2001 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT SUDDENLY CAME TO A STOP. VEHICLE FRONT END WAS DAMAGED. NONE OF THE VEHICLES AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A TOP PRIORITY INVESTIGATION. THE FRONT AXLES BEARINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES ON RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT. THE FRONT BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE ALL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BY MANUFACTURER. AXLE BEARING FAILURE OCCURED AT 21,000 MILES VEHICLE WAS 6 MONTHS OLD. THEN AGAIN 6 MONTHS LATER WITH 38,000 MILES ON IT , AT THAT TIME IT WAS DISCOVERED THE BALL JOINTS ON THE UPPER AND LOWER ON BOTH SIDES WERE WORN OUT, MANUFACTURER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. RECENTLY A POWER STEERING LINE WHICH RUNS FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO THE POWER STEERING RESEVOIR STARTED LEAKING, UPON INSPECTION I FOUND IT HAD BEEN LEAKING FOR A WHILE BUT FINALLY OPENED UP. THE CASUE IS THE DESIGN OF THE POWER STEERING LINE, IT RUBS AGAINST THE A/C LINE WHICH IS METAL AND WORE A HOLE IN THE LINE. I PURCHASED THE LINE FRONT THE LOCAL DODGE DEALER. THE LINE HAS BEEN SUPERCEEDED 3 TIMES, A OBVIOUS DESIGN PROBLEM. I AM ASE CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN, THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS I LISTED ARE VERY SERIOUS AND DODGE IS AWARE OF THEM. COMMENT TO ME WAS THE AXLE BEARINGS AND BALL JOINTS ARE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, THIS CAME FROM THE DEALER IT SELF. THE DEALERS ALSO CAN NOT KEEP THE POWER STEERING LINES IN STOCK. POTENTIAL RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAILURES ARE AS FOLLOWS, BALL JOINT AND AXLE BEARING FAILURE SHOULD THEY BREAK WHILE OPERATING ON THE HIGHWAY CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING LINE WHEN IT FINALLY RUPTURES AFTER IT HAS WORN THROUGH CAN CAUSE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD DUE TO THE PROXIMITY OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND ALSO LOSS OF POWER STEERING. ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE HAS 64,000 MILES ON IT, IT IS ONLY 15 MONTHS OLD AND IS DRIVEN EXCLUSIVELY ON THE HIGHWAY. THESE FAILURES ARE NOT NORMAL ON ANY VEHICLE WITH THE MILEAGE I LISTED AND SHOULD PROMPT AN INVESTIGATION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED. THE SUPERCEEDED POWER STEERING LINE CAN BE CONFIRMED AT ANY DODGE OR CHRYSLER DEALER. THANK YOU KEVIN GILMORE DT

THESE WHEELS BEND TOO EASY. AFTER HAVING REPLACED 2 WHEELS ALREADY, AND NOW NEEDING TO REPLACE ANOTHER TWO (DUE TO BENDING FROM SMALL POTHOLES MOST LIKELY). THESE ARE MADE AS "SPUN ALUMINUM" AND HAVE LITTLE TO NO STRENGTH. (NOTE: WHEELS ARE MITSUBISHI MANUFACTURED, STRATUS R/T IS SIMILAR TO THE ECLIPSE. NOTE THE WHEEL PROBLEMS LISTED THERE ARE VERY SIMILAR.) DT

CAR HAS BEEN IN 19 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS FOR 15 SEPARATE ISSUES. MOTOR SEEMS TO HAVE FINALLY BLOWN. TOOK 4 TRIES TO PASS STATE INSPECTION. CHRYSLER KEEPS IGNORING ME, MY DEALERSHIP KEEPS IGNORING ME VISIT MY SITE AT HTTP://MEMBERS.TRIPOD.COM/~GO_GRL/DODGE.HTML FOR FULL STORY. NO RETURN CALLS FROM CHRYSLER THRU TODAY 10/30/2002 BILL DAY, GENERAL MANAGER AT DEALERSHIP IGNORING ISSUE LONG ENOUGH. NOW NO CAR WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY DO TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE. DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WINDOW ON THE SUN ROOF OF THE VEHICLE SHATTERED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND SOME OF THE PIECES CUT THE CONSUMER AND RUIN SMALL PARTS OF THE SEATS. CONTACTED DEALER. MR

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRONT ROTORS ARE WEARING EXCESSIVELY. DEALER INFORMED THAT THE ROTORS HAD TO BE TURNED, BUT THE BRAKE PADS WERE ADEQUATE. *MR THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ROTORS SHOULD NOT BE WARPED AT AT 15000 MILES AND STILL HAVE PADDING, THE VEHICLE SHAKES BADLY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, THEY WERE REFACED YET THERE WAS STILL A SLIGHT PULSATION IN THE REAR, THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE ROTORS ARE OF POOR QUALITY. *SCC

ENGINE FAILED. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. WAS TOLD THAT PROPER MAINTENANCE WAS NOT MAINTAINED ON THE VEHICLE. WAITING ON RESPONSE TO DETERMINE COVERAGE FOR THE ENGINE. ESTIMATED DAMAGE $7000. BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR WARRANTY INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WHOLE FRONT END HAS BEEN REPLACED, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE SUSPENSION PROBLEMS, POSSIBLY CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. *SLC

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS RUBBING. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER.*AK

WHILE DRVING, STEERING WHEEL MAKES A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THEY FIXED VEHICLE, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK *YD