1996 DODGE NEON Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

IN JANUARY 1998 WHILE MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE I HAD AN OIL LEAK. MY RECEIPT STATES THEY FIXED THE FRONT ENGINE SEAL. NOW IN JUNE 1999 I NEED A NEW FRONT ENGINE SEAL AND MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

WE HAVE REPLACED HEAD GASKET TWICE AND ONE WAS W/ THERE REDESIGNED HEAD GASKET. NOW IT IS STARTING TO GO OUT FOR A THIRD TIME. AT 500 DOLLARS A REPAIR THIS IS HIGHWAY ROBBERY. I DO REGUALARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENCE AND SERVICES AND MOST OF MY MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES. ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPEIRENCING HEAD GASKET FAILURES ON THE NEONS AND FOR SOMEONE WHO GETS A LOAN (THAT HE CAN BARLY AFFORD) FOR A NEON, SHOULDN'T BE WORRIED ABOUT MULTIPLE HEAD GASKET REPAIRS. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURES DEFAULT. THE DEALER SHIP THAT REPAIRED MY HEAD GASKET (BOTH OF THEM, THEY REPLACED THEM TWICE) HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE NEONS DO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. HE HAS REPLACED SEVERAL HEAD GASKETS. I'M REALLY GETTING TIRED OF THIS. I'M MEAN REALLY, WHAT KIND OF NEW CAR NEEDS THREE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED IN TWO YEARS. I'LL NEVER BY ANOTHER NEON AGAIN, AND I'M NOT...

ENGINE SEALS MALFUNCTIONED IN REAR GASKET TWICE, AND IN HEAD GASKET TWICE WHICH CAUSED AN OIL LEAK AND COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

THE NEONS' HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER NEON OWNERS AND MOST HAVE REPLACED A HEAD GASKET ALSO. ALSO, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, I HAVE A PRINTED BILL FROM THE DEALER THAT STATED THE JOB TOTAL WAS $436. NOW THE SAME DEALER SAME CAR SAME PROBLEM IS TELLING ME IT WILL BE OVER $1000 AND THE CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY????? *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED RESULTING IN LEAKAGE. MJS

VEHICLE HAS HAD FOUR HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENTS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN LEAKAGE. MJS

ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. *AK

THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM ALOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING. THE CAR IS EXCESSIVELY LEAKING OIL AND WHEN IT IS CHECKED IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET. MY MECHANIC SAID IT WOULD BE $610.70 TO FIX. HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO EVEN CHECK FOR RECALLS FOR ME. I CANNOT BELIEVE WITH THE AMOINT OF COMPLAINTS , THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. MY MECHANIC EVEN MADE ME A COPY OF AN ADVERTISEMENT IN MOTORAGE MAGAZINE FOR FEL-PRO THAT MENTIONS THE "TROUBLESOME AND EXPENSIVE PROBLEM ON THEIR '95-'97 2.0L ENGINES. CONVENTIONAL HEAD GASKET DESIGNS CANNOT WITHSTAND THE STRESS AT THE OIL PRESSURE HOLE, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK" IF THIS QUOTE WAS A LIE I THINK CHRYSLER WOULD HAVE PULLED THE AD AND FILED A LAWSUIT. OBVIOUSLY IT IS TRUE, AND THE CONSUMERS ARE PAYING. THIS WAS MY FIRST AND LAST CHRYSLER. I AM GOING BACK TO...

VEHICLE STARTED LEAKING A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL. ALSO. HEARD A KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE. DEALER CONTACTED, AND COULD REMEDY PROBLEM. REPAIRWORK WAS DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NOTICED OIL LEAKING ON DRIVEWAY. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED US THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACEMENT. CONTACTED DODGE THEY SAID WE HAD TO GET INSPECTED WHICH IS $120. THEN IF IT IS THE HEAD GASKET THEY WILL ONLY PAY A PERCENTAGE OF THE COST AND THEY WOULD NOT TELL US WHAT PERCENTAGE I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT STEPS TO TAKE TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OFF. THANK YOU. *AK

IN MAY MY STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. IT WAS AGAIN LOOKED AT IN NOVEMBER OF 1996. NOW, MY STEERING COLUMN HAS ONCE AGAIN FAILED. IT TAKES 10 TURNS OF MY WHEEL TO TURN FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER. ALSO, MY HEAD GASKET, AT 45000 MILES STARTED TO LEAK. THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO A CAR 3 YEARS OLD. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENGINE HEAD .CHRYSLER CORPORATE OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. NOR RETURN PHONE CALLS. *AK

ENGINE GASKETS AND SEALS AND RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED.

