1996 PLYMOUTH NEON Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

HAVE PERSISTENT OIL LEAK. WENT TO MECHANIC, STATED SHOULD BE A RECALL. CONTACTED DAIMLERCHRYSLER AND DID NOT FIND A RECALL. BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM GOT GASKET FIXED 2001. HAVE SAME PROBLEM NOW AND TWO NEW MECHANICS HAVE ADVISED I NEED A HEAD GASKET.EVERYONE I TALK TO AT CHYRSLER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NOW WHAT DO I DO? *AK

HEAD GASKET LEAK. CHRYSLER REFUSES TO OWN UP TO A FAULTY GASKET. WHY? MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM.*JB

I HAVE A 1996 NEON WHICH I PURCHASED USED IN AUGUST OF 2001 WITH ONLY 35,000 MILES ON IT. ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO I TOOK IT IN FOR MY MONTHLY OIL CHANGE/LUBE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO GET IT REPLACED. THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE A $1200 REPAIR. I BEGAN TO CALL AROUND AND EACH PLACE, WHEN I MENTIONED THE PROBLEM AND THE YEAR/MAKE/MODEL OF MY CAR, TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD HAVE GUESSED WHAT THE REPAIR WAS THAT I NEEDED JUST BY ME GIVING THEM THE TYPE OF CAR I DRIVE. I'VE CALLED 5 PLACES NOW TO GET A QUOTE ON THIS REPAIR AND PRICES RANGE ANYWHERE BETWEEN $700 - $1200, DEPENDING ON THE SHOP I USE. BY THE WAY - I LOSE ABOUT A QUART OF OIL PER WEEK. I WANTED TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH TO...

HEAD GASKET LEAK...WAS REPLACED TWICE...FINALLY A DIFFERENT STYLE THAT WAS NOT FAULTY WAS RELEASED...FIBROUS GASKET LEAKED, WHEREAS THE MULTILAYER METAL GASKET DIDN'T.

HEAD GASKET FAILED. PH

IN APRIL 2000, HEAD GASKET BLEW, WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC TO CALL CHRYSLER CORP. CALLED THEM AND THEY SENT ME TO CHRYSLER DEALER. HAD TO PAY 195 FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THEY REPAIRED THE HEAD GASKET. ASLO INFORMED THEM OF WATER ENTERING THE REAR OF THE CAR THRU SIDE WINDOWS. THEY CLAIMED THEY WATER TESTED IT AND FOUND NO WATER LEAK. NOW 26 MONTHS LATER, NOTICED ANOTHER LEAK, TOOK TO MECHANIC WAS TOLD HEAD GASKET NEEDS REPLACING. CONTACT CHRYSLER, THEY SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO LOOK INTO THIS. MY COMPLAINT MAKES 108 ON HEAD GASKETS ONLY. THAT IS 108 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPENT MONIES ON SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. IF THIS IS NOT RESOLVED CHRYLSER/PLYMOUTH WILL HAVE LOST ANOTHER CUSTOMER. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE IN ORDER FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE?*AK

O RINGS ON AIR CONDITIONING UNIT REPLACED ON 6-23-00, EVAPORTATION COIL REPLACED ON 9-12-00. PLUG, SENOR-OXYGEN, EXHAUST, WIRING PKG-POSTIVE CABLE REPLACED 10-2-00, TEMPERATURE PROBE REPLACED 7-19-01. AIR CONDITIONING FAILED AGAIN IN AUGUST, 2001. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE INNER OUTER LEFT TIE RODS 4-9-98, HEAD GASKET 1-28-00, OIL SENDING UNIT 3-3-00, REAR MAIN SEAL AND BEDPLATE 5-9-00.

LOSS OF OIL WHILE DRIVING, AND OIL LEAKAGES WHILE PARKED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM IS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEEDS ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER AND WILL NOT RESTART. VEHICLE RUNS HOT AND ROUGH AS MOTOR OIL LEAKS OUT. A QUART ONCE A WEEK PROGRESSED TO EVERY 2-3 DAYS DUE TO LEAKING OUT. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE HEAD GASKETS. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. WHEN CHECKING ENGINE THERE WAS COOLANT ON FLOORBOARD. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT VEHICLE.*AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED TECHNICIAN NOTICED AN OIL LEAK FROM HEAD GASKET. *AK CONSUMER WANTS CHRYSLER COMPANY TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR.*YD

