1999 Plymouth Neon Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PLYMOUTH NEON, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATED HOT. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, BUT THE IGNITION KEY WAS TOO HOT AND FAILED TO REMOVE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10821104

Incident

Dec 2, 2015

Mileage

173,000 mi

HEAD GASKET FAILURE THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN ON GOING PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL CAR - CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED OR AT VERY LEAST REPAIRED BY CHRYSLER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10273902

Incident

Jun 15, 2008

Mileage

40,000 mi

MY NEON HAS 86,000. I HAVE HAD IT FROM NEW. IN NOVEMBER OF 2003, I HAD MY SECOND HEAD GASKET REPLACED. I BELIEVE I AM ON MY WAY TO THE 3RD. I HAVE AN APPT WITH THE DEALER TOMORROW. I HAVE HAD THE EGR VALVE REPLACED AND MY SUNROOF HAS NOT WORKED FOR THE LAST 4. I HAD IT FIXED 4 YEARS AGO ONLY TO HAVE IT MALFUNCTION WITHIN 4 MONTHS. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT UNDER MY WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE LAST DEALER ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET FROM FACTORY AND CHRYSLER CHANGED THEM. APPARENTLY NOT SINCE MY HEAD GASKET WENT AGAIN IN LESS THAN 18000 MILES. 3 HEAD GASKETS IN 6 YEARS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10110002

Incident

Feb 5, 2005

Mileage

86 mi

NOTICE OIL LEAK ON 1999 PLYMOUTH NEON. TOOK CAR TO LAUREL CHRYLSER JOHNSTOWN PA. ON MONDAY JUNE 7. WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BAD. TOLD THEM TO REPAIR IT COST OF $534.00. TOLD CAR WOULD BE DONE ON TUESDAY. IT WASN'T. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON DEALER CALLED TO SAY HE HAD GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEW. GOOD NEWS WAS THE HEAD GASKET WAS DONE. BUT THE REAR MAIN SEAL WAS LEAKING. COST TO REPLACE SEAL $334.00. I ASKED IF CAR WAS TESTED TO SEE IF HEAD GASKET WAS THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD MECHANIC LOOK AND SAID IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET. I ASKED THE DEALER IS THE MECHANIC KNEW ABOUT A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE CAM SENSOR SEAL LEAKING WHICH WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT WHEN THE CAM SEAL LEAKED IT LOOKED LIKE THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. HE SAID THE MECHANIC LOOKED AND HE KNEW IT WAS THE HEAD. CAR ONLY HAS 47,576 MILES. I QUESTION THE DEALER IF THE MECHANIC COULD HAVE MADE A MISTAKE. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS RUDE AND SAID HE DIDN'T NEED TO MAKE MONEY WITH UNNECCESSARY REPAIRS. I ASKED IF THE VEHICKLE WAS TESTED FOR THE PROBLEM. HE SAID NO. 3 OTHER DEALERS TOLD ME ON AN OIL LEAK LIKE THAT THE THEY PUT A DYE IN THE OIL AND THEN TO RUN 1 TO 2 DAYS AND BRING IT BACK. WITH THE DYE THEY CAN SEE WHERE THE OIL IS LEAKING. LAUREL DIDN'T DO THAT. NOW INSTEAD OF THE CAR REPAIRED AFTER $534.00 IT WILL COST ANOTHER $334.00 TO FIX REAR MAIN SEAL. COULD HAVE BEEN THAT ALL ALONG. NO HELP FROM THE DEALER OR MANUFACTOR. I FOUND ON THE INTERNET THAT ALOT OF NEONS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10075210

Incident

Jun 6, 2004

Mileage

47,575 mi

HEAD GASKET LEAKED OIL. *PH CAM SHAFT SENSOR SEAL ALSO LEAKS OIL. THE OIL LEAKED ON TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND ON TO THE GROUND. CHRYSLER KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *LA

NHTSA ID

10071931

Mileage

46,000 mi

OIL LEAKED FROM CAMSHAFT AND HEAD GASKETS. *AK THIS HAD BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE 1996. CHRYSLER CHANGED THE PART TWO TIMES, BUT DID NOT NOTIFY OWNERS. THE CONSUMER SMELLED BURNING OIL REGULARLY. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10062890

Mileage

44,000 mi

HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS, COST MORE TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAN THE CAR IS WORTH, HAVE ALSO HAD BRAKES REPLACED TWICE AND ALSO NEW ROTORS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10060272

