NHTSA Complaint #10106361 — 2002 DODGE NEON

I TOOK MY 2002 DODGE NEON TO THE DEALER I PURCHASED MY CAR FROM. IT WAS MISSING REALLY BAD, AND THE BACK FLOORBOARDS HELD WATER WHEN IT RAINED. IT WAS STANDING ABOUT AN INCH IN MY BACK FLOORBOARDS, AND MY SPARE TIRE CARRIER IN MY TRUNK WAS FULL OF WATER. MY WIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND I HAD 2 SPARK PLUGS THAT WERE BAD AND THEY PUT NEW PLUGS AND WIRES IN, AT MY EXPENSE. I PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MY VEHICLE, WHICH WAS NOT CHEAP. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE TUNE-UP, THE RENTAL CAR, AND THEY TOLD ME THE LEAKAGE WAS DUE TO BAD SEALS IN THE TAIL LIGHTS AND IT WASN'T COVERED. THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 NEONS DOING THAT. I ASKED WHY THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THAT. HE TOLD ME IT WASN'T A SAFETY HAZARD. MAYBE NOT, BUT IT IS SURELY A CASE OF BAD DESIGN. I E-MAILED CHRYSLER AND DODGE, AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME IT WAS MY PROBLEM. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO DEAL WITH BAILING WATER OUT OF MY 2-YEAR OLD CAR? THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THAT PARTICULAR MODEL, YET THEY WON'T PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. IT WAS GOING TO COST LESS THAN $100.00; BUT BY PRINCIPLE, I REFUSED TO PAY TO HAVE IT DONE. IF I CAN'T GET IT REPAIRED AT THE MANUFACTORS EXPENSE, I WILL WAIT UNTIL THE SPRING RAINS MOVE IN, AND DRILL A HOLE IN MY SPARE TIRE HOLDER. NOW, MIND YOU, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 2-YEAR OLD CAR, NOT A 10 YR OLD CAR. I WILL BE ON THE BIGGEST HATE CAMPAIGN AGAINST DODGE THAT THEY WILL EVER COME ACROSS. *JB