31st Jul 2009, 08:31

My SXT has been pretty good to me until somehow the line that cools the tranny broke into the cooling system and left me stranded. My check engine light has been on since day two of my purchase as a used car with low mileage on it. I have gotten all types of readings off this including total systems failure, gas cap, etc etc. I now worry when the light goes out. Seems like the gas mileage is not good at all.

I had some battery problems, but it turned out being cable connections... if a cable is loose it can make the whole car go wacky!! Gauges erratic, lights on and off... sputtering of the engine. I recommend getting wires completely changed cuz that green gunk will go right down under the wire covers and short out the lines.

I was shocked when the tranny fluid and the oil mixed... HOW CRAZY is that??? Glad I had an honest repair man - I wonder how many have paid for a new tranny and radiator! I had to just get the radiator.

31st Jul 2009, 21:47

I've got a '95 Neon Sport. It has 81,700 miles on it. I have replaced the head gasket which blew at 80,000 miles and the previous owner replaced the transmission at 75,000 miles. Other than those problems, my Neon has been fine. It runs smoothly, and has great acceleration for such a small engine. It shifts perfectly and drives fine. It never complains at start-up and it doesn't mind long drives.

I average about 31 MPG. Not great, but not bad for a 14-year old engine. It doesn't burn any oil at all either.

I'm very impressed with it actually, I'm more of a Honda guy myself, but this was much more affordable than a Civic of the same year. Although I do like this car, for my next one, I'm definitely going back to Honda.

23rd Mar 2010, 20:26

I am having transmission trouble with my Neon. The transmission is slipping badly and revving really high. I don't know if I want to invest any money in this car, because it's seven years old and has 80,000 miles on it.

12th Apr 2010, 23:17

I have a 2003 Dodge Neon, I have had it for about 2 years now, and my check engine light has been on since I got it home.

I would take it back to the dealer and they'd fix it, then when I would get home, the light's back on, so I'd take it back...

My CV axles have just been replaced, and then my transmission is acting funny. If I go below 20 mph, you can feel it drop, and you can't go past 25 mph unless you put it in neutral, shut the car off, turn it back on, then put it in drive. It's a pain and I have no idea what's going on.

I'm supposed to be driving 1500 miles in less than a month... If I can't figure out what's going on, I might have to tell the dealer to take the car back. I still owe almost $5000 on it, and can barely afford to fix anything that goes wrong.

15th Apr 2010, 16:05

I have a 2003 Dodge Neon. I bought it in 2005 and ever since I have bought it, I have had nothing but issues with it.

My engine light keeps going on and off.

I have replace the heater core 2 times, the radiator 2 times. And the transmission 2 times.

The biggest issue with Neons is that the transmission fluid backs up into the radiator, which will cause the transmission to completely quit working...

SO BE CAREFUL!!! I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE AGAIN!!!

20th Jun 2010, 19:58

I also have a 2003 Dodge Neon SXT. After 60,000 miles I had a lock up of the transmission in the middle of the winter on a very slippery curve. I had to call my husband of 29 years as an automotive diesel mechanic to come and get us. The car was taken back to the dealer with just shy of the warranted miles. They replaced the transmission with a (new) one at no cost to me.

I now have about 48,000 on this new transmission, and now have anti-freeze mixed into the transmission fluid and over flowing out the overflow for the anti-freeze reservoir. My husband has also diagnosed transmission oil in the radiator, through the transmission nipples for the cooling hoses.

I have had to replace both lower control a frame bushings and tie rod ends, because of the rough shifting and hesitations.

The engine light has been coming on and off for some time with no apparent reasoning, and it checks out okay on the engine analyst. However, many times it has been checked and turned off. Is this a very familiar problem to anyone with a dealer's ear?

25th Jul 2010, 11:30

I just experienced a problem with my 2004 Dodge Neon SXT. I was stopped at a light, and when I went to go, it stuttered for a few seconds, then finally kicked in. It did this a few times on my way home, and when I got home, I saw a line of fluid down the street, and it was pouring out from the bottom of the car. Under the hood, it looked like it was coming out of the coolant tank, but then I found out it was transmission fluid.

From what I understand from other complaints, I am thinking the problem is that the coolant and tranny fluid mixed somehow. If any one has any idea what the problem could be, and about how expensive it is, I would greatly appreciate it.

2nd Oct 2010, 15:30

2003 Dodge Neon SE.

I like the car. It is great on gas and good for driving around town. The engine has run well for me since I bought the vehicle 3 years ago.

Unfortunately, I have had to replace the transmission twice (it was covered by the dealership the first time). This is due to radiator failure, which caused coolant to get into the transmission fluid. This eventually causes transmission failure. My transmission completely stopped functioning about 1 year after the radiator failed.

I like the engine, but the financial burden of repairing failed transmissions has been huge. I would not purchase one again.

9th Nov 2010, 19:42

I have an '05 Neon SE and it's very reliable. It's a manual transaxle, which eliminates the trans fluid coolant disaster, but I did have to replace the camshaft position sensor. Super easy to do yourself. And whoever said it's easily accessible under the car has never worked on a car ever... It's right on top, next to the battery bolted to the cylinder head. Five minutes, done. My car has a little over 80k on the clock, and I beat this thing hard. Everything on the motor/trans is factory, except the cam sensor, stock rear brakes (shoes, don't squeal), motor mounts...Everything. Gets pretty crappy fuel economy for a 4 banger, but I beat the crap out of it (Chicago dragrace traffic). I bought mine brand new, and I am thinking about selling it. I need a truck.

Little tricks of the Neon is defiantly the "key dance". That will solve any problems your Neon has. Get in the Neon, close the door, put the key in the ignition, and turn key to "power on" three times in less than 30 seconds and hold in "on" position. The odometer will read P-codes to you determining all sensor problems, then reading "done" when complete. Very handy when you don't have an OBD scan tool.

Sentry keys suck, when they get dirty your car won't start. If your Neon isn't starting, try cleaning off the key first with a paper towel and water.

If your Neon has a tape player, don't play Whitesnake tapes... It will eat them and never give them back...

If you have a 2003-2005 Dodge Neon, you have NGC... If you want to make your Neon faster and it's a 2003-2005, you better know more about computers than cars. Even a cold-air intake will decrease power (dyno proven). You have to get a standalone ECU (megasquirt) and program the crap out of it to make any power. If you want performance, gut it! Remove the muffler and air intake itself (no filter), and force air into it. If you blow it up, who cares, these cars were meant to be destroyed, and thrown away, so engines are about $150 to $200 and are a dime a dozen. All you need is a case of beer, a swing set, a big ol' chain, and basic mechanical skill (intoxication) to do an engine swap on these.

Hands down, fun car to drive, super cheap insurance, reliable, and a good railroad track jumper! Buy one.