FaultScore

1996 Dodge Neon acceleration problems

16 of the 887 complaints about the 1996 Dodge Neon are about the throttle and cruise control — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 75,000 miles.

A

16

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Vehicle Speed Control 13 81.3%
Cruise Control 2 12.5%
Accelerator Pedal 1 6.3%

Acceleration & Cruise Control across every Dodge Neon year

1995 50 37.6%
1996 16 12.0%
1997 11 8.3%
1998 11 8.3%
2000 20 15.0%
2001 10 7.5%
2005 15 11.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 50,000 miles Atlanta, GA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

I HAVE HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH MY 1996 DODGE NEON SPORT, IT HAS BEEN INOPERABLE FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO, DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND STALLING WHICH I BELIEVE STEM FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED A FEW TIMES, THE A/C REPLACED, FUEL INJECTION ACTS UP AND THE FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATES, MY TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED SLIPPING, POWER STEERING AND EXHAUST ARE LEAKING, NUMEROUS OIL LEAKS, REAR LIGHTS/ BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE NOT WORKED IN OVER A YEAR, DRIVERSIDE WINDOW BROKE ALONG THE EXTENDING ARM INSIDE OF THE DOOR FRAME, TRUNK RELEASE IS BROKEN AND MY CRUISE CONTROL IS BROKEN! FOR THE LAST 4MONTHS MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT ATLANTA DODGE LLC! JUST AFTER LEAVING IT WITH THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT, I RECEIVED A CALL SAYING I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY AND UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED FOR $180 THEY COULD NOT DO A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK FOR ANY OTHER PROBLEMS!! THE BATTERY WAS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD AND WORKED FINE WHEN I LEFT THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP!! BUT IN HOPES OF ANY DECENT SERVICE I BOUGHT ANOTHER BATTERY FROM ADVANCED AUTO PARTS $40 AND TOOK IT IN MYSELF. DURING THIS VISIT I REMINDED THEM THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL CAR WAS UNDER A RECALL, THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS NOT!! I GAVE THEM THE NHTSA RECALL DOCUMENTATION AND WAS TOLD THAT IT DIDN'T APPLY TO MY CAR, ONLY TO THE NEONS FROM THE PLANT IN NEW MEXICO!! JUST AFTER THANKSGIVING I DECIDED TO CALL THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON. I SPOKE WITH BRIAN THE CS REP. AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THE MECHANICS COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR AND REFUSED TO RESEARCH ANY FURTHER UNLESS I AGREED TO SPEND NO LESS THAN $250 TOWARDS THE REPAIRS!! IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT THE SAME PARTS ARE IN NEED OF REPAIRS AS 15,000 OTHER NEONS -- REGARDLESS OF WHICH PLANT THE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLIED, THE DEFECTS LIE IN THE PLACEMENT AND/OR MANUFACTURING OF THE FAULTY PARTS AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER ANY RELATING RECALLS! *NM UPDATED 12/1505.

NHTSA complaint #10143833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,000 miles North Troy, VT

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED THAT SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT REGISTERING THE CORRECT SPEED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10044295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Johnson Creek, WI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

NO SUMMARY15

NHTSA complaint #755935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Richmond, VA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE THROTTLE BODY IS DIRTY. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #785247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brattleboro, VT Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE & ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. CAR HAS ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, AT ONE POINT WE HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHUT IT OFF TO REGAIN CONTROL/SPEED. NEWEST PROBLEM IS ENGINE SHUTS OFF/STALLS WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOSS OF ABILITY TO STEER AND BRAKE, CAUSED ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #738361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Madison, WI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED IN JULY 1998. CURRENTLY, LEAKING AGAIN. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER FIRST TIME, DEALER HAD TO USE FAULTY PART. DODGE PAID FOR REPAIR FIRST TIME. CURRENTLY, THEY REFUSE. ALSO, HAD TO HAVE AIR CONDITIONER AND CRUISE CONTROL REPLACED. *AK THE A/C FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. BRAKES MAKE LOUD NOISE.

NHTSA complaint #878106 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Gilbert, AZ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CHRYSLER ISSUED AN INTERNAL BULLETIN REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. THEY WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL, SPEED CONTROL IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #703472 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brooklyn, NY

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY HAVE A BURST OF SPEED, AND THEN IT SLOWS DOWN ON ITS OWN,JERKING VERY HARD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #834340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Thousand P, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED DUE TO DISCONNECTION.

NHTSA complaint #542606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bethel, CT

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THROTTLE BODY NEEDED CLEANING, CAUSING VEHICLE STALLING.

NHTSA complaint #525730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Monroe, GA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

IDLE STUCK IN POSITION.

NHTSA complaint #509308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Floral PAR, NY

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THROTTLE SYSTEM FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #531029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST Peters, MO

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, THE DRIVER PUNCHED LIGHTLY DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR AND SEEMED THE LEFT SIDE HAD DIED BECAUSE THE LEFT SIDE DID NOT MOVE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE LEFT. COULD NOT HOLD ON ROAD.

NHTSA complaint #816374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Staten Island, NY

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING THE THROTTLE STICKS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO INCREASE SPEED, WILL NOT DECREASE SPEED UNTIL CONSUMER PULLS EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE OR SHUTS IGNITIION OFF. *AK

NHTSA complaint #816349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Houston, TX

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN CAR IS ACCELERATING AT LOW SPEED IT STALLS, TOOK TO DEALER FIVE TIMES AND SOME PARTS WERE REPLACED, WILL SEND IN THE WORK PAPERS.

NHTSA complaint #806793 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Shawnee, KS

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE'S MANUAL TRANSMISSION HAS UNWANTED ACCELERATION IF BRAKE PEDAL IS APLLIED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME , THEN THE RPMS WILL REDUCE.

NHTSA complaint #805781 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1996 Dodge Neon problems

← Full 1996 Dodge Neon report