U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Dodge NEON problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

202 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

54,700 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 158 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 46 of 202 complaints (22.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	48	23.8%
Steering behavior	39	19.3%
Braking behavior	26	12.9%
Transmission and shifting	21	10.4%
Engine operation	13	6.4%
Fuel system concerns	3	1.5%

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.

Electrical System

Exterior Lighting

Air Bags:Frontal

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash

Electrical System:Wiring

Air Bags

Power Train:Manual Transmission

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System	46
Exterior Lighting	29
Air Bags:Frontal	12
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	11
Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash	10
Electrical System:Wiring	9
Air Bags	8
Power Train:Manual Transmission	8

Electrical System: 46; Exterior Lighting: 29; Air Bags:Frontal: 12; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 11; Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash: 10; Electrical System:Wiring: 9; Air Bags: 8; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 8

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: 37; 25,000 to 49,999: 29; 50,000 to 74,999: 37; 75,000 to 99,999: 30; 100,000 to 149,999: 18; 150,000 and above: 7

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (37). 44 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.

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2019

2003: 17; 2004: 30; 2005: 29; 2006: 26; 2007: 18; 2008: 19; 2009: 18; 2010: 14; 2011: 8; 2012: 3; 2013: 6; 2014: 3; 2015: 7; 2016: 1; 2017: 2; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 48 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 39 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 26 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 10090672 · 2004-09-09 (September 9, 2004)

NEON HAD TO HAVE THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWICE WITHIN THE TOTAL MILAGE OF 20,000 MILES. THE CAR WAS DELIVERED WITH A DEFECTIVE BATTERY TEMPERATURE SENSOR, AND 1 MONTH BEFORE THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE IT WAS IN THE SHOP AND THE MECHANIC FAILED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY TIEDOWN BAR. ON AUGUST 26, 2004 THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE WHILE THE IGNITION WAS OFF AND WAS DRIVEN FOR ONLY 5 MILES. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD A BAD PASSANGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE. MANY PASSANGERS COMPLAINED OF IT BEING DIFFICULT TO INSERT THE BELT INTO THE LOCKING MECHANISM.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090672 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10103382 · 2004-12-08 (December 8, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BY TURNING OFF THE TURN SIGNALS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10103382 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10021413 · 2003-06-11 (June 11, 2003)

3/22/3 5160 MI RADIATOR LOOSE, BRAKES PULSE, 4/7/3 5500 MI. FRONT ROTORS REPLACED. 4/24/3 6204 MI. POWER STEERING FAILED (TWICE), PS PUMP REPLACED. 6/6/3 7300 MI. SEAT BACK POKE INTO MY BACK FROM THE HEAD REST SUPPORT, ACTUALLY WEARING A SPOT IN THE SEAT BACK FABRIC. NEW SEAT BACK ORDERED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 5,160 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021413 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049452 · 2003-12-09 (December 9, 2003)

LOOSENESS AND RATTLE IN STEERING COLUMN. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049452 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10042195 · 2003-10-02 (October 2, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING PULSATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE TEN TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10042195 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10031290 · 2003-07-28 (July 28, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT 50MPH VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031290 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10041506 · 2003-10-09 (October 9, 2003)

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY DODGE NEON RT 2003 HAS WENT OUT TWICE, THEY HAVE TO REPLACE IT W/ NEW ONES... I KNOW A FEW MORE PEOPLE WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS BROKEN IN THESE CARS.. IT'S HAPPENING CONSTATNLY IN THE NEON RT .. MANUAL TRANSMISSION *LA

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041506 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056105 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATED AND CONSUMER COULDN'T GET AN ACCURATE READING OF THE VEHICLE'S SPEED. *PH THE MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE SPEEDOMETER NUMEROUS TIMES, ONCE BY REPLACING THE INTERNAL CLUSTER. THERE WAS A SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, THE NOISE WAS FIXED BY BLOCKING THE AIR INTAKE ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE FREEWAY, HOWEVER THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE HEAT SHIELD. THE CONSUMER STATED TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,065 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056105 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10079438 · 2004-06-17 (June 17, 2004)

INTERMITTENTLY AND AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE SWITCHED INTO LOWER GEAR AND STALLED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED OVER 20 TIMES SINCE MARCH OF THIS YEAR. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO A REPAIR SHOP OVER SEVEN TIMES, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED . CONSUMERS SUSTAINED MINOR LEG AND SHOULDER INJURIES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10079438 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10074255 · 2004-07-06 (July 6, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COLLIDED WITH A SIDE RAIL. NEITHER FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A AUTO BODY SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *NM ALSO, 2 MONTHS AFTER THE CONSUMER PURHCASED THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THERE IS ALSO AN INCIDENT THAT THE VEHICLE DOESN'T START. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 8,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074255 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10140311 · 2005-10-20 (October 20, 2005)

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN WAS NOT WORKING. THE HORN WAS REPLACED ON AUGUST 3, 2004 AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2004 . SHE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING WHEN CRANKED. SHE STATED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS IT WOULD START. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP , AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, AND THE FLASHED PCM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STARTING AGAIN; THIS BEGAN ON OCTOBER 19, 2005. THE VEHICLE WILL HAVE TO BE TOWED THIS TIME. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10140311 at NHTSA ↗