NHTSA Complaint #741351 — 1995 PLYMOUTH NEON

IN AUGUST OF 2000, I HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND NOTICED A FEW WEEKS LATER THAT I WAS LOW IN OIL. WHEN I HAD MY OIL CHANGED AGAIN IN NOVEMBER THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD AN OIL LEAK AND THAT THE CAM SEAL NEEDED REPLACED AND IT WAS. ON JANUARY 4, 2001, I HAD MY OIL CHANGED, AND A FEW WEEKS LATER NOTICED THAT MY OIL WAS LOW AGAIN. I REPLACED THE OIL AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS CONTINUOUSLY USING ABOUT A QUART OF OIL A WEEK. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT I HAD A BAD HEAD GASKET AND TO CHECK WITH THE DEALERSHIP SINCE IT WAS KNOWN THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BAD ON THE NEON AND THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT UNDER THEIR GOODWILL POLICY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE HEAD GASKET. I THEN SPOKE TO DAVE CASPER AT A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF HE COULD HELP ME. HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO GOOD WILL POLICY ON THE HEAD GASKET WITH THE AMOUNT OF MILES I HAD. I EVEN TOLD HIM THAT THE GASKET HAD BEEN REPLACED BY THEM PREVIOUSLY WHEN THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY. I EVEN EMAILED CHRYSLER ASKING THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THAT BUT IT WAS MY PROBLEM. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING FLAW IN THE HEAD GASKET, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAS BEEN REDESIGNED AND I HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN THE NEW PART. I HAD THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED ON FEBRUARY 19, 2001, BECAUSE I CAN'T WAIT FOR MY CAR TO BLOW UP BEFORE THEY RECALL THE FAULTY PART.*AK