Body complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My 2005 Dodge Neon entered into a collision with a 2001 Ford taurus on 7/4/2014. My vehicle hit the Ford taurus head-on into the passenger's side of the Ford taurus at about the middle of the taurus. My seat belt had kept me in my seat, but the air bag had failed to deploy, resulting in permanent injuries which will require pain management and surgery at some point. The posted speed limit was 45 MPH, and I was estimated to be traveling at around 40 MPH at the time of impact.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Dodge Neon. The contact stated that the rear passenger door had a defective seal that allowed moisture to seep into the vehicle. The moisture traveled throughout the floor of the vehicle and caused the floor to decay. The contact stated that the decay caused a hole in the driver's side floorboard. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 55,000. The VIN was unknown.
I was driving down the highway, and I started to hear a strange thud sound over and over. I 500 miles from home and found the next gas station to pull into. The rubber seal that is glued in between the top of my windshield where it meets the car frame was coming undone. I tried sticking it back in there and sitting in the shade to let the glue/tar set. When I drove about 100 more miles the thud got louder and louder and more frequent. Then all the sudden before I could stop anywhere the rubber seal flew off of my car. The force from it flying off, the speed (only 65 MPH), and the wind speed (not high) caused my car to jerk into the lane next to me. Luckily the highway I was on wasn't packed so no one was in the lane I was pulled into.
The seal that is supposed to keep water from entering your trunk when it rains has fell out of place. When it first happened when I opened my trunk one day just 3" section came off track. I was able to push it back into place and thought everything was fine. Then a month later it rained and I have severe water damage to my trunk lining and it smells like mildew mixed with mold. I know in previous models that when this starts happening the back lights start to fill with water and can short the fuses. As of right now I don't have the light problem but I do have large areas where my trunk lining are warped inwards and it will not go back into place.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Dodge Neon. While driving 40 MPH, the contact heard a loud grinding noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and noticed that the front subframe was fractured. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing and repairs. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 103,421.
I have a 2003 Dodge Neon that I bought brand new with one mile on it when I took it off the lot. Since that dreadfull day I have had problems with the vehicle starting around 10K miles. First some electrical componets in the sound system went out. From there I have had to have the rotors replacedbecause nearly every 5K miles starting around 10,500 miles. The car has a hard time starting when the temperatures get too close to 20 degrees f, when you get to zero forget it. I have had the battery tested my dealer charged me $30.00 some odd dollars to do that and said it is just me. When it gets too hot like around 85 degrees or so it runs like it is boging down. The fule injection sensors have gone out twice 200 miles appart and at this time the vehicle has nearly 33K miles on it. I have it serviced every 3K miles and have changed the air filter and spark plugs as directed. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Dodge Neon. While servicing the vehicle, the contact discovered that the subframe was rusted and partially fractured. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.
I noticed my spare tire and 4-way tire iron rusting about a year after purchasing the vehicle. I didn't correlate this to a problem with moisture until a couple of years later when I began smelling a moldy smell . After further investigation I noticed water accumulation after rain or freeze thaw cycles. The repair shop wanted $300 .00 to replace the trunk weather stripping . I refused to accept their diagnosis and left. While at home I took a hose and ran water over the trunk area and looked for obvious signs of water penetration around the trunk joints and stripping. I found no obvious leak . I started to look at the rear light assemblies and noticed water getting in behind the gaskets. I have not received a recall notice for this defect and would like your organization to look into this. …
Related recalls (1)
Structure › Body
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The rear suspension crossmember May be missing spot welds.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for any missing welds, and will have structural rivets installed in place of the missing welds.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Neon years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (33), 1997 (24), 1996 (23), 1998 (22) and 2002 (21) model years. Body complaints make up 10% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Dodge Neon body problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 99V-001 (body, Jan 7, 1999). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Neon body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 71,000 miles; 36% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (53 mentions), followed by the body › trunk lid (33).
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.