2003 Dodge Neon: engine overheating

Filed Jan 24, 2015 · Electrical · 114,000 miles · PA

Odor of burning plastic, caused by overheated wiring (pin 16) on turn signal and light control. Light would only function on low beam ; while high beam indicator was lit . Fog lamps have been lit ,when switch is headlamp on position, for three years. They could not be turned off unless you used left turn signal. When headlamp malfunctioned I bought replacement switch. During installation, found wiring harness terminal was difficult to remove, as it was malformed and brittle due to excess heat. I took pictures to document wire position; there is no pin 15 or 10 : also no wire to terminal positions 15,10, and 12. There is a pin 12 on the switch.

Filed Nov 4, 2014 · Electrical, Lights · 200,000 miles · UT

Started to see smoke and then the headlights stopped working properly. After disassembling the wiring connector from the headlight switch, I discovered the connector had overheated to the point it was charred and crumbling to pieces. This is not a misuse by operator, but a safety failure of the electrical system. This could have resulted in a fire as the fuse protecting this circuit did not fail when the circuit obviously overheated and melted and charred the plastic connector.

Filed Jun 24, 2014 · Electrical · 163,000 miles · KY

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge neon. The contact stated that smoke started to emit from the engine comparment while the battery was being charged and the vehicle overheated. The contact turned the vehicle off and after restarting the vehicle the temperature, speedometer, fuel and RPM warning lights illuminated. The vehicle failed to start. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The failure and current mileage was 163,000.

Filed Mar 19, 2014 · Electrical, Lights · 120,000 miles · VT

Smelled hot wiring and headlights stopped working properly. After disassembling the wiring connector from the headlight switch, I discovered the connector had overheated to the point it was charred and crumbling to pieces. This is not a misuse by operator, but a safety failure uf the electrical system. This could have resulted in a fire as the fuse protecting this circuit did not fail when the circuit obviously overheated and melted and charred the plastic connector. I have pictures of the part if you would like them.

Filed Feb 3, 2009 · Electrical · 60,000 miles · WA · fire

At 60,000 miles my 2003 dodge neon r/t started smoking from the steering column. At the time I thought it was dust caught by the sunlight and since nothing appeared to be wrong with my car, I forgot about it - one week later- I started by car and my headlights wouldn't work, concerned and remembering the "dust in the sunlight the week before, I called the dodge dealership in the area and dropped off my car a little while later. Turns out the wiring harness on the steering column had overheated and melted together ( there was also a problem with the gas tank pressure but I could never get them to tell exactly what the problem was) luckily the harness was not completely destroyed so the wires could just be replaced. I asked them what caused the problem and if they were just replacing wires, well, wouldn't it happen again? Once again all I got were vague non commitale answers, a 1,200 dollar bill, plus, I was refused a courtesy vehicle - yeah I had to foot the bill fr driving a rental car for a week. I research this problem and found that the 1996 neon had been recalled for this same problem but the cause of the problem was never fixed, also, the pt cruiser has the same defect. The dealership told me that it was not possible and basically what went wrong was my fault, some how. Again very vague and non-committal. I found out that unless a problem is a safety issue, meaning I guess that a few people have to die, a recall will not be issued.

Filed Oct 18, 2008 · Lights · 78,000 miles · IA

2003 dodge neon, low beams quit working a few weeks later the fog lights became intermittent, then eventually quit working too. Upon examination it was discovered that the connector that attaches to the multifunction switch is melting from being overheated during headlamp/foglamp use. Dodge is aware of the problem but does not have a recall on it. A repair kit is available, the description for which clearly indicates that dodge is aware of the problem. Research also reveals that the same repair kit is indicated for several other chrysler products exhibiting similar design deficiencies.

Filed Jun 2, 2005 · Electrical · 23,200 miles · TN

While driving 60 MPH on I-35 in san antonio, texas in january, 2004, my 2003 neon r/t (with approximately 10,865 miles) experienced a complete loss of power. Luckily the momentum was great enough to allow me to pull off to the side of the highway. I checked the vehicle (cable connections and fuses) and could find nothing wrong. After 10 minutes the car started and ran fine. I took it to gunn dodge in san antonio in february, and they said a cell in the battery checked bad and that was what caused the total loss of power. They replaced the battery. While driving from san antonio, texas to knoxville, tennessee on april 18, 2005, the car again experienced a total loss of power while I was driving at approximately 60 MPH, outside of dallas, texas. I was again able to pull off to the side of the highway, and I detected a slight scent of electrical components overheating.. Again all cables and fuses appeared to be ok, but car would not start. As I was talking with chrysler roadside assistance on my cell phone, my wife checked the positive battery cable connection, I attempted to start the car, and it started (approximately 20 minutes after the total loss of power). I was able to complete the trip to knoxville, tennessee without incident. I took my car to rice chrysler-dodge in knoxville on april 19, 2005 (car had 24001 miles). After several hours, the service advisor informed me all cables, wires and fuses checked out fine, as did all ground connections. He also told me they had called chrysler to speak with an engineer about the problem, and the engineer could think of no reason why my car had experienced a total loss of power while driving at highway speeds, nor had he any knowledge of this happening to anyone else.