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Besides early head gasket failure, the newer Neons can have
a problem with unexpected acceleration. And the later models may have a rollover problem.
Tara of Goshen, OH, writes:
I have a problem with the fact that this is the second
time since I have had this Plymouth NEON 1996, which I bought
in 1998 used, that I have had to visit the Plymouth dealer
to have the head gasket, valve cover gaskets, and the oil
pan gaskets rechecked or worse reinstalled on my vehicle within
the last 6 months. I can not seem to find a recall on anything
but the airbag for this vehicle, but everyone I know who owns
a NEON, has had to have a new HEAD GASKET and all other gaskets
related to it replaced.
Is there a recall, and if so, is this replacement paid for
by PLYMOUTH or what? I am still under the 12,000 mile warranty
with the company I bought the car through but what happens
if the head gaket blows after that warrenty is up? I am paying
a lot of money for what I consider a lemon.
I am a single mother, have a job that is just holding my head
above the economic water, and have to use the little money
I make for repairs due to the engine oil from the valve cover
gaskets leaking into one of the spark plug chambers causing
my car to run improperly. I have a four year old, and I live
in a very rural neighborhood. I love the style of the car,
and when it is running well the feel of the car, but I feel
now that driving this car can be a danger, and I want you
to tell me what to do every 6 months when I have to spend
my entire earnings to pay for replacing a head gasket that
should have been recalled.
Bryce of Ogden, AL, writes:
My wife is the owner of a 95 Plymoth Neon. We recently
found out that the head gasket was bad and that it needed
to be replaced. After checking with several mechanics and
autoparts dealers we discovered that the majority of 95 Neons
have this problem. It seems that the head gasket design is
bad. The gasket can't withstand the pressure.
After talking with the local Chrysler dealer, they informed
us that they repair locally three to four Neons with the same
problem every week. This is more proof that it is a general
automotive defect and not a localized issue.
We contacted Chrysler and they agreed to pay for one-third
the labor involved. The estimated cost for the gasket was
between $550 and $600. Both my wife and I are college students
and can't afford a bill that high. We feel that Chrsyler is
resposible for a design flaw in the car and should pay for
more of the bill.
Albert of Bloomfield, NM, writes:
I am a very angry consumer. I bought a Dodge Neon (at Farmington
Motors) back in September of 1997 that had only 30,000 miles
on it. Since then my wife and I have put only 37,000 additional
miles on the car. In that time we have had to replace two head
gaskets and have been told by the dealership's service department
that we need an additional $600 to $700 of additional work that
the warranty at that time didn't cover.
We had bought an extended warranty and extended our warranty
to 50,000 miles. We had the car checked out by a mechanic independendt
of Farmington Motors who informed us that he could find nothing
wrong with the car.
The dealership told us that we needed new strut mounts ,motor
mounts, bushings and possiable struts. We are now experiancing
additional problems. The radio is messing up by losing time,
randomly scanning, and go on and off own its own. We found an
oil leak that seems to be coming from the rear seal. We do not
have the money to get it fixed and our warranty ran out 15,000
miles ago.
I am angry because our car has so few miles on it and has had
so many major problems. I was considering buying a Dodge Durango
after paying off the neon but after my experiances with Dodge
products I am not going to buy another Dodge product if my life
depends upon it.
Lori of San Diego writes:
Purchased 1995 Dodge Neon in late '94. Just 3 1/2 months
out of warrenty, on 3/11/98 with low mileage at 32036, blown
head gasket. Not covered under warrenty, paid $556.89 for repairs.
On january 5, 2000, found out dealership I purchased from sold
Dodge dealership back to Chrysler, I was sent to another Dodge
dealership nearby for service.
My car had another blown head gasket. I was shocked to say the
least, less than 2 year later and only 16,000 miles. Odometer
now at 48227. Asked for a viewing of the head gasket during
repair. Was shown where silicone had been added to the replaced
head gasket.
The service person informed me that Chrysler knew they had a
problem with this gasket and did not have the new modification
to the gasket until Oct 98, seven months after my repair.
Chrysler agreed to pay for repair less a $100 fee to me. I'm
still upset. They knew about the problem and they didn't say
anything. They made me pay for this problem the first time and
partially the second time.
Scott of Norwalk, Iowa, writes:
My 1995 Neon with 53,000 miles blew the head gasket and
head. Because the car was out of warranty chrysler "offered"
to supply the nessary parts to repair the car. I was not allowed
to take the car to another dealer nor was I allowed to take
the parts and fix it myself.
Ii asked for the name and phone number of the district rep and
was told by the dealer and the customer service people that
no names or numbers were to be given out, that district reps
do not talk to customers. I was charged $630.00 for parts and
labor.
James of Sonora, CA:
We bought a 1995 Dodge Neon with 45,385 miles on it, we've
had it about 20 months, and about every other month the whole
time we have had it it has been in the shop.
The head gasket blew at 60,000 miles, the computer broke, numerous
relays switches, sensors, motor mounts ,motor suspension, interior
paneling has made the passenger door impossible to open, gas
pedal switch fell out, the air conditioning system had to be
replaced.
We bought this car because we have two small children and we
felt that we needed a reliable car, it was rated one of the
top 10 buys in Consumer Reports.
Financially this has put us in a bad situation.
Tim of Coleman, OK:
My wife purchased a 1997 Dodge Neon new in March 1997. For
the last few months we have smelled burning oil coming from
the engine. I took the car to a Dodge dealership in Sherman,TX.
A mechanic showed me were the oil leak is comming from the head
gasket. He told me that they should have a recall on the Dodges
for he has changed a number of head gaskets on Dodges and Mopar
had to change the design of the gasket for them to work.
He also told me to watch for fire from the oil leaking on the
exhaust manifold, I also just read were they are investigating
the cause of a fire in a Neon that started in the rear of the
engine. It could have started from an oil leak, due to poor
gasket design.
The Dodge dealership said that it would cost $564 to replace
the gasket, with the gasket costing $162. I'm not rich and
don't understand why a failure in design should be at my cost.
Mardi
of Stratford, Ontario, writes:
1995 Dodge Neon, 81,429km., in Dec. 1997 needed to replace
the headgasket. Jan. 2000, 126,815km, the headgasket needs
replaced again. I called Customer Service and DaimlerChrysler
paid 50% of the bill which was around $600. I would just like
to add this info to yours. I paid the total cost of first
repair in 1997.
Mike of Dayton, MN, writes:
After bringing back my fiancee's car to the dealership
for the SECOND head gasket repair in 60,000 miles, I was told
that the car needed a new head. This head, is of course not
covered under the extended warranty, and would have to come
out of our own pocket. The head had corrosion pitting in the
coolant passage areas that would cause sealing problems with
the head down the road.
I called Chrysler corporate to ask them to help me out with
this problem. After discussing the problem with the "Customer
Relations Manager" who is supposed to be a regional manager
but was actually a single store employee, they denied that
this was a defect problem, and said they would not pay for
the new head.
This is a 96 Plymouth Neon, by the way. This is such a common
problem that there are numerous web sites dealing with this
problem, and two TSB's released on the issue. Even the Service
Manager has a Neon that he admitted has gone through two head
gaskets.
Result: Against their advice, I just had the head machined
the maximum amount, and had the engine reassembled. The extended
warranty did cover the head gasket. Consequences: Had to pay
for the machining of the head ($85), the dye test ($94) and
the oil change ($20). The warranty on the car is now void.
The new head would have cost over $730, none of which was
covered.
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