NHTSA Complaint #764357 — 2000 PLYMOUTH NEON

I PURCHASED A NEW PLYMOUTH NEON 2000 ON 12/11/99. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. IT WAS DISCOVERED AT MY FIRST GAS-UP THAT I WAS A QUART LOW ON OIL. I HAD ALSO EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE LOSING POWER WHILE I WAS SITTING IN TRAFFIC AT A STOP LIGHT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP (WINDWARD DODGE-HAWAII)RIGHT AWAY. THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IN THE CAR FOR DIAGNOSIS. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AND COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAKAGE. I CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. LOSS OF OIL, LOSS OF POWER AND STALLING. I WENT TO THE LOCAL DEALER 2 MORE TIMES BEFORE CALLING THE CORPORATION TO MAKE A CASE. I CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS AFTER CALLING THE CORP AND WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP A 4TH TIME, THEY TOLD ME THAT MY NAME HAD BEEN RAISED IN A MEETING AND THAT THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF ME. WHEN I GOT THERE, I SURPRISED TO BE ASKED TO PURCHASE THIS NEW CAR AT AN ADDITIONAL $4000. I WAS TOLD THAT MY MODEL WAS DISCONTINUED AND THE ONLY CAR THEY HAD WAS AN UPGRADED MODEL WHICH COST MORE. I RAISED HOLY HELL IN THE PLACE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS ORDERED TO FULLY INSPECT MY CAR AND PAY FOR A RENTAL FOR ME. STILL THEY CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. NOW, MY CAR BEGAN TO LEAK OIL IN FEB 2002. THIS TIME, THE LEAK WAS VISABLE. I TOOK THE CAR TO 2 DIFFERENT REPAIRSHOPS, WHO TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CAM SHAFT GASKET. THEN WE TOOK IT TO FIRESTONE ON A MILITARY BASE. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND GAVE US A MUCH BETTER RATE SO WE SCHEDULED THE REPAIR. BUT, ON THE DAY THAT WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO THEM, WE GOT A CALL BACK STATING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT WHAT THEY HAD ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET WHICH REQUIRES EXTENSIVE ENGINE WORK. THEY TOLD US THAT 15 CARS HAD COME IN TO THEM IN 1 WEEK WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. THEY WERE ALL PLYMOUTH NEONS. (DUE TO THE LIMITATIONS IN THIS FIELD, I AM UNABLE TO FILL IN THE DETAILS. PLEASE CONTACT ME REGARDING WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE). *AK