BRAKES SQUEAKY FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE, EGR VALVE WAS REPLACED AT 39,000 MILES. ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKS AT ONLY 42,000 MILES(EST COST OF ALL REPAIRS $800) EGR VALVE ALREADY PAID FOR, WANTING ASSISTANCE FROM CHRYSLER FOR HEAD GASKET. *AK

I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN FOR REPAIR 4 TIMES IN 3 YRS. FIRST THE SPARK PLUGS WERE BAD, HAD TO BE REPLACE. SECOND THE WIRES MELTED TOGETHER IN MY STEERING WHEEL COLUMN, 4RD THE FUELD SENSOR WENT OUT IN FUEL PUMP HAD TO HAVE THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED. ASK WARRENTY COMPANY WHAT MOST COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE DODGE NEON WAS THEY SAID THE HEAD GASKET BLOWING, NOW I GUESS IT'S MY TURN FOR THAT I TOOK TO DEALER TODAY FOR OIL LEAK , THEY SAID HEAD GASKET BLOWN, NEED TO TEAR DOWN ENGINE TO MAKE SURE NOTHING ELSE IS BAD ( CRACKED BLOCK / HEAD) SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR A CAR THAT'S NOT THAT OLD AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED, VERY DISSAPOINTED IN VEHICLE

PLEASE RECALL NEONS TO HAVE THE HEAD GASKETS FIXED.

I HAVE HEARD THAT THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH HEAD GASKETS IN THE DODGE NEONS. AND THAT DODGE HAS REDESIGNED THEM. WHAT ABOUT THOSE OF US WHO ARE STUCK WITH THE BAD GASKETS? I HAVE TALKED WITH EVERY DODGE DEALER WITHIN A 100 MILE RADIUS AS WELL AS A FEW MECHANIC SHOPS. A COUPLE OF THEM TOLD ME THAT DODGE WAS THINKING ABOUT DOING A RECALL ON THE HEAD GASKETS. I WANT TO KNOW WHY I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY 500-800 DOLLARS FOR SOMETHING THAT DODGE NEW WAS GOING TO HAPPEN SOONER OR LATER. EVERY DEALER I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAS SAID THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALOT OF HEAD GASKETS ON THE NEONS. PLEASE ADVISE ME IF DODGE IS GOING TO DO A RECALL OR NOT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.

VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL FROM ENGINE HEAD GASKET WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET GOES OUT WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. HAD A 1996 NEON AND TRADED IN FOR 1997 NEON, BUT HAS SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHNICS THAT THE HEAD GASKET LEAKING ON DODGE NEONS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.

HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE PURCHASE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.

CRACKED ENGINE HEAD GASKET.

CAM SEAL IS DUMPING OIL ONTO HOT ENGINE, CAUSING A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. *AK

AT 42,000 MILES THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET CRACKED FOUR TIMES, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET THERE IS A OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE GASKET AND LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE. DEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO WARRENT A RECALL. PARTS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO BACKORDERS. *AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKING.

MAJOR OIL LEAK. I TOOK THE CAR TO TWO MECHNICS, WHO TOLD ME THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACED. I SPOKE TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT THE JOB WOULD COST OVER $700. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMON PROBLEM AND THE REPLACEMENT PART IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL BECAUSE OF SOME DEFECT. CHRYSLER STILL DOES NOT ACKNOWLEGE A PROBLEM?

DUE TO AN OIL LEAK THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

REAR SEAL ON ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO BECOME DEFECTIVE. *AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKING.

