1996 Dodge Neon Problems
RepairPal has identified the most common problems with the 1996 Dodge Neon based on complaints from actual vehicle owners. We'll tell you what the problem is and what it'll take to fix it.
Spark plug tube seals fail, causing the tubes to fill with engine oil and the engine to misfire. As a result, the engine may run poorly and fuel economy can suffer.
The radiator cooling fan may fail to turn on resulting in an engine overheating condition, or The fan may not turn off once it is on. Chrysler has released a service bulletin to address this issue. The repair involves install a jumper wire harness and new cooling fan relay.
If there is a water leak into the passenger side of the interior, under the dash panel, it may be the HVAC housing drain is plugged or restricted.
An engine Oil leak may develop at the cam sensor o-ring seal. Our technicians tell us this is often misdiagnosed as an external head gasket leak.
If a Check Engine Light illuminates indicating leak detection pump (LDP) failure, the cause is often pinched or disconnected vacuum lines to the pump. Vacuum lines should be inspected before replacing the leak detection pump. Contamination (carbon or debris) in the pump can cause failure and any hoses should be cleared before a new pump is installed.
Cars without ABS suffer master cylinder failure. The brake pedal will be spongy in feel, the pedal travel will seem excessive, and overall braking performance will be poor.
When a no start condition is caused by a faulty camshaft or crankshaft sensor, related fault codes stored in the powertrain control module (PCM) should not be trusted. Our technicians tell us that under certain conditions a fault code can be stored for the "good" sensor. Care should be taken to properly diagnose this condition.
There have been reports of premature head gasket failure; an updated gasket design is available to correct this problem.
Some vehicles may develop a musty odor coming from the HVAC system, Dodge has issued a cleaner/disinfectant and a coating for the evaporator designed to inhibit bacterial growth.
If the vehicle overheats because the cooling fan is not turning on, or if the AC is not working, it may be due to a defective RFI fan filter module (located at the center, near the bottom of the fan assembly).
Erratic or intermittent windshield wiper operation can be caused by a poor ground connection at the grounding strap.