Dodge Stratus Complaints

2,721 consumer complaints on file.

#10132661August 12, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
MY 2002 DODGE STRATUS COUPE HAS FAULTY STARTS. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES, I HAVE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERS TWICE BEFORE. THERE WAS ONE OCCASION WHEN IT DIDN'T START, THEN HOURS LATER ALL OF A SUDDEN IT DID. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERS, THEY SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH A LARGE EVAPORATION LEAK. THE SECOND TIME, THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM , KEPT THE CAR FOR 4 DAYS, THEN TOLD ME THE CAR STARTED ON ITS OWN. THIS LAST TIME THE CAR DIED WHEN I WAS REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. I TRIED TO RESTART IT MANY TIMES WITH NO LUCK, I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN, WHICH AT FIRST THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM, NOW THEY ARE TELLING ME ITS A PROBLEM WITH THE PSM CONNECTION TO THE FUEL PUMP. BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED WHILE THEY TRIED TO FIX IT WHICH CAUSED A SHORTAGE , THEN THEY REALIZED IT WAS "DEFECTIVE WIRING". THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP ARE NOW TAKING MY CAR APART AND TRYING TO REPLACE ALL THE FAULTY WIRING. BUT THERE IS ANOTHER ISSUE, I HAVE SERVICE RECEIPTS SHOWING "WON'T START, DRIVABILITY CONCERN" DATING BACK FROM 6/13/02 , 14 MONTHS PRIOR TO MY PURCHASING THE NEW VEHICLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10132187August 10, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FIRE UNDER HOOD IN 2000 DODGE STRATUS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10132199August 10, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ABOUT 3 OR 4 MONTHS AGO. SHE FORGFOT ABOUT IT AND FOUND IT ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. SHE MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIRS DONE. TTHEY WERE NOT REPAIRING THE VEHICLE IN A TIMELY MANNER. SHE TALKED TO DEALER ON 7-5-05 AND THEY STILL HAD NOT FIXED IT. SHE HAS NOT TALKED TO THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10132257August 10, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE STRATUS WHICH CAUGHT ON FIRE ON JULY 23, 2005. SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON AUGUST 10, 2005 ON THE FLOOR SHIFT. SHE SAID THAT THE FIRE WAS FIRST NOTICED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE MARSHAL WAS UNSURE OF WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED. HER UNCLE, A FIRE FIGHTER, FOUGHT A FIRE ON JULY 1, 2005 ON A VEHICLE WITH SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OPERATING ANY DIFFERENTLY BEFORE THE FIRE STARTED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING FOR LESS THAN 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE FIRE STARTED. BOTH THE CONTACT AND HER HUSBAND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING WHEN THEY GOT OUT OF THE CAR BUT DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO EACH OTHER ABOUT IT. THEN , AFTER THE FIRE WAS NOTICED THEY ANNOUNCED AT THE BOWLING ALLEY THAT SOMEONE'S VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THEY WENT OUTSIDE AND FLAMES WHERE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HOT SPOT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10132316August 10, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR HAS HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT THREE TIMES. FIRST TIME IT WAS REBUILT BY DEALER AT APPROXIMATELY 85000 MILES BECAUSE OF "ROUGH" SHIFTING. SECOND TIME AT 150000 MILES AT TRANSMISSION RE-BUILDER BECAUSE OF IT CONSISTENTLY GOING IN TO "LIMP" MODE. AFTER SEVERAL RETURN VISITS, THEY STILL COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I DROVE THE CAR FOR 10000 MILES BEING CAREFUL OF CONDITIONS THAT I WAS IN CASE IT SLIPPED IN TO "LIMP" MODE. I EVENTUALLY TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT SHOP TO HAVE IT RECHECKED. AFTER HAVING ALL MECHANICAL PARTS REPLACED, ALL SENSORS, AND TCM MODULE THE CAR STILL GOES IN TO "LIMP" MODE ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10131986August 8, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER HAVING USED MY 2000 DODGE STRATUS, I STATIONED IT IN MY HOUSE AND AS TO THE TO 30 MINUTES I SMELLED CABLE BURNING, WHEN I LEFT HOME, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MOTOR WAS THROWING AWAY SMOKE AND IMMEDIATELY A FIRE ERUPTED, I CALLED 911 AND THE POLICE AND FIREMEN ATTENDED THE FIRE. WITH CHRYSLER OF PUERTO RICO AND I NOTIFY THEM OF WHAT HAPPENED BUT THEY ONLY TELL ME THAT ARE NOT HEADS, AT PRESENT I AM WORKING THAT CASE WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY. MY CAR WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10131847August 7, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION LOCKED UP AS IF CAR IS IN DRIVE AND WILL NOT RELEASE THE KEY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10131148August 2, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. THE CAR BATTERY OF MY 2001 DODGE STRATUS RT WENT DEAD ON SUNDAY MORNING. I PURCHASED A CORRECT REPLACEMENT BATTERY AND INSTALLED IT ON THE VEHICLE. 2. UPON STARTING THE CAR AFTER INSTALLING THE NEW BATTERY, THE CAR WOULD NOT IDLE BUT WOULD ONLY SHUT DOWN. I TRIED THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND I COULD ONLY KEEP THE CAR RUNNING WHILE GIVING IT GAS. I TRIED DRIVING THE CAR AND IT DROVE OK UNTIL I RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN, STOP, OR MAKE A TURN AND EACH TIME THE CAR ENGINE SHUT DOWN. 3. I MANAGED TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DODGE DEALER, STALLING OUT AT STOP SIGNS, STOP LIGHTS, INTERSECTIONS, AND TURNS. THE CAR WOULD ALWAYS RESTART AND BY GIVING IT GAS AND THROWING IT BACK INTO DRIVE, I COULD CONTINUE. AFTER A DAY, THE DODGE DEALER ANALYSIS WAS THAT BECAUSE I HAD CHANGED THE CAR BATTERY, THE ENGINE COMPUTER LOST ALL OF ITS "LEARNING" PARAMETERS AND THE CAR WOULD HAVE TO BE DRIVEN FOR 2 WEEKS TO LEARN THE PARAMETERS. I WAS TOLD THAT CHRYSLER HAD NO "QUICKSTART" SOFTWARE THAT COULD BE LOADED ONTO THE AUTOMOBILE'S COMPUTER TO ALLOW IT TO RUN PROPERLY. SO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO OPERATE MY CAR IN TRAFFIC WHEN IT STALLED EVERY TIME MY FOOT CAME OFF THE GAS PEDAL, AND THAT WAS THEIR SOLUTION TO FIX THIS PROBLEM....TO OPERATE MY CAR IN AN UNSAFE MANNER BECAUSE THEY HAD NO MEANS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THERE IS NO WARNING IN THE VEHICLE OPERATORS MANUAL ABOUT THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION WHERE YOUR CAR STALLS IN TRAFFIC IF YOU CHANGE THE BATTERY AND I FIND THIS "SOLUTION" UNSAFE AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10130737July 31, 2005
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
WHILE USING THE AIR CONDITIONING, THE BLOWER MOTOR WILL ONLY WORK ON HIGH. HAD THE CAR SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP IN CLARKSTON, MI AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RESISTER ON THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS DEFECTIVE. PART WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY IN 2004. ISSUE OCCURRED AGAIN IN JULY OF 2005. WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND MY HUSBAND REPLACED THE RESISTOR IN JULY OF 2005. IS THIS A HIGH FAILURE UNIT ON THE 2002 DODGE STRATUS? *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10130637July 30, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 1995 DODGE STRATUS WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH MY CAR AUTOMATICALLY SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL THE VEHICLE JERKS AND SLOWS DOWN IN SPEED I HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND RESTART IT, THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, I TOOK IT A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM THEY REPLACED THE SOLENOID PACK I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10130351July 27, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE STRATUS. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE LAST WEEK. CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF WHERE THE FIRE STARTED. WHEN CONTACT WENT OUT TO VEHICLE IT HAD BEEN BURNT UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIREMAN COULD NOT TELL HOW FIRE STARTED, BUT IT DID START ON THE FIRE WALL. