2004 DODGE NEON Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED IN AND OUT OF DRIVE. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION FLUID SPILL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE RADIATOR. THE RADIATOR WAS CRACKED AND CAUSED THE FLUID TO CONTAMINATE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 134,526.

Mileage: 134,526

THE NEON WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN I LOST ACCELERATION AND IT SPEWED TRANSMISSION FLUID (AND MIXED WITH WHAT I LATER FOUND OUT WAS COOLING FLUID) ALL OVER THE ROAD. THE CAR COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE AND IS INOPERABLE. THE MECHANIC LATER DETERMINED THAT THE RADIATOR HAD FAILED AND LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING IT TO OVERHEAT AND FAIL. *TR

Mileage: 134,000

THE RADIATOR CRACKED WHICH LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND DAMAGED TRANSMISSION WHICH ENDED UP COSTING ME OVER $2,000 TO REPLACE. THE COOLANT LINE OR WHATEVER RUNS INTO THE TRANSMISSION SO WHEN THE RADIATOR LINE OR WHATEVER CRACKS IT ALLOWS COOLANT TO TO MIX WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID AND DAMAGES THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

Mileage: 51,000

CAR WAS TAKEN FOR OIL CHANGE AND TUNE-UP @ 134,000 MILES. COUPLE DAYS LATER CAR STARTED STALLING INTERMITTENTLY. WOULD START IN THE AM FROM SITTING ALL NIGHT BUT WHEN DRIVEN TO WORK AND PARKED FOR 5 1/2 HOURS CAR WOULD NOT START W/O A JUMP. MECHANIC DID NOT READ ANYTHING ON DIAGNOSTICS. WENT TO ADVANCED AUTO WHO READ BATTERY WAS LOW. REPLACED BATTERY & CAR STILL STALLED. CAR NO LONGER RESPONDED TO JUMP AND HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC. WHEN MECHANIC RECEIVED CAR WAS ABLE TO START CAR WITH NO HESITATION AND DROVE FOR 30 MINUTES. TURNED CAR OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTES AND HAD NO PROBLEM STARTING. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH VEHICLE. STUCK WITH A CAR THAT INTERMITTENTLY STALLS AND SHOWS NO OTHER SIGNS OF FAILURE. CAR HAS NOT CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ONLY STALLS WHILE TRYING TO START VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 134,000

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING - LETTER FROM REGARDING DODGE PROBLEMS. *KB 2004 DODGE NEON. THE CONSUMERS WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND SHE WAS BARELY ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE HOOD WAS EXTREMELY TOO HOT TO TOUCH AND NOISES AND LIQUIDS WERE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION COOLER IN THE RADIATOR. THE TRANSMISSION, RADIATOR, HOSES AND THERMOSTAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE ENGINE WAS FLUSHED. *JB

Mileage: 66,447

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND ENGINE STARTED BUCKING.NO MORE GEARS OR SHIFTING INTO DRIVE.LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID AND COOLANT. A PIECE OF TRANSMISSION LINE OR FITTING CORRODED AND LET LOOSE INSIDE THE RADIATOR. THIS CAUSED THE MIXING OF FLUIDS INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND COOLING SYSTEM.RADIATOR FAILED AND BLED FLUIDS. RADIATOR WAS REPLACED AND COOLANT SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED. TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO FLUSHED.THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED TO MY CO-WORKER THAT HAS THE SAME TYPE VEHICLE(04 DODGE NEON,2.0 LITRE ENGINE,74000 MILES). I SUSPECT IT IS HAPPENING TO EVERY CUSTOMER THAT HAS THAT TYPE AND YEAR NEON. PART NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

Mileage: 74,246

2004 DODGE NEON SXT. TRANSMISSION / COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE RESULTING IN ANTIFREEZE MIXING WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID DESTROYING TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. DODGE REFUSES TO HONOR THEIR POWER TRAIN WARRANTY CITING THE COOLING SYSTEM AS THE CAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, AND NOT THE POWERTRAIN. THIS SHOULD BE A RARE OCCURRENCE ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC, BUT IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR ONLINE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR DEFECT IN THESE CARS CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. DEALER ESTIMATED 3900 PARTS AND LABOR TO FIX. *TR

Mileage: 67,234

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE BRAKE PADS SERVICED. THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID PACT WAS LEAKING AND MADE THE REPLACEMENT. THE REPAIRS TOTALED $1,000, OF WHICH THE CONTACT PAID $865. TWO DAYS AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE VEHICLE REVVED UP WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. ON ONE OCCASION, THE CONTACT RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. SHE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL ACCELERATED. WHEN SHE ARRIVED HOME, SHE NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT HAS NOT YET RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 96,978.

Mileage: 96,978

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR REPEATEDLY FAILED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL AUTO BODY SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE COMPONENTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY ASSUME PARTIAL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 88,000.

