2004 Dodge Neon: common problems and reliability

The 2004 Dodge Neon has 94 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 5 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 2004 model year

94
Owner complaints
5
Recalls
19
Crash reports
3
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2004 Dodge Neon vehicles (US, public record).

Where owners report problems

power train
23
engine and engine cooling
20
electrical system
15
air bags
14
service brakes
9

Recalls affecting the 2004 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

Campaign 06E026000

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL T…

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

2002 Neon1999 Neon1996 Neon
Full Dodge Neon owner reportCompare against another car