My neon usually runs good but the day before yesterday I started it up and started driving when suddenly it started roaring/grinding when I accelerated. I stopped at a red light and it started to do it again. I put the car in neutral and it stopped. It has never done this before. I think since the weather was about 20 degrees cooler has something to do with it. I have replaced my motor mounts about a year ago so I think that’s out of the question. I am completely lost. Can anyone give me some advice on what they think it may be? Thank you!

 

Welcome to the 2nd Gen Neon forum.

I see you haven't harvested any replies yet, so will see if I can get things started. Since things began to quiet down after shifting into "N", assuming this is a auto transmission, raise the hood & with the vehicle on level ground & the engine & transmission fluid at warm idle, say after having been driven 10 miles out & back to warm it up & after having shifted into All gears, including "R", ending in "Park" or "N", check the transmission fluid Level on the dipstick & fluid Condition, by putting a drop on a white business card & tell us if it makes a pattern, like a bulls eye, or is just red & evenly spreads out.
How many miles on the fluid that's in there now & any signs its been leaking transmission fluid, like drips under the car drivers side in from the front wheel, or wet, damp, oily, or drips around the tranny pan???? Tranny fluid is Red in color, unless its been used a looooong time, then it might be brown, or black & maybe smell strong, sorta like burned rubber, if its really degraded. Some beginning thoughts for consideration, let us know what you find.

 

When I bought the car two years ago I had to put transmission fluid in it because it was bone dry. It wouldn’t even shift. I never had any problems ever since. I don’t drive it much just from point a to point b. I did notice today since it was warmer than the other day that it only slightly had the noise. I haven’t looked under the car yet to check if there has been any leaking of the sort but I will check that tonight.

 

Ok thats good feedback, seeing as how the tranny was dry when you bought it & a transmission is a Sealed unit & doesn't use fluid like an engine can use oil, the tranny had a leak some where when you bought it, so if all you did was fill it up & not find & fix the leak, it's likely down on fluid again, so Don't drive it like this until you check & top off the fluid with the Proper kind, certified ATF+4 from any one of these licensed suppliers https://www.centerforqa.com/chrysler-brands/c & proper amount, as indicated on the dip stick. Don't over, or under fill, read the Owner Manual on how to properly fill & read the tranny dip stick, it's important, take your time, so you get it right.
Driving it low on fluid will ruin the clutch packs & other goodies in the transmission & replacing one is Big Bucks. so when you find the leak, let us know what you find & how topping it back up goes.

 

Ok I will give that a try. Thank you!

 

I checked the transmission fluid last night and it was a little low. I added a quart and it’s to the right level now. I also checked for any leaking and did not see anything. I just now started it up and took it for a ride. It still is making that noise. I’m going to pull the tires off the front tonight to see if anything is possibly going on in that area. I can feel something in my gas pedal when I drive it so I’m going to try to rule that out.

 

I jacked it up and took the tire off of the driver side. My control arm bushings are trashed. I’m going to replaced both sides and see if that solves the problem. I think this may be the problem considering my engine does vibrate more when it’s cold as well as when I accelerate. We will see.

 

OOOOH thats a good find. The way they are right now won't likely make things better, I agree it / they need replacement. The rubber looks like my upper & lower engine torque strut mounts rubber isolators did about this time of year before last. They were causing really rough up shifts that felt just like a tranny upshift problem but wasn't. Replaced both passenger side upper & lower mounts & back to shifting nice & smooth.
Will be interesting to hear how it does after the repair, so be sure to keep us posted.

Back to having to add 1 qt of tranny fluid, thats not a "little low", either you didn't refill it correctly last year, or it has a leak you haven't found yet, because transmissions don't use fluid. It's supposed to be a sealed system, so it being a qt low with no signs of a leak is still bothering me.

 

I probably did not fill it right. I still will be checking out the level as well as checking for any leaks just in case I missed something. I ordered the control arms today so I should have them mid next week. As soon as I get those on I will post if the noise has went away. Thanks again.

 

Good idea to double check for tranny fluid leaks & to keep a check on the tranny fill level. .Let us know how it goes after the control arm rework.