Incident

Apr 19, 2002

THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT 24304 MILES ON 6/21/00 AND NOW HAS WENT BAD AGAIN AT 63000 9/15/03 AND CHRYSLER IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR IT

NHTSA ID

10070858

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

Mileage

63,000 mi

THE HIGH PRESSURE A/C HOSE VIBRATED AND CAUSED A HOLE. THE CAR IS ONLY 3,000 MILES OVER WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP INDCIATED THAT IT WENT OUT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY CAUSED THE PROBLEM THE INSIST THAT I PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THEY SAID IT WON'T GO OUT AGAIN BECAUSE THEY WILL INSTALL IT PROPERLY. THEY WANTED $370.00 TO REPAIR IT. I CAN'T AFFORD THE COST AT THE MOMENT SO I JUST PICKED UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP TODAY.

NHTSA ID

10070501

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

Mileage

39,000 mi

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A 60,000 MILE CHECK-UP AND WAS ASTOUNDED TO LEARN THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING AT ONLY 57,000. I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR AT THIS TIME AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT NOTHING WAS LEAKING THAT WOULD HURT THE ENGINE, BUT IT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF SOON. IN ALL THE YEARS I'VE HAD A CAR I'VE NEVER HAD A LEAKING HEAD GASKET AND AT 57,000, TOO. MY LAST CAR, ALSO A PLYMOUTH, HAD OVER 127,000 MILES ON IT AND I NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. I DO NOT MISUSE MY VEHICLE, I HAVE THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3 TO 6,000 MILES AND DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP IT TROUBLE FREE.

NHTSA ID

10070013

Incident

May 15, 2003

Mileage

52,000 mi

DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET ON MY 1999 PLYMOUTH NEON. ALSO HAS AFFECTED OTHER CHRYSLER MODELS CHECK TSB NO. 09-05-98 FOR MORE DETAILS. CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE HAD A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. IT COST ME $586.00 TO HAVE IT REPLACED THROUGH NEARBY CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THEY HAVE REPLACED QUITE A FEW OF THESE. IF SO WHY IN WORLD HAVE THEY NOT WARNED PEOPLE OF THESE VEHICLES THAT THE PROBLEM COULD HAPPEN TO THEM BEFORE IT RESULTS IN MORE COSTLY REPAIRS. A SERVICE BULLETIN SHOULD BE SENT TO THESE OWNERS STATING THAT IF THEY FIND ANY OIL LEAKING PROBLEMS IT COULD BE THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. CHRYSLER SHOULD BE PAYING ALL OR PART OF THE REPAIR COSTS FOR THIS DEFECT. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043590

Incident

Oct 22, 2003

MAJOR OIL LEAK WHICH RESULTED IN ENGINE DAMAGE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043045

Incident

Mar 11, 2003

HEAD GASKET REPLACED 24,304 MILES 6/21/00, HEAD GASKET HAS WENT BAD AGAIN AT 63,000 MILES 9/15/03 AND CHRYSLER REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10039108

Incident

Sep 17, 2003

I'VE JUST RECENTLY HAD TO PUT $900.00 INTO A "HEAD GASKET" REPLACEMENT ON A 1999 PLYMOUTH NEON. THE DEALER AGENT HAD STATED THAT IT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO CHRYSLER AND UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER A SERVICE CONTRACT, CHRYSLER IS DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT IT FOR THE CONSUMER. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED HEAD GASKETS ON NEONS AT 30,000 MILES AND HIGHER. WITH AS MANY VEHICLES I'VE OWNED IN MY LIFE, I'VE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A HEAD GASKET. EVEN AT 200,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10030413

Incident

Jul 29, 2003

Mileage

90,000 mi

HEAD GASKET LEAKING ON DRIVER SIDE OF CAR. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THE REPAIR WOULD COST OVER $800.00, AND STATED THAT A RECALL WAS MADE BY PLYMOUTH ON MY PLYMOUTH NEON. HE SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF JACK POWELL CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH DODGE, ESCONDIDO, CA WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN SEPT 1999, AND TOLD THEM ABOUT MY HEAD GASKET OIL LEAK. THEY ASKED ME FOR MY VIN NUMBER. I WAITED 15 MINUTES FOR A WOMAN TO RETURN TO THE PHONE AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE, THEN HUNG UP ON ME WHEN I STARTED TO ASK A QUESTION. I TOLD MY MECHANIC ABOUT THE INCIDENT, AND HE STATED HE HAD ANOTHER CUSTOMER WITH THE SAME HEAD GASKET LEAKING ON THEIR NEON AND PLYMOUTH REPAIRED IT. MY NEON REMAINS RELIABLE, AS LONG AS I PUT 1.5 QUARTS OF OIL IN IT EVERY WEEK. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10018398

