2003 Dodge Neon Steering Problems

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY LIGHTS ON, I BEGAN TO SEE AND SMELL SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND THE SMOKE CLEARED UP AND WENT AWAY. AFTER SOME TIME, I TURNED THE LIGHTS BACK ON WITH NO PROBLEM TO BE FOUND AT THIS TIME. A WEEK OR SO LATER THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WOULD NOT WORK UNLESS YOU PULLED THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH, THEN AND ONLY AS YOU HELD THE SWITCH THE LIGHTS WOULD WORK. ( IF YOU HAVE NEVER SIT AND HELD THE SWITCH WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ( OF COURSE ) TO GET HOME IT IS NO FUN. ) THAT WEEK END I PULLED THE COVERS OFF THE COLUMN AND PULLED THE HARNESS OUT OF SWITCH TO FIND IT WAS MELTED. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM DOWN A VEHICLE UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676317

Incident

Jan 5, 2015

Mileage

244,517 mi

STARTED TO SEE SMOKE AND THEN THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY. AFTER DISASSEMBLING THE WIRING CONNECTOR FROM THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, I DISCOVERED THE CONNECTOR HAD OVERHEATED TO THE POINT IT WAS CHARRED AND CRUMBLING TO PIECES. THIS IS NOT A MISUSE BY OPERATOR, BUT A SAFETY FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE AS THE FUSE PROTECTING THIS CIRCUIT DID NOT FAIL WHEN THE CIRCUIT OBVIOUSLY OVERHEATED AND MELTED AND CHARRED THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10652405

Incident

Oct 1, 2014

Mileage

200,000 mi

I WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. I COULDN'T TURN ON MY HEADLIGHTS WITHOUT SWITCHING THE SWITCH FORM HIGH BEAMS TO LOW BEAMS A FEW TIMES, THEN I WOULD TURN THE SWITCH OFF THEN ON, AND THE LHEADLIGHTS WOULD THEN TURN ON. I CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM WHAT WAS GOING ON, THEY MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME TO BRIGN MY CAR IN TO BE LOOKED AT. WHEN THEY FOUND OUT WHAT IT WAS THEY THEN CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THE SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE PLUG FROM THE SWITCH WAS MELTED AND WHEN THEY TRIED TO TAKE THE PLUG OUT FROM WHER IT WAS PLUGGED INTO, THE PLUG BROKE APART INTO SEVERAL PIECES. MY QUESTION TO THE SEERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS, WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THAT SWITCH TO HEAT UP AND MELT THE WAY IT DID? HE IN TURN SAID TO ME, I DON'T KNOW, YOUR CAR ISN'T THE ONLY TYPE THA HAS BEEN IN HERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IF MY CAR WASN'T THE FIRST INTO THEIR SERVICXE DEPARTMENT TO BE REPAIRED, THEN TO ME THIS IS A PROBLEM, THE SWITCH IS HEATING UP CAUSING THE PLUG TO MELT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT COULD CASUE A FIRE, BUT I WASN'T GARANTEED THAT IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I HAVE SPENT 250.00 PLUS TAX AND LABOR WHICH ALL TOGETHER CAME TO $354. 74. COULD SOMEONE LOOK INTO THIS TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE AND SEE IF THIS IS A RECALL PROBLEM. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF RECALL. IF IT IS HAPPENING TO SEVERAL OTHER CARS. NOT ONLY MY TYPE OF CAR EITHER. I HAVE THE 2003 DODGE NEON SXT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN THIS MATTER. PLEASE HAVE SOMEONE EMAIL ON THIS MATTER, OR CALLME. THANK YOU AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

10185363

Incident

Mar 12, 2007

DT: THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE IN MOTION AND THE STEERING WOULD LOCK. ALSO, THE HAZARD LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN A TEN MONTH SPAN. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS ON NOVEMBER 15, 2004, THE SECOND WAS MARCH 23, 2005, AND SEPTEMBER 25, 2005. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE, AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING, NOISE AND OR WARNING LIGHTS. *AK (11/21/05) *SC

