13 of the 451 complaints about the 1998 Dodge Neon are about the braking system — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 76,750 miles.
13
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SERVICE BRAKES
I HAD AN CAR WRECK IN MY 1998 DODGE NEON (BLUE) IN NOVEMBER 24,2002 DUE TO THE BREAKS & THE TIRES & THE AIR BAG DID NOT COME OUT WHEN I WRECK & I GOT STUCK IN MY SEAT BELT OUT THE CAR WRECK & THEN I HAD ANOTHER 1999 DODGE NEON (WHITE) & I HAD CAR PROBLEMS WITH IT TO
NHTSA complaint #10788687 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I HAVE A 1998 NEON AND WATER IS COMING THOU THE LIGHTS INTO CAR ON FLOOR I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAME DEFECT ON NOT JUST MY YEAR BUT NEWER MODULES THIS IS A MOLD ISSUE AND I LIKE MANY HAVE ALLEGE TO MOLD AND CAN TRIGGER A ASTHMA ATTACK THAT CAN KILL USE I ASKED THE DEALERS TO FIX BUT THEY SAY ITS NOT A RECALL I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIR IN ORDER TO STOP THE LEAK SO WHOSE PAYING MY HOSPITAL VISIT WHEN I HAVE MY ASTHMA ATTACK AND I HAVE TO GO ON A VENTILATOR DEATH IS NOT A OPTION WHY CANT THEY FIX IT FOR FREE.
NHTSA complaint #10320751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND A RUSTED BRAKE LINE WAS DISCOVERED, WHICH SQUIRTED BRAKE FLUID EVERYWHERE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS FAILURE OCCURRED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT A FACTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BEFORE OR AFTER THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
NHTSA complaint #10242829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A 98 DODGE NEON. THE CAR GRINDS IN THE FRONT END EVEN WITH NEW BRAKES. I CANT NOT DRIVE THROW WATER OR THE CAR WILL DIE. GOING OVER A SPEED BUMP AT THE RECOMMENDED SPEED THE FRONT END WILL BOTTOM OUT. I HAD A FRIEND LOOK AT THE CAR. AND HE SAID IT LOOKED FINE. THE BRAKE SPEC. DIDN'T SEE ANY THING AND I NOTICED I HAD TWO DIFFERENT TIRES ON THE FRONT THEN THE BACK BECAUSE OF THE FRONT END. PLEASE IF YOU FIND OUT ANY THING ON THIS CAR IT WOULD BE MUCH OBLIGED.
NHTSA complaint #10144103 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BRAKES HANGING UP GRINDING & SQUEALING. I ASKED THE DEALER TO CHECK THE BRAKES. THEN 6 MONTHS LATER HAD TO RETURN CAR FOR BRAKES AGAIN. NOW BRAKES ARE HANGING UP & SQUEALING AGAIN STARTING IN DECEMBER OF 2002.
NHTSA complaint #10016402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VEHICLE WAS GOING 30MPH OVER SLIGHTLY RAISED PAVEMENT CROSSING AN INTERSECTION AND REAR END STARTED FISHTAILING AS CONSUMER BEGAN TO BRAKE, THERE WAS A CRASH SOUND FROM UNDERNEATH, AND REAR END STARTED TO GO LEFT, VEHICLE WENT OVER CURB ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF STREET, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT A TREE, WHEEL CAME OFF SPINDLE AND THE AXLE BROKE, AND THE WHEEL ON THE RIGHT REAR CAME OFF, CHRYSLER WAS NOT ASSISTING CONSUMER POSSIBLY BECAUSE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD PAID CONSUMER. REPRESENTATIVE THAT CHRYSLER SENT HAS NOT CONTACTED CONSUMER SINCE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED.*AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #899640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
THIS CAR WAS BROUGHT BRAND NEW AND EVER SINCE I GOT IT IT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT HEADACHE. I HAD HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AS WELL AS OTHER OWNERS OF DODGE NEONS. I FIND IT VERY ODD AND SUSPICIOUS THAT THESE CARS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED TO FIX THEIR POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEMS. I MYSELF, DO NOT INTEND TO LET THIS GO AFTER THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS I HAVE INVESTED IN THIS CAR. I WILL BE A CONSTANT THORN IN THE SIDE TO CHRYSLER IF THEY DO NOT GET THESE CARS OFF THE STREETS WHERE THEY ARE ENDANGERING THE DRIVERS AS WELL AS OTHER TRAVELING IN OTHER CARS. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED IN SUMMARY.
