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KLUNK

2005 Dodge Neon

The Verdict

75 Solid Pick

The 2005 Dodge Neon has 95 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (30 complaints) and electrical (23 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 75/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Dodge Neon, consider the 2004 model year which has 1% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2004 has 1% fewer complaints

View the 2004 Dodge Neon dashboard →

75

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.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2000115681036523
2001492059196
20025516463929
200339131022622
2004197272813
2005309232112

By Category

Body
30
Electrical
23
Engine
21
Transmission
12
Brakes
9

By Severity

1
31
2
38
3
1
4
25

Worst Problems

Complaints

Body 1

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. Until this occurred, I became very very apprehensive to even drive this car as I could have been held responsible for this damn malfunction costing many lives and injuries unknowingly and unprovoked. The car only has 60k miles and so far the entire dash board has cracked from sunlight falling completely to pieces that would crumble as I would drive causing distraction. The power steering belt prematurely needed replacing due to some sort of issue with the pulleys, not so long after that the alternator belt snapped needing the alternator and pulleys to be replaced again. The car during those repairs had just reached 50k miles, two batteries and the car still has electrical problems, power steering issues. This car was never involved in any major accident that would explain this other than a manufacture defect costing hundreds of dollars but there’s no cost to the lives of myself but others that you can’t put a price tag on. It’s truly a crime and absolute obvious indication of negligence that none of these reports have called for any recalls on this vehicle!

47mo ago
Engine 1

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!

47mo ago
Body 1

THE AC UNIT LEAKS INTO THE ENVIRONMENT NEEDING TO BE FILLED YEARLY. WE PAID A DEALER TO REPAIR THE AC AND IT ALL LEAKED OUT AGAIN. THEY REFILLED ONCE AGAIN AND SAID TO BRING IT BACK EVERY YEAR TO HAVE IT REFILLED AGAIN. SO FAR IT HAS ALL LEAKED OUT 3 TIMES NOW. *TR

73mo ago
Body 2

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.

84mo ago
Engine 2

PERSON SOLD AN INOPERABLE VEHICLE. USING VERBAL MANIPULATIONS HE CLAIMED IN THE ADD AND LATER FACE TO FACE THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A CLEAN TITLE (CARFAX REPORT SHOWS IT AS SALVAGE WITH MULTIPLE REPORTED ACCIDENTS AND 8 SERVICE HISTORY RECORDS), CERTAIN MILEAGE (148000 CLAIMED, 223.300 IN REALITY), HE WAS THE 2ND OWNER (3 OWNERS IN REALITY) AND NO MAJOR ISSUES - WAS TOLD IN PERSON DURING THE SALE OPERATION, ALSO TOLD HE WAS SELLING THE CAR FOR HIS FRIEND THATS WHY THERE WAS A DIFFERENT PERSON NAME ON A TITLE ((XXXXX)). SELLER WAS CONVENCING AND DID A GREAT JOB AT CONFUSING IGOR AND DECIEVING HIM. THE SELLER LIED ABOUT THE SMOG CHECK ALSO AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE BUYER - THE CAR DIDNT PASS THE SMOG CHECK THE NEXT MORNING 6/27, AND LATER THE SAME DAY DIDNT START ANYMORE FOR GOOD. SELLER SEND A TEXT MESSAGE TO IGOR THAT SAME MORNING SAYING THAT CAR IS OVERHEATING AND WATER HAS TO BE PLACED IN THE RADIATOR DAILY, BUT IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS PROCEDURE AS THE WATER INSIDE THE TANK IS OF A BOILING TEMPERATURE AND CAN SPLASH UNCONTROLLABLY UNDER PRESSURE RESULTING ONTO AN INJURY, WHICH WAS A MOCKERY AS BY THAT TIME A CAR WAS MARKED AS INOPERABLE BY A MECHANIC AND THAT WAS A MIRACLE THAT IT MADE IT TO THE CURBSIDE. CURRENTLY IT IS ABSOLUTELY DEAD METAL. THE CAR WAS FRAUDLENTLY AND INTENTIONALLY MADE TO WORK JUST ONE DAY SPECIFICLY TO MAKE A SALE. (XXXXX) INTENTIONALLY GAVE OUT THE FALSE FACTS ABOUT THE CAR AND MISLED (XXXX) TOWARDS THE SALE COMPLETION. (XXXX) TRUSTED THE SELLER, FALSE INFO AND FAKE ODOMETER PICTURES THATS BEEN FORCED AT HIM, AS HE COULDNT SEE THINGS CLEARLY IN PERSON AND WAS MISLED AND VERBALLY MANIPULATED. ALL RECORDS AS DOCUMENTS ON THIS CAR, ADD SCREENSHOTS AND TEXT MESSAGING BETWEEN (XXXX) AND SELLER (XXXX) ARE AVAILABLE AS PROOF. REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

