Here is a couple issues I misposted at a different thread-any ideas?

My second Neon 03 4d Auto Cruise CD Tilt (still have it), has had two major problems: The engine cuts out badly when the car is idling in D or R and if the AC is on, it will stall if we don't keep a foot on the break and rev up the throttle (hard to do in traffic). Two dealers and a good friend who's an old time mechanic all said the only code is "Transmission Temperature sensor failure" and say drive it until the trans dies (which I think is b***sh*t).
Second, the car (during the hot season only) will kick up the engine light and then die. It acts differently than the previously mentioned problem, in that there is no cutting out. Whether driving or idling the thing just dies after the egine light comes on. The code when that happens is " Spark problem in cylinder x or y or z" It is always different spark plugs and I have replaced the plugs and wires and continue to get 36-38 mpg, so I seriously doubt there is a spark problem anywhere and this only happens when it's hot and only like every 2-3 weeks. It dies, I reset the codes and then it's over for a while.
Are these common to the 2nd gen? Do I just have to live with it as 2 dealers and a mechanic friend of mine told me?

 

I am going to bed now. I really hope that someone has some kind of experience with this, because the local Dodge dealer and Ford dealer siad that a trans rebuild is all that will fix the trans issue-thus the "drive it til it dies" comment. If anyone knows anything, please help.

 

i've never heard of this happening before.... do you do regular maintenance on it? check your battery might help a little i've never even heard of this ahppening

 

cant help on all the other stuff.... but I did read in here...
"36 to 38 mpg"..?

WTF?...is that ballpark?...I have the most basic model...even before my mods, completely stock, on a 04 I think I got 31 or 32. at best...

...and yer getting that mileage WITH AC, ato, and an engine problem?

 

Sounds like and IAC issue. Like it is not responding correctly, binding or what not.

If you have access to a scanner with data you might be able to tell if the IAC is in the right spot. If they could reproduce the problem they should be able to tell you what is wrong. Some thing is cutting out somewhere. Be it a ref. voltage, sensor output, or IAC not responding correctly.

 

i wouldn't wait till ur trans dies to fix that problem... just a sidenote... your main problem i have no clue about but i am betting it could be something thats attached to the accessory belt... something seems to be putting too much drag on the motor thus causing it to stall...... so check out all of that....

 

Thanks to everyone for the replies. One of my co-workers with the exact same model as mine-2003 Neon SE Auto/Air/CD/Rear Defrost gets about 35 mpg. The only difference is hers has over 80k miles. Both of ours is doing the EXACT same thing. I don't think it is a coincidence. Also, Pablo, that is EXACT mileage. Tank full to tank full. I have 15 miles of rural open highway driving and 5 miles of city driving each way to work. I have the exact mileage to work and back, so I know theodo is accurate and the fuel consumption is accurate. That is crazy low mileage for a NEON. You must leadfoot alot. I drive like a grandma. The slower you accelerate, the lower the fuel consumption. In city drivingred light racingdecimates your economy. My 1997 NEON AC/5 spd/Rear defrost got 38-40 in mixed driving and 40-42 open highway. Both the 2003 and 1997 lost about 4 mpg when running with the ac on.

 

I had a VAGUELY similar problem with my 02. I had a bad PSS and it was tricking the computer into thinking that the wheels were turned to the maximum threshold and this caused the motor to idle high to account for the supposed 'drag' caused by the power steering pump that was 'supposedly' working at full capacity. The CEL would come one and my motor always idled high on startup and when i applied braking to stop at redlights... I replaced this and my problem was solved.

You mentioned that the temp sensor in your trans was faulty or something. It might be a problem with your transmission being that it is placing too much drag on your motor, either by its burnt up or your T/C or transfer case is bad. High temp means your trans fluid is either gone or bad. Get it flushed?

Check all your belts, pulleys, pumps, timing belt, get the trans flushed, maybe even flash your pcm. Could be that its programming is corrupted causing your SFI system to miss supplying fuel to some of your cylinders.

 

I have an 03 SE Auto/air/cd and I get 28-31 driving 75 miles a day rural/highway. But that is at 75-80 most days. If I could get 35-38 I'd slow down, haven't seen that to be true with my car though.

 

I can get about 40MPG if I am just cruising on the highway at a steady pace. Last week, I went 95 miles on less than a 1/4 tank, not that it means much.