2002 Dodge Neon: common problems and reliability

The 2002 Dodge Neon has 186 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 6 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are power train and engine and engine cooling. Owners most often flag catastrophic mechanical failures (thrown rods, broken control arms, major transmission failure) — very frequent.

Safety record for the 2002 model year

186
Owner complaints
6
Recalls
29
Crash reports
3
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2002 Dodge Neon vehicles (US, public record).

Where owners report problems

power train
39
engine and engine cooling
32
electrical system
26
air bags
24
structure
21

Recalls affecting the 2002 Neon

exterior lighting

Campaign 09E012000

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMEN…

exterior lighting:headlights

Campaign 08E050000

K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF F…

exterior lighting

Campaign 06E049000

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBE…

exterior lighting:headlights

Campaign 09E025000

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMEN…

What owners say across generations

Overwhelmingly negative sentiment regarding long-term reliability, build quality, and overall ownership experience. The vehicle is frequently characterized as poorly built, unreliable, and prone to catastrophic failures, with numerous reports of major mechanic

  • Catastrophic mechanical failures (thrown rods, broken control arms, major transmission failure) — very frequent.
  • Poor build quality and cheap interior materials (mirrors break, door handles snap, seats unsupportive, hard plastics) — very frequent.
  • Cooling system problems (overheating, water pump failure, heater core issues, coolant leaks leading to head gasket failure) — very frequent.
  • Electrical and sensor issues (faulty throttle position sensor, speed sensor failures, erratic idle, check engine lights) — very frequent.
  • Automatic transmission problems (failure to shift, erratic RPM behavior, fluid leaks, general unreliability) — recurrent.

Owner insights cover all generations of the Neon.

Typical used price

Used Neon listings typically run $2,699–$4,995 across 1998 to 2005 model years.

Other Neon model years

2004 Neon1999 Neon1996 Neon
Full Dodge Neon owner reportCompare against another car