NHTSA Complaint #10023631 — 1997 PLYMOUTH NEON

I HAVE EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF MECHANICAL FAILURES TO MY 1997 PLYMOUTH NEON WHICH I PURCHASED TWO YEARS AGO. ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR BEGAN HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS; RADIO STOPPED WORKING, CLOCK DISPLAY WOULD BLACKOUT. THE MOST RECENT WAS EXPERIENCING A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT THE TIME THE CAR WAS IN OPERATION. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A SAFE STOP. HOWEVER, HAD THE GASKET BLOWN WHEN I WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY JUST MINUTES BEFORE THEN, THE SCENE MAY HAVE BEEN MORE SERIOUS. I DISCOVERED OIL IN MY ANTIFREEZE. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE RESEARCH AND LOCATED A WEBSITE THAT INFORMED CONSUMERS OF MANUFACTURE DEFECTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON THE NEONS FROM THE 1995 TO 1998. A NUMBER OF COMPLAINS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF CHRYSLER CORPORATION BY OTHER CONSUMERS. HOWEVER, THEY DO NOT SEE IT AS A PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTIFIED CHANNEL 5 TARGET INVESTIGATION NEWS TEAM IN CHICAGO, IL AND THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THESE PROBLEMS AS WELL. TARGET 5 INVESTIGATION MADE ME AWARE OF A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAIN THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND I THINK THESE MANUFACTURER DEFECTS WARRANT YOUR INVESTIGATION AS WELL, HOPEFULLY, PROMPTING A NATIONAL RECALL. REPAIRING A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND POSSIBLY A CRACKED SEAL ON THE ENGINE, IS A VERY COSTLY PROCEDURE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN YOUR FINDINGS. *JB