1995 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, FLAMES ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ALERTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THERE WAS MODERATE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE UNDER HOOD AREA. THE POLICE WERE NOT ALERTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE POWER STEERING HOSE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 06V001000, REGARDING THE STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

PLASTIC FUEL FILLER NECK THAT ATTACHES TO THE METAL FLANGE THAT ATTACHES TO BODY OF CAR THAT HAS THE GAS CAP ON. THE METAL PART THAT ATTACHES TO PLASTIC NECK IS RUSTED OUT AND VENTING GAS VAPOR ALL THE TIME. CALLED THE DEALER TO BUY A REPLACEMENT PART AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS PART IS PACIFIC TO ONLY 95 AND 96 MODEL YEARS AND PART IS OUT OF PRODUCTION. DEALER ALSO SAID THERE IS NONE IN STOCK NO WHERE, AND WAS UNABLE TO GIVE ME ANY SOLUTION TO FIX THE PROBLEM THIS IS BOTH A SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD. *JB

1995 DODGE STRATUS CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONSUMER PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER, EXITED THE VEHICLE AND SAW SMOKE. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *JB

DT: SINCE THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IT WOULD SHIFT INTO LOW GEAR OR NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO SEPARATE DEALERS FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE REPLACEMENT OF A SOLENOID PACK. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER NOTED THAT TRANSMISSION COMPUTER HAD TO BE FLASHED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DODGE DEALER AND NO REPAIRS WERE DONE. THEY DID NOT OFFER AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. THE GEAR STILL MOVED WHILE IN DRIVE. THIS IS STILL A PROBLEM. *AK *JB

DT: WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, THEY TOLD HER THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS BROKEN. NO REPAIRS WERE DONE MADE AS OF YET. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.

NUMEROUS FAILURES-SINCE I BOUGHT THIS "95 DODGE STRATUS WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES. 1) ENGINE MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE-I TOOK CAR TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP-BUCHANAN & YOUNG IN BURNSVILLE, NC AND HAD A NEW HEAD GASKET PUT ON. 2) I REPLACED THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I ALSO REPLACED THE BATTERY CABLES, SO THE CAR WOULD START, BUT THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE STARTER TO TRY TO GET THE CAR TO START. I STILL OFTEN HAVE TO GET OUT AND PECK ON THE STARTER WITH A SCREWDRIVER TO GET IT TO START---EVEN AFTER I HAD A NEW STARTER PUT ON. DATE: 8-10-05 3) WHEEL BROKE OFF/CAR NOT DRIVABLE-PARTS TO FIX PROBLEM & MECHANIC'S BILL 4) HAD TO REPLACE FLYWHEEL 5) HAD TO REPLACE STEERING COMPONENTS I HAVE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $2,000 TO GET THIS CAR WITH VERY LOW MILES ON IT TO START. *NM

CAR HAS HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT THREE TIMES. FIRST TIME IT WAS REBUILT BY DEALER AT APPROXIMATELY 85000 MILES BECAUSE OF "ROUGH" SHIFTING. SECOND TIME AT 150000 MILES AT TRANSMISSION RE-BUILDER BECAUSE OF IT CONSISTENTLY GOING IN TO "LIMP" MODE. AFTER SEVERAL RETURN VISITS, THEY STILL COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I DROVE THE CAR FOR 10000 MILES BEING CAREFUL OF CONDITIONS THAT I WAS IN CASE IT SLIPPED IN TO "LIMP" MODE. I EVENTUALLY TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT SHOP TO HAVE IT RECHECKED. AFTER HAVING ALL MECHANICAL PARTS REPLACED, ALL SENSORS, AND TCM MODULE THE CAR STILL GOES IN TO "LIMP" MODE ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS. *JB

I HAVE A 1995 DODGE STRATUS WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH MY CAR AUTOMATICALLY SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL THE VEHICLE JERKS AND SLOWS DOWN IN SPEED I HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND RESTART IT, THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, I TOOK IT A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM THEY REPLACED THE SOLENOID PACK I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. *JB

I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THE CAR WOULD START TO BOUNCE DOWN TO FIRST GEAR AND NOW WILL NOT COME OUT OF FIRST GEAR.I HAVE TRIED TO HAVE IT WORKED ON BUT THE TRANSMITION SHOP COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM EITHER!!!*AK

I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT WITH RESPECT TO A 1995 DODGE STRATUS. THE DODGE STRATUS IS EQUIPPED WITH A DEVICE WHICH I ASSUME IS TIED IN WITH THE CAR'S ELECTRONICS OR COMPUTER. THE PURPOSE OF THIS SPECIFIC DEVICE IS TO MONITOR THE OPERATION OF THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION SO THAT WHENEVER THE TRANSMISSION IS UNDER STRESS OR IS NOT OPERATING AS DESIGNED OR INTENDED (OR AT LEAST THE THE COMPUTER SURMISES THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT OPERATING NORMALLY OR UP TO STANDARD), THE COMPUTER WHENEVER THAT OCCURS AUTOMATICALLY DOWNSHIFTS THE DODGE STRATUS TO 2ND GEAR WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING OR NOTICE WHATSOEVER TO THE DRIVER AND THE DODGE REMAINS IN 2ND GEAR UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE DODGE IS BROUGHT TO A COMPLETE STOP AND UNTIL THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY TURNED OFF. IF YOU THEN ALLOW THE DODGE ENGINE TO REMAIN OFF FOR 3 OR 4 MINUTES AND THEN TURN THE ENGINE BACK ON AGAIN, THE CAR WILL PERFORM NORMALLY AGAIN AND WITHOUT INCIDENT AT SPEEDS UP TO 40 OR 50 OR 60 MILES PER HOUR UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE COMPUTER, ONCE AGAIN, SUCCUMBS TO THE URGE TO DOWNSHIFT TO 2ND GEAR. AT THAT POINT, THE DRIVER FINDS HIMSELF IN 2ND GEAR AND WITH NO VIABLE ALTERNATIVE BUT TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE ONCE AGAIN. TO COMPREHEND WHAT THAT PREDICAMENT IS LIKE FROM THE DRIVER?S POINT OF VIEW, ONE HAS ONLY TO ENVISION YOURSELF ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE OR THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH DOZENS AND DOZENS OF 18 WHEELER TRUCKS ALL GOING 55AND 65 MILES AN HOUR WHEN, OUT OF THE BLUE, THE COMPUTER ON THE DODGE STRATUS DECIDES TO DOWNSHIFT TO 20 MILES AN HOUR AND THE NEAREST 18 WHEELER TRUCK IS ONLY 10 FEET BEHIND YOU AND DOING 60 MILES AN HOUR. IN THAT SCENARIO, THE POSSIBILITIES FOR A HORRIBLE AND CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT COSTING DOZENS OF LIVES IS APPARENT---ALL BECAUSE THE ONBOARD COMPUTER ON THE DODGE STRATUS DECIDED ON ITS OWN TO DOWNSHIFT TO 2ND GEAR. *AK