2004 Dodge Neon Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year cluster around two themes: automatic-transmission trouble, often tied to the radiator's internal transmission cooler failing and mixing coolant with transmission fluid, and stalling or no-start episodes traced to batteries, sensors and wiring. Airbag non-deployment in crashes and brake problems also recur, while a smaller group describes unintended acceleration or cruise-control faults at higher mileage.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Radiator cooler leaks, coolant mixes with transmission fluid

   • 13 complaints (14%)
   • median 74,000 mi at 6.6 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • filed 2007–2017

   Owners describe losing acceleration or reverse, then finding transmission fluid on the ground or coolant and fluid mixed in the cooling system. Several say a shop or dealer traced it to a cracked radiator or a failed internal transmission cooler, after which the transmission had to be replaced or flushed along with the radiator and hoses. Some report the repair was declined under warranty because the cooling system, not the powertrain, was named as the source. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 135,000 miles, often appearing suddenly while driving.

   What to check: Check the coolant for a reddish or oily tint and the transmission fluid for a milky look, and ask whether the radiator or its cooler has ever been replaced. A separate aftermarket transmission cooler is a common preventive step owners mention.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10442685, filed 2012-01, 134,000 miles

   “The transmission cooler that is internal to the radiator in my 2004 Dodge NEON started to leak causing transmission fluid to enter my cooling system and get into my engine. This is the 8th time I heard of this occurring in this model, this is winding up being an extensive repair due to this failure of this component. Chrysler does not think there is a problem with this.”

   NHTSA complaint #10212177, filed 2007-12, 90,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shifts poorly, loses gears or leaks

   • 19 complaints (20%)
   • median 61,892 mi at 5.4 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2017

   Complaints describe difficulty engaging third gear, delayed or rough shifting, loss of reverse, fluid leaks and, in some cases, a transmission that stops working altogether. Owners report repeated dealer visits with the problem not duplicated, solenoid or pan replacements, and in one case a second transmission fitted. Some owners say warranty claims were refused as driver abuse. Spread from very low mileage (under 10,000) to over 130,000, with many reports in the 45,000-90,000 mile range.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive through all gears including reverse from cold, look for fluid under the car after it sits, and ask for transmission service records. A bulletin covers a shift-solenoid code, so ask whether related codes have been read.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This is on behalf of many owners of 2003-2005 Dodge NEON srt-4 vehicles. My vehicle as well as those of several hundred others commonly have problems shifting into 3rd gear. The problems continue to get worse until the transmission ceases to function entirely leaving the driver stranded. There are many owners who have experienced this with less than 10k miles on their car. I have 65k miles and I am on my 2nd transmission and now it is starting to act up as well. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10169710, filed 2006-10, 50,000 miles

   “I drove my 2004 Dodge NEON sxt to school last tuesday and parked it everything fine. I came out to leave started it and I had no reverse. It kicked in for a second and then again nothing. I put it in drive and the same thing nothing. When I got out and opened the hood I saw all the transmission fluid on the ground had it towed to dealership. I have a 70,000 mile powertrain warranty with 69,765 miles on it. The dealer said radiator failed causing trans fluid and coolant to mix through out. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10260827, filed 2009-03, 69,784 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Stalling, no-start and battery drain

   • 18 complaints (19%)
   • median 63,000 mi at 5.2 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2014

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out at speed or refusing to restart after being parked, sometimes needing a jump. Owners report repeated battery replacements, a starter replaced several times, wiring harness and sensor replacements, and dealers unable to reproduce the fault. A few mention a blown fuse cutting power to accessories. Mostly reported under about 35,000 miles for the battery and fuse cases, with stalling also showing up at higher mileage.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for battery and charging-system test records and whether the crank or camshaft sensors have been replaced. Check that the battery holds charge after sitting and that no warning lamps stay on.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “First time car shut down was on the freeway at the time had no clue what was going on had power to every accessory but engine was not running. Nearly missed being hit by a truck as I merge over to emergency lane. Took it to the dealer found that it was my fuel pump asd fuse kept blowing they voided my warranty stating an air intake was the problem. The intake purchased is c.a.r.b legal and does not have anything to do with my electrical problem. I have not replaced anything as of now. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10158673, filed 2006-05, 20,000 miles

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10488065, filed 2012-12, 80,000 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Airbags fail to deploy in a crash

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe front-end and side impacts where the airbags did not inflate despite substantial damage, with occupants striking the steering wheel or being held only by the seat belt. In one report the seat belt also failed to restrain the driver. Complaints note the dealer was notified but the concern was not resolved. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 10,000 to 97,000 miles, at the time of a collision.

   What to check: Ask whether the airbag warning lamp comes on with the ignition and goes out, and whether any prior crash damage or airbag work is documented. A pre-purchase inspection that scans for stored airbag codes is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10542201, filed 2013-09, 65,000 miles

   “I have a 2004 Dodge NEON sxt 4door. I was hit by a buick on the front right side and my car spun, my stomach went into the steering wheel. I was told that if I did not have my seatbelt on I would have gone through the wind shield. After I was hit I tried opening the driver side door and it could barley open. My air bags did not deploy at the impact I was hit. But I was hit very hard and my whole front end is pushed in. I am basically writing to you about my air bags.”

   NHTSA complaint #10276467, filed 2009-07, 61,000 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brakes seize, squeal or lose pressure

   • 7 complaints (7%)
   • median 35,000 mi at 2.3 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2004–2013

   Owners report constant squealing and grinding, rotors needing replacement at low mileage, a wheel locking up, and in one case the pedal going to the floor with a leaking rear drum cylinder. Dealers in some complaints described the brakes as merely dirty or recommended new rotors; other owners had brake hardware come apart. Appears from a few thousand miles up to about 80,000, with several reports in the 13,000-40,000 mile range.

   What to check: Have the brakes inspected for rotor condition, wheel-cylinder leaks and parking-brake adjustment, and check for a firm pedal that does not sink when held.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10510601, filed 2013-05, 78,000 miles

   “Upon purchasing my car, brand new in 2004, I have had several problems with it. After a short year of having my car my power windows went out, shortly after my front door speakers stopped working and my radio/cd player often doesn't work correctly...cd discs will get stuck in player and continually play until car is shut off and sometimes that doesn't even resolve problem. Front brakes started to squeak and groan constantly, I took the vehicle to the dealership 4 times to have them try to fix brakes. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10182021, filed 2007-02, 35,000 miles

Buying note. Given how often cooling-system and transmission failures are reported together, have the radiator, cooler and transmission fluid checked closely before buying, and budget for brake and electrical repairs. A maintenance history showing cooling-system and transmission work is more useful than mileage alone on this model year.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.