIN OR WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAUSING MUSTY ODOR IN THE CAR. CAR CONSTANTLY OVER-HEATS DURING TRAVEL OVER 35-40 MILES AND LEAKS ANTI-FREEZE, THOUGH NO LEAKS OR PIN HOLES OF ANY KIND COULD BE FOUND. TRUNK STICKS MAKING IT HARD TO OPEN OR DISENGAGE, CAUSED KEY TO BE BROKEN OFF INSIDE THE TRUNK LOCK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10144012

Incident

Nov 30, 2005

NO ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED TO THIS VEHICLE. DOOR LOCKS DO NOT RELIABLY OPEN THE DOORS, EITHER MANUALLY OR VIA THE ELECTRIC LOCK BUTTON. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE SITUATION WHEREBY A PERSON MAY BECOME TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHERE THE DRIVER HAD TO CRAWL INTO THE BACK TO EXIT OUT VIA THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED BY DEALER AS ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCK MECHANISM. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ALLOW A FAILURE IN THIS MANNER. A RECALL SHOULD EXIST. *NM

NHTSA ID

10112142

Incident

Nov 25, 2004

Mileage

59,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY MY LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT SPINNING ME OUT OF CONTROL. I HIT A ROAD SIDE SIGN (ONE LEG OF THE SIGN 12" X 24" POST) ON THE LEFT FRONT QUARTER PANEL, CONTINUING DOWN OVER A SMALL INCLINE AND COMING TO REST A FEW YARDS AWAY. MY SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT FAILED TO KEEP ME IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. ALL THIS FAILURES RESULTING IN MY BEING THROWING AROUND INSIDE THE CAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10028469

Incident

Jul 13, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING HEADLIGHTS BECOME EXTREMELY DIM, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. ALSO INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM, BECOMING DIM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

8000857

Incident

Dec 1, 2001

I BELIEVE THIS CAR IS A LEMON! I HAVE HAD IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THE DRIVER SEAT TRACKS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, THEY DON'T MOVE BACK ALL THE WAY. IT NOW NEEDS TO GO BACK A FOURTH TIME BECAUSE IT WILL NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY AND I AM AFRAID IT WILL LET GO AND FLY BACKWARDS WHILE I AM DRIVING. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES BACK AND FORTH AS IF SOMEONE IS MOVING IT LEFT TO RIGHT. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND STATES THAT IS FOR THE TIRE MFG. TO FIX, HOWEVER MY MECHANIC BELEIVES THE TIRES ARE FINE.*AK

NHTSA ID

744706

HOW MANY UNSAFE ITEMS SHOULD THERE BE BEFORE YOU CAN REQUEST THE LEMON LAW ACT.WHEN I PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE I WAS TOLD I HAD TO KEEP IT BECAUSE I SIGNED THE REGISTRATION (I NOTICE THE PASS.AIRBAG COMPARTMENT SECURELY FASTENED AND I DIDN'T NOT WANT THE CAR. SINCE THEN WHICH WAS 11/26/1999, THE DODGE NEON HAS BEEN RECALLED TWICE AND I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE FRAME>IS THIS A SAFETY HAZARD?*AK

NHTSA ID

740890

Incident

Jan 22, 2001

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN REAR END COLLISION, WHICH FORCED CONSUMER VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT. AT AN IMPACT OF 40-45 MP BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED TOTALED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. ALSO, DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT HELPFUL IN FINDING THE CAUSE FOR AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING DURING ACCIDENT. *YH

NHTSA ID

875629

Incident

Nov 21, 2000

INTERIOR TRUNK LOCK WASN'T OPERABLE. CONSUMER WENT TO OPEN THE TRUNK AND LOCK WOULDN'T UNLOCK/ CIGERETTE LIGHTER AND CD PLAYER FAILED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. *AK SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONS. DOOR LIGHT AND DOME LIGHT STAYS ON ALARM SYSTEM MALFUNCTONS CONTINUOUSLY. POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONS. CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THE ROAD. VEHICLE ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS WHILE USING BRAKES. *YH

NHTSA ID

868759

Incident

Dec 12, 1999