2002 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

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.

IN OR AROUND OCTOBER 2004 I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR IT'S 30,000 CHECKUP. I HAVE A 2002 DODGE STRATUS. I TOLD THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT I HAD A "THUD" IN THE FRONT IN OF MY CAR. HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY "FRONT SUSPENSSION". IT WAS FIXED, BUT WAS NOT NOTED ON MY INVOICE. A WHILE LATER I FELT THE SAME "THUD" EVERYTIME I TURNED THE CORNER OR TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT. SOMETIME IN JANUARY MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WELL, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH MY 2002 VEHICLE. NOW, MIND YOU, I PAID MY CAR OFF 10 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED IT FROM DODGE. ANYWAY, NOT ONLY DID I FEEL THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT CAR IS TOO NEW FOR THE "RACK & PENION" AND MY "EVAP SYSTEM" TO GO OUT. THEY TALKED ME INTO BUYING ANOTHER CAR THIS PAST WEEKEND,APRIL 9, 2005 BUT DECIDED TO RETURN THE CAR ON APRIL 11, 2005. THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO COMPENSATE ME FOR MY CAR BEING A "LEMON" AS THE SALESPERSON DEEMED MY CAR TO BE EXCEPT FOR TRADE MY CAR FOR $6,000.00 AND HAVE PAYMENTS, AGAIN, OF $275.74 FOR 71 MONTHS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR. FOR ONE, MY CAR IS PAID OFF AND TWO MY CAR IS TOO NEW FOR IT TO HAVE THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS. I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN ANY RECALLS OR PROBLEMS ON THE 2002 DODGE STRATUS'. *AK

LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE (SEPARATION) ON RIGHT FRONT OF 2002 DODGE STRATUS, PULLING IN TO DRIVEWAY, UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *AK

WHILE DRIVINGIN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND OFF ON ITS OWN. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD POP UP AND STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE DRIVER DROVE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED DETERMINED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH WHEN I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND LOOKED OVER MY RIGHT SHOULDER AND SAW NOTHING. I PAUSED APPROX. 5 SECONDS BEFORE DECIDING TO PULL FORWARD AND TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND AS THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, SHATTERING MY WINDSHIELD. I HAVE ASTHMA AND HAVE BEEN HAVING SIGNIFICANT BREATHING PROBLEMS SINCE THE OCCURRENCE.*AK

TRANSMISSION SOLENOID LEAKING ALONG WITH TRANSMISSION HOSE LINES. SOLONOID WAS COVERED IN WARRANTY. HOSE LINES AND CLAMPS WERE NOT. CAR HAD ONLY 60K. BOOK SPECIFIES TRANSMISSION SERVICE AT 100K. I CONTEND THAT THE CLAMPS USED ON THE LINES ARE NOT ABLE TO ADJUST TO THE AGING HOSE AND CANNOT LAST THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE TIME. ADJUSTABLE CLAMPS WERE EMPLOYED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE.*AK

I BROUGHT CAR TO DEALERSHIP BEFORE WARRANTY ENDED FOR TRANSMISSION WORK. THE SAID THEY FIXED IT BUT 17,000 MILES LATER TRANSMISSION WENT COMPLETELY OUT. DEALER SAYS IT IS NOW MY PROBLEM TO GET FIXED. *NM

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK A BOLT BROKE ON MY UPPER CONTROL ARM. MY TIRE WAS ON A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. VERY DANGEROUS. TOOK TO PLACE I BOUGHT CAR TO GET UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. WARRANTY PLACE REFUSED TO FIX I AM FIGHTING IT. I PAID OUT OF MY POCKET.*AK

TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSES CRACKED CAUSING LEAK OF TRANSMISSION OIL. HOSES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT OWNER EXPENSE. OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. *JB

CAR HESITATED TO GO INTO GEAR, NEXT DAY, JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND IT STOPS PULLING. THE TRANSMISSION WENT COMPLETELY OUT,RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION!HAULED IT TO A GARAGE, THE TRANSMISSION IS COMPLETELY SHOT. WILL COST $1200.00 TO $1500.00 TO REPLACE. IF SOMEONE WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAPPENED THIS WOULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES. IT IS A 2002 DODGE STRATUS SE.I WILL HAVE TO BORROW THE MONEY TO HAVE IT FIXED, AS SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ABOUT THESE AND MANY OTHER DODGE VEHICLES. *JB