NHTSA ID

10137577

Incident

Nov 15, 2004

Mileage

23,237 mi

I HAVE A NEW 2003 DODGE NEON THAT HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED AND SO FAR THE SHIFTER BOOT HAS TORN(WAS REPLACED) BUT IS NOW CRACKING AGAIN (IT'S [XXX] COLD WHERE I LIVE, -50 TO -60 HAPPENS). I HAD AN OIL LEAK THAT WAS BLAMED ON ME BY ANCHORAGE CHRYSLER, I REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT REAR BRAKES ALWAYS SQEAL WHEN APPLIED (I WAS TOLD THATS DUST) BUT IT'S HAPPENES EVERY DAY. I NEEDED AN WHEEL ALIGNMENT (CAR PUULS TO THE LEFT) AND I'M TOLD YOU CANT ALIGN A NEON. YOU CAN PART OF THE ALIGNMENT BUT WERE SORRY [XXX] IT WILL ALWAYS PULL TO THE LEFT BECAUSE IT IS NOT ADJUSTABLE.THE ALIGNMENT CAME FROM LITHIA IN ANCHORAGE ALASKA (THEY ARE GREAT PEOPLE) I DONT BLAME THEM 1 BIT THEY DIDNT MAKE A CAR THAT CANT BE FIXED(DODGE DID). ANCHORAGE CHRYSLER WAS MY BEST FRIEND UNTIL I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR REPAIRS THEN THEY ACTUALLY TOLD ME THE REASON I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT IS BECAUSE IT'S A CHEAP NO GOOD CAR. I SENT AN E-MAIL TO DODGE ASKING WHY THEY WOULD BUILD SUCH A VEHICLE THAT COULD NEVER BE ALIGNED AND THEY SAID WE TRY TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. NOT ONCE GETTING TO THE QUESTION "WHY" WHAT WAS THE REASONING BEHIND SUCH A STUPID IDEA. I LOVE MY CAR BUT BECAUSE OF THIS 1 FLAW I CANT WAIT TO GET RID OF IT. I'M CHECKING INTO A MINI, NEED TO MAKE SURE IT CAN BE FIXED IF NEEDED FIRST. THE CAR STILL PULLS TO THE LEFT(RATHER HARD AT TIMES), THE SHIFTER BOOT IS STILL SPLITTING, THE BRAKES STILL SQUEEK. AND NOW I'M WONDERING IF THE FUEL GAUGE IS CORRECT. ANYBODY WANT TO BUY A NICE "LOOKING" NEON WITH LOW MILES. I DONT REMEMBER THE ACTUALL INCIDENT DATES. THIS IS AN ONGOING THING INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10121804

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS PROBLEM. BUSHING ARE WEARING OUT EVERY 8,000 MILES. OWNER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND DEALER, WHO OFFERED THE OWNER REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS WEARING THIN THE VEHICLE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING , AS WELL. VEHICLE COULD NOT PASS INSPECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10117677

Incident

Aug 15, 2004

Mileage

8,000 mi

LOOSENESS AND RATTLE IN STEERING COLUMN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10049452

Incident

Dec 7, 2003

Mileage

2,000 mi

3/22/3 5160 MI RADIATOR LOOSE, BRAKES PULSE, 4/7/3 5500 MI. FRONT ROTORS REPLACED. 4/24/3 6204 MI. POWER STEERING FAILED (TWICE), PS PUMP REPLACED. 6/6/3 7300 MI. SEAT BACK POKE INTO MY BACK FROM THE HEAD REST SUPPORT, ACTUALLY WEARING A SPOT IN THE SEAT BACK FABRIC. NEW SEAT BACK ORDERED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10021413

Incident

Feb 22, 2003

Mileage

5,160 mi