2002 Dodge Neon problems & reliability
173 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Dodge Neon. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
12 complaints report injuries (16 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2002 Dodge Neon vehicles were involved in 13 fatal crashes with 12 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 36 | 21% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 28 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 25 | 14% |
| Air Bags | 22 | 13% |
| Structure | 21 | 12% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 17 | 10% |
| Suspension | 15 | 9% |
| Exterior Lighting | 11 | 6% |
| Unknown OR Other | 8 | 5% |
| Steering | 6 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 48,900 miles (middle 50% between 26,318 and 75,750 miles), based on 110 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I was driving down the road and heard a whirring noise from under the hood and I lost the ability to go into drive and reverse come to find out it was a clogged trans filter so I replaced it and the car ran great for about 2 weeks and now I have torque converter out of range codes popping up the car has 88000 miles on…”
Power Train · filed Dec 31, 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge neon. When the contact opened the vehicle door, a mouse was seen running from the floor of the passenger side of the vehicle and under the seat. The contact stated that the rodent entered the vehicle through the air vents in the rear of the vehicle to chew on the wires inside the…”
Electrical System · filed Aug 2, 2017
“I bought this car with 49000 miles on it. I was driving everything seemed fine then I slowed down for a stop sign to between 3 and 7 mph and the whole thing just locked up. I tried every gear but nothing would unlock the tranny.. It's still locked up now I had to get it towed.. Luckily I was on a little two lane road…”
Power Train · filed Jul 22, 2017
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- HEADLIGHT FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA06019 · opened Nov 22, 2006 · closed Nov 7, 2007
- HEADLIGHT FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE06028 · opened Jul 28, 2006 · closed Nov 22, 2006
- SAFETY BELT CINCHING LATCH PLATE
Preliminary Evaluation PE02082 · opened Nov 6, 2002 · closed Apr 23, 2003
Technical service bulletins
51 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2002 Dodge Neon. The 10 most recent:
KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not…
9004275 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 22, 2020
KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not…
9004275 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 22, 2020
Disinfectant Solution Recommended for COVID-19
23-015-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2020
Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery…
08-049-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 22, 2020
Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
3100519 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
3100319 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
3100619 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.
31-005-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.
31-003-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.
31-006-19 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2019
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2002 Dodge Neon in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2002 Dodge Neon?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 48,900 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.