Electrical complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2005 Dodge Neon. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 160,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 180,000. The contact obtained a Carfax report, which had limited data. The Department of Licensing and Attorney General was contacted.
I was driving to downtown los angeles with my friends and all of a sudden there is smoke coming out of my dashboard right in front of my steering wheel something was burning. I then later notice my brake,fog,high beams, and turn signals light do not work. I went on a forum to see if it's a common problem and I saw cars that were burned and I saw that it was a connection that was faulty. I remove my turn signal switch and I found out that it was burned too the exact same place. We were lucky that the car didn't catch fire. I went to a junk yard to see if I could get one and all the Dodge neons that I got to they were all shots and burned. I want to get a recall for this that cannot be possible that all the cars even my friends car has that too and it's a Dodge Neon. Can something please be done about this
While driving at 70 MPH, the consumer attempted to exit a freeway and the vehicle lurched and made a loud noise. The vehicle was pulled into a parking lot and smoke began to emit from the hood. Consumer turned the key off, but the vehicle continued to run. The fire department arrived and disconnected the battery cables. At that time the smoking ceased and the engine shut down. The consumers vehicle continued to run rough and lurch forward, the check engine light would come on, , the vehicle would run with the key out of the ignition, and when the door was inadvertently shut, the door would lock. The dealer could not find anything wrong with the vehicle. The consumer was told that the fuel was delivered at a rich combustion level. The service dealer replaced the ab/master relay and the power train control module. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Dodge Neon. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the key would release out of the ignition switch without warning. The vehicle continued to drive without the key in the ignition switch. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000. Updated 7/16/15
At 60,000 miles my 2003 Dodge Neon r/t started smoking from the steering column. At the time I thought it was dust caught by the sunlight and since nothing appeared to be wrong with my car, I forgot about it - one week later- I started by car and my headlights wouldn't work, concerned and remembering the "dust in the sunlight the week before, I called the Dodge dealership in the area and dropped off my car a little while later. Turns out the wiring harness on the steering column had overheated and melted together ( there was also a problem with the gas tank pressure but I could never get them to tell exactly what the problem was) luckily the harness was not completely destroyed so the wires could just be replaced. I asked them what caused the problem and if they were just replacing wires, well, wouldn't it happen again? …
Well I was driving and I had my kid in car 10-16-15 thank god I a had arrived home on time who knows what would happen if I kept driving I started to see smoke coming of dash I was on street coming from janesville wi it's like 35 min away I was driving on high way but like I said it started happening while approaching house I really don't know how to see inside but this has me shocked due to video I have seen catching on fire why isn't nothing being done no recall nothing someone can die from this I looked up problem and it's a common thing thats happening this is a serious problem and disappointed with Dodge I need something done about this please help I took a picture of when I parked it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Dodge Neon. When the contact opened the vehicle door, a mouse was seen running from the floor of the passenger side of the vehicle and under the seat. The contact stated that the rodent entered the vehicle through the air vents in the rear of the vehicle to chew on the wires inside the engine compartment. The contact had to place mouse traps inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000.
While the vehicle was parked in a parking lot, some one informed the consumer that vehicle was on fire. By the time the consumer reached the vehicle all of the windows were covered with soot. Fire department arrived and extinguished the flames, and concluded that the fire started behind the dashboard.
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
An engine wiring harness can short circuit due to contact with the exhaust gas recirculation tube..
Remedy: Dealers will reroute the engine wiring harness properly and any wire that has been damaged will be replaced.
NHTSA investigations
Underhood fires
There is no summary currently available
Alleged fires in steering column area
The apparent cause of the problem is the accumulation of brass powder, that wears off the electrical contacts inside the turn signal switch.this powder collects in small trails of grease that track from one contact to another.when the concentration of brass in the grease gets high enough, it can cause a high resistance short.this short, in turn can ignite the grease and cause smoke to be emitted from the steering…
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Neon years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (98), 1996 (93), 2003 (72), 2000 (43) and 1997 (33) model years. Electrical complaints make up 10% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Dodge Neon electrical problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 96V-026 (front underhood, Feb 5, 1996). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Neon electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles; 37% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the wiring (53 mentions), followed by the wiring › interior/under dash (50).
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.