I GET OIL CHANGES REGULARLY SO THAT THE CAR WILL LAST, THEN THE LAST OIL CHANGE I GET, A MONTH LATER OIL STARTS LEAKING SEVERELY OUT FROM UNDER THE CARE. TWO ESTIMATED LATER AND THE HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NOT ONLY HAS THAT GONE UP BUT THE FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AT 40,000 MILES. I AM ALWAYS REPLACING SOMETHING ON THIS CAR AND IT IS NOT EVEN 3 YEARS OLD. WILL THESE CARS EVER LAST THE FULL LOAN?

11/10/98 - HEAD GASKET FAILURE - REPLACED. SPARK PLUGS (TUNE UP) PERFORMED SAME DAY AT PERFORMANCE DODGE SERVICE CENTER. 11/25/98 - ENGINE - BEGAN STALLING AND STUTTERING, SIGNIFIGANT LOSS IN POWER, INTERMITTENT "NO-STARTS" SIGNIFIGANT INCREASE IN GAS USAGE.

OWNER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, FOUND PROBLEM TO BE WITH THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

AFTER ONLY 70000 MILES THE DODGE NEON HAS A LEAKING HEAD GASKET. THROUGH CONVERSTATIONS DISCOVERED THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. IS THERE A RECALL IN THE WORKS? THANKS, DAMIEN

ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL. TOOK IT TO DEALER WHO SAID THAT IT NEEDS A NEW HEAD GASKET. WHEN I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE COST (APPROX $500.) HE SAID THEY COULD TAKE CARE OF 1/2 OF IT. SAID THAT THE PROBLEM IS A POORLY MANUFACTURED GASKET & THEY REPLACE A LOT-IN FACT ITEM IS ON BACK ORDER

WHENEVER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY WOULD SQUEAK. HAD NOTICED THE ROTORS WERE RUSTING OUT. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & TOLD WOULD NOT REPAIR THE ROTORS DUE TO STATE USING SALT ON THE ROAD. ALSO, THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN & STARTED TO LEAK A LOT OF OIL. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LEAKS OIL AND OVERHEAT. DEALER NOTIFIED,AND INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL, AND THE COST WOULD GO TO CONSUMER. *AK

I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM HEARING THAT ALL NEONS (INFORMED BY DEALER-COYLE DODGE IN NEW ALBANY, IN) HAVE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MAIN GASKET IN THE ENGINE. I HAD A BIG MISFORTUNE IN HAVING MY 96 NEON'S MAIN GASKET FAILED AND SPEWED OUT A LOT OF OIL AND ALMOST HAD MYSELF IN A SERIOUS SMOKE PROBLEM THAT I SMELLED THE OIL BURNING ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM NEAR THE ENGINE AND COULD LEAD TO A FIRE! I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO COYLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A BIG

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS/HEAD GASKETS, ETC. PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING, DLR CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED RESULTING IN OIL LEAKING.

HEAD GASKET/ INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED.

HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING SEVERE OIL LEAKAGE. ALSO ABS BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE,RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL.

NOISE IN ENGINE DUE TO EXHAUST DONUT GASKET FAILURE AND MOTOR MOUNTS.

ENGINE BLOCK HAS BEEN LEAKING ,THE CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP MORE THEN SIX TIMES FOR SAME THING. *AK

THE CAMSHAFT SYSTEM BROKE, CAUSING THE OIL TO LEAK WHICH MAY RESULT A FIRE IF THERE WAS A SOURCE OF IGNITION. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALER TWICE. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

HEAD GASKET REPLACED DUE TO AN OIL LEAK.

E98012; DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET HAD A LEAK, CAUSING THE OIL TO LEAK, RESULTING IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE. DEALER REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

OVER THE PAST WEEKS OWNER NOTICED A STRONG BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE VALVE LIFTERS TAPPING VERY LOUD. UPON HAVING THE PROBLEM CHECKED BY A MECHANIC, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REAR SEAL IS LEAKING OIL. THE PROBLEM WILL BE CORRECTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD AREA. AFTER STOPPING AND LIFTING THE HOOD, NOTICED OIL ALL OVER THE ENGINE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BODY SHOP, OWNER WAS TOLD THE THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED.