2001 Dodge Neon
The Verdict
The 2001 Dodge Neon has 153 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (59 complaints) and body (49 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 63/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Dodge Neon, consider the 2004 model year which has 38% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2004 has 38% fewer complaints
View the 2004 Dodge Neon dashboard →
Klunk Score: Solid Pick
Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 2
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT WITH 15" WHEELS, EQUIPPED WITH AN R/T PACKAGE. CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH AN INCORRECT TIRE PLACARD. THE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH P195...
Risk
THE LABEL SPECIFIES THE WRONG RECOMMENDED TIRE SIZE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE OWNER TO SELECT INCORRECT REPLACEMENT TIRES.
Remedy
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECT LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 14, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON...
Reported Dec 2, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SPORT APPEARANCE PACKAGE FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." CERTAIN VEHICLES BUILT WITH 16" W...
Risk
THE LABEL SPECIFIES THE WRONG RECOMMENDED TIRE SIZE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE OWNER TO SELECT INCORRECT REPLACEMENT TIRES.
Remedy
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A NEW LABEL, OR, IF THE OWNER WISHES, THEIR DEALER CAN INSTALL THE LABEL FOR THEM.
Reported Dec 12, 2000
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
THROTTLE STUCK ON HIGHWAY WHEN ACCELERATION.
MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON IN MY HORN DON'T WORK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK OIL WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,189.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND MADE THE STEERING WHEEL VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE ENTIRE SUB FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.
I WAS DRIVING AND CAR START TO SHAKE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THREE INDEPENDENT MECHANICS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 156,845.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT END WAS REWIRED. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHERE THE ALTERNATOR, ALTERNATOR BELT, CAM SHAFT, BATTERY, HORN AND THE GROUND WIRE CABLE WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIRS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REWIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.
THE CAR HAD NO POWER AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP AND NOW IT SLIPS EVERY TIME YOU USE THE CAR. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF YOU WERE IN ON COMING TRAFFIC AND YOU HAD TO MOVE YOU CANT MOVE QUICK. *TR
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, SMOKE HAS BEEN EMITTED FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN. INITIALLY, FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. LATER, SMOKE CAME FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, AND THE FOG LIGHTS TURNED OFF, BUT WOULD NOT TURN ON. 1 MONTH LATER, MORE SMOKE CAME FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, WITH A BAD ODOR, AND THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. NOW, I HAVE HAD TO BUY THE MFS (MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH) BUT IT DOES NOT WORK, AS THE WIRING HARNESS AND WIRES ARE BURNED. THE DODGE DEALER SAYS THAT THE ENTIRE WIRING LOOM HAS TO BE REPLACED FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE, AND HAVE FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE. MY CONCERN IS THAT HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, ETC, SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE, AND I HAVE SEEN THAT MANY OTHER NEON OWNERS HAVE HAD TAILLIGHTS GO OUT, TURN SIGNALS NOT OPERATE, ETC. I CHECKED 7 CARS IN JUNK YARDS TODAY, AND FOUND THAT ALL OF THEM HAD BURNED WIRES AND HARNESSES. DODGE SHOULD REMEDY THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS CLEARLY RELATED TO SAFETY. *TR
WAS DRIVING AT 50MPH, WHEN MY RT FRONT NOKIAN TIRE WENT FLAT. WHEN I CHANGED THE TIRE A NOTICED THAT THE GREEN PLUG WAS MISSING. THERE WAS A GREEN PLUG IN THE LF FRONT TIRE, SO I KNEW THIS WAS THE PROBLEM. AS OF RIGHT NOW, I WAS TOLD NOKIAN NO LONGER MAKES THAT TYPE OF TIRE WITH THE GREEN PLUG SO I AM GOING TO HAVE TO GET A NEW ONE. *TR
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A HEAD ON COLLISION GOING BETWEEN 60-70 MPH ON HIGHWAY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER LEAKED ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR WHEN IT RAINS. HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHERE THE CAUSED OF THE LEAK. AS OF JANUARY 3, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,500.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING (MPH UNKNOWN) HE HEARD A LOUD RINGING NOISE THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART TO VEHICLE AFTER ADJUSTING THE WIRING HARNESS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MAIN CABLE INTO THE BATTERY CAUSED THE FAILURE AND THEY MADE THE REPAIR. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MONTHS LATER THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,880 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MAIN CABLE INTO THE BATTERY CAUSED THE FAILURE AND THEY MADE THE REPAIR. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MONTHS LATER THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,880 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 04-07-08 *BF
LEAKY TRUNK AND BACK SEAT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. THE VEHICLE HAS DUNLOP SP SPORT, SIZE 19550R16 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AND THE SIDEWALL SHREDDED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VEHICLE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 77,000. UPDATED 12-12-07. *KB UPDATED
DOORS HAVE TROUBLE CLOSING AND STAYING CLOSED UNTIL THEY DONT CLOSE AT ALL. ALL FOUR DOORS ON MY CAR HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP GETTING A NEW DOOR MECHANISM SO THE DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WILL CLOSE. OTHER THREE WILL HAVE TO BE REPAIRED AND REPLACED.DOORS OPEN WHEN YOU ARE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND STAY OPEN. COULD BE POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTS.*AK
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT HAS OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 2 AND A HALF YEARS. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS FAILED. THE CONTACT DOES NOT FEEL SECURE IN THE VEHICLE AND IS UNSURE IF THE SEAT BELTS WILL PROVIDE PROTECTION IF NEEDED. THE VEHICLE'S DASHBOARD WAS ALSO WARPING AND PEBBLING. UPDATED 2/22/2007 -*NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT 40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THERE WAS AN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE. THE POLICE WERE ALERTED, AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.
153 total