2001 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE NOISES. LOUD BANG AT WHICH TIME PULLED THE CAR OVER. CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE AND LOOSE OIL. SHERIFF GAVE RIDE TO GAS STATION TO GET MORE OIL WHICH WHEN PUT IN CAME RIGHT BACK OUT. TOWED TO GAS STATION AND FOUND HOLE THE SIZE OF A FIST IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. ROD THAT BLEW THE HOLE SOMEWHERE ON THE HIGHWAY. TOWED 100+ MILES HOME. LUCKILY NO ONE HURT. NO WARNINGS OR PROBLEMS PRIOR. CAR NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY (58,000 MILES). WILL BE HAVING SOMEONE LOOK AT IT TO SEE IF IT CAN BE FIXED AND AT WHAT COST. *AK

CONSUMER HAD A 2.7 LITER ENGINE WHICH ACCUMULATED A GREAT DEAL OF MOTOR SLUDGE. CONSUMER CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES. THEN, TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO HAD THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. MANUFACTURER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

LEFT REAR SHOCK WAS RATTLING AROUND WITHIN THE COIL SPRING. UPON INVESTIGATION, FOUND THAT THE UPPER SPRING/SHOCK MOUNT, WHICH IS ALUMINUM OR AN ALUMINUM ALLOY, HAD DETERIORATED SO BADLY THAT IT HAD SEPERATED INTO 5 PIECES. THIS PART LOCATES THE UPPER END OF THE REAR SPRING, AND HAD IT NOT BEEN CAUGHT, COULD HAVE ALLOWED THE SPRING TO MIGRATE INTO THE TIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS CAR HAS 70,000 HIGHWAY MILES, AND IS KEPT CLEAN, AND STORED IN A GARAGE EVERY NIGHT. I WILL BE REPLACING THE RH SIDED SHORTLY, AS IT IS SHOWING SIMILAR SIGNS OF ROT. I HAVE THE FAILED PIECE, AND HAVE DIGITAL PICTURES IF INTERESTED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SUDDENLY THERE WAS A POP AND THEN A BANGING NOISE. CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY, LIFTED THE HOOD, AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CONSUMER EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH A GALLON OF WATER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT ENGINE ROD BEARING DROPPED, AND BLEW A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE BLOCK, THE SIZE OF A MAN'S FIST. *AK AN OIL CHANGE WAS DONE ON THE CAR A WEEK PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. *NM

LEFT REAR BALL JOINT WENT OUT WHILE DRINVING. AS A RESULT, TIRE HIT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

TIMING BELT FAILURE RESULTED IN ENGINE FAILURE. BEARINGS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE REPLACED AT 30,000 MILES, REPLACED FRONT BEARINGS AND REPLACED ENGINE. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. ALSO BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD . DEALER INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE RIGHT TURNS DOWN A GRADE. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LOW. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS BLINK INTERMITTENTLY. *NM

FAILURE OF RIGHT REAR BALL JOINT IN 2001 DODGE STRATUS WITH NO WARNING SUCH AS NOISE OR VIBRATION PROCEEDING FAILURE NO PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE BALL JOINT REPLACED BY DODGE DEALERSHIP WITH AFTER MARKET PART, OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. *MR

80,000 MILES ON THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER MOVE. LEAVING ME STRANDED. COSTING $1,500 FOR A REBUIT TRANSMISSION FOR A NEWER CAR. NO REASON FOR A TRANSMISSION TO GO OUT SO SOON. ALSO FLICKERING WITH THE DASH/INTERIOR LIGHTS AND RADIO WHEN LIGHT ARE TURNED ON.