- The problem
- 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 requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
Vehicle safety record
2004 Dodge Neon Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 94 complaints about the 2004 Dodge Neon with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (26) and the transmission & drivetrain (23). Those complaints describe 19 crashes, 3 fires and 18 injuries. It is covered by 5 recalls, the latest in April 2009 for the exterior lighting. For comparison, the 2003 has 202 and the 2005 has 96.
NHTSA data checked
BFewer problems than a typical Neon year, for its age
#111 most complained-about 2004 vehicle
- Complaints
- 94
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 19
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
- 18
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2004 Dodge Neon problems
Share of all 94 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2004 Dodge Neon recalls 5
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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 federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- The risk
- Without the amber side reflex reflectors, the lighting visibility may be affected, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- K2 motor will notify owners and offer a full refund. The recall began on decemeber 17, 2008. Owners may contact k2 motor at 1-909-839-2992.
- The problem
- Federal mogul is recalling 6,903 aftermarket ball joint assemblies shipped between november 9, 2007 and march 26, 2008, which may have been packaged with incorrect nuts. The part numbers packaged with incorrect nuts are: k7147, k7329, k8683, and 104353. These parts were made for use on the various vehicles listed above.
- The risk
- The nuts included in the packaging for these ball joint assemblies are missing the intended prevailing torque (self-locking) feature. If the incorrect nut was to become loose, the joining members may loosen leading to a separation of the ball joint. This may result in loss of vehicle control, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Federal mogul will notify owners and replace the parts free of charge. The recall began on may 22, 2008. Owners can contact federal mogul at 877-489-6659.
- The problem
- 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 amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
- The fix
- Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. The recall began on july 1, 2006. Owners may contact ck motorsport at 1-909-610-7211.
- The problem
- 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 to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
- The fix
- Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on april 3, 2006. Owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
What owners say
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94 complaints about the 2004 Dodge Neon
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 4.
As I was driving down the street, my rear passenger end was leaning a little to the side. I was a smooth paved road and it felt as though I was hitting potholes. I pulled over to the side of the road thought my tire was flat. I t0ok the car to a shop to get checked out. They stated that my rear shot blew. On 11/20/18 my defrosters are no longer working. My headlights are dim. I tried replacing the bulb. However, it still isn't bright enough to drive in the dark.
On occasion the cruise control does not engage and on occasion it does engage and when you try to slow down the brake becomes hard to depress and the car starts to accelerate but repeated attempts to depress brake or pump brakes allows control again over speed without incident. This has happened on several occasions while driving over 45 mph . As this happens randomly cause has not been found and this only happens when cruise control has been engaged . Problem noticed in 2014 when I got car to present date .. Not an isolated incident.
Cruise control would not turn off and I wrecked my car into into a other car. I even tried putting my car in park and it wouldn't stop the motor was reved up and would not slow down or stop
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge neon. While driving 20 mph, the engine revved and inadvertently shifted to a lower gear. Also, the service engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle home but, prior to the failure, was having transmission issues for over a year. The contact mentioned that a plastic piece that separated the coolant and transmission fluid fractured and allowed coolant to enter the transmission. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for...
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diagnostic testing and repairs; however, the radiator was replaced. The manufacturer was notified and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was 139,000. The vin was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 dodge neon. While driving 55 mph, the contact noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment followed by flames. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage yard. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Running lights stopped working (on a city street), when repaired, was due to a wire in the multifunction switch burning out and melting the casing of the mfs
Vehicle respond to a light acceleration request with sustain full throttle operation. The vehicle traveled in poor road conditions with full throttle operation. The only influence in course change was terrain and torque steering. After collision with a stone pillar code p0123 throttle high voltage was found.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge neon. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the key would release out of the ignition switch without warning. The vehicle continued to drive without the key in the ignition switch. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000. Updated 7/16/15*cn
The front frame that holds engine,struts, brakes , steering are rotted out from rust causing major issues and possible injuries and death !!!!!!!!!!! Chrysler knows of these issues and wont do anything to remedy the problem. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge neon. The contact stated that while traveling 20 mph, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was diagnosed by a private mechanic who stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 160,000 and the current mileage was 167,000. The vin was not available.
