1997 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

HEAD GASKET FAILED 3 TIMES, CONSUME BELIEVES THIS IS EXCESSIVE AND IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

MY HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT WITH 84,000 MILES. CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. I OWNED IT FOR 2 YEARS. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND 2 DODGE DEALERSHIPS. THE FIRST DODGE DEALERSHIP HAD MY CAR FOR OVER 6 WEEKS THEY COULD NOT FIX IT AFTER THE HEADGASKET WAS REPLACED. BASICALLY THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH TIMING BELT. AFTER THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIX IT. PLUS I HAD TO PAY FOR A COMPUTER,WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE MONEY WAS NON REFUNDABLE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A SECOND DODGE DEALERSHIP IN WHICH THEY HAD IT FOR ABOUT 5 WEEKS. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM SAYING IT WAS ELECTRICAL. I HAD TO PAY OVER 450 DOLLARS FOR THAT. THE TOTAL I PAID WAS OVER 1200 DOLLARS. I THINK ITS PRETTY BAD THAT THE DEALERSHIP COULND NOT EVEN FIX IT! IT SEEMS TO RUN ALL RIGHT NOW. IVE READ HOW A LOT OF THESES DODGE MODELS I.E. 2.4 LITER ENGINES HAVE A MAJOR CORROSION PROBLEM THAT THE DODGE COMPANY FAILS TO TELL ANYBODY ABOUT OR EVEN TRY TO FIX IT. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. *AK

BALL JOINTS WENT OUT AND BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK

THE ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL AROUND THE GASKET. APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN SET AT THE DEALER. ALSO, THE VEHICLE IS LOSING ANTI-FREEZE. THERE APPEARS TO BE NO LEAKAGE FROM THE RADIATOR. WILL HAVE AN INSPECTIONS PERFORMED AT ENGINE APPOINTMENT. *AK

RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE WAS RUBBING ON SOMETHING. I HAVE BRAKE LINE TO PROVE THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG CRYL/DODGE SAID BECAUSE I HAD CAR TOWED TO MY REPAIR PLACE THERE WAS NOTHING THAY COULD OR WOULD DO FOR ME.AND THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM. I HAVE MY 5 SPEED TRANS. REBUILT AND HEADLIGHTS REPLACED BECAUSE OF WATER GETTING IN THEM. *AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL AT RATE OF 1 QUART PER 3,000 MILES. DAIMLERCHRYSLER CONTACTED BUT KEPT DETAILS REGARDING SCOPE OF FAILURES A SECRET. THEY OFFERED TO SPLIT REPAIR COSTS 50-50 WITH ME (MY PORTION TO EXCEED $300). CONTACTED A NUMBER OF DEALERS AND INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITIES, ALL OF WHICH CONFIRMED LARGE NUMBERS OF HEAD GASKET FAILURES ACROSS SEVERAL MODEL AND ENGINE LINES. AFTER SEEING THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME SUBJECT ON THIS SITE, I HAVE TO BELIEVE IT IS A MAJOR DEFECT IN EITHER GASKET DESIGN OR MATERIAL AND WARRANTS A RECALL TO REPAIR AT NO COST TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER. VEHICLE COSTS TOO MUCH ($20,000) TO ALLOW THIS TYPE OF A FAILURE TO CONTINUE. I CURRENTLY OWN 2 CHRYSLER BUILT VEHICLES, BUT WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER DAIMLERCHRYSLER PRODUCT, EVER. *AK

ABOUT 3 WEEKS BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS REALIZED, I HEARD A VERY LOUD WHIRRING SOUND. I HAD TAKEN IT TO FEENEY DODGE IN PALATINE TO HAVE THE FRONT BRAKES DONE. THEY DID THE BRAKES BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DID NOT NOTICE THE LEFT WHEEL BEARING NOISE. I TOOK IT TO GOODYEAR IN MT. PROSPECT FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND THEY NOTICED IT RIGHT AWAY. THEY SAID THAT THE LEFT WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD AN AMOCO STATION I KNOW WELL DO THE REPAIR. WHY DID A CAR THAT IS ONLY 2 1/2 YEARS OLD NEED A WHEEL BEARING REPLACED? I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WHY WASN'T THIS UNDER THE THREE YEAR WARRANTY? I CONTACTED FEENEY AND ANOTHER DEALER IN THE AREA AND GOT TOLD THAT NO, THAT IS NOT UNDER THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY. THIS REPAIR SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAID FOR BY CHRYSLER NOT ME. THE PART HAD TO BE DEFECTIVE FOR THIS TO HAVE HAPPENED. *AK

AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT 5 MILES PER HOUR COLLISION. NO DAMAGE TO OTHER CAR BUT OUR CAR HAD A BLOWN OUT WINDSHIELD, SIDE WINDOW, BLOWN APART DASH AND STEERING COLUM. ONLY DAMAGE TO CAR WAS IN THE INTERIOR. *AK

I HAVE CONTACTED DODGE WITHOUT ANY HELP. THE REPRESENTATIVE I TALKED TO WAS VERY INSENSITIVE TO THE PROBLEM I CALLED IN ABOUT. I KNOW OF 2 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND GOT IT FIXED, EVEN AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS OUT. I HAD NO OPTION BUT TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED AND FIXED. THE CAR IS ONLY 2 AND 1/2 YEARS OLD AND IS ONLY DRIVEN ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN. PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH ANY INFO. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL. WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAS BEEN ALLOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS PART. CHRYSLER GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND ON THE PHONE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE NEW HEAD GASKET IS A NEW DESIGN MEANING THAT THE ORIGINAL IS DEFECTIVE. I REALIZE THAT I HAVE ALLOT OF MILEAGE ON MY VEHICLE, BUT CONSIDERING THAT WE HAVE KEPT UP WITH THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE, THERE SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET. *AK