Mileage: 88,000

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ONE EVENING WHEN IT SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING. I PULLED OVER AS BEST AS I COULD BEING ON A HILLY CURVING ROAD IN A THUNDERSTORM. I WAS ABLE TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID; THERE WAS NO FLUID ON THE STICK. I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK AND A FRIEND NEAR BY. WE BOUGHT TRANSMISSION FLUID TO SEE IF THAT WOULD HELP. WE PUT ALMOST 2 QUARTS OF FLUID IN IT AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT IT IN GEAR. IT DIDN'T GO INTO GEAR, JUST COASTED BACKWARDS AND SAW FLUID ON THE PAVEMENT. IT WAS LEAKING FROM FRONT, APPEARED TO BE HOSE RELATED. WHEN I GOT HOME AND THE HOSE FROM THE TRANSMISSION TO THE RADIATOR WAS DISCONNECTED. THE HOSE AND CONNECTOR WERE INTACT HOWEVER THE THREADS INSIDE THE RADIATOR WERE STRIPPED. I GOT ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH NEONS. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH NEONS FROM 1999-2005 WITH FAULTY FACTORY INSTALLED RADIATORS. EVENTUALLY THE PROBLEM CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ANTIFREEZE TO MIX AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION BLOWS. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I ORIGINALLY BOUGHT MY CAR, LOOKING FOR POSSIBLE ANSWERS. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT A CAR THAT IS JUST UNDER 4 YEARS OLD, HAS JUST OVER 30K MILES AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER WOULD HAVE SUCH A HUGE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED NOTHING. THEY BLEW IT OFF STATING WHEN I FIND OUT WHAT IS "REALLY" WRONG WITH MY CAR, THEN TO CALL THEM. THE MAN SAID HE HAD ONLY SEEN IT ONCE AND DOUBTED IT WAS WHAT I SAID IT WAS. FORCED TO SEEK HELP SOMEWHERE ELSE, I CALLED ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. HE HAD SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM A COUPLE OF TIMES AND KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS EXPLAINING. I TOOK IT DOWN AND HAD MY CAR BACK THE NEXT DAY. THEY REPLACED THE RADIATOR, FLUSHED BOTH THE RADIATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION. IT COST $760. MY TRANSMISSION WAS SPARED. I ALSO CONTACTED DODGE/CHRYSLER AND GOT A POLITE THANK FOR YOUR "OPINION" LETTER. *TR

Mileage: 30,693

IT WAS A SUDDEN PART FAILURE WHICH CAUSED IMMEDIATE DANGER. I WAS DRIVING 35 MPH DOWN A ROAD NEAR MY HOME AND MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED MY CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED MY FATHER FOR HELP. HE NOTICED THE ENGINE COOLANT POURING OUT OF IT'S CONTAINER AND MY TRANSMISSION FLUID DANGEROUSLY LOW. WE REFILLED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, BUT IT WOULDN'T STAY, IT WAS LEAKING SOMEWHERE. WE CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE US TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP. THE TOW TRUCK GUY IMMEDIATELY TOLD US THAT HE'S SEEN THIS PROBLEM ALL THE TIME WITH DODGE NEONS. THE RADIATOR BRAKES AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKS INTO THE COOLANT. THE REPAIR SHOP MECHANIC ALSO CONCLUDED THE SAME THING. HE TOLD ME HE'D HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUSH OUT THE SYSTEM TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THAT I WOULD DEFINITELY NEED TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. HE TOLD ME HE USED TO WORK FOR DODGE SERVICE REPAIR AND WOULD SEE THIS PROBLEM ALL THE TIME AND NORMALLY IT WOULD CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO BLOW TOO. IN PICKING UP THE CAR HE TOLD ME HE MANUALLY FLUSHED OUT THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS AS BEST HE COULD, BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO SOMEONE WHOM COULD POWER FLUSH OUT EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE OK. I DID ASK HIM WHAT'S MY GUARANTEE THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. HE STATED THE NEW RADIATOR THAT DODGE NOW PROVIDES FOR THEIR NEONS WHEN THE ONE FROM THE FACTORY FAILS IS CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. I ASKED HIM IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS RADIATOR SINCE DODGE IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE? HE TOLD ME NO. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND DISCOVERED MANY STORIES LIKE MY OWN. I'VE FOUND THAT ANY NEON FROM 1999 TO 2005 HAS HAD A FAULTY RADIATOR. SOME OF THE STORIES ARE WORSE THAN MINE. TRANSMISSIONS BLOWN AND COSTING PEOPLE THOUSANDS. IT HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS AND MAY HAVE COST LIVES, I'M NOT SURE. I CAN ONLY THINK WHEN A CAR STOPS ACCELERATING ON A FASTER ROAD, WHAT KIND OF ACCIDENT'S CAN OCCUR. *TR

Mileage: 81,550

THE TRANSMISSION COOLER THAT IS INTERNAL TO THE RADIATOR IN MY 2004 DODGE NEON STARTED TO LEAK CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO ENTER MY COOLING SYSTEM AND GET INTO MY ENGINE. THIS IS THE 8TH TIME I HEARD OF THIS OCCURRING IN THIS MODEL, THIS IS WINDING UP BEING AN EXTENSIVE REPAIR DUE TO THIS FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT. CHRYSLER DOES NOT THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