Transmission cooler in radiator leaked, causing transmission fluid to contaminate engine, and also contaminated transmission with radiator fluid. Called chrysler corp and they said no recall on it and did not offer to help with it. When I google searched this problem there seems to be multiple instances of this happening. *Tr
On may 24, 2013 I was driving home from work with another employee. We were going approximately 60 mph on a highway, it was 12:15 in the morning, and it was raining. I was driving in the center lane when my passenger yelled out that the semi truck next to us was merging over into our lane and was about to hit us. I tried to move over into the third, left lane to avoid getting hit by the truck, but as soon as I did the car lost control. It started to fish tail and ended up hitting the center wall on the driver's...
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side and then got shot across the highway and into the semi truck we were trying to avoid. The car hit the semi truck at an angle so the entire passengers side was hit and crushed, including part of the front of the car. I blacked out as soon as we hit because my head hit the top of the passenger's side doorway. I only know this because I had two large goose eggs on the right side of my head and a while after the accident we went to go see the car and a large chunk of my hair was hanging from the doorway. This is where the seat belt complaint comes in. My seat belt did not seize up during the collision and I suffered serious injuries including a concussion, broken rib, collapsed lung, hole in my lung, and lacerated liver. My passenger also suffered extremely serious injuries including concussion, both lung collapsed, multiple broken ribs, lacerated liver, broken pelvis, and broken hips. She was in the hospital for over 2 months and is still unable to walk. I make this complaint for the seat belts because I do not believe our injuries would have been as serious had they worked properly. Also, the airbags should have gone off at some point with the side frontal damage at the very least. I am uncertain whether my car had side airbags but if they did, they definitely should have deployed. I would like this issue looked into and some resolve to come from it.
My husband was driving home from work and he got to the driveway where we live and his back drivers side wheel locked up. We took it to a shop here in ruthven and they tried to fix it. We later had to take it to a dealer in spencer iowa. Asher motors. It need a break kit because for some reason it had come apart and the spring was missing. And something to do with the e-brake now yesterday the same thing happened to the passengers side. I was reading up on the others that have a problem with recalls on there...
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breaks and think the 2004 should also be looked at. I have talked with other neon owners and they to have had similar problems. I called dodge and they said they can look up recalls and my car has not had that problem but we can save our records and if it is a recall then we can file to be re paid back. Idk what all is involved in getting or even having a recall looked into but thought this was a good start. *Tr
Just had the instrument panel replaced due to a fried power transistor on the i/c board. Repair lasted about 1 hour and then replacement instrument panel failed also. Appears to be a short in the dash light circuit. This causes fuse # 15 to blow which removes power from the parking lights, and the tail lights. *Tr
The seal that is supposed to keep water from entering your trunk when it rains has fell out of place. When it first happened when I opened my trunk one day just 3" section came off track. I was able to push it back into place and thought everything was fine. Then a month later it rained and I have severe water damage to my trunk lining and it smells like mildew mixed with mold. I know in previous models that when this starts happening the back lights start to fill with water and can short the fuses. As of right now I don't have the light problem but I do have large areas where my trunk lining are warped inwards and it will not go back into place. *Tr
About 2 1/2 years after I purchased my dodge neon sxt the seal at the bottom of all the windows began to dry up, crack, and fall off. At this point I barely have any seal in between all 4 of my car windows and the car door. Water has gone down into my door and I'm afraid that it will soon affect the electrical equipment in the door. My main concerns are the controls for adjusting my mirrors, my window controls, and my door lock. I have never seen a car's seal basically dry rot and fall off of a car starting so early. I would expect it to start happening now that I've had the car 8-9 years, but not to this extent. *Tr
I was driving down the highway, and I started to hear a strange thud sound over and over. I 500 miles from home and found the next gas station to pull into. The rubber seal that is glued in between the top of my windshield where it meets the car frame was coming undone. I tried sticking it back in there and sitting in the shade to let the glue/tar set. When I drove about 100 more miles the thud got louder and louder and more frequent. Then all the sudden before I could stop anywhere the rubber seal flew off of my...
