NHTSA Complaint #746279 — 1998 DODGE NEON

OUR PROBLEM IS WITH THE NEONS HEADGASKET LEAKING. AS MANY NEON ARE OWNED WHY DOESN'T DODGE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE CARS LEAKING. I RUN A GARAGE AND WE HAVE DONE ABOUT 25 HEAD GASKET JOBS ON THESE CARS. THIS IS CRAZY! THESE CARS HAVE LOW MILEAGE FOR A CAR BUT ARE OUT OF WARRANTY. I KNOW THAT DODGE REDESIGNED THESE GASKETS. BUT WHY DON'T THEY RECALL THEM. IT IS CRAZY TO HAVE A CAR WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON IT & HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. THESE SAME CARS ARE THE SAME AS THE TALONS,ECLISPES, AND OTHER WITH THE SAME ENGINE PROBLEMS JUST DIFFERENT NAMES. PROBLEM WITH THE LIFTERS ALSO. DODGE HAS REMADE LIFTERS BECAUSE SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE OLD DESIGN. TAKE A CAR WITH LESS THAN 50,000 ON IT & IT NEEDS A VALVES REPLACED. OLD VALVES WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. JUST WENT THROUGH THIS WITH A TALON. GOT VALVES FROM 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS 1 SET NEW STYLE OTHER SET OLD STYLE. THEY DO NOT INTERCHANGE IF USING NEW STYLE HAVE TO CHANGE THE CRANK AND THE CAM SHAFT SO THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER. THIS NEEDS TO BE CHECKED INTO. GUESS DODGE IS TRYING TO KEEP THIS QUIET. THANK GOD FOR 1 HONEST PARTS MAN. IT SEEMS ALL 2.0 SUFFER FROM THIS. THEN THE CONSUMER OR IN OUR CASE THE GARAGE HAS TO FORK OUT 1000.00 OF $$$$$TO FIX PROBLEM THAT IS DODGES PROBLEM. *AK