1998 Dodge Neon Complaints

IN OCTOBER OF 2003 MY 2.7 LITER ENGINE WENT WITH ONLY 73,000 MILES. I CHANGED THE OIL IN THIS VEHICLE FAITHFULLY EVERY 3,000 MILES. I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION WHEN THE ENGINE BLEW. WHEN IT HAPPENED I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING ME TO HIT A CURB SO HARD THAT MY TIRE BLEW. I AM THANKFUL THAT IT WAS A CURB THAT I HIT. THIS OCCURRED NOT FAR FROM A MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE CHILDREN ALWAYS WERE . I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT MY VEHICLE, HE TOLD ME THAT THESE WERE THE WORST ENGINES EVER MADE, HE ALSO ADVISED ME NOT TO REPLACE THIS ENGINE NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH EXPENSE, BUT ALSO IT WAS LIKELY THAT I WOULD BE REPLACING IT AGAIN WITHIN A YEAR. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW DAIMLER CHRYSLER HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR AS LONG AS THEY HAD. I CALLED SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS, AUTO PART STORES, AND EVEN DODGE DEALERSHIPS INQUIRING ABOUT PRICES FOR REPAIR. EVERYONE WAS WELL AWARE OF THESE ENGINES CALLING THEM DEFECTIVE, EVEN MECHANICS AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP. THERE ALSO H...

TIMING BELT SNAPPED OFF FOUR TIMES FROM 1999 -2002, REPLACED 3 TIMES AT DESERT DODGE IN LAS VEGAS ONCE WITH ALL PULLEYS REPLACED AND ONE TIME AT SPITZER DODGE IN MAYFIELD HTS, OHIO 2 WEEKS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. NEITHER DODGE WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIRS.*AK

THE HEADLIGHT LENS ON THE NEON ARE MADE OF PLASTIC THAT HAS DEGRADED TO A POINT THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ARE INEFFECTIVE. ON TOP OF THAT, THERE IS NOT A REPLACEMENT LENS AVAILABLE. YOU HAVE TO BUY AN ENTIRE $110.00 ASSEMBLY. *AK

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

THE OIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OIL WOULD LEAK OUT OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE DOES NOT CONNECT AT FIRST, HAS TO TRY AT LEAST TWO TIMES BEFORE IT WILL START. DEALER STATED IT COULD BE EITHER THE STARTER OR THE ENGINE.*AK