1997 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

HEADGASKET HAS OIL LEAKAGE. UPON DRIVING VEHICLE MUST USE FOUR QUARTS OF OIL TO FUNCTION. ALSO, VEHICLE SMOKES, AND ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS CRACKED. *YH

VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER, HE NOTED THAT GASKET HAD A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, AND NEEDED TO BE CHANGED.*AK

VEHCILE WAS LEAKING OIL. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT CAR WAS ASSEMBLED WITH A PAPER THIN GASKET.*AK *YH

I HAVE A 1997 DODGE STRATUS THAT I TOOK IN FOR OVERHEATING THEY REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, FLUSHED THE RADIATOR, AND REPLACED A BELT. THEN THREE DAYS LATER MY CAR WAS STILL OVERHEATING SO I BROUGHT IT IN AGAIN AND THIS TIME THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN DUE TO OIL LEAKING AND THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. THIS WAS NOT CHEAP TO FIX ALL OF THIS AND PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING I HAD TO PAY $650 TO GET BRAKES IN FRONT AND BACK, ROTERS, AND REPLACE THE HYDRAULICS IN THE REAR BRAKES. BOTH TIE RODS HAVE BROKE ALSO IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. SO OVERALL I HAVE HAD TO STICK A LOT OF MONEY IN TO A FAIRLY NEW VEHICLE. I DON'T EXPECT TO REPLACE THIS MUCH STUFF ON VEHICLE UNLESS IT IS 10 YEARS OR OLDER. I WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT CHRYSLER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD PROVIDE ANY HELP. I SEE BY THE OTHER COMPLAINTS LISTED THAT THE HEAD GASKET SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

IF I AM DOING MORE THAN 40 MILES PER HOUR THE CAR DOESN'T STOP COMPLETELY WITHOUT SLIDING. *AK

GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, I PUT ON MY CRUISE CONTROL, THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLOWED DOWN SO I PUSHED ON MY BRAKE, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO ELIMINATE CRUISE SONTROL IMMEDIATELY. MY CRUISE LIGHT WENT OFF BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. APPLIED BRAKE HARDER, REALIZED THERE WAS NO STOPPING, PULLED OVER TO BREAK DOWN LANE. APPLIED EMERGENCY BRAKE, ENDED UP WITH JUST SQEALING TIRES AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTING HORRIBLY. LET ME JUST NOTE THAT AT THIS TIME I ALSO HAD MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. THANK GOD A STATE POLICE PULLED UP BEHIND ME, AT WHICH TIME I HAD THE CAR AT 10MPH BUT WOULD NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. MY 10 YEAR OLD CHILD HAD TO JUMP FROM MY CAR TO LET THE OFFICER KNOW WHY I COULDN'T STOP. HE ENDED UP HAVING TO PULL IN FRONT OF ME AND SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT NOTHING TO FINALLY STOP MY CAR AT WHICH POINT HE GOT OUT , CAME TO MY WINDOW AND TOLD ME TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. IN THIS FORM I COULD NOT FILL OUT THE APPROPRIATE VIN, ETC. BECAUSE MY CAR WAS TOWED AND I AM WITH A FRIEND IN MASS. I WILL BE CONTACTING THE DEALER AND DODGE COMPANY ON MONDAY. VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND ESPECIALLY FOR MY CHILD. MAINE STATE POLICE WAS OBVIOUSLY INVOLVED. HIS NAME WAS ROGER. *AK

AFTER FUELING VEHICLE, CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. PARKED VEHICLE, AND SAW FUEL GUSHING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER , FUEL FILTER HAD EXPLODED, LEAKING FUEL ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM.*AK *SLC

THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION, HOWEVER UPON LEAVING DEALERSHIP, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY A SERVICE MANAGER THAT PART WAS UNDER RECALL(#750) THE SERVICE MANAGE ADVISED CONSUMER TO REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FROM CHRYSLER, CONSUMER CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS KNOW TO BE DEFECTIVE AND TO SEND IN ALL DOCUMENTATION, CONSUMER THEN RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT HE HAD NOT MET THE REQUIRED CONDITIONS OF THE RECALL, CONSUMER STATES HE COMPLIED THE WITH CONTROL ARMS INSPECTION PER RECALL ON DEC 15, 1998 BUT AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE PROBLEM.*JB

I HAVE AN EVENFLO MEDALLION V CONVERTABLE CAR SEAT, MODEL# 254191P2, MANUFACTURED 1/25/00. THIS PARTICULAR MODEL HAS A PLASTIC HARNESS TIE THAT GOES ACROSS THE CHEST THAT THE SHOULDAR STRAPS SLIDE INTO. MY SON CAN VERY EASILY SLIDE IT OFF AND GET OUT OF THE STRAPS. I HAVE CALLED EVENFLO 9/11/01 AND SPOKE TO JENNY REQUESTING THEY SEND ME SOMETHING THAT SNAPS TOGETHER TO REPLACE IT. SHE TOLD ME THEY DO NOT MAKE ONE FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL (EVEN THOUGH IT IS THEIR TOP OF THE LINE MODEL, ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE)BUT SHE CAN SEND ME A NEW PLASTIC CLIP SO IT WILL TAKE HIM LONGER TO GET IT OFF. I'M SORRY BUT THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, THEY MAKE THEM FOR SOME MODELS, BUT NOT ALL. I PAID OVER $100.00 FOR THIS SEAT AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IT WILL NOT PROTECT MY SON IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THIS COMPANY DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ALL OF THEIR CONSUMERS, ONLY THOSE THAT BUY PARTICULAR MODELS. I AM ASKING YOU TO FIND OUT WHY!!! PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL, WRITE OR E-MAIL ME IF YOU NEED MORE INFO. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.*AK

BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS PROBLEM WAS ADDRESSED BY RECALL #750. THE REPAIR WORK WAS PERFORMED AT THE DEALER AND PAID FOR BEFORE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED OF THE RECALL. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE $633.00 COST AND THE $49.95 PLUS 8% SALES TAX WITH NO LUCK. REQUEST WAS DENIED FOR THE REASON THAT "ALTHOUGH THE RECALLED PARTS FAILED THEY DIDN'T FAIL FOR THE RECALL REASON." CONSUMER WAS ALSO NOT GIVEN THE OLD PARTS FOR AN INDEPENDENT INSPECTION. *AK DAIMLER CHRYSLER DENIED REIMBURSEMENT STATING THAT THIS CASE FELL INTO GENERAL MAINTENANCE. *SLC