NHTSA Complaint #707306 — 1995 PLYMOUTH NEON

HEAD GASKET BLEW ENGINE. THIS HEAD GASKET IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THE NEON AND MITSUBISHI ENGINES. THERE'S AN ARTICLE IN THE MARCH 1999 ISSUE OF MOTORSERVICE MAGAZINE CONFIRMING THE PROBLEM. CHRYSLER ISSUED SERVICED BULLETINS, BUT NO RECALL. IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE COST CHRYSLER $200-400 TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET WHICH WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THE $4000 BILL FOR A NEW ENGINE. MY CAR COULD HAVE BEEN SERVICED ONE MONTH PRIOR WHILE IT WAS IN THE DODGE DEALERSHIP FOR OTHER REPAIRS. CHYRSLER DID AGREE TO PAY FOR THE PARTS AND I PAID FOR THE LABOR $1400. I BELIEVE CHYRSLER SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR THE ENTIRE COST SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT THEY HAD NOT ADDRESSED. I DID'T EXPECT TO REPLACE AN ENGINE ON A 4 YEAR OLD CAR. *AK