11 of the 451 complaints about the 1998 Dodge Neon are about the throttle and cruise control — 2% of everything reported for this model year.
11
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10099521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHILE IN TRAFFIC, THERE WAS NO COLLISION TO REPORT. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF, AND COAST OVER TO THE SHOULDER. MECHANIC AT DEALERSHIP TOLD HER TO UNPLUG THE CRUISE CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #10039986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WAS TAKING OFF WHEN THROTTLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THROTTLE WOULD BE WIDE OPEN. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURED TWICE AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #882002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
AFTER NUMEROUS OIL CHANGES, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT SUDDENLY STARTED FLASHING WHILE ON EXPRESSWAY AND CAR LURCHED, THEN SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. AT DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THAT ENGINE THREW A ROD THROUGH THE OIL PAN. I'M CONVINCED THIS IS RELATED TO THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE HEAD GASKET IN THE ENGINE, SINCE THEY ALL SEEM TO HAVE OIL LEAKS IN COMMON.
NHTSA complaint #740460 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE FOR AWHILE BEFORE IT WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. SOMETIMES WOULD SURGE FORWARD WHEN GAS PEDAL PRESSED LIGHTLY. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES TO HAVE PROBLEM REPAIRED. PROBLEM BEEN HAPPENING FOR OVER 2 1/2 YEARS.
NHTSA complaint #878317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I NO LONGER HAVE MY CAR, AS OF AUGUST 16, 2000 I RETURNED IT TO THE BANK. THE WARRANTY HAS LONG SINCE EXPIRED AND THE COST TO MAINTAIN THE CAR WITH ALL OF THE PROBLEMS IT HAS PROVED TO BE MORE THAN I COULD AFFORD, AND MUCH MORE THAN THE CAR WAS WORTH. MY MAIN OBJECTIVE HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THE PROBLEMS I HAD ARE KNOWN SO THAT MAYBE IT WILL PREVENT SOMEONE FROM BEING SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. GRANTED SOME OF THE PROBLEMS SUCH AS LEAKS AROUND THE DOORS AND TRUNK ARE NOT AS SERIOUS, OTHERS SUCH AS THE STEERING KNUCKLE WEARING OUT AND HAVING TO BE REPLACED, WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN WHEN I RETURNED MY CAR LAST WEEK , TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, AND THROTTLE BODY PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE THE CAR TO STALL, WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. I REALIZE THAT I WILL NEVER GET ANY OF THE MONEY BACK I HAVE SPENT ON THE CAR, BUT IF THIS KEEPS EVEN ONE PERSON FROM GETTING HURT OR KILLED IT WILL BE MORE THAN WORTHWHILE. CHRYSLER HAS DONE NOTHING BUT GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND, I WENT THROUGH ARBITRATION, AND RETAINED A LAWYER FOR THE LEMON LAW, BUT THE DEALERSHIPS FAILURE TO DOCUMENT EACH TIME MY CAR WAS IN FOR REPAIRS, MADE IT MY WORD AGAINST THEIRS, SO THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO LEGALLY TO MAKE THEM PAY. I KNOW OF 4 OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HAD SEVERAL OF THE SAME PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD. I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A COPY OF ALL MY SERVICE RECORDS I HAVE, IF IT WILL HELP YOU. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT IN THESE CARS. THEY ARE A DEATH TRAP.
NHTSA complaint #728974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING 50-55MPH STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH MINOR INJURIES. *AK THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES SUDDENLY AND THE BRAKES LOCKED. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AFTER ACCIDENT DUE TO INFERIOR STRUCTURE AND BODY. THIS VEHICLE WAS SOLD BY DECEPTIVE TACTICS AND TO COVER UP PRIOR ACCIDENT, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REVEAL SERVICE RECORDS.
NHTSA complaint #867482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHILE DRIVING GAS PEDAL STICKS DUE TO THROTTLE CABLE CORD CHAFING WHICH CAUSED ACCLERATOR NOT TO MOVE UNLESS DRIVER SLAMMED ON THE GAS PEDAL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #865579 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING SUDDEN ACCELERATION, DEALER CAN NOT LOCATE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #548201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE DRIVING ACCELERATOR GETS STUCK AND WILL NOT RELEASE. TO STOP THE VEHICLE CONSUMER HAS TO SHUT THE KEY OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #835462 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THROTTLE BODY FAILED, HAVING TROUBLE GETTING PART IN ORDER TO CORRECT ENGINE SURGING AND STALLING.
NHTSA complaint #530930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.