Upgrades for 2004 Dodge Neon to Improve Comfort and Reliability

Maintenance/Repairs
1

So my 2002 Daewoo Lanos reached the end of its life (engine failed) about a month and a half ago.

Once I diagnosed the problem and made the decision that the car is going to be junked, rather than repaired, I started looking for another used car with the features that I want.

I ended up buying a 2004 Dodge Neon, which is the base model with hand-crank windows, non-adjustable seats, etc.

Obviously, I am going to change the oil, coolant, and transmission fluid, replace the timing belt kit, replace the spark plugs, and replace all four struts. I will also check the brakes and replace if needed.

I notice that the driver’s seat is very uncomfortable. The ES model has better seats, with adjustable lumbar support. The SXT model has even fancier seats, made by Recaro. Can the better front seats easily fit in the base model? Also, I would very much prefer the deluxe gauge cluster with tachometer. Is the odometer mileage stored in the cluster, or in the computer? Another question. When I bought the car, it only came with one key. I had extras made, but apparently this model has a chip, so it starts and runs for a few seconds and then stalls out with no chip. Is it possible to eliminate this feature, such as by having the PCM reprogrammed?

2

You sound like you need a Neon forum.

3

Upgrade a 2004 Neon ? Sell it and buy a better vehicle.

4

Seats and stt4 cluster are doable, neon forums would give chapter and verse. A locksmith or shop with the specific scan tool called Drb3 can program new keys. How to program new key. | Dodge SRT Forum

5

Your junk car is headed to the scrapper

And you bought another one that SHOULD be headed there

We’ve told you many times these older cheap cars which were low-quality when new are definitely a bad idea to buy when they’re old

We WARNED you :warning:

6

I’d replace the cam and crank sensors while you are doing the timing belt and water pump, very well known failures… upper and lower torque strut mounts and the main engine mount, very common failures… Check your lower control arm pancake bushings, common failures…

7

I’d just replace the whole car with something newer and better

8

I drove a 64 Valiant as a work car from1983 to 1995. A basic old car can be cheap transportation if you do all your own work. I thought the Neon was fun to drive and comfortable foo its size’. If the Neon’s Tipm is anything like the PT Cruiser you should learn how to re-solder them.

9

What’s a tipm?

10

'60s Valiants were much more reliable than the Neon. My '72 Duster sure lasted.

11

I think it’s Total Intergated Powertrain Module. It’s kind of Dodge’s version of the “brain box” for their vehicles, or at least was.

They seem to have a reputation for failures, or at least random problems. One with 20+ years on it already is on borrowed time.

12

Have you never heard of Google?

The 2004 Neon is not listed as having a TIPM which of course needs to be verified. The TIPM was a 2006/2007 starting point.

I still think it was a poor purchase and not worth all the money it will take to put it on the road.

13

A Neon is simple to work on but not the most robust design. Generally you can probably swap nearly every non power option from nicer Neons. Seats for sure. Instrument cluster would depend on whether the sensors are there to feed the cluster. You can add an aftermarket tach easily enough.

As Dave suggested, a lot of the rubber parts should be checked and possibly replaced.

Making one ride better might be a lost cause… they were not exactly luxurious back in the day!

14

Wow, there’s a lot of pessimism here toward cars like this. If I wanted to buy something “nicer and newer” don’t you think I would have already done so?

Anyways, I have done some research online, and the gauge cluster is interchangeable, although the odometer mileage will reflect the donor vehicle. This likely doesn’t matter, for a used car with 191,000 miles on it, The front seats can also be replaced from a junkyard. The Sentry Key feature is standard on this model, however a remanufactured PCM ships with this feature disabled (must disconnect the SKIM before installing the new PCM) and that costs $250 plus tax from a reputable vendor, I called around for getting chip keys made and programmed, and the cost ranges from $65 to $150. I will have to decide if it’s better to pay that, or just replace the PCM and eliminate this feature.

15

I like to ask fellow human beings once in while, vs a machine.

16

Don’t take it personally. Some of the pessimism comes from those of us who remember these cars being our bread and butter 20 years ago. These cars were never reliable. Restoring one to like new condition will still likely result in poor long-term reliability compared to a Corolla of the same vintage. I would prefer the Spirit/Acclaim cars with the 2.5 over the Neons. If you did get the base version I think you have the SOHC instead of the DOHC, which if I recall is easier to work on.

As for the ride, new complete struts will help but I always found the ride to be harsh compared to the Spirit/Acclaim models. If you can plus-up from the stock tire size that may help. Like davesmopar said, engine mounts are a weak point on these, oil leaks at the rear were often misdiagnosed as valve cover gasket or rear main when it’s the cam sensor o-ring leaking. Rear drum brakes were often a source of noise complaints. @davesmopar did these cars have the troublesome cooling fan relay and harness or is that another model I’m thinking of?

Anyway, good luck. Keep us posted on how things progress.

17

These cars were also notorious for the transmission fluid coolers in the radiators cracking, allowing coolant to enter the transmission destroying it.

Tester

18

The Neon, when it first came out, seemed like it might be a great small car to me. Fun to drive, good styling , economical. Its poor reliability really let it down.

19

Haha, I think that was most of the Chryslers running those solid state relays on the frame rails…

The 1st gen (95-99) had the SOHC and DOHC depending on trim level, and the 2nd gen (2000-^^) only had the DOHC IIRC… And I think I still have a NOS cam sensor O-ring in my tool box from way back then… I think we were buying 10 at a time back then… lol

And yes, I remember the radiators cracking as Tester reminded us… Fun times…

I had bought the wifey a 2000 5 speed manual (standard to some) that we had for a bit until the family grew… (IIRC it had power front windows and manual rear windows)… Fun little car to drive, drove that thing from the Nashville area to Fredericksburg VA with 8 & 12 year old boys and a VERY pregnant wife for her dads funeral… That was a lonnnnnngggg drive stopping for her to go to the bathroom very often, stopped in Bristol overnight both ways…
Traded it for the 1999 Grand Caravan shortly after the baby was born… :rofl:

20

Well, this car already runs and drives, as it was a 160 mile trip (each way) from where I bought it to my home. I drove it several times to get the monitors to set, so I could take it through emissions testing (necessary to be able to put the title and registration in my name), and it went through emissions testing ok. To be sure, this car has a lot of “poor person on a budget” repairs done to it, and is missing some parts such as both front wheel well liners, but I will definitely get those parts replaced.