Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Dodge Neon owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Bought car from father in law, he bought the car new. He had no problems with it.soon after I bought from him in 2000(it was still new!),power windows quit working then started working again.cruise control went out, still dont work. Front end crash 2003 May, 4783.45 in damage, air bag did not deploy at 40mph !!! I had car repaired by non Chrysler garage as per advice of erie insurance co. Erie wont cover because they say its Chrysler's problem, Chrysler says its my problem because work was done at non daimler Chrysler garage and they were rude and hung up on me! Erie told me to have diagnostic check done on it becuz in aug 03 the air bag lite started to come on and horn wont work. I had the check done and they said clockspring needs replaced. Not erie or Chrysler will fix.
I owned a 2000 Dodge Neon. I last drove the vehicle on May 25, 2004 and it had been parked outside my apartment since that time. According to the police report, on May 27, 2004 at about 2:45 am my car while parked outside my apartment caught on fire. I was unaware of this and was asleep in my apartment at that time. According to the police and fire department, the fire was confined to the engine compartment and had to be put out by the fire department. According to the insurance fire investigator, the heat from the fire was so intense and engine and front end damage so severe that he was unable to determine an official cause but suspected the fire to be electrical in nature. Officially according to my insurance, the cause is unknown. My insurance determined my vehicle to be a total loss. I have no reason to expect arson or that it was deliberately set fire. …
I have been driving my car back and forth from college and running errands around town. I have a completely stocked 2000 Dodge Neon es. I use the headlights most of the time, even during the day, to increase visibility. One night, I was driving through my town. I smelled something burning but not thinking anything of it since I was near a rural area that could have camp fires lit. This happened about 2 months ago. Then I noticed that my headlights were not working as they used to. The fog lights would turn on sometimes and other times not. I figured that it was just a switch and not a big deal so I did nothing to fix it. Then my high beams stopped working about 2 weeks ago. I did a bit of research to try to determine the problem. I stumbled upon a website and read about looking at the multi-function switch. Several other people have had the same problem. …
Air conditioning suddenly went out from cold to hot air. Code in system is p0645, says A/C clutch relay circuit, an open or shorted condition detected in the A/C clutch relay control circuit. I bought the service manual for Dodge 2000 Neon. I went to the Dodge dealer and they said a wire breaks on the black harness attached to the clutch relay on the air conditioner. I hit a bump in the road when the air went from cold to hot air. I checked all fuses are OK. There is no power though to the harness to the high pressure cut out switch or the low pressure cut off switch or the black connector on the air conditioner. The service manual says this May be caused from defective wiring - fuse - or relay. I can't afford to go to the dealer and have them trouble shoot the problem. Any ideas to what my problem is and how to fix it? …
Dt: was driving to work and first stopped at the red light on the outside lane the green light came on ,and the car was in first gear. When trying to place car in second gear consumer was unable to shift and felt that the vehicle did not have gears. The consumer was able to coast the vehicle off the road to the nearest turnoff lane. A police officer followed consumer as to see what was wrong. Had to have vehicle towed to a dealer, and the dealer said the crossover cable broke. No explanation as to why this happened. Consumer had this repaired and had no problems since repair. The batteries have been replaced in the consumer's vehicle. The gasket were replaced because water was getting inside the car during rainstorm. The right front motor mount cracked.
I bought the vehicle 2 months ago. Since then I have put $750 into repairs and have estimates for $1000 more worth of repairs. The manufacturers problems included a rear main oil seal leak, an oil pan gasket leak, and a distributor switch leak. There was also a bent wheel, damaged tire, and bad starter. The dealer (dick morris Chevrolet) will do nothing to fix it.
I have had the same thing happen to two different 2000 Dodge neons. My headlights go out and then I have smoking around the steering wheel. The wiring harness to the headlights has burnt up. When I went to the dealer they said it was not a recall and my vehicle is not under warranty. It will cost about 3000 to replace.
While driving. The vehicle completely shuts down. The consumer states the battery has been changed in the vehicle seven times. Continuously. Consumer has contact the dealer. However, the problem still exist. Please provide any further information.
Make: Dodge model: Neon type: passenger car year: 2000 summary: as noted in other complaints, with any heavy rainfall, the floor in the back seats fills with water (up to an inch or more). Appears to be entering through the trunk area, as the spare tire well also fills with water. Using sponges and a shopvac to soak up the water and then leaving windows open to dry it out is my only remedy to the moisture and odor. This has been occurring since the vehicle was purchased in 2001. The dealer is of no help because (mercifully for others) that deal went bankrupt a year after purchase. I have a litany of other concerns with the 2000 Neon. …
When applying the brakes, the vehicle will start to pulsate at any speed. Also, extended stopping distance. Contacted dealer. The consumer states the following as problems occured: the passenger air bag, throttle blade icing, defective rotors, charging system over charging-no trouble codes; 3 battery replacements(defective per mechanic), many gas tank repairs/replacements(would not take gas without clicking and ticking/filler tank/gas tank), warning brake light and buzzer chimes when brake is applied also with the gas pedal when applied (due to defective rotors and lack of brake fluid, transmission problem-grinding noise/won't go in reverse, brake noise in rear tire/brake booster replace per recall-needs rotors & pads in front, A/C blows warm air-compessor clutch wouldn't engage(found broken wire), problem with the voltage regulator, and noise in the power steering.
Electrical complaints in other Neon years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2000 Dodge Neon?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the electrical system of the 2000 Dodge Neon, 13% of the model year's 337 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Dodge Neon electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2000 Dodge Neon, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2000 Dodge Neon electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 3 fires and 1 injury to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.