85mo ago
Engine 2

BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 60,000 MILES

100mo ago
Electrical 2

I PURCHASE A 2005 DODGE NEON IN JUNE. APPROXIATELY 3 WERKS LATER I NOTICE HOW WHEN I WOULD HAVE TO STOP WHEN TIME TO MOVE FORWARD CAR WOULD STALL AND BARELY WANT TO GO THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WOULD PICK UP. IT DID THAT FOR 2 DAYS. THE 3RD DAY I DROVE AWAY IN IT WITH NO PROMBLEMS. WHEN TIME FOR ME TO LEAVE IT WOULD NOT START. I REPLACE STARTER,BATTERY, ALTERNATOR AND ALSO MADE SURE ALL THESE PARTS WHERE GOOD. MY CAR STILL WILL NOT START. PLEASE HELP ME OUT JUST SPENT $2,000.00 AND MY CAR STILL WILL NOT START. CAR WAS PARKED WHEN IT OCCURED.

107mo ago
Electrical 4

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*LJ

123mo ago
Electrical 2

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

123mo ago
Brakes 4

I SHIFTED MY CAR INTO REVERSE AND IT ACCELERATED BY ITSELF. SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND COULD NOT STOP CRASHED THRU MY NEIGHBORS GARAGE DOOR. THERE S NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND COULD NOT STOP WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES EVEN IN NEUTRAL. I CHECKED AND THERE WAS NOTHING UNDER OR BLOCKING THE GAS PEDAL. NO MATS IN CAR.

124mo ago
Transmission 2

TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP.

124mo ago
Electrical 1

I HAVE A 2004 DODGE NEON, MY TURNING SIGNALS SOMETIMES WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. I HAVE TO BANG THE STEERING WHEEL FOR THEM TO WORK PROPERLY. ALSO MY HORN STOPPED WORKING ALL OF SUDDEN. I HAVE CHECKED ALL OF THE FUSES AND THE HORN IT SELF AND THERE IS NOTHING FOUND.

127mo ago
Body 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE NEON. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE CONTACT NOTICED WATER ON THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARDS AND THE TRUNK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

130mo ago
Brakes 4

ON 10/6/15 MY SON WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. HE WAS MERGING ONTO THE PARKWAY WHEN THE SUV HE WAS FOLLOWING CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP DUE TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT DOING THE SAME, BUT WHEN MY SON TRIED TO BREAK THE BREAKS WERE COMPLETELY OUT CAUSING HIM TO HIT THE BACK OF SUV HE WAS FOLLOWING, WITH HIS QUICK THINKING HE PULLED THE EMERGENCY BREAKS TO PREVENT HIT SUV AGAIN AS IT WAS PULLING OVER.

131mo ago
Body 1

I WAS DRIVING ALONG INTERSTATE 480 AND DEPLOYED CRUISE CONTROL ON MY NEON AT 60 MPH. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN BRIEFLY, AND THEN ENGAGED THE "ACCELERATE" OPTION ON CRUISE CONTROL TO SPEED BACK UP. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY REVVED UP TOWARDS A MUCH HIGHER SPEED AND I HAD TO QUICKLY SHUT OFF CRUISE CONTROL. I HAVE SEEN OTHER REPORTS OF THIS SAME INCIDENCE, AND AM SURPRISED NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. I AM A FREELANCE WRITER WITH A HUGE NETWORK OF FRIENDS. I WOULD HATE TO HAVE TO WRITE A BAD REVIEW OF MY EXPERIENCE, AND CALL OUT DODGE FOR NOT FIXING WHAT I WOULD THINK IS A VERY SERIOUS, POSSIBLY DEADLY, PROBLEM. THANK YOU.

135mo ago
Engine 4

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. *TR

141mo ago
Body 1

THE 2ND TIME IN TWO YEARS THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CAM SHAFT POSITION SENSOR . THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE IS NO POWER IN ACCELERATION. *TR

141mo ago
Body 2

WHILE HAVING THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE ENGINE WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN RACE/ACCELERATE BEYOND WHAT IT SHOULD. *TR

141mo ago
Electrical 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE NEON. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE HEAD INJURIES, BRUISES ON THE BODY, AND BACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION AT THE SCENE AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,600.

141mo ago
Electrical 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 DODGE NEON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING ON THE CHEST FROM THE SEAT BELT WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 272,000.

143mo ago

95 total

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