2003 Dodge Neon Body & structure Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT SUBFRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,421.

NHTSA ID

11031946

Incident

Oct 5, 2017

Mileage

103,421 mi

WHILE PARKED IN THE RAIN, WATER WAS LEAKING FROM TOP OF DRIVERS-SIDE DOOR, SOAKING THE DRIVER-SIDE FLOOR TO A POINT THAT SQUISHING SOUNDS COULD BE HEARD, ALSO DURING RAIN, THE DRIVERS-SIDE OF THE TRUNK LEAKED & IT SOAKED ENOUGH WATER TO BE ABLE TO SOAK A CLOTH & SQUEEZE WATER OUT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10524506

Incident

Sep 21, 2009

Mileage

63,000 mi

WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. ABOUT A WEEK AFTER WE BOUGHT IT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND WE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE TRUNK WAS LEAKING AND HAD SO MUCH WATER IN IT THAT MUSHROOMS WERE LITERALLY GROWING UNDER THE CARPET. NO ONE COULD FIX THE TRUNK LEAK. WE HAD TO TAKE THE CARPET OUT AND BLEACH THE MUSHROOMS OFF, TWICE. WE ENDED UP BUYING CAULKING AND FIXED IT OURSELVES SO WE WOULDN'T WASTE $250 FOR A MECHANIC TO NOT FIX IT AGAIN. IT TOOK 3 TUBES OF CAULKING, BUT IT STOPPED LEAKING. NOW THE SUN ROOF LEAKS AS WELL. BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIX THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM EITHER. WE'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO 4 SEPARATE GARAGES AND HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE "FIXED" 6 TIMES NOW. WE'VE SPENT AT LEAST $500 ALL IN ALL ON THIS ONE PROBLEM AND EACH TIME, THE LIGHT GOES OFF, BUT A WEEK LATER IT COMES BACK ON. NO ONE CAN FIX IT. WE'VE HAD THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS AND WE'VE ALREADY PUT AT LEAST $1000 INTO IT, IF YOU INCLUDE THE BRAKES AND TUNE UPS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10496288

Incident

Mar 1, 2011

Mileage

87,379 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE TRUNK AND MOLD STARTED TO GROW IN THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 90,000.

NHTSA ID

10437283

Incident

Oct 1, 2011

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY DAUGHTER HAS A 2003 DODGE NEON AND WHEN IT RAINS WATER COLLECTS IN THE TRUNK AND RIGHT FRONT FLOORBOARD. IF YOU CHECK OUT WEBSITES ON COMPLAINTS ABOUT DODGE NEONS AND THEIR WATER LEAKS THERE ARE HUNDREDS OR MORE COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS. THIS WATER LEAK DOES PRESENT A SAFETY AND HEALTH HAZARD IN THE FORM OF MOLD COLLECTING IN A CAR. THIS DEFECT IN CONSTRUCTION NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I CONTACTED MY DODGE DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10313086

Incident

Feb 23, 2010

LETTER FROM SENATOR BURR ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT CONCERNING A WATER LEAK PROBLEM WITH HER 2003 DODGE NEON. *NJ

NHTSA ID

10299248

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE NEON THAT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW WITH ONE MILE ON IT WHEN I TOOK IT OFF THE LOT. SINCE THAT DREADFULL DAY I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE STARTING AROUND 10K MILES. FIRST SOME ELECTRICAL COMPONETS IN THE SOUND SYSTEM WENT OUT. FROM THERE I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS REPLACEDBECAUSE NEARLY EVERY 5K MILES STARTING AROUND 10,500 MILES. THE CAR HAS A HARD TIME STARTING WHEN THE TEMPERATURES GET TOO CLOSE TO 20 DEGREES F, WHEN YOU GET TO ZERO FORGET IT. I HAVE HAD THE BATTERY TESTED MY DEALER CHARGED ME $30.00 SOME ODD DOLLARS TO DO THAT AND SAID IT IS JUST ME. WHEN IT GETS TOO HOT LIKE AROUND 85 DEGREES OR SO IT RUNS LIKE IT IS BOGING DOWN. THE FULE INJECTION SENSORS HAVE GONE OUT TWICE 200 MILES APPART AND AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE HAS NEARLY 33K MILES ON IT. I HAVE IT SERVICED EVERY 3K MILES AND HAVE CHANGED THE AIR FILTER AND SPARK PLUGS AS DIRECTED. I ALSO HAVE ALL OF MY SERVICE RECEIPTS FROM THE TRIPS TO THE DEALR I REGUARDS TO THE ELECTRICAL, BREAK AND INJECTION WORK I HAVE HAD DONE. THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO BEEN TAKEN TO THREE DIFERENT DODGE DEALERS HOPING ONE WOULD FIND SOMETHING THE OTHERS KEEPT OVERLOOKING. MORE INFO CAN AND WILL BE PROVIDED IF REQUESTED.

NHTSA ID

10126588

Incident

Nov 11, 2002

Mileage

10,728 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A WIND NOISE THAT'S WAS VERY ANNOYING. IT SOUNDED LIKE A WINDOW WAS DOWN. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10055894

I WAS IN A SMALL COLLISION AT THE SPEED OF 10 MPH OR LESS. I REAR ENDED A FORD F150 TRUCK BECAUSE MY BRAKES SKIDED ON THE ROAD, MY 2003 NEON FISHTAILED, AND I HIT THE BUMPER OF THE TRUCK. MY RIGHT HEADLIGHT WAS SMASHED, AND MY RADIATOR WAS ALSO BROKEN. AFTER 3 MINUTES MY ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND MY ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FIRE WITHIN 5 MINUTES AFTER THE COLLISION. MY AIRBAG ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT GO OFF, I DIDN'T HIT THE TRUCK AT A HIGHSPEED, YET MY CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES. EVERYTHING IN THE CAR WAS MELTED, AND I THINK THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE. HAD I HIT A TRUCK OR BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER LARGE OR SMALL CAR, I HATE TO WONDER WHAT WOULD OF HAPPENED THEN. WOULD I OF MADE IT OUT IN TIME BEFORE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE, OR WOULD IT BLOW UP ON IMPACT?! NEONS ARE NOT SAFE, AND I THINK THIS CAR WILL CATCH ON FIRE AT ANY SPEED. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE CAR THAT SHOWS THE DAMAGE FROM THE COLLISION, AND YOU WOULDN'T EVER THINK THE SMALL DAMAGE COULD CATCH THIS CAR ON FIRE.

NHTSA ID

10071051

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATED AND CONSUMER COULDN'T GET AN ACCURATE READING OF THE VEHICLE'S SPEED. *PH THE MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE SPEEDOMETER NUMEROUS TIMES, ONCE BY REPLACING THE INTERNAL CLUSTER. THERE WAS A SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THE NOISE WAS FIXED BY BLOCKING THE AIR INTAKE ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE FREEWAY, HOWEVER THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE HEAT SHIELD. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CONSUMED A LOT OF FUEL, THERE WAS A RATTLE FROM THE EXHAUST AND THE ENGINE HAD AN OIL LEAK, SUBSEQUENTLY THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY THE CONSUMER'S CONCERNS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10056105

Incident

Jan 18, 2003

Mileage

1,065 mi

WHILE DRIVING IF THERE IS ANY LITTLE DIP IN THE ROAD VEHICLE WILL BOTTOM OUT. VEHICLE'S FRONT HAS BEEN SEVERELY DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10044905

Mileage

200 mi