2003 Dodge Neon Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Neon years
- Fewer complaints than other years 6th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 202 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Dodge Neon. That ranks 6th out of 11 Neon model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (72 complaints, 36%), typically at around 60,500 miles. Complaints mention 23 crashes, 20 fires, 25 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 202owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 23complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Dodge Neon problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 72 | 36% | 60,500 | “steering column” (26%) | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 48 | 24% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 28 | 14% | 45,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 20 | 10% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 18 | 9% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 17 | 8% | 40,295 | — | — |
| Structure | 11 | 5% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 4% | 24,336 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 8 | 4% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 4% | 15,619 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 3% | 45,200 | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 3% | 81,020 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 2% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 2% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 1% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 1% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 10,728 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | 5,160 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | 10,728 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 10,345 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Dodge Neon recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2003 Dodge Neon.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Headlight failure (EA06019) — opened Nov 22, 2006, closed Nov 7, 2007.
- Headlight failure (PE06028) — opened Jul 28, 2006, closed Nov 22, 2006.
- Safety belt cinching latch plate (PE02082) — opened Nov 6, 2002, closed Apr 23, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
This makes 3rd transmission that has been put in this 2003 dodge neon xst . I have put $10.000.00 in transmission replacements ! These are lemons!! I will never buy another dodge!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge neon. While driving 40 mph, the contact heard a loud grinding noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and noticed that the front subframe was fractured. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was…
We were hit from the side and tore up the whole front end. The air bags did not deploy
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 dodge neon. While driving approximately 45 mph, the contact crashed into a guardrail. Neither of the front air bags deployed. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an impound yard. The manufacturer was not notified…
Oil problem although i paid thousands for repairs.-but the engine light flashes when car is stopped at a traffic light or idling for even a short time. When car is in motion, a steady engine light is on all the time, except when it flashes. This has been happening for a couple of years. I need info…
Other Dodge Neon years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Neon | 96 | 0 |
| 2004 Neon | 94 | 0 |
| 2003 | 202 | 0 |
| 2002 Neon | 173 | 0 |
| 2001 Neon | 146 | 4 |
| 2000 Neon | 337 | 5 |
| 1999 Neon | 116 | 0 |
| 1998 Neon | 339 | 1 |
| 1997 Neon | 390 | 1 |
| 1996 Neon | 611 | 2 |
| 1995 Neon | 976 | 6 |
See all Dodge Neon problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Dodge Neon?
Owners most often report electrical system, exterior lighting, power train problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 72 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Dodge Neon?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2003 Dodge Neon a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Neon model years, the 2003 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.