Problems · by component
1996 Dodge Neon power train problems
45 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Dodge Neon cite power train, 7% of all 621 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
45
7% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT WAS SERVICING A 1996 DODGE NEON. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUT FRONT OF AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WITH THE ENGINE TURNED ON WHEN THE SHIFTER INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE TRAVELLED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES ONTO THE HIGHWAY AT A SLOW SPEED. THE MECHANIC CHASED AFTER THE MOVING VEHICLE AND WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO OPEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WERE IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE SHIFTER CABLE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,537.”
“MY SON DIED IN DEC 12,2002 IN A 1996 DODGE STEALTH TWO DAYS AFTER HE DIED I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE. CAR LOST CONTROL ON FREEWAY AND WENT OFF ROAD AND ROLLED. HE JUST PUT A TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED CLUTCH, AND PUT IN NEW ENGINE THROUGH TRACY DODGE IN TRACY, CA. *TR”
“1996 NEON SPEEDOMETER FAILED AND TRANSMISSION FLUID IS LEAKING. *TS AFTER A SENSOR AND OTHER PARTS WERE REPLACED, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AND IT WAS SOON DISCOVERED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS. A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THAT THE CONSUMERS SON WAS EXPERIENCING. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED HIS SON'S VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB”
“I HAVE HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH MY 1996 DODGE NEON SPORT, IT HAS BEEN INOPERABLE FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO, DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND STALLING WHICH I BELIEVE STEM FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED A FEW TIMES, THE A/C REPLACED, FUEL INJECTION ACTS UP AND THE FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATES, MY TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED SLIPPING, POWER STEERING AND EXHAUST ARE LEAKING, NUMEROUS OIL LEAKS, REAR LIGHTS/ BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE NOT WORKED IN OVER A YEAR, DRIVERSIDE WINDOW BROKE ALONG THE EXTENDING ARM INSIDE OF THE DOOR FRAME, TRUNK RELEASE IS BROKEN AND MY CRUISE CONTROL IS BROKEN! FOR THE LAST 4MONTHS MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT ATLANTA DODGE LLC! JUST AFTER LEAVING IT WITH THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT, I RECEIVED A CALL SAYING I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY AND UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED FOR $180 THEY COULD NOT DO A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK FOR ANY OTHER PROBLEMS!! THE BATTERY WAS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD AND WORKED FINE WHEN I LEFT THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP!! BUT IN HOPES OF ANY DECENT SERVICE I BOUGHT ANOTHER BATTERY FROM ADVANCED AUTO PARTS $40 AND TOOK IT IN MYSELF. DURING THIS VISIT I REMINDED THEM THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL CAR WAS UNDER A RECALL, THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS…”
“PURCHASED IN JULY OF 1996 ONLY PUT ON 26,345 MILES MOTOR MOUNT REPAIRED TWICE,BRAKES FRONT REPLACED THEY WERE COMPLETLY GONE ,BACK BRAKES ARE NO GOOD NEED TO BE REPLACED, HIGH PITCH SQUEALING COMES FROM THEM ,OIL GASGETS HAD TO BE REPLACED, STEARING TO A HARD RIGHT OR LEFT YOU GET A GRINDING NOISE, TRANSMISSION IS KNOW LEAKING CONSTANTLY HAVING TO PUT TRANSSMISSION FLUID IN ALL THE TIME HAVE A LIST OF PAPERS FROM THE CAR BEING SERVICED AT DAIMLER ON ANDOVER ST IN PEABODY WERE I PURCHASED CAR ALSO WROTE TO MAIN OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD REPLACE THE VEHICLE AFTER PURCHASING WITH CASH AND JUST GOT THE RUN AROUND KNOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE HER THAT IS WHY SHE ONLY HAS 26,345 MILES ON HER IN 10 YEARS I AM NOT A RICH PERSON SO I CAN NOT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR IF THERE IS A RECALL ON ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW SO THEY CAN BE FIXED SO I CAN DRIVE HER WITHOUT WORRYING WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT ALSO DAMPNESS AND MILDEW SMELL AND OTHER PROBLEMS.TIRES ALSO WERE REPLACED THEY WORE TO QUICKLY.*AK”
“SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, 4 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE MINI VAN IT HAD TO BE SERVICED, WHICH WAS COVERED UNDER THE 24 MONTHS/24000 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PURCHASED WITH THE VEHICLE FOR $1495. 2ND VISIT ON 9/24/01 TRANS SLIPPING IN 3RD GEAR. PER MECHANIC THE SNAP RING SNAPPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AGAIN THE TRANSMISSION WENT ON 8/26/02. IT NEEDED A REBUILT & RECONDITIONED 6710 TRANSMISSION & REBUILT/RECONDITIONED TORQUE CONVERTER ALSO A FILTER TOTALING $1588.99. ON 2/26/03 RETURNED BACK TO THE SHOP FOR A BLEW REAR DIFFERENTIAL & PASSENGER SIDE AXLE TOTALING $609.50. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WOULDN'T BE COVERED UNDER THE LIFETIME WARRANTY THAT I HAVE ON THE VAN BECAUSE THE VAN GOT STUCK IN THE SNOW AND I CAUSED IT TO BLOW, WHICH IS RIDICULES. NOW THE SHOP THAT I GOT THE WORK DONE AT IS OUT OF BUSINESS AND NOW AT A NEW LOCATION UNDER A NEW NAME WITH THE SAME PERSON THERE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY LIFETIME WARRANTY WOULDN'T BE COVERED AT THE NEW LOCATION AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY REPAIRS NEEDED ON THE TRANSMISSION. THE COMPANY THAT DID THE WORK WHERE I RECEIVED THE LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE TRANSMISSION IS MOJE, INC. GOODEAL MOTORS & TRANSMISSIONS…”
Showing 6 of 45 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.