The 2002 Dodge Neon has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Water leak into trunk and rear floor.” Dodge uses Stellantis' Oil Change Indicator — it watches engine load and duty cycle and messages when to change oil, capped at 10,000 miles or 12 months. Know your engine: the 3.6L Pentastar V6 goes 100,000 miles on plugs, while HEMI V8s carry sixteen plugs (two per cylinder) on a roughly 30,000-mile interval — that's a real cost difference at the service counter. HEMI models with MDS cylinder deactivation are especially sensitive to overdue oil.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2002 Dodge Neon.
STRUCTURE
16 NHTSA complaints · 2004-11 → 2014-02
“MY 2002 DODGE NEON LEAKS THROUGH THE TRUNK AND RUNS INTO THE BACKSEAT FLOORBOARDS”
“ANY TIME IT RAINS, THE REAR FLOOR PAN AND REAR SEATS AS WELL AS THE TRUNK FILL WITH WATER AND BECOME UNUSABLE”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WOULD LEAK THROUGH BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS AND INTO THE SPARE TIRE WHEEL WELL, CAUSING MOLD TO FORM ON THE REAR INTERIOR SEATS”
STRUCTURE
5 NHTSA complaints · 2007-11 → 2015-09
“WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED AND PARTIALLY FRACTURED”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR AN UNRELATED REPAIR WHEN SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE CROSS MEMBER WAS RUSTED”
“THE CAR HAS LESS THEN 63K MILES ON IT AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS UNSAFE DO TO A RUSTED K FRAME”
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
8 NHTSA complaints · 2004-02 → 2008-11
“HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED WHEN CHANGING FROM HIGH BEAMS TO LOW BEAMS”
“WHILE TURNING ON LIGHTS THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON”
“THE FOG LIGHT MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH IN MY 2002 DODGE NEON WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND THE FOG LIGHTS WERE TURNING ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON”
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
10 NHTSA complaints · 2003-01 → 2011-11
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ALL OF THE GAUGES WERE PROVIDING ERRONEOUS READINGS”
“MY INTERIOR LIGHT AND MY GAUGES IN MY CAR ARE NOT WORKING. I CAN'T SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING OR HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE IN MY CAR BECAUSE THEY AREN'T MOVING”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDODOMETER MALFUNCTIONED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW FAST OR SLOW HE WAS TRAVELING”
SUSPENSION
5 NHTSA complaints · 2003-11 → 2010-02
“BOTH FRONT END CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED”
“HAVE 2002 DODGE NEON WITH JUST OVER 58,000 MILES ON IT. WHILE BEING INSPECTED FOUND THAT BOTH CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS WERE SHOT”
POWER TRAIN
28 NHTSA complaints · 2003-04 → 2018-12
“MY 2002 NEON DODGE NEON'S TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BEFORE 60,000 MILES”
“THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL”
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN, WITH NO WARNING, I FELT A JOLT (LIKE BEING HIT FROM BEHIND), THEN A STRANGE SOUND FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT”
AIR BAGS
20 NHTSA complaints · 2002-02 → 2016-05
“2002 DODGE, WAS IN A FRONT END COLLISION AND THE FRONT AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY”
“WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A A HEAD ON CRASH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
“THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
15 NHTSA complaints · 2002-03 → 2014-09
“WHILE MY WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF GARAGE THE BRAKES FAILED”
“WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILL DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR”
“THE BRAKES AND ROTORS FAILED AT 9000 MILES, THE DEALER REPLACED THEM, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Change when the indicator says so — never beyond 10,000 miles or 12 months. Pentastar 3.6L: 0W-20. HEMI 5.7L: 5W-20 (0W-40 for 6.4L SRT). MDS-equipped HEMIs punish stretched oil intervals with lifter and cam wear.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate every 8,000 miles. Charger/Challenger R/T and Scat Pack: staggered-width setups can't rotate front-to-rear — budget rear tires accordingly.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads and rotors at every oil change. Heavy Durangos used for towing and hard-driven Chargers both run through rear pads faster than the front-pad-first rule of thumb suggests.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
HEMI 5.7L: sixteen plugs roughly every 30,000 miles — check your year's manual. Pentastar 3.6L (Charger/Challenger V6, Durango V6, Journey, Grand Caravan): 100,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Grand Caravan/Journey (62TE): ATF+4 service every 60,000 miles in family duty. Charger/Challenger/Durango with the TorqueFlite 8-speed: no published normal interval, but specialists recommend service around 60,000-100,000 miles — sooner with towing.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
RWD Charger/Challenger and AWD Durango: replace rear diff fluid around 60,000 miles, sooner with towing or drag-strip duty. Limited-slip units need the friction-modifier additive.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$150–$195
Shop
~$105–$135
DIY
~$20–$50
Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.
Replace every 30,000 miles. HEMIs pull serious airflow — a clogged filter costs measurable power before it throws a code.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Inspect from 60,000 miles, replace on cracking or glazing. On the HEMI, a shredded belt can take the cooling drive with it mid-drive.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$195–$235
Shop
~$135–$165
DIY
~$20–$50
DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace every 20,000 miles where equipped (behind the glovebox on most models). Some earlier Journeys and Avengers shipped without one — check before buying a filter.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Stellantis OAT coolant is scheduled for 10 years / 150,000 miles; shops commonly refresh by 100,000. OAT-compatible coolant only — mixing chemistries gels the system.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Test annually after year 3. Big-audio Chargers and tow-package Durangos lean on the battery hard; weak batteries surface as gremlins in the electronics before they fail to crank.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$225–$390
Shop
~$160–$280
DIY
~$130–$250
Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
307 crashes 1990–2024
How the 307 occupant deaths break down
202
driver deaths
104
passenger deaths
1
not recorded by seat
307
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2001 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
29
complaints mentioning a crash
3
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2002 Dodge Neon reflects Dodge's published service intervals and the Oil Change Indicator System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.