2001 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS BECAME DIM WHILE DRIVING. *NLM THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKERED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. REPAIR WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE CONSUMERS TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. SERVICE BULLETIN# L4-148 *SCC *JB

THE VEHICLE VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO TIGHTENED THE TIE ROD BOLT AND ADJUSTED THE BRAKE CABLE. *AK

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT CUSHIONING HAS COLLAPSED. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED IN THIS VEHICLE, WITH THE FIRST INCIDENT IN JULY OF 2001 (3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR). IT WAS REPLACED THEN BY THE DEALERSHIP, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A ONE-TIME OCCURRENCE, HOWEVER THE SAME PROBLEM HAS SURFACED AGAIN ON JUNE 7TH OF THIS YEAR, AGAIN NEEDING TO HAVE THE SEAT BE REPLACED. THIS NOT ONLY MAKES IT HIGHLY PAINFUL TO DRIVE, IT LEAVES ME WITH BACK PAIN FOR HOURS AFTERWARDS BECAUSE THE RESULT IS SITTING ON STEEL BARS. *JB

I PURCHASED A USED 2001 DODGE STRATUS IN FEBRUARY 2003. THE CAR HAD A TOTAL OF 48702 MILES. WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK, THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE FRONT BRAKES WAS MISSING SOME TYPE OF BRAKES CLIPS. THIS WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THEIR WAS ALSO A NOISE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEIR WAS NO PROBLEM LOCATED AND THAT IT WAS JUST THE TIRES RUBBING THE PAVEMENT WHEN TURNING. WITHIN 85 DAYS, THE CAR LOST SPEED WHILE DRIVING AND WOULD NOT MOVE. IT TOOK ONE HOUR TO COAST 2.5 MILES TO HOME. I LATER HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY CALLED THE NEXT DAY TO TELL US THAT WE NEED A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE TRANSMISSION AND NEEDED TO REPLACE THE PUMP AND CONVERTER. A COST OF $2000. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH ANY OTHER BRAND OF USED CARS EVEN WITH HIGH MILEAGE. THIS CAR WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN 90 DAYS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT HAD THE CAR MALFUNCTION WITH THE FIRST 60 DAYS, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE REPAIR IT. THE CAR HAS 55225 MILES AS OF TODAY'S DATE. THIS IS A MAJOR REPAIR THAT IS WELL DOCUMENTED AS A PROBLEM WITH DODGE/CHRYSLER VEHICLE. WE CALLED THE CHRYSLER CONSUMER SERVICES HOTLINE AND WAS TOLD THAT WE HAD TO WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH THE DEALERSHIP AS TO THE REPAIRS. THE DEALERSHIP IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH US TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM AT OUR EXPENSE. WE ARE NOT AGREEING TO THIS ARRANGEMENT AND IS WAITING FOR HIGHER MANAGEMENT TO INTERVENE.. *NLM

NO PROBLEM OR DEFECT WRITTEN IN DESCRIPTION FIELD. (MODEL/7499AE SWINGRIDE) MR SCC *JB

I AM NOT SURE IF THIS SITE PERTAINS TO THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINT. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO ZEISER DODGE ON 04-19-03 WITH A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. ON 04-21-2003 THEY CALLED TO TELL ME THEY WERE NOT GOING TO FIX IT DUE TO OIL SLUDGE AND THAT THE CAR HAD NOT HAD PROPER OIL CHANGES. I PROVIDED ALL OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS AND THEY ARE STILL REFUSING TO FIX THE VEHICLE. ITS STILL UNDER THE 36,000 MILE-3 YR WARRANTY. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THE 2.7 LITER IN THESE CARS ARE FAULTY FOR OIL SLUDGE. I FEEL MY CAR SHOULD BE REPAIRED. *JB

I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT ON 01/12/01 WITH 14 MILES ON IT. 04/14/02 I WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. WHEN THE CAR WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED AGAIN, BLUE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT THE BACK. I PARKED THE CAR NEARBY AND LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, AND WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN, IT WOULD NOT STAY RUNNING, AND THERE WAS MORE BLUE SMOKE COMING OUT OF IT. I CALLED THE DODGE TOWING SERVICE, AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER THAT I BOUGHT IT AT. THEY "FIXED" THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME I HAD DIRTY GAS PARTICLES. I HAVE HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON 4 TIMES SINCE THAT, AND THE CAR STALLS WHEN IN IDLE WHILE THE LIGHT IS ON. THE DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS 04/14/02, 06/24/02, 01/13/03, 04/07/03, AND 04/29/03. THE DEALER HAS ON THIS LAST ATTEMPT TO FIX MY VEHICLE THAT THE "FIX" THEY HAVE APPLIED AGAIN IS NOT PERMANENT (SAID IT MAY WORK FOR ANOTHER 4 MONTHS) AND THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY ANSWER FOR WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO MAKE MY VEHICLE A SAFE CAR TO BE IN AGAIN. THEY ARE ADMITTING TO ME THAT THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINE PROBLEM, AND THAT THEY HAVE OTHER CONSUMERS OUT THERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM I AM. IN THE MEANTIME, I HAD SENT A LETTER OF DEFECT NOTIFICATION TO THE MANUFACTURER, DATED 04/22/03. THE LETTER WAS SENT CERTIFIED, AND RETURN RECEIPT. I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER THE MORNING OF 04/28/03 CONFIRMING THAT THEY RECEIVED MY LETTER AND PAPERWORK REGARDING THE LEMON LAW. AS OF TODAY, 05/06/03, THE MANUFACTURER IS TELLING MY DEALER SERVICE MANAGER THAT THEY WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TRADE ME INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, BUT THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO BUY THE VEHICLE BACK, DESPITE THE LEMON LAW OF AZ 44-1261. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING THE AZ ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY. THANK YOU. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. WHEN SHE PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SHE NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRES BLEWOUT. *NLM

THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE, ALMOST RESULTING IN A COLLISION. THE WHEEL WAS DAMAGED. PH

CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS