2003 Dodge Neon: jerking or lurching

5 of the 202 complaints about the 2003 Dodge Neon describe jerking or lurching.

owner complaints: 5
of this car's complaints: 2%
typical mileage: 46,000
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 9 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Jerking or lurching by model year

2004
5
2003
5
2002
7
2000
6
1999
2
1998
3
1997
1
1996
3
1995
2
1994
1

What owners say

Filed Jun 11, 2010 · Airbags · 104,000 miles · VA · crash · 1 injury

I rearended an SUV during a rainstorm. The entire front of my car, and side panels were totaled. My airbags did not deploy. My car was a 2003 dodge neon. The force of the impact and damage to the exterior front of my car actually left minor interior damage under the steering wheel-panel pieces became detached. I received multiple bruises, minor cuts, and major headache for days afterwards due to the force of hitting the steering wheel then my seatbelt jerking me into my seat.

Filed May 10, 2009 · Acceleration · 62,000 miles · MN

While I was accelerating to get on the highway, my car suddenly lurched violently forward causing me and my passengers to sustain neck trauma, not significant enough though to require medical assistance. This has happened about 150 times since I have owned the car, which has been almost 3 years. This last time was concerning enough for me to file this report. Most times it is really not that significant of a jerk or lurch, but definitely noticeable and annoying/concerning. It happens when I am usually stopped and start to proceed, and the speedometer will show a drop in speed, hesitate, and jerk the car forward. I have had this problem since I bought my car and have had it in for service twice. Once they replaced the gas cap, and once they replaced the output speed sensor. I have since been online looking for other people having the same problem as me, and believe me, there are many, and find that it is the oxygen sensor that causes this problem. If I am having problems with my car jerking forward, enough to cause my neck to almost sustain whiplash, I feel this is a defect in the car, and should be looked into by your agency.

Filed Oct 23, 2004 · Electrical · 32,000 miles · CA

Car was 5 months old when it started to jerk & basically turn off intermittantly while I was driving at different speeds, the radio would turn off completely & the seatbelt lights on the dash would light up, the car would turn back on and then revv as though being down-shifted and then go back to normal. The problem proceeded to get worse to the point where the car stalled in traffic & I was broke down in the center divider. Dodge dealership has failed to find a solution after three visits & now my car is hooked up to a co-pilot. This problem remains unfixed & even more dangerous to drive. Has stalled three times on the freeway!

Filed Oct 6, 2004 · Transmission · 46,000 miles · TX

Vehicle performed poorly. The gears slipped, vehicle hesitated and jerked. Transmission was serviced four times, and the performance was the same.

Filed Sep 8, 2004 · Electrical · 11,925 miles · TN

Consumer stated that while she was on her way to the doctor's office she experienced some funny things with vehicle. It seemed as though one of the wheels locked, and the vehicle jerked. Also, it smelled like burning rubber. Consumer stated that later it unlocked by itself and powered itself up, and then took off. Nothing else happened again. She was at doctor's office where she parked for 2 hours. Afterward she got back into vehicle to return home, and the vehicle did the same identical thing after about 20 miles. All of this happened after putting coolant in the vehicle. Consumer insisted that she needed help because she could have been killed. *ak vehicle stalled while driving.