Most common 2005 Dodge Neon problems
Share of the 96 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Neon complaints by model year
Best Neon years: 2005, 2004, 1999. Years to avoid: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000. Compare all years →
What 2005 Dodge Neon owners say
Engine & cooling
The gas pedal has come disconnected or stuck continuing to accelerate and I miraculously stopped the car with the emergency brake before it nearly Crashed into a crowded bus stop! The car only has 65k miles but regardless a car should never put anyone in this danger! It is giving me a nervous breakdown almost running people over!
My 2005 Dodge Neon, began accelerating all by it self. I was not giving it gas and applying the brakes. I pulled into my driveway, it kept going, I went through my garage door. I tried to put the car in park, but the garage door slowed me down, and I then put the car in park. I read on line this has happened to hundreds of people. I tried to change the throttle sensor, that did not work. My next step is to change the oxygen sensor. I hope that works. I have been without a car for 1 week now, because I am scared to death to drive it again. It happened one other time prior to running into the garage. It just seems like there should be some type of recall as this is very dangerous. I was lucky it was my garage door instead of a human being. It cost me 800 to replace the garage door, and that was a friend giving me an incredible deal. You cannot replace a human life. …
Speed control & acceleration
The gas pedal has come disconnected or stuck continuing to accelerate and I miraculously stopped the car with the emergency brake before it nearly Crashed into a crowded bus stop! The car only has 65k miles but regardless a car should never put anyone in this danger! It is giving me a nervous breakdown almost running people over!
No warning or engine light appeared; the gas pedal did not function as intended and accelerated while trying to parallel park when I put the shift knob in reverse the car immediately accelerated on its own to full force and I nearly Crashed into a bus stop filled with people losing control of the car I immediately managed to stop the car by pressing on the brake pedal which the car still had slight force but then I put the car in park and only at that time did it completely stop. The gas pedal and shift linkage and accelerator linkage have some dangerous unprovoked issues. This car has always had a high idle problem as warned to me by the first owners, as soon as you put the car into drive it would immediately go. I have researched recalls for years on this and have also discovered many reports of people losing control in this manner coincidentally going unaddressed. …
Air bags
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Dodge Neon. While proceeding to make a left turn, another vehicle crashed into the front driver side door of the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The driver and passenger sustained whiplash injuries that required medical attention. The driver in the other vehicle sustained chest and face injuries due to the air bags. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to the contact's residence. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 183,373. Updated 06/29/16
My son was driving our 2005 Dodge Neon on hwy. 50 when a 2003 Dodge dakota 4x4 made an unsafe lane change in front of our car. The driver of the dakota slammed on his brakes before being completely in my son's lane and my son rear-ended the dakota (front end damage, most of which was caused by the dakota's trailer hitch punching through our Neon--trailer hitch entered to the right side of the Neon's license plate by about a foot). Air bags did not deploy should have. My son was wearing his safety belt and due to the air bags not deploying, his knees were rammed into the dash. At time of impact, my son believes he was going about 20 MPH. Damage to the Neon, according to cal state auto and geico, is $7400.00. My son had sore knees and a wrenched back plus a very sore chest from the seat belt being the only thing that held him in place (could have been much worse).
2005 Dodge Neon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 32 / 28 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 29 / 25 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Dodge Neon a good car?
Based on 96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Neon rates better than average: 70% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Neon at the same age. It is one of the best Neon years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Dodge Neon?
The engine & cooling — 17 complaints, 18% of all complaints for this model year, most often about cooling system › radiator assembly. Next are the speed control & acceleration (15) and air bags (14).
How many recalls does the 2005 Dodge Neon have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2005 Dodge Neon. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Neon?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 2004 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2000. See the full Dodge Neon years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Dodge Neon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 45,000 miles; 52% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.