Dodge Stratus Complaints

2,721 consumer complaints on file.

#10103407December 9, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE HEADLIGHT CONTINOUSLY BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALERSHP REPLACED THE LIGHT BULB, BUT COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE HEAD LIGHT ASSMEMBLY APART AND NOTICED THAT THE WIRING SYSTEM HAD MELTED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10103389December 8, 2004
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND CRASHED INTO SCHOOL BUS HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR BRACKET BROKE. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER, CAUSING EYE AND BACK INJURIES, AND DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED BY HELICOPTER TO THE HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10102243December 6, 2004
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
I BOUGHT A STRATUS FROM A USED CAR DEALER, WHICH I UNDERSTAND BUYER BEWARE. JUST RESENTLY I HAD THE TENSIONER BAR BOLT BREAK OFF AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, WHICH COULD OF CAUSE A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE BUT I GOT LUCKY. PLUS, I TAKE THE FREEWAY TO WORK EACH DAY, WHAT IF THAT WOULD HAVE SNAP OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC? MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, IMMEDIATELY. LUCKLY, I WAS ON A SIDE STREET AND HAD TOWED TO A MECHANIC, I TOOK IT TO THE PLACE THAT REPLACED MY HEAD GASKET (ANOTHER COMPLAINT) AND THEY FIXED IT BUT ALSO TOLD ME THAT DODGE HAD MADE A COMPLETE NEW PIECE FOR IT AND HAD TO GET THE FULL KIT. WHICH THAT COSTED ME SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOR THAT. I DO HAVE THE OLD TENSIONER PARTS BUT I DONT HAVE THE OLD HEAD GASKET PARTS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10102244December 6, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
I RECENTLY BOUGHT A STRATUS FROM A USED CAR DEALER AND I KNOW BUYER BEWARE. ANY HOW, I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY GOT IT FROM A DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT HAD A HEAD GASKET LEAK. THE DEALERSHIP THAT I GOT IT FROM SAID THEY LOOKED IT OVER AND IT WASN'T A HEAD GASKET, BUT AN OIL PAN LEAK. ANYHOW, I BOUGHT IT(HOOK-LINE AND SINKER). WENT TO GET AN INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A HEAD GASKET LEAK. TOOK IT TO A COUPLE OTHERS AND THEY SAID IT WAS THAT. SO, I TOLD THE COMPANY I BOUGHT IT FROM AND GOT 300.00 BACK . THEN PROCEEDED TO TAKE IT TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP(GLADSTONE DODGE) HERE IN TOWN. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A HEAD GASKET LEAK, BUT ALSO SAID IT WAS MANY OTHER THING TO THE TUNE OF 2000.00, I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THAT SO I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP THAT JUST FOUND A HEAD GASKET LEAK AND A FEW OTHER MINOR THINGS AND FIXED IT ALL FOR A 1000.00. WHAT I DONT UNDERSTAND WITH ALL THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKET IS WHY THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RECALLED? UNFORTUNATES, I DON'T HAVE THE OLD PARTS TO THIS BUT WISH I DID. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10101758November 29, 2004
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES WHEN TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE ONLY PROBLEM FOUND WAS VEHICLE IDLING HIGH.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10100475November 24, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE CAR WILL IDLE ROUGHLY AT SLOW SPEEDS AND STALL IN PARKING LOTS AND INTERSECTIONS, WITH JUST 6,000 MILES THE BRAKES ARE NOW GOING BAD AS WELL. IT ALSO WILL LUNGE FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING AT STOP LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS, MY WIFE WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT YESTERDAY AND REFUSES TO DRIVE THE CAR. IT IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM TODAY. LAST TIME THEY TOLD ME I DID NO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS WHEN A CAR STALLS BECAUSE THE COMPUTER SAYS IT DID NOT AND THEY DROVE IT A FEW MILES AND DID NOT HAVE TROUBLE. I WISH I COULD GET RID OF IT TODAY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10100491November 24, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT ABOUT 74K MILES AND WENT INTO "LIMP" MODE. FOUND OUT THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR WAS BAD. REPLACED SENSOR AT COST OF $682.25. CAR HAS RUN POORLY SINCE THAT DAY. DODGE SAYS "NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR" BUT THE CAR HAS NOT RAN SMOOTHLY FROM THAT FIRST REPAIR DAY. NEXT...WHILE IN PENNSYLVANIA ON MILITARY DUTY, THE CAR LEAKED ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT. FOUND OUT THE SOLENOID PACK AND FLUID LINES WERE LEAKING. ANOTHER $530+ DOLLARS. BOTH OF THESE PARTS ARE LISTED ON AUTO ZONES WEBSITE AS RECALLS WITH DAIMLER CHRYSLER FOR MY VEHICLE. ONE HAS A NHTSA NUMBER. DAIMLER CHRYSLER DENIES THAT THERE ARE ANY RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE BUT DOES STATE THAT OTHER "SIMILAR" MODELS AND CARS ARE COVERED FOR THOSE PARTS. WHEN WE ASKED DAIMLER CHRYSLER WHO WE COULD CONTACT TO COMPLAIN AND IF THERE WAS A NATIONAL BODY WHO LOOKS AT VEHICLE COMPLAINTS (KNOWING FULL WELL WHO NHTSA WAS AND HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM) DAIMLER CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE STATED "I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYONE!" ....WRONG ANSWER. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10101681November 15, 2004
STEERING, POWER TRAIN, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
MULTIPLE FAILURES, CONTINUALLY STEERING PROBLEMS. ENGINE LEAKED OIL, NO A/C OR HEATED, ECT. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND HIT THE CURB DUE TO THE LOOSE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE MIGHT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT SIDE AXLE. *TC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099971November 15, 2004
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE HAVING THE HEATER CORE REPAIRED DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM AND ONTO THE GROUND. THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND THERE WERE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THIS ISSUE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098709November 11, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ENGINE STARTED TO IDLE VERY ROUGH WITH AND WITHOUT BRAKES APPLIED FOR SEVERAL DAYS UNTIL IT FAILED TO START. 3 DAYS AT DEALERSHIP SERVICE FOR CONCERNS. (NEW BATT AND PCM REPROGRAM THAT RESULTED IN A 10 MINUTE DRIVE AWAY FROM CENTER AFTER SERVICE COMPLETED TO HAVE THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT COME ON) RETURNED CAR TO DEALER THE NEXT DAY TO FIND THE ERG VALVE WAS FAULTY TO FAILURE, HAD TO RESTRICT AIR FLOW TO MAINTAIN PROPER IDLE. PENDING 2 MORE DAYS OF SERVICE TIME TO CORRECT. MORE LOST TIME AND MONEY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099811November 10, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHILE PLACING THE KEY INSIDE THE IGNITION VEHICLE FAILED TO TURN ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED FOR SERVICE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099551November 8, 2004
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
RECALL 04V021000 CONCERNING FLOOR SHIFT IGNITION INTERLOCK. CONSUMER WAS WAITING OVER 60 DAYS FOR PARTS THAT WERE NOT AVAILABLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098437November 8, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1ST OCCURREE WAS SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, NEEDED NEW EGR VALVE. AFTER FULL INSPECTION OF VEHICLE ON A VERY BRIGHT DAY I FOUND SLICES IN SIDE WALLS OF TWO TIRES AND THE DOOR PANEL DRIVERS SIDE WAS BROKEN. CAR BROUGHT TO DEALER, SAID TO HAVE ORDERED PARTS AND REPLACED TIRES. TIRES NOT REPLACED. FEW WEEKS LATER, FRONT TIRE BLOW OUT. MAJOR ORDEAL WITH DEALER AND WARRANTY COMPANY TO BE RE-IMBURSED. SHORTLY AFTER THAT CAR BECAME VERY SLUGGISH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AN ODOR OR BURNING RUBBER WAS PRESENT. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER WAS INFORMED THE SOLEINOID TO TRANSMISSION WAS CLIGGED ANDWAS REPLACED AT MY COST. TWO WEEKES LATER THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WENT VEHICLE HAD 58,000 MILES. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER CLOSE BY TO HAVE REPAIRS COMPLETED, PLACE OF PURCHASE DEALER STATED NOONE WORKS ON OUR VEHICLES. CAR TRANSPORTED AND TRANSMISSION REPLACED. NEXT AFTER TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND VEHICLE BECAME DISABLED, RESULTS A SPEED CONTROL SENSOR IN TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT MY COST OUT OF POCKET. AGAIN JUST YESTERDAY, VEHICLE BECAME DISABLED, TOWED TO DEALER NOW AWAITING DISPOSITION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098488November 8, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
