NHTSA Complaint #754629 — 1996 PLYMOUTH NEON

OIL LEAK DISCOVERED DECEMBER 1998 (45838 MILES ON CAR.) DIAGNOSED ENGINE HEAD GASKET BY DEALER SERVICE. WORKED DEAL WITH CHRYSLER SINCE PER INVESTIGATION THIS APPEARED TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. THEY FIXED FOR 1/2 WARRANTY COST ($180 PAID BY ME.) FEBRUARY 1999 (47364 MILES ON CAR) THE LEAK REOCCURRED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. DECEMBER 2001 (93648 MILES ON CAR) OIL LEAK CHECKED BY THIRD PARTY SERVICE ORGANIZATION AND DIAGNOSED THE HEAD GASKET LEAK AGAIN (APPROXIMATE COST TO FIX $1,400) THERE IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN/ENGINEERING FLAW IN THE ENGINE/HEAD GASKET. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL AND FIX TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE EVEN ONE HEAD GASKET ON ANY VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED AND THIS ONE HAS NOW HAD THE ORIGINAL AND TWO REPLACEMENTS AND NOW NEEDS A THIRD REPLACEMENT PRIOR TO 100,000 MILES ON THE CAR. AGAIN, MY RESEARCH SHOWS ME THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE AND WHEN I QUESTIONED THE LAST REPLACEMENT, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE HEAD GASKET WAS NEWLY ENGINEERED AND SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. NOW, NOT ONLY DID I HAVE TO PAY $180 BACK THEN THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKED CARE OF BY A RECALL; NOW I AM GIOING TO HAVE TO BASICALLY GIVE THE CARE AWAY SINCE I REFUSE TO GET IT FIXED AGAIN IF IT IS GOING TO COST ME ANY MONEY. CHRYSLER'S INABILITY TO CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN OBVIOUS DESIGN/ENGINEERING FLAW AND LACK OF ACTION TO RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM HAS COST THEM THIS CUSTOMER FOR LIFE AND AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN TELL ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *AK