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVING PERFECTLY. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN OUTSIDE, TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES WHILE SHE WAS IN THE STORE, AND THEN CONTACT WAS PAGED TO COME OUT TO CAR. IT BURNED UNDER THE HOOD AND WAS NOT DRIVABLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10130087July 26, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DT: CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING , AND TOOK IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE FIRE STARTED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN USE. IT STARTED SMOKING WHERE THE OIL FILTER WAS THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO SEE WHY THE FIRE STARTED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DID COME, BUT THE REPORT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TODAY OR TOMORROW. THIS HAPPENED ON SUNDAY JULY 24, 2005. THE BRAKES WERE SERVICED ABOUT 5 DAYS AGO. ALSO A POLICE REPORT WAS ISSUED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10129984July 25, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DT: THE VEHICLE IS A 1997 DODGE STRATUS. AT 27,000 THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE CUT OFF. WHEN THE CONSUMER HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE TIMING BELT AND PULLEYS. AT 39,000 THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. WHEN IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN, THEY FOUND THAT ONE COIL WAS SHORTED, THE PCM WAS BAD, THE TIMING BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE MODULE, THE RELAY, AND THE PLUG WIRE. THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. LATER AT 62,000 MILES IT WAS LEAKING OIL AND WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WERE THE TIMING BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED A THIRD TIME, THE HEAD GASKET AND PACKAGE, THE PLUG AND PLUG WIRES, AND THE SPARK PLUGS WERE ALSO REPLACED. CURRENTLY AT 89,000 THE TIMING BELT AND HEAD GASKET NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE IS OVER HEATING AND WILL NOT START. THIS CAUSED THE HEATER CORE TO GO OUT. THE CLUSTER HAS GONE OUT; THE WHOLE LIGHTING SYSTEM COMES ON AND GOES OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THESE CURRENT PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF NOW. THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN A RECALL FOR THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND FOR THE FLOOR SHIFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMOBILE SO THE CONSUMER CAN NOT TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE RECALLS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER TOLD THE CONSUMER THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10129772July 22, 2005
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DT: 2004 DODGE STRATUS RT. LAST THURSDAY CONSUMER'S CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER LET SOMEONE BARROW THE CAR, AND WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS BETWEEN 80 AND 100 MPH , THE CAR HIT CONCRETE POLES AND TOTALED THE CAR. THERE WERE NO INJURIES; THE SEAT BELTS WERE WORN. THE POLICE CAME, BUT CONSUMER WAS IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10130175July 13, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS HAVING THE RECALL FOR THE TRANSAXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION PARK INTERLOCK CHECKED OUT ON HER 1996 DODGE STRATUS.*MR THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT THEY DID NOT MAKE APPOINTMENT FOR RECALL CHECKS. WHEN THE CONSUMER JUST SHOWED UP AT THE DEALER THEY WERE ALWAYS TOO BUSY TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128137July 8, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER
REAR TOP MOUNTS ON BOTH THE REAR STRUTS CORRODED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. VERY POOR MANUFACTURING USING CHEAP POT METAL AS THEY WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED FROM SALT,ETC. COULDN'T FIND REPLACEMENT STRUTS IN STOCK ANYWHERE(OUT OF STOCK AND ON BACK ORDER CROSS COUNTRY) AND IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION. BOTH STRUTS WENT WITHIN A TWO WEEK PERIOD AND I ENDED UP GETTING TWO USED STRUTS FROM A JUNK YARD OFF OF A 2004 STRATUS WHICH HAD BEEN TOTALLED WITH 2000 MILES ON IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10127626July 6, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I BEGAN NOTICING THAT THE TRANSMISSION ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SHIFTING DOWN IN A SMOOTH MANNER. I WENT TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP AND TALKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, EXPLAINED THE PROBLEMS I WAS EXPERIENCING AND ASKED FOR ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT WITH THE COMPUTER OPERATED TRANSMISSION, THAT THE COMPUTER IS A LITTLE SLOW AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. RECENTLY HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN INCREASING IN BOTH FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY. TO THE POINT WHEN I AM COMMING TO A STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD AS I COME TO A STOP AND IT SHIFTS TO THE LOWEST GEAR. IF THE TREND CONTINUES I CAN SEE THIS EITHER DESTROYING THE TRANSMISSION OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AS THE SURGE PUSHES THE VEHICLE FORWARD. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND CONTENDS THAT IT IS JUST A SLOW COMPUTER AND WILL NOT CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10127512July 5, 2005
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
DT: CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL. THE POWER WINDOWS DID NOT WORK. CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS WAS THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10127149June 30, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
DODGE STRATUS 2001, 46000 MILES. CAR WAS PURCHASED USED FROM THE US GOVERNMENT ON PUBLIC SALE. AIR BAG LIGHT ON, HORN DOES NOT WORK, CRUISE CONTROL ALSO AFFECTED. THIS IS CAUSED BY FAULTY CLOCKSPRING PART LOCATED IN STEERING WHEEL. I CALLED DODGE AFTER DISCOVERING ON YOUR WEB SITE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR 1,500,000 GRAND CARAVANS THAT HAD A SAME PROBLEM CAUSED BY THEIR FAULTY CLOCKSPRING. GRAND CARAVANS ALSO HAD AIR BAG LIGHT ON, HORN WAS NOT WORKING AND CRUISE CONTROL WAS OFF. I EXPRESS MY CONCERN TO DODGE SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I WAS HOPING THEY WILL CONSIDER FIXING THIS. I BEEN TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND AFTER THEY RECEIVE RESULTS THEY WILL CONSIDER FIXING THIS. DIAGNOSTICS WERE PERFORMED AND RESULT WAS THAT THE CLOCKSPRING WAS BROKEN. DODGE DECLINED MY REQUEST FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM. I END UP PAYING FOR DIAGNOSTICS TO FIND OUT WHAT I ALREADY KNEW. I BELIEVE THAT CLOCKSPRING MECHANISM FOR DODGE STRATUS IS SOMETHING WHAT SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THIS MODEL SINCE IT IS SAFETY ISSUE, THAT APPEARED ON OTHER RECALLED MODELS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10126961June 28, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
DT: DODGE STRATUS 1997. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING TRANSAXLES FLOOR SHIFTER PARK INTERLOCK. CONSUMER SAID THAT IT BROKE, CAUSING THE AXLE TO MALFUNCTION. WHEN TURN THE CAR ON CONSUMER COULD SHIFT THE SHIFTER INTO GEAR WITHOUT PUSHING THE BUTTON ON SHIFTER OR PRESSING THE BRAKES. BEFORE HAD TO PRESS THE BRAKE AND PUSH BUTTON TO GO INTO GEAR. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR UNLESS CONSUMER SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND TURNING IT BACK ON. SOMETIMES WHEN SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF IT WOULD NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL CONSUMER MESSED WITH THE SHIFTER. CONSUMER CALLED IN FOR RECALL REPAIRS, AND CONSUMER WENT BACK TO PICK UP VEHICLE AND THE DASHBOARD AND STEERING COLUMN WERE TAKEN APART AND NOT PUT BACK TOGETHER. CONSUMER SAID IT WAS LAYING ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE. THERE WAS NO FAN BELT ON ENGINE. CONSUMER SAID THAT DEALER CHARGED HER $87.00. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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