NHTSA Complaint #10143833 — 1996 DODGE NEON

I HAVE HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH MY 1996 DODGE NEON SPORT, IT HAS BEEN INOPERABLE FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO, DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND STALLING WHICH I BELIEVE STEM FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED A FEW TIMES, THE A/C REPLACED, FUEL INJECTION ACTS UP AND THE FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATES, MY TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED SLIPPING, POWER STEERING AND EXHAUST ARE LEAKING, NUMEROUS OIL LEAKS, REAR LIGHTS/ BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE NOT WORKED IN OVER A YEAR, DRIVERSIDE WINDOW BROKE ALONG THE EXTENDING ARM INSIDE OF THE DOOR FRAME, TRUNK RELEASE IS BROKEN AND MY CRUISE CONTROL IS BROKEN! FOR THE LAST 4MONTHS MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT ATLANTA DODGE LLC! JUST AFTER LEAVING IT WITH THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT, I RECEIVED A CALL SAYING I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY AND UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED FOR $180 THEY COULD NOT DO A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK FOR ANY OTHER PROBLEMS!! THE BATTERY WAS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD AND WORKED FINE WHEN I LEFT THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP!! BUT IN HOPES OF ANY DECENT SERVICE I BOUGHT ANOTHER BATTERY FROM ADVANCED AUTO PARTS $40 AND TOOK IT IN MYSELF. DURING THIS VISIT I REMINDED THEM THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL CAR WAS UNDER A RECALL, THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS NOT!! I GAVE THEM THE NHTSA RECALL DOCUMENTATION AND WAS TOLD THAT IT DIDN'T APPLY TO MY CAR, ONLY TO THE NEONS FROM THE PLANT IN NEW MEXICO!! JUST AFTER THANKSGIVING I DECIDED TO CALL THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON. I SPOKE WITH BRIAN THE CS REP. AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THE MECHANICS COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR AND REFUSED TO RESEARCH ANY FURTHER UNLESS I AGREED TO SPEND NO LESS THAN $250 TOWARDS THE REPAIRS!! IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT THE SAME PARTS ARE IN NEED OF REPAIRS AS 15,000 OTHER NEONS -- REGARDLESS OF WHICH PLANT THE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLIED, THE DEFECTS LIE IN THE PLACEMENT AND/OR MANUFACTURING OF THE FAULTY PARTS AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER ANY RELATING RECALLS! *NM UPDATED 12/1505. *JB