2001 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

THERE WAS A COMPLAINT I JUST READ BY [XXX] ODI CSE NUMBER[XXX], AND I AGREE WITH HIM ABOUT THIS COMPLAINT BE HANDLED AS A TOP PRIORITY INVESTIGATION. I BOUGHT THIS AS A USED CAR, I KNEW I'D END OF HAVING TO PUT SOME MONEY INTO IT SINCE I WAS NOT BUYING A BRAND NEW CAR. BUT I'VE ONLY HAD IT FOR 6 MONTHS AND HAVE TO PUT QUITE OF BIT INTO IT. IT HAS 59,000 MILES ON IT. I'VE HAD TO GET THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED. A MONTH LATER WE HEARD A NOISE WHEN WE STEERED. WE ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID CAUSE WE NOTICED IT WAS LOW. ONLY TWO DAYS AFTER WE HEARD THE NOISE WHICH GOT LOUDER WAS HARD TO STEER. I DRIVE MY TWO YOUNG KIDS WITH THIS CAR AND FELT UNSAFE IN IT. A FRIEND OF OURS WHO IS A MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THERE WAS A LEAK SINCE THE FLUID WAS ALMOST EMPTY AGAIN. I WAS TOLD IT WAS POWER STEERING LINE. IT WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE A/C LINE WHICH IS METAL AND WORE A HOLE IN THE LINE. MY MECHANIC SAID THIS LINE WAS IN BACK ORDER (OBVIOUSLY IN HIGH DEMAND). WHEN HE FINALLY GOT IT IN, SEEMS LIKE DODGE HAS MADE SOME CHANGES ON THE DESIGN. THIS WAS MY FIRST DODGE VEHICLE I HAD PURCHASED AND FIRST USED VEHICLE ALSO. BECAUSE OF THIS, THIS WILL BE THE LAST FOR DODGE AND USED. I AGREE WITH [XXX]. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED THOROUGHLY BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. AGAIN MY CAR HAS ONLY 58,000 MILES ON IT AND SHOULD NOT BE HAVING SUCH SERIOUS FAILURES. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGH CAME ON 12/15/04 @ 36,355 MILES. TOOK TO LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER ABOUT ENGINE NOISE. THEY SAID THEY CAN SEE SLUDGE BUILDUP ON OIL CAP. TECHNICIAN SAID HE HEARD A CHRYSLER 2.7 LITER ENGINE WAS HAVING A SLUDGE PROBLEM. THEY CHANGED OIL AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE. 1/13/05 36,626 MILES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THIS TIME TOOK TO LOCAL DODGE DEALER FEENY WHO INFORMED ME THAT THEY FOUND SLUDGE BUILDUP ON OIL CAP. IT WOULD COST $600--$1000 JUST TO PULL ENGINE A DO FURTHER INVESTIGATION BECAUSE ENGINE IS HARD TO WORK ON. SERVICE MANAGER SAID CHRYSLER NOT ADMITTING DEFECTIVE ENGINE DESIGN. NOTHING THEY CAN DO EVEN THOUGH IT IS BARELY OF 36,000 MILE WARRANTY PERIOD. SUGGESTED I CHANGE OIL EVERY 1000 MILES OR MONTHLY UNTIL CONDITION LESSENS. HAD THEM CHANGE OIL. 2/15/05 36,874 MILES, CHANGED OIL AGAIN. 4/4/04 37,345 MILES, CHANGED OIL AGAIN. 4/28/05 ENGINE MADE KNOCKING TYPE SOUND WHEN STARTED. GOING TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO FEENY CHRYSLER FOR EVALUATION.

2001 DODGE STRATUS - CRACKLING SOUND IN STEERING WHEEL, AIR BAG LIGHT ON , NO HORN. THE VEHICLE IS STILL OPERATING. THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER REPORT ON YOUR SITE OF THE SAME PROBLEM ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT CHECKED THE CRUISE CONTROL YET. DATE OF PRIOR COMPLAINT WAS 02/07/05.*AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE JERKED AS IF IT HAD STRUCK A POT HOLE. CONSUMER GOT OUT TO CHECK THE VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS NEARLY OFF. THE BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED.*AK THE MANUFACTURE OFFERS NO ASSISTANCE. REAR UPPER BALL JOINTS REPLACED AND 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT PERFORMED. *TT

2001 DODGE STRATUS WAS HIT ON PASSENGER SIDE BY A JEEP CHEROKEE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE DOOR SETUP IN THE STRATUS WAS NOT AT ALL EFFECTIVE. NOT ONLY DID THE DOOR PROVIDE ABSOLUTELY NO PROTECTION TO A PASSENGER HAD THERE BEEN ONE, BUT THE ENTIRE DOOR WAS FORCED INTO THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE INTRUDING DOOR STRUCK AND INJURED THE DRIVER IN THE CAR. WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN IN THE DOOR, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SECURED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. REGARDLESS, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN FATAL TO ANYONE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE TO NEW MODELS. THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE CAR. HOW CAN DAIMLERCHRYSLER SACRIFICE A HUNDRED OR TWO POUNDS OF SOLID STEEL AND HUNDRED OF PRECIOUS LIVES TO GET ANOTHER MILE TO THE GALLON? THAT PASSENGER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME, BUT I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE GOING OUT THAT NIGHT. LITTLE DID I KNOW, THAT HAD I LEFT MY HOUSE, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. PLEASE HELP ME CORRECT THESE AWFUL FLAWS IN TODAY'S COMPACT AND MIDSIZE CARS.*AK

01V005002/SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT MOVES WHEN BRAKING. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO WAS TELLING CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE DESCRIBED WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. ALSO VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING STIFF STEERING. WHEN TURNING LEFT, DRIVER CAN FEEL A RUBBING NOISE THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS CAN ONLY BE FELT WHEN THE DRIVER IS MAKING A LEFT TURN. *AK *TT

ENGINE FAILED AFTER 50,000 MILES, CAR OUT OF WARRANTY. OIL CHANGED VERY FREQUENT. AUTO MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. ALSO MILEAGE INCORRECT ON ODOMETER WHEN CAR WAS PURCHASED USED IN MAY 2004 CAR DEALER ALSO DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR INACCURATE ODOMETER. ALL I ASKED FOR WAS A COST CONSIDERATION IN REPLACING ENGINE. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

1. NO WARNING 2. VEHICLE HAS A LEAK WHICH CAUSES WATER(FROM RAIN OR SNOW) TO LEAK ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. I HAVE VACUUMED OUT AS MUCH AS 5 GALLONS OF WATER AT A TIME. I HAVE LOOKED VERY CAREFULLY AND CANNOT DETERMINE THE LEAK PATH. 3. NO CORRECTION HAS BEEN FOUND. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ENGINE BLEW. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.