1997 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

CONSUMER NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. IF HEAD GASKET WERE TO FAIL COMPLETELY, OIL COULD GET ONTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND START A FIRE. *AK *ML

HEAD GASKET BLEW AT 30,000 MILES STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT GOING OUT OF WARRANTY SOON AND NOTICED PEOPLE WITH SIMULAR PROBLEMS AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM IT HAPPENING WHEN THE WARRENTY IS UP. *AK

WHILE FILLING FUEL TANK A FIRE COMMENCED FROM FUEL FILLER NECK. LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH FIRE. CAUSE OF FIRE BELIEVED TO BE STATIC ELECTRICITY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *AK

WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON A BUSY STREET AND WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT HAD BEEN PUT IN NEUTRAL. I LIMPED IT OVER TO A TRANSMISSION PLACE AND THEY PUT A MACHINE ON IT. THE THIRD GEAR IS OUT SO WE HAD TO HAVE IT REBUILT. THE COST TO DO THIS IS $1650.00. IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT A VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION WITH ONLY 9,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. WE PREVIOUSLY HAD TROUBLE WITH THIS CAR BECAUSE WE WERE STRANDED AT NIGHT WITH 3 CHILDREN IN THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY DUE TO THE TIMING BELT BEING SHREDDED AT 23,000 MILES. WE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND RENT A VEHICLE TO GET HOME (70 MILES AWAY). AFTER THAT, WE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE MANIFOLD. WE HAD A CRACKED MANIFOLD AND I HAD TO REPEATEDLY GO BACK AND ARGUE THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG. I FINALLY GOT IT REPLACED AFTER 3 VISITS AND A WEEK LONG STAY, IT WAS FIXED. NOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THESE TROUBLES, WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD FILE A COMPLAINT. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HEAD GASKET FAILURE FOR THE SECOND TIME WITHIN 17,000 MILES OF FIRST REPLACEMENT. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOT UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *AK *ML

TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR--CAR "KICKS AND BOLTS" AS THOUGH THE DRIVER SLAMMED ON BRAKES AT 30 MILES PER HOUR. ALSO, CAR NEEDS A NEW HEAD GASKET AT 50,000 MILES. CAR HAS BEEN SERVICES REGULARLY AND WELL MAINTAINED. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?!

ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL AT 51,000 MILES. SPOKE TO MECHANIC THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE GASKET. I HAVE THE GASKET IF THE NHTSA WISHES TO INSPECT. SPOKE TO DODGE THEY SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE STRATUS BUT IT WAS NOT COVER UNDER THE WARRANTY.*AK

CONSUMER PURCHASED CAR USED AND ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AT 44,000 MILES. NOW AT 61,000 MILES IT HAS BLOWN OUT AGAIN. DEALER ISN'T GOING TO REPLACE IT, BUT MANUFACTURER WANTS THE CONSUMER TO GET THE CAR TO DEALER, AND THEY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE TO LOOK AT IT. *AK *ML

ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL AT 43000 MILES. THIS HAS TO BE A DEFECT. *AK

DURING DRIVING ON SNOW THE ABS SYSTEM CAUSED A FEEDBACK TO THE SYSTEM THAT RESULTED IN LOCKING UP,AND A PEDAL THAT REBOUNDED OUT WHEN BRAKING ON SNOW. *AK