Incident

May 6, 2003

Mileage

73,197 mi

THE ENGINE MOUNT BOLT BROKE, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND DISCONNECTED THE BRAKE LINE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10017599

Incident

Apr 24, 2003

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *JB A MAJOR OIL LEAK OCCURRED AT 52K MILES, DID NOT RUN PROPERLY, AND MADE NOISE. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THE 3 PLY HEAD GASKET SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE VEHICLE FROM THE BEGINNING. SCC

NHTSA ID

10011268

Incident

Oct 24, 2002

Mileage

52,000 mi

OIL LEAKED FROM THE ENGINE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10009732

Incident

Feb 28, 2003

CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE AUTO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ONE. THE MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS WERE INOPERATIVE, WHICH WAS THEN REPLACED, HOWEVER 5-6 MONTHS LATER THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. CONSUMER ALSO STATES WHEN SHE MAKE A TURN THE AUTO FEELS AS THOUGHT IT IS GOING TO SHUT OFF. ALSO WHEN THE AIR CONDITION IS ON, THE AUTO VIBRATES.*JB

NHTSA ID

8013286

Incident

Feb 15, 2000

I BOUGHT MY NEON NEW. IN THREE YEARS THE HEAD GASKET WENT AND I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AND GAS TANK. DEALER SAYS BAD BATCH OF GAS HAS RUSTED OUT INSIDE OF GAS TANK AND FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM IS ALSO DAMAGED. I AM NOT A MECHANIC BUT TO ME THIS SOUNDS VERY EXTREME. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU COULD BE TO ME . THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT. SINCERLY, ROBERT LIPLES.*AK

NHTSA ID

763248

Incident

Jun 18, 2002

HEAD GASKET REPLACED, THEN IT LOST ALL POWER, AND ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT BACK, THEY SAID IT NEEDED SPARK PLUGS. I HAVE IT BACK, BUT IT IS STILL MISSING AND I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT MY PROBLEMS ARE OVER. *AK

NHTSA ID

760520

Incident

Mar 25, 2002

I AM AN OWNER OF A 1999 CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH NEON. IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT EVERYONE WHO I KNOW OR HAVE COME IN CONTACT WITH WHO OWNS A NEON HAS A MAJOR OIL LEAK PROBLEM WHICH USUALLY STARTS AT ABOUT 70,000 MILES. IT APPEARS THAT THE HEAD GASKET CHRYSLER USED IS A RUBBER HEAD GASKET WHICH FAILS AND AS A RESULT MAJOR OIL LAEAKAGE OCCURS. THIS COSTS SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF $600 - $800 TO FIX. SINCE IT IS SUCH A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM COULD THIS BE CAUSE FOR A RECALL? I HAVE TAKEN EXCEPTIONAL CARE OF MY CAR AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY A MECHANIC THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO FIX SUCH A DEFAULT, ESPECIALLY HAVING A MONTHLY PAYMENT OF OVER 300 TO CHRYSLER WHICH I STILL HAVE FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF. PLEASE ADVISE AS TO HOW I CAN REMEDY THIS AND IF THERE IS A CHANCE FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.*AK

NHTSA ID

759585

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE CHECK, AND SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT OIL WAS GETTING INTO ENGINE. DEALER STATED THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE TO LOCK UP AND RESULT IN A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8005696

Incident

Mar 11, 2002

BLOWN HEAD GASKET THAT WILL COST $800.00 TO FIX. *AK

NHTSA ID

757968

Incident

Feb 7, 2002

THE SUNROOF WOULD ONLY OPEN ON RIGHT SIDE/ WAS BINDING ON THE RIGHT. HAD TO HAVE SUNROOF ASSEMBLY REPLACED. NOTICED OIL POOLING UNDER MY CAR. TOOK IT IN AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL. HAD IT REPLACED. 12 DAYS LATER THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THERE WERE DEPOSITS ON THE VALVES AND THE SPRINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

757503

Incident

Nov 26, 2001