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car. The force from it flying off, the speed (only 65 mph), and the wind speed (not high) caused my car to jerk into the lane next to me. Luckily the highway I was on wasn't packed so no one was in the lane I was pulled into. *Tr
I have a dodge neon 2004 when driving to school the car started accelerating on it's own which was very risky. It was revving up to 3200 rpm atg 40 mph I had to pull by the side of the road all of a sudden I saw a leak behind the plate on the transmission the check engine light came on too bad. I was wondering if there is any recall on this car because I can see a lot of complains from other individuals on here. There are a lot of safety issues regarding the neons revving up or accelerating on it's own. *Tr
I was leaving the parking lot sunday and something snapped. I got out of the car and checked the front end and one wheel was one way and other was the other direction! Looked underneath and saw that the ball broke out of the socket. If that would of happened on the freeway, I would be dead or severely injured. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge neon. The contact stated that while reversing from a parking space, he heard a popping noise. The contact examined the vehicle and noticed that the tire was out from its socket. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileages were 45,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge neon. The contact was making repairs to the vehicle when he noticed that the area where the air intake tube was connected to the idle air control unit, the vehicle could possibly cause unintended acceleration if the clamp was not installed properly. The contact stated that if the accelerator pedal was depressed, the rpms would increase excessively and the vehicle would take accelerate rapidly. The failure mileage was 179,000. The vin was not available. Updated 06/28/12*lj the dealer informed the consumer, there was nothing to worry about, but if the part did come loose, the computer in the vehicle would decrease the rpm's. Updated 06/29/12
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge neon. The contact stated that while attempting to stop the vehicle, the vehicle abnormally accelerated. The contact had to shift into neutral, depress the brakes and shut off the engine in order to stop the vehicle. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 182,842 and the current mileage was 183,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge neon. While driving approximately 35 mph the vehicle began to decelerate. The contact exit the vehicle and noticed transmission fluid leaking underneath it. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who stated the radiator had to be replaced and the transmission would have to be flushed. The vehicle was repaired. The vin was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 dodge neon. The contact stated that while driving, the transmission shifted in and out of drive. In addition, there was a transmission fluid spill. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who performed a diagnostic that located the failure at the radiator. The radiator was cracked and caused the fluid to contaminate the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 134,526.
The neon was driving down the road when I lost acceleration and it spewed transmission fluid (and mixed with what I later found out was cooling fluid) all over the road. The car could no longer accelerate and is inoperable. The mechanic later determined that the radiator had failed and leaked coolant into the transmission causing it to overheat and fail. *Tr
Dodge Neon: every year compared
All Neon years2004 Dodge Neon vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Dodge Neon | 94 | 5 | B | |
| 2004 Dodge Ram | 1,157 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Dodge Durango | 1,115 | 9 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 | 582 | 9 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 | 214 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Dodge Dakota | 206 | 5 | C | Compare |
| 2004 Dodge Stratus | 144 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Dodge Intrepid | 129 | 2 | A | Compare |
| 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan | 116 | 3 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2004 Dodge Neon
Does the 2004 Dodge Neon have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2004 Dodge Neon: exterior lighting (April 2009); headlights (August 2008); suspension (April 2008); exterior lighting (May 2006) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Dodge Neon?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (26), transmission & drivetrain (23), electrical system (15).
How many complaints has the 2004 Dodge Neon had?
94 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on March 11, 2004 and the latest on December 10, 2018. Of these, 19 describe a crash and 3 a fire, and together they report 18 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2004 Dodge Neon a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 71 out of 100 (grade B: fewer problems than a typical Dodge Neon year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Dodge Neon years have the most complaints?
1996 (621), 1997 (396), 2000 (361). See every Dodge Neon year compared.
What should I do if my 2004 Dodge Neon has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data