RoadVitals

2001 Dodge Neon Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting 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.
11
Latest Sep 12, 2010
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.
8%
of 146 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Dodge Neon submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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 exterior lighting

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

ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Sep 12, 2010

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, SMOKE HAS BEEN EMITTED FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN. INITIALLY, FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. LATER, SMOKE CAME FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, AND THE FOG LIGHTS TURNED OFF, BUT WOULD NOT TURN ON. 1 MONTH LATER, MORE SMOKE CAME FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, WITH A BAD ODOR, AND THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. NOW, I HAVE HAD TO BUY THE MFS (MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH) BUT IT DOES NOT WORK, AS THE WIRING HARNESS AND WIRES ARE BURNED. THE DODGE DEALER SAYS THAT THE ENTIRE WIRING LOOM HAS TO BE REPLACED FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE, AND HAVE FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE. MY CONCERN IS THAT HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, ETC, SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE, AND I HAVE SEEN THAT MANY OTHER NEON OWNERS HAVE HAD TAILLIGHTS GO OUT, TURN SIGNALS NOT OPERATE, ETC. I CHECKED 7 CARS IN JUNK YARDS TODAY, AND FOUND THAT ALL OF THEM HAD BURNED WIRES AND HARNESSES. DODGE SHOULD REMEDY THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS CLEARLY RELATED TO SAFETY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10355112
Incident
Aug 28, 2010
Mileage
90,000 mi
Interior & seatsExterior lighting
Filed Nov 7, 2006

MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILURE. HARNESS AND CONNECTOR BURNED OUT. CAUSING SMALL AMOUNTS OF SMOKE, SOURCE SELF-EXTINGUISHED AND DID NOT CREATE AN EMERGENCY. ABILITY TO SWITCH HEADLAMPS AND TURN SIGNALS FAIL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10172853
Incident
Aug 20, 2006
Mileage
63,000 mi
Exterior lightingSteering
Filed Jan 19, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH, A WIND DRAFT WAS NOTICED IN THE STEERING WHEEL MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. UPON INSPECTION BY THE CONTACT, WATER WAS NOTICE IN THE BACK FLOOR BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WERE THEY DETERMINED THE SEAL AROUND THE TAIL LIGHTS HAD A SMALL AREA THAT MAY HAVE NOT BEEN SEALED PROPERLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEALANT AROUND THE TAIL LIGHTS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STEERING PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID
10148088
Incident
Jan 10, 2006
Mileage
57,000 mi
Heating & air conditioningElectricalInterior & seats+1 more
Filed Dec 20, 2004

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THERE IS A BURNING SMELL WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ON AT NIGHT. THE SMELL COMES FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER TURNING ON THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR THE ELECTRICAL DEFECTS BEGAN TO SURFACE. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON, IT DRAINS POWER FROM THE VEHICLE. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10105079
Incident
Jun 15, 2004
Mileage
10,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 17, 2004

WATER LEAKED INTO THE FRONT HEADLIGHT LENS, CAUSING THE LENS TO FOG UP. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *TC

NHTSA ID
10087192
Incident
Jul 19, 2004
Mileage
60,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 5, 2004
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE LOW BEAM LIGHT FAILED, BUT THE HIGH BEAM WAS OPERABLE. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND DETERMINED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS HIGH AND LOW DIMMER SWITCH AND THE WIRE HARNESS PLUG ATTACHMENT TO THE SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *JB *SC

NHTSA ID
10092897
Incident
Sep 20, 2004
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 15, 2004

WHILE TURNING ON THE DIMMER SWITCH FOR THE HEADLIGHT, SMOKE BEGAN TO EMIT FROM UNDERNEATH THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE LOW HEADLIGHT AND FOG LIGHTS FAILED TO WORK, BUT THE HIGH BEAM LIGHT WERE OPERABLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE HEADLIGHT DIMMER SWITCH NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT THE CONSUMER HAS TO CONTACT THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10092363
Incident
Sep 15, 2004
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 11, 2004

SMOKE CAME OUT OF STEERING COLUMN INSIDE VECHICLE, WHICH CAUSED MY LIGHTS TO STOP WORKING. *AK

NHTSA ID
10090840
Incident
Jul 10, 2004
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 10, 2003

THE REAR TAIL LIGHT LEAKED, WHICH CAUSED WATER TO LEAK INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10011305
Incident
Mar 5, 2003
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Jul 31, 2001

THE TURN SIGNALS MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SWITCH. *YH

NHTSA ID
562313
Incident
Mar 19, 2001
ElectricalEngineFuel system+4 more
Filed Jul 23, 2001

CONSUMER STATES WHEELS ARE MAKING NOISE.*YD

NHTSA ID
562200
Incident
Feb 28, 2001

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 .