Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 17 | 18% | 60,000 miles |
| 2004 | 26 | 28% | 74,000 miles |
| 2003 | 18 | 9% | 55,000 miles |
| 2002 | 33 | 19% | 42,000 miles |
| 2001 | 18 | 12% | 40,000 miles |
| 2000 | 54 | 16% | 60,000 miles |
| 1999 | 55 | 47% | 54,000 miles |
| 1998 | 199 | 59% | 49,000 miles |
| 1997 | 222 | 57% | 50,000 miles |
| 1996 | 341 | 56% | 70,000 miles |
| 1995 | 294 | 30% | 82,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
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. …
Vehicle respond to a light acceleration request with sustain full throttle operation. The vehicle traveled in poor road conditions with full throttle operation. The only influence in course change was terrain and torque steering. After collision with a stone pillar code p0123 throttle high voltage was found.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Dodge Neon. While driving 20 MPH, the engine revved and inadvertently shifted to a lower gear. Also, the service engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle home but, prior to the failure, was having transmission issues for over a year. The contact mentioned that a plastic piece that separated the coolant and transmission fluid fractured and allowed coolant to enter the transmission. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnostic testing and repairs; however, the radiator was replaced. The manufacturer was notified and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was 139,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Neon had to have the manual transmission replaced twice within the total milage of 20,000 miles. The car was delivered with a defective battery temperature sensor, and 1 month before the car caught fire it was in the shop and the mechanic failed to replace the battery tiedown bar. On August 26, 2004 the car caught fire while the ignition was off and was driven for only 5 miles. The vehicle also had a bad passanger seat belt buckle. Many passangers complained of it being difficult to insert the belt into the locking mechanism.
I was in a small collision at the speed of 10 MPH or less. I rear ended a Ford f150 truck because my brakes skided on the road, my 2003 Neon fishtailed, and I hit the bumper of the truck. My right headlight was smashed, and my radiator was also broken. After 3 minutes my engine caught on fire, and my entire car was engulfed in fire within 5 minutes after the collision. My airbag on both driver and passenger side did not go off, I didn't hit the truck at a highspeed, yet my car went up in flames. Everything in the car was melted, and I think this car is very unsafe. Had I hit a truck or been hit by another large or small car, I hate to wonder what would of happened then. Would I of made it out in time before it caught on fire, or would it blow up on impact?! Neons are not safe, and I think this car will catch on fire at any speed. …
I got my oil changed, tires rotated, and windshield wipers replaced on April 13 2011 around 6:30 pm. My oil change took approximately 15 min. After the oil change and tire rotation, I paid and went straight home. I was not informed by anyone at valvoline that anything was wrong with my car. I got in my car around 7:40 am on April 14th and headed towards my insurance company on asheville highway. As I entered onto business 85, my car started to smoke from under the hood and I could feel heat on my feet near the gas pedal and brake. As I tried to brake and slow the car down, something under the hood caught fire and the brakes failed to stop the car and the car ended up sliding into the back of a pick up truck and the hood and front end of the car completely burst into flames. …
At approximately 3:00 a.m. On a Saturday the 4th of August I was involved in a rollover car accident in which I swerved to avoid a medium dog/coyote and my vehicle hit the ditch and rolled. My front airbags didn't deploy and I had to be transported by ambulance to the nearest hospital. I suffered a head injury as well as numerous body impact injuries from the crash. According to the report from the impound my engine was found 40 feet from my vehicle. My first concern was of course my airbags and why they failed to deploy.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Neon years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1996 (341), 1995 (294), 1997 (222), 1998 (199) and 1999 (55) model years. Engine complaints make up 56% of all complaints for the 1996.
Is there a recall for Dodge Neon engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Dodge Neon model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Dodge Neon engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 58,000 miles; 40% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (840 mentions), followed by the engine › gasoline (276).
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.