U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Dodge NEON problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

173 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

48,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 113 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 23 of 173 complaints (13.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	27	15.6%
Braking behavior	27	15.6%
Electrical and battery issues	19	11.0%
Steering behavior	17	9.8%
Engine operation	12	6.9%
Fuel system concerns	2	1.2%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Electrical System

Air Bags:Frontal

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Air Bags

Structure

Unknown Or Other

Power Train

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 23; Electrical System: 14; Air Bags:Frontal: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 12; Air Bags: 9; Structure: 9; Unknown Or Other: 8; Power Train: 7

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 30; 25,000 to 49,999: 30; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 13; 150,000 and above: 5

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (30). 60 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2002: 20; 2003: 26; 2004: 31; 2005: 13; 2006: 21; 2007: 11; 2008: 12; 2009: 6; 2010: 2; 2011: 9; 2012: 4; 2013: 1; 2014: 8; 2015: 4; 2016: 1; 2017: 3; 2018: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 27 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 27 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 19 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10015808 · 2003-04-14 (April 14, 2003)

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10015808 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10037442 · 2003-09-08 (September 8, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING A 2002 NEON, EITHER THE TRANSMISSION/BRAKES LOCKED UP ON THE CAR, STOPPING ABRUBTLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING ON INTERSTATE 400 IN ATLANTA, GA. DUE TO THE MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE AUTO, MY DAUGHTER'S AUTO WAS THEN REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER CAR. BOTH AUTOS WERE TOTALLLED, NEITHER DRIVER WAS CHARGED WITH THE ACCIDENT, BUT SHE WAS WRITTEN UP "MECHANICAL FAILURE" ON THE ACCIDENT REPORT. I BELIEVE THAT THE NEON AUTO ITSELF WAS AT FAULT/DEFECTIVE. I HAVE ANOTHER 2002 NEON WHICH JUST HAD TO BE REPAIRED AUGUST 1-8TH, 2003 FOR THE "TRANSMISSIO…

Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10037442 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005659 · 2003-02-11 (February 11, 2003)

THIS CAR HAS USED MORE THAN 10 QUARTS OF OIL SINCE NEW (NOT COUNTING CHANGES). IT HAS JUST OVER 20K MILES NOW AND STILL USES OIL. IT DOES NOT SMOKE OR LEAK. THE FUEL MILEAGE IS NOWHERE NEAR THE ADVERTISED MILEAGE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED REGARDING NO BRAKE LIGHTS JUST AFTER PURCHASE. AFTER TWO TRIPS TO THE DEALER (AND THE SERVICE WRITER TELLING US THAT WE REMOVED THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER ADAPTER WRONG), THEY DISCOVERED THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE BACKUP LIGHTS WAS CRUSHED BY THE SHIFTER IN REVERSE AND SHORTED THE LIGHTS. AFTER COMPLAINING ABOUT PO…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005659 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10015080 · 2003-04-02 (April 2, 2003)

THE BRAKES AND ROTORS FAILED AT 9000 MILES, THE DEALER REPLACED THEM, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015080 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10001001 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)

I TURNED THE KEY THAT MORNING TO GO TO WORK, THE CAR WAS TOTALLY DEAD. I CALLED CHRYLER ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, SENT A TOW TRUCK, GAVE ME A JUMP, I LET THE CAR RUN FOR 45 MINUTES BEFORE GOING TO WORK, I STARTED DRIVING, DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE BLINKING LIKE CRAZY, THE GAS GUAGE KEPT MOVING UP & DOWN, AND THE SEATBELT LIGHT STARTED BLINKING. DROVE TO CARMAX/LOS ANGELES AND THEY WERE CLOSED. I DROVE HOME, WOULDN'T RESTART, CALLED THE TOW TRUCK AGAIN, CAR TOWED TO DODGE DEALER (ON MANCHESTER & ISIS/INGLEWOOD). I WAS TOLD THAT THE BATTERY CELL HAD DIS…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001001 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007820 · 2003-02-19 (February 19, 2003)

I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN TWICE FOR A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN THEY SAID IT WAS DUE TO TIRE WEAR AND THEY REPLACED THE TIRE FREE OF COST. I TOOK THE CAR IN ABOUT FIVE MONTHS LATER BECAUSE IT WAS STILL DOING THE SAME THING THIS TIME THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL TIRE WEAR AND THEY NOTHING ABOUT IT.

Owner-reported narrative. 33,326 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007820 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056874 · 2004-02-09 (February 9, 2004)

A PROBLEM WITH A WIRING HARNESS ON MY 2002 DODGE NEON HAS CAUSED THE HEAD LIGHTS TO SUDDENLY FAIL ON MY VEHICLE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT. ACCORDING TO MY AUTO REPAIR MAN, THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTED TO THE SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN THAT OPERATES THE LIGHTS SUDDENLY BURNED OUT. THIS CAUSED THE HEAD LIGHTS TO FAIL REPEADTEDLY. DAIMLERCHRYSLER, MAKERS OF THE VEHICLE, TOLD MY AUTO MECHANIC THAT THEY HAVE NO REPAIR MANUAL FOR THIS HARNESS, AND THAT THE HARNESS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1,000 TO $1,500 TO ME.

Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056874 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016392 · 2003-04-23 (April 23, 2003)

VIBRATION IN FRONT SUSPENSION AND DEALER IS UNABLE TO LOCATE SOURCE AND CONTINUES TO STALL IN REPLACING THIS VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MORE THAN IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 7,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016392 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10648296 · 2014-10-17 (October 17, 2014)

DRIVING ON RT224 AND CAR STARTED SQUEALING, LOST POWER IN GAS PEDAL, GOT OFF BUSY ROAD, TURNED ON SIDE ST. AND HAD NO GAS POWER, HAD TO CALL MY HUSBAND TO PICK ME AND MY UNCLE UP, HE LOST PAID WORK , MECHANIC CAME TO PARKING LOT, HE SAID TRANSMISSION BLEW, HAD IT TOWED TO SHOP. COST ME 2,323. ALSO RIP IN LEFT FRONT AXEL MECHANIC SAYS THESE NEONS ARE KNOWN FOR THIS TROUBLE AND TO FILE WITH YOU. I NEED TO GET REFUNDED IN FULL, THESE CARS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD. I DO NOT WORK AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO SCRAP UP THE MONEY TO PAY THIS AND OUR LIVE…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,503 miles reported. Look up ODI 10648296 at NHTSA ↗