FROM MY MECHANIC'S DESCRIPTION, THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL, TO THE POINT A NEW STYLE GASKET IS AVAILABLE BUT AT A COST OF WELL OVER $800+ IN REPAIR COSTS TO THE CONSUMER, AND I UNDERSTAND A LAWSUIT IS BEING PROPOSED. *AK

HEAD GASKET CRACKED, CAUSING WATER TO GO INTO RADIATOR. IN LESS THAN A YEAR HEAD GASKET CRACKED AGAIN, SPRAYING OIL OVER THE ENGINE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND HAD TO REPLACE HEAD GASKETS TWICE.*AK

FOR THE SECOND TIME NOW MY CAR HAS A LEAKY GASKET (WHICH HAS CONTRIBUTED TO HAVING TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR THIS TIME AS WELL). I HAVE HEARD ENDLESS STORIES OF THIS HAPPENING TO NEONS-WHEN WILL A RECALL BE ENFORCED? THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM WHEN IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE AMONG MECHANICS AND OWNERS OF NEONS THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN.

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...

I HAVE SPOKE WITH NUMEROUSE MECHANICS AND NEON OWNERS AND THEY HAVE ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY COMMENT AS SAYING NEONS ARE NETORIOUS FOR FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ONE THE FACTORY INSTALLED. SO I WENT TO THE DEALER AND PURCHASED ANOTHER HEAD GASKET AND REPLACED THAT ONE AND NOW 2YEARS LATER IT NEED TO BE REPLACED AGIAN. THIS IF REDICULOUS. I HAVE HEARD THAT THE HEAD GASGET THAT WAS ISSUED WAS FAULTY AND THEY REISSUED A HIGH PREFORMANCE ONE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE THING TO FIX. I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF IT WAS BASIC MAITNANCE. THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE CASE IN ANY OF THE ONES I HAVE CAME ACROSS. IF YOU TOOK THE TIME TO SPEAK TO NEON SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AND OWNERS YOU WOULD SEE THAT IT IS AN OVERWHELMING ISSUE THAT NEEDS...

VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL FROM UNDERNEATH. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A GARAGE. *AK

BRAKE CALIPERS FROZE CAUSING THE BRAKES TO REMAIN ON. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKES TO WEAR DOWN INTO THE ROTORS. HEAD GASKET AT THE DRIVERS SIDE, REAR, TOWARDS TOP LEAKS OIL DOWN OVER THE ENGINE. CAM SENSOR GASKET LEAKS OIL DOWN OVER THE ENGINE.

SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THIS 1996 PLYMOUTH NEON, IN MARCH 17,1997 THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. STARTING WITH CAMSHAFT SEAL. OIL LEAKAGE AROUND HEAD GASKET MANY TIMES, RADIATOR RECALL, MULTIPLE CYLINDER MISFIRE, BREAK REPAIRS, MASTER CYLINDER SEALS SWOLLEN, RUBBER TRANS RETURN COOLER LINE CRACKED, REBUILT TRANS AND REPLACED SEALS, FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, REPLACE REAR MAIN SEAL, REPLACE PAN GASKET, REPLACE OXYGEN SENSOR, AND RECENT TRANS FAILURE.

ENGINE HEAD GASKET DEVELOPED A CRACK WHICH ALLOWED OIL TO LEAK FROM ENGINE. CONSUMER HAD THIS REPAIRED IN 1998, AND IN MAY OF 2001 WAS HAVING SAME PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE. HEAD GASKET HAS DEVELOPED ANOTHER CRACK AND WAS LEAKING OIL. *AK IF THE OILS SPILLS ON THE HOT ENGINE, THERE COULD BE FIRE. CHANGING HEAD GASKET EVERY 2-3 YEARS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. *YH

OIL IN RADIATOR FLUID. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP TO BE EXAMINED. BUT, CONSUMER STATED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN IN ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

EXHAUST HAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM IT AND THE AIR-CONDITIONER COMPRESSER WHISTLES. I CHECKED FOR AN OIL LEAK AND FOUND IT TO BE THE HEAD GASKET. WHY SUCH A HUGE PROBLEM IS NOT CAUSING A FORCED RECALL IS BEYOND ME!*AK