I BEGAIN TO HAVE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN I TURNED AND THEN, MY HALF-SHAFT FELL OUT OF MY TRANSMISSION, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO REPLACE MY HALF SHAFT AND LOWER CONTROL ARM. THAT STUFF IS NOT CHEAP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10101429November 5, 2004
WHEELS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE . THE FIRE WAS EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND WHEEL WELL AREAS. *NM *SC
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099736November 5, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
RECEIVED RECALL TRANSAXLE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION/PARK INTERLOCK. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *BF THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE ALREADY DONE. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT HE HAS NO IDEA WHEN THE REPAIRS WERE MADE BECAUSE HE HAS NO INVOICE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098248November 4, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2002 DODGE STRATUS SE. I PURCHASED THIS CAR WITH 35,000 MILES AND EVERYTHING APPEARED IN ORDER. SUDDENLY ONE DAY A LOUD CLICKING NOISE STARTED COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR A BRAKE INSPECTION FOR THE CLICKING NOISE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR ROTER WAS WARPED. I EXPLAINED THAT THE NOISE WAS EMANATING FROM THE FRONT END. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE NOISE ORIGINATED IN THE REAR ROTERS AND TRAVELED THROUGH THE FRAME TO THE FRONT END.THE REAR ROTERS WERE RECUT. A FEW DAYS LATER THE NOISE RETURNED. I CALLED THE REPAIR SHOP BACK AND RELATED THAT THE NOISE WAS STILL COMING FROM THE FRONT END. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS SHOP HAS SEEN NUMEROUS STRATUS'S AND MANY HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE REPAIR SHOP DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP. ADDITIONALLY,AFTER THE CLICKING NOISE WAS DISCOVERED I EXPIRIENCED THE BRAKES LOCKING UP TWICE. THE ABS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE WORKING. THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRENTY NOW AND THE DODGE DEALERSHIP I SPOKE WITH STATED THAT THEY COULD FIX THE CLICKING NOISE AND THE ABS PROBLEM FOR $1500.00 A SEARCH OF YOUR DATA BASE REVEALED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS CONCERNING A SIMILIAR FRONT END NOISE AND ABS FAILURE. IF THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS VEHICLE'S SYSTEM THEN WHY ISN'T A RECALL BEING INITIATED. OR DOES IT TAKE A FATALITY TO GET THIS PROBLEM ADDRESSED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098209November 3, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
STALLING AT TOLL BOOTHS, STOPLIGHTS, AND CROSSING INTERSECTIONS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10092938November 3, 2004
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DOORS LOCK AND UNLOCK FOR NO REASON WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER INDICATED THIS WAS A USED VEHICLE, AND HAS THIS PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVWAY WHEN THE BACK DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE CAME UNLATCHED AND OPENED. VEHICLE DOORS USUALLY UNLATCH WHEN IT GETS VERY COLD OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE DOORS SOMETIMES DONT LATCH AT ALL AND DOOR JUST OPEN UP ON THEIR OWN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND ALL THEY FOUND WAS A LITTLE CORROSION. *TC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098168November 2, 2004
AIR BAGS
CLOCK SPRING FAILURE...AIRBAG LITE IS ON IS THE 1ST SIGN OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Dodge Stratus