NHTSA complaint #745376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
MY NEON HAS BEEN REPAIRED FOR SPARK PLUGS, ENGINE MISFIRES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TRIGGERED, BRAKES ARE VERY NOISY BUT ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP-NEED NO REPLACEMENT, SUNROOF REPAIRED TWICE; IT FELL OFF TRACK AND WOULDN'T SHUT IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER, RECENTLY THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING; WINDOWS LEAK AIR, OXYGEN SENSOR NEEDED REPAIR, WARRANTY HAS PAID FOR ITSELF PLUS MORE.....I AM WAITING FOR THE NEXT PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #740076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:DRUM
WHILE I WAS GETTING MY OIL CHANGED AND TIRES ROTATED, THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT MY REAR DRUM BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE MECHANIC AT PRECISION TUNE IN ENCINITAS, CA, MENTIONED THAT HE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE DRUM BRAKE COMPONENTS. BECAUSE BRAKE FLUID LEAKED AND RUSTED THE INSIDES OF THE THE BRAKES, HE ALSO DID MENTION THAT MY RIGHT REAR TIRE DID NOT SPIN AS IT WAS SUPPOUSE TO SPIN DUE TO DAMAGE IN THE DRUM BRAKE. WHILE SHOWING ME THE INSIDES OF MY BRAKES, HE MENTIONED THAT MY CAR WAS ALSO LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. SINCE MY DRUM BRAKES DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, THE DRUM BRAKES DISTORT MY FRONT DISC BRAKES FROM MAKING MY CAR STOP NORMALLY. THEREFORE NOT ONLY PUTTING MY LIFE IN DANGER, BUT ALSO PUTTING MY FAMILIES AND FRIENDS LIFES IN DANGER.
NHTSA complaint #734991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
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.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:DRUM
ON THE MORNING OF 06/27/00,WHILE DRIVING TO WORK. AS I ACCELERATED TO 70 FROM 65, THE DONUT ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD (FLANGE GASKET) GAVE OUT. THE CAR BEGAN TO SOUND LIKE A LAWNMOWER. I TOKE IT TO MIDAS. THEY TOLD ME TO CHECK WITH DODGE FOR FEDERAL REPAIRS FOR EXHAUST. DODGE SAID NO, IT WASN'T COVERED, ONLY CATYLITIC CONVERTERS AND BRAIN OF ELECT. I DIDN'T BELEIVE THE REP. HE PROVED NO PROOF. THE BRAKE SYSTEM, HAD THE ROTORS RESURFACED AND PADS REPLACED AT 36244. IS THIS NORMAL? THE DRUMS HAD TO BE RECERFACED ALSO.
NHTSA complaint #724923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
ON THE MORNING OF 06/27/00,WHILE DRIVING TO WORK. AS I ACCELERATED TO 70 FROM 65, THE DONUT ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD (FLANGE GASKET) GAVE OUT. THE CAR BEGAN TO SOUND LIKE A LAWNMOWER. I TOKE IT TO MIDAS. THEY TOLD ME TO CHECK WITH DODGE FOR FEDERAL REPAIRS FOR EXHAUST. DODGE SAID NO, IT WASN'T COVERED, ONLY CATYLITIC CONVERTERS AND BRAIN OF ELECT. I DIDN'T BELEIVE THE REP. HE PROVED NO PROOF. THE BRAKE SYSTEM, HAD THE ROTORS RESURFACED AND PADS REPLACED AT 36244. IS THIS NORMAL? THE DRUMS HAD TO BE RECERFACED ALSO.
NHTSA complaint #724923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
WHILE CHECKING THE OIL NOTICED POWE BRAKE BOOSTER HOSE RUBBING UNDER ENGINE HOOD. PLEASE PROVIDE FURHTER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #850867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.