THERE WAS LEAKING IN COOLANT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED OIL FILTER / ANTI FREEZE, AND ENGINE BOLT. CAR HAS TO GO IN FOR SAME PROBLEM EVERY TWO YEARS. CONSUMER FEELS IT'S A MANUFACTURS DEFECT/ POOR DESIGN.*AK CONSUMER STATES HEAD GASKET FAILED THREE TIMES WITHIN THE FIRST 90,000 MILES, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS. *JB

HEAD GASKET ON THIS CAR HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES! IT'S NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND NOW I AM EXPECTED TO PAY FOR A NEW ONE-$750!! OBVOIUSLY THE HEAD GASKETS WERE FAULTY TO BEGIN WITH, SO WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY TO FIX CHRYSLER'S MISTAKE!?*AK

I HAVE HAD REPEATED INCIDENTS OF GASKET FAILURE (BOTH) WITH THIS 1996 NEON. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR ANYWHERE AND RELY ON IT FOR WORK. AT THIS POINT I'M SICK OF HEARING OTHER NEON OWNERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE GASKETS CRACKING AND LEAKING OIL, SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, ETC. CHYRSLER/DAIMLER IS ENDANGERING OUR LIVES. I HAD MY SPARK PLUGS CHANGED DURING A TUNE UP AND THE MECHANIC COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW SOAKED THEY WERE IN OIL. MY CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. HE SAID THE ENTIRE UNDERCARRIAG OF MY CAR IS SOAKED IN OIL. CHRYSLER TRIED TO CHARGE ME FOR PREVIOUS REPAIRS AND SAID THEY HAD NO INHERENT PROBLEMS WITH THE CARS. BUT ONE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, AND FORMER EMPLOYEES, HAVE TOLD ME IT'S A DESIGN DEFECT AND EVEN REPLACEMENT GASKETS WILL CRACK. IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER VS. THE MANIFOLD OF THE CAR (THIS IS...

THE HEAD GASKETS LEAK OIL IN A REMOTE CORNER OF THE GASKET. BOTTOM OF CAR IS SOAKED IN OIL CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD. HEARD THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE GASKET CHRYSLER IS USING AND HAPPENS EVERY 40,000 MILES. CHRYSLER KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM. FORD RECALLED THE SAME PROBLEM SEVERAL YEARS BACK.

WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED FOR A OIL CHANGE NOTICED A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER TO TAKE VEHICLE TO NEAREST DEALER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

HEAD GASKET REPLACED ONCE ALREADY,AND NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN DUE TO A LEAK,CHECKING ON ANY TSB BULLTINS AVAIABLE FOR THIS ON GOING PROBLEM OR PARTS REDESIGNS MADE. *AK

THIS IS A CHRYSLER ENGINE PRODUCT. THE ENGINE HAS A OIL HEAD GASKET LEAKAGE. I HAVE CONTACTED A DEALER TWICE REGARDING THIS PROBLEM IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS IN THE INTERNET BY CONSUMERS, COMPLAINING. THIS A COSTLY REPAIR FOR THE CONSUMER. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS, WITH NO CONCERN FROM CHRYSLER.NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO BUY A NEW ENGINE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 1 TO FIVE YEARS OLD WHEN PURCHASED. PLEASE WE NEED YOUR HELP. *AK

DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK AND DAMAGE ENGINE AND ENGINE BLOCK. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

ENGINE GASKET WAS LEAKING, OIL UNDER CAR. ALSO, HORN WOULD GO OFF BY ITSELF WHEN EVER WEATHER WAS COLD. *AK

CONSUMER HAD FOUND OIL LEAK ON DRIVEWAY. THEN, HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS WHERE THEY FOUND OUT THAT OIL WAS COMING FROM HEAD GASKET. THEY SAID THAT THIS WAS NORMAL FOR MAKE/MODEL AND YEAR. *AK

HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES AND HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET BLEW WHICH CAUSED OIL TO LEAK IN THE COOLING SYSTEM AND OVERHEAT. *SLC

SOON AFTER BUYING 1996 NEON USED ENGINE STARTED LEAKING OIL. AT FIRST LEAKING WAS NOT TOO BAD. AFTER AWHILE IT STARTED TO GET WORSE. AT THIS MOMENT VEHICLE IS LEAKING UP TO TWO QUARTS A WEEK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND COULD NOT RESOLVE PROBLEM.*AK

