There are 11 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2000 Plymouth Neon in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I STARTED MY CAR GETTING READY TO LEAVE MY HOUSE AT NIGHT, TURNED ON THE HEADLIGHTS AFTER STARTING. THEN I SMELLED A PLASTIC BURNING SMELL AND SHORTLY SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE AREA AROUND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND STEERING WHEEL. I TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS AND THE CAR BUT SMOKE STILL CAME OUT. I POPPED THE HOOD AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, THEN THE SMOKE EVENTUALLY STOPPED. LATER I FOUND THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH CONNECTOR MELTED AND BURNED UP, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS FIRE IF I HAD NOT CAUGHT IT IN TIME.
START TO SMELL ELECTRICAL BURNING. THEN SAW SMOKE COME FROM STEERING COLUMN. STEERING COLUMN HOT TOP LEFT. REMOVED COVERS. WIRING HARNESS HOT. APPEARS TO BE THE HARNESS FOR THE HEAD LIGHTS. TURN OFF HEAD LIGHTS AND COLUMN COOLED DOWN. *TR
2000 PLYMOUTH NEON VIN: [XXX], MULTI-FUNCTION PLUG, AND WIRING HARNESS UNDER STEERING WHEEL COLUMN MELTED AND CAUGHT FIRE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A WIRING HARNESS. PROBLEM. HARNESS OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE WIRE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE ELECTRICAL OUTPUT/LIGHTS, AND DASHBOARD RESOLUTION. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS WAITING FOR FINAL REPAIRS.*AK *TC
THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THE HORN WAS INOPERATIVE. *JB
THE KEYS COULD BE TAKEN OUT THE IGNITION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING. *NLM
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER BROKE CAUSING THE KEY TO GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION. TS
TAIL LIGHTS DID NOT WORK BECAUSE THERE WAS A COMPONENT IN STEERING COLUMN THAT HAS BURNED OUT. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE YET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
CONSUMER HORN STOPPED OPERATING. CONSUMER STATES CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. CONSUMER FEELS UNSAFE DRIVING AND NOT BEING ABLE TO WORN OTHER DRIVERS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
HORN IS LOCATED ABOVE THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WELL. THE HORN FAILS WHEN IT GETS WET. LIVING AND WORKING IN THE LOW COUNTRY, IT IS HARD NOT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED AREAS SINCE IT FLOODS EVERYTIME IT RAINS. WHEN I GO THROUGH A FLOODED AREA (FLOODED BEING NOT MORE THAN 1 FOOT) WATER GETS INTO THE HORN AND IT STOPS WORKING. I CANNOT ALWAYS AVOID THESE AREAS, ESPECIALLY IF THE ENTIRE ROAD IS UNDER WATER. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE THE HORN AFTER EVERY STORM WE GET. THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, SO I HAVENT HAD TO PAY ANYTHING YET. I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD MOVE THE HORN TO A SAFER, DRYER AREA IN THE CAR. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE IS IN PARK IGNITION BLOCK LOCKS UP, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Sep 8, 2026