1997 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

THE HEAD GASKET BEGAN LEAKING PROFUSELY AT 31,000 MILES. MY WARRENTY IS OVER AND WANT INFORMATION ON HOW TO GAIN A REPLACEMENT FROM THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE SEARCHED THE WEB AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PART IN THE STRATUS. IS ANYTHING BEING DONE? *AK

WHEN I USED THE BACK BUTTON TO CORRECT AN ITEM, THE ORIGINAL COMMENTS WERE WIPED OUT. YOU HAVE TO FIX THAT. WE HAVE HAD FOUR BRAKE FAILURES ON OUR DODGE. EACH HAS BEEN EXACTLY THE SAME. THE FIRST TWO WERE ON SUCCESSIVE DAYS WHEN THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 10000 MILES ON IT. BOSCO DODGE INSPECTED THEY BRAKES THEN AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE. THEY DID REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER WITH A FACTORY REPLACEMENT. THIS SPRING, THEY FAILED AGAIN IN THE SAME MANNER. AGAIN, THE DODGE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. HE DID NOT REPLACE ANYTHING AT THAT TIME. TODAY THE BRAKES FAILED IN THE SAME MANNER. HOW DO THEY FAIL? EACH TIME THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE OVER NIGHT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE CAR WAS MOVED THAT DAY. THREE TIMES THE BRAKES FAILED LESS THAN 100 FEET FROM THE DRIVEWAY. MY WIFE WAS STOPPING THE CAR AT THE INTERSECTION. THE FOURTH TIME WAS THREE BLOCKS AWAY. IN EACH INSTANCE THE CAR LOST ALL BRAKING POWER TO ALL WHEELS AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE BAKES AND CAR OPERATED NORMALLY AFTER EACH INSTANCE. IN MY MIND, IT SOUNDS AS IF THE ANTI-LOCKS HUNG UP IN THE OPEN POSITION. *AK

EINGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING. GASKET IS BEING REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD - UPON DEALER REPLACING DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET, WAS NOTIFIED BY DEALER THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS A CRACK AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO TAKING TO DEALER ANOTHER GARAGE HAD DETERMINED THE CAUSE FOR OVERHEATING TO BE FROM A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. THEY DID NOT MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT CRACK IN EXHAUST MANIFOLD DURING THEIR INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE. OWNER FEELS DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE DEALER UPON REMOVAL OF THE CYLINDER HEAD OR DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT CAUSED BY OVERHEATING FROM THE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE RESPONSIBLITY AND REFUSED TO CONTACT DODGE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE. THEY SAID IT WAS SAFE TO RE-INSTALL THE CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND DRIVE THE VEHICLE. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT EXHAUST FUMES COMING INTO THE VEHICLE AND FEEL IT IS UNSAFE. STEERING RACK - THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO BE VIRTUALLY UNDRIVEABLE. WHEN WE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WE WERE TOLD IT WAS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. WE THEREFORE PAID TO HAVE IT REPLACED AT A COST OF ALMOST $800. WE FEEL THAT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED WITH ONLY 52,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE.*AK

OUR TRANSMISSION HAD AT LEAST 1500 DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE FROM THE FACTORY. THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER 'S SERVICE DEPT SEES AT LEAST ONE PER WEEK. IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT.*AK

CRUISE CONTROL, WHICH WAS NOT BEING USED AT THE TIME AND WHICH WAS NOT OPERABLE [HAD NOT BEEN WORKING PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT] SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CAUSED THE CAR TO ACCELERATE AS IF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE FLOORBOARDED. DRIVER AVOIDED OTHER TRAFFIC BUT ENDED UP IN A FIELD. CAR WAS TOTALED. INSPECTION OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD INSIDE THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO UNIT WAS FOUND TO BE FAULTY. *AK

THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED FOR A SEC THEN IT WENT OFF RIPPING MY HAND OFF THE STERING WHEEL I HAD MY FAMILY IN THE CAR . IT WAS LOUD AND MY ARM HAD PLASTIC IN IT . *AK

AT 61,000 MILES OIL STARTED LEAKING FROM ENGINE HEAD GASKET. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO USE MORE FUEL/ STALL, AND ENGINE TO BLOW OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, CAUSING TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE . THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE WILL ADD MOR INFORMATION.

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED RESULTING IN OIL LEAKAGE, THE OIL INDICATOR NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. *MJS