SMALL LEAK FROM HEAD GASKET, HAS ESCALLATED TO ADDING A QUART EVERY 2 WEEKS. THIS PROBLEM IS ONE MENTIONED QUITE OFTEN AND APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACURER PROBLEM, MAYBE NOT CHRYSLER BUT CERTAINLY THE MAKER OF THE GASKET. IS CHRYSLER IN LITIGATION WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND IS SOMETHING GOING TO BE DONE?*AK

BAD HEAD GASKET ,WE HAVE TO PUT ABOUT 2 TO3 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK IN IT. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING OIL ONTO ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

10/11/00-IS THE SECOND FAILURE OF BOTH THE HEADGASKET AND CAM SENSOR ON MY NEON. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING OIL INTO ENGINE. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK THE FAILURE OF THE GASKET IS DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN. THE BATTERY DIED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER REPAIR. *YH

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND LEAK OIL, CONSUMER IS BEING DENIED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS

VEHICLE LEAKS OIL. CONSUMER FEELS IT'S DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE, AND SOMEONE COULD SLIP.*AK

THIS CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED FOR IT'S ENTIRE LIFE. AT 56,000 THE PAINT IS BEGINNING TO CHIP/POP OFF THE CAR. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR TRIM HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED BY THE DEALER. DEALER CANNOT SEEM TO FIX ANY OF THE CAR'S PROBLEMS PERMANENTLY. HEAD GASKET AND CYLINDER GASKEST HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT 32,000 AND 50,000 RESPECTIVELY. CAR IS UNFIT AND ENGINE POORLY DESIGNED AS A WHOLE. I HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR FOR 4.5 YEARS AND HAVE SPENT ALOT OF MONEY TO KEEP IT GOING.

BLOWN HEAD GASKETS IN APRIL 2000 COSTING APPROXIMATELY $950 --- REPLACE ENGINE (SHORT BLOCK) IN AUGUST 2000 COSTING APPROXIMATELY $2500. BAD WRIST-PINS AND/OR ROCKER ARMS DUE TO FAULTY ENGINE DESIGN BY CHRYSLER. CHRYSLER SHOULD REIMBURSE ME!

MAJOR OIL LEAK DISCOVERED AT 67K MILES. HEAD GASKET, REAR MAIN SEAL REPLACED AND STILL LEAKING. DEALER SERVICE DEPT CLUELESS IN DIAGNOSING AND FIXING PROBLEM.

AFTER 2 MONTHS OF A SMALL OIL LEAK, THE PROBLEM WORSENED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET. RECENTLY ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING.*AK

ANOTHER HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON CHRYSLERS NEON'S. WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE RESOLUTION ON THIS? *AK

TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT ABOUT 35,000 MILES UNDER WARRANTY, NEW TRANSMISSION IS BEGINNING TO SLIP. HEADGASKET HAS FAILED TWICE CAUSING INTERNAL DAMAGE THAT THE DEALERSHIP WON'T ADMIT TO. ENGINE BLOCK OR OTHER PART IS CRACKED, LEAKING OIL INTO CYLINDERS 1 AND 3, PROBLEM WASN'T CORRECTED LAST TIME IN SHOP. BRAKES FAIL REGULARLY, ESPECIALLY UNDER QUICK STOPPING ATTEMPTS, EVEN THOUGH THE PADS/SHOES ARE STILL GOOD. THERE IS A GAS LEAK THAT ALLOWS FUMES TO ENTER THE CAR. EGR VALVE IS BROKEN AND WON'T BE FIXED UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT'S PART OF THE ENGINE. PAINT IS CHIPPING ON THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE CAR AND THE PANELS ARE NOW RUSTING. CAR STALLS IN REVERSE. CAR IDLES ROUGHLY EVEN AFTER TUNE-UPS. HEAT/AC KNOBS ARE CRACKED DUE TO IMPROPER DRILLING.

SUPPOSEDLY THERE ARE A NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF REPORTS ABOUT ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKS. I AM VERY UPSET THAT PLYMOUTH HAS TAKEN NO ACTION TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION WITH THE CONSUMERS. WE PUT OUR HARD WORKING MONEY INTO THESE CARS AND TRUST THAT WE GET A RELIABLE PRODUCT. PLYMOUTH NEEDS TO ADDRESS AND TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR THIS PROBLEM NOW. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET KEEPS FAILING, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE, AND POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. DEALER HAS REPLACED GASKET TWICE, BUT DEFECT KEEPS OCCURRING. *AK