IDLING OF THE MOTOR WAS NOT REGULAR. THIS 2004 DODGE NEON WAS PURCHASED USED ,AND I HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS OUT OF IT. THE CHECK ENGINE REMAINED ON, AND THE ENGINE IDLED TERRIBLY. VERY DANGEROUS ON DRIVING, WILL CUT OUT AND PROCEEDS TO CUT OUT MOST OF THE TIME. ALSO, WHEN PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATE IT HESITATED TO THE POINT THAT ONE DAY I MAY GET RUN OVER AND KILLED. *AK

Mileage: 47,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. THIS HAPPENS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND UNDER NORMAL DRIVING AND ROAD CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, IT HAPPENS MOSTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED FROM THIRD, FOURTH OR FIFTH GEAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES, THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE STARTER HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED, THE O2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR AND BOLTS WERE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH, THESE REPLACEMENTS WERE REPLACED THE PROBLEM STILL EXITS.

Mileage: 33,379

IN EARLY AUGUST OF 2004 I PURCHASED A 2004 DODGE NEON SXT WITH ONLY 8 MILES ON IT. SINCE DECEMBER OF 2004 I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE MISSING. FOR EXAMPLE THE CAR SHAKES WHEN SITTING OR DRIVING AND IS HAVING TROUBLE AT TIMES GETTING SPEED WHEN YOU PRESS DOWN OF THE ACCELERATOR. SO I TOOK THE CAR IN JANUARY 2005 TO CORNELL DODGE IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AT WHICH TIME IT HAS REACHED A LITTLE OVER 5,000 MILES. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS FINE AND THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS DETECTED BY THE COMPUTER AND TO RETURN LATER TO GET MY SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE. HAVING CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE CORNELL DODGE FOR MY SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE AND 16-POINT INSPECTION IN JUNE 2005. THEY STILL FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. SINCE I HAVE CONTINUALLY BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, WHICH WAS NOT RESOLVED BY CORNELL DODGE??S AUTHORIZED DEALER/SERVICE DEPARTMENT, ON AUGUST 19TH I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER THAT I PURCHASED IT FROM SERRAMONTE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE IN DALY CITY, CALIFORNIA WITH ONLY ABOUT 12, 431 MILES ON IT. THEY CHANGED THE CABLES AND SPARK PLUGS, WHICH STILL DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK A THIRD TIME ON AUGUST 25TH 2005 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM TO SERRAMONTE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE IN DALY CITY, CALIFORNIA WITH 12,510 MILES ON IT. IT IS APPARENT THAT A NEW CAR WITH ONLY 8 MILES WHEN PURCHASED AND IS ONLY 1 YEAR OLD SHOULD NOT BE HAVING ANY PROBLEMS AND THAT THIS CAR IS A LEMON. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP OVER FIVE TIMES, FILED A LEMON LAW COMPLAINT AND NOTHING IS BEING RESOLVE. EVERY TIME I CONTACT SOMEONE THEY TELL ME TO DO SOME STEP, WHICH I DO AND THEN THE PERSON DOES NOT FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEIR END. THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. SERRAMONTE HAS PROVIDED ME WITH VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEIR AGENTS ARE NOT WELL KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THEIR CARS!. *JB

Mileage: 5,010

I HAVE A 2004 DODGE SRT-4. I HAVE HAD IT SINCE APRIL 3RD 2004 AND EVER SINCE ABOUT 3500 MILES I HAVE HAD A OIL LEAK COMING OUT OF THE COLD SIDE INTERCOOLER PIPE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO DODGE AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NORMAL ON MY CAR. A BRAND NEW CAR WITH A OIL LEAK, DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. I KNOW ITS BLOW BY COMING OUT OF THE PCV SYSTEM AND A CATCH CAN WOULD STOP THE OIL FROM LEAKING. BUT WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY DIDN'T' DODGE PUT ONE IN THE FIRST PLACE? MY CAR NOW HAS 45000 AND IT STILL HAS THE OIL LEAK AND A BIG GROUP OF OIL SPOTS ON MY WHITE DRIVEWAY. *JB

Mileage: 3,500

WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, IT CAUSES THE EXHAUST SYSTEM TO MAKE A RATTLE AND GRINDING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON FOUR OCCASIONS FOR REPAIR WITH NO RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.

Mileage: 1,000

WHILE SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT SPARK PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, BUT DEALERSHIP DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 1,284

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH A LOUD TICKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, HOWEVER THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE HEADLIGHTS HAD GONE OUT WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LINE IN THE FRONT, THE WHEEL BEARING WAS BROKEN IN HALF, THE FOG LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT, THERE WAS A ROARING SOUND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THERE WAS A WHIRLING SOUND IN THE ENGINE WHICH WOULD GET WORSE WHEN ACCELERATED, THE ROTOR/PADS RUSTED, THE STEERING PULLED TO THE LEFT, AND WHEN SLOWING DOWN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE. (DODGE NEON SXT 2004) *SC