1998 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

THE HEAD LIGHT LENS COVER IS VERY CLOUDED FROM A DEFECT IN THE PLASTIC THE WRONG TYPE OF PLASTIC WAS USED FOR THE HEADLIGHT THAT DEALS WITH THE ELEMENTS AND THE DOES THAT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS INTERNS REDUCES THE LIGHTING FROM THE HEAD LIGHTS SO BAD THAT IT IS HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT AND IM 23 AND HAVE 20\20 VISION. I CAN DRIVE WITH MY BRIGHTS ON AND THE LIGHT IS STILL WEAKER THAN MOST OF THE CARS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I HAVE NOTICED THAT OTHER 1998 DODGE STRATUS CARS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM UNLESS NOT DRIVEN MUCH AND GARAGED. SPEAKING TO A QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER AT GRIMM BROTHERS PLASTICS IN WAPELLO IOWA HE TOLD ME THAT THE WRONG PLASTIC WAS USED FOR THE HEADLIGHT. I HAVE RECENTLY ALMOST BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND NOW DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHT. AND ITS MY ONLY CAR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FRONT HOOD WAS RAISED, AND FLAMES WERE NOTICED ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE WAY THE VEHICLE HAD OPERATED PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED, AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE TYPE OF FIRE AND EXACT COMPONENT INVOLVED WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DEEMED TOTALED. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER AFTER FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT TAKEN, BUT THERE WERE PICTURES AVAILABLE.*AK

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE STRATUS ES. THE TRANSMISSION WILL PLACE ITSELF IN NEUTRAL AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE AT A STOP. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE TRANSMISSION WORKING AGAIN IS TO RESTART THE CAR. THE CAR HAS THE POWER-STICK TRANSMISSION. *NM

CAR HIT TWICE BY DEER. ONCE ON THE LEFT FRONT AND ONCE ON THE RIGHT FRONT. BOTH TIMES GOING ABOUT 55 MILES PER HOUR OR LESS AND NEITHER TIME DID THE AIR BAGS GO OFF. ON 10-31-2005 I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE MY CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD, AT LESS THAN 55 MPH, DUE TO RAIN AND A CURVE I WAS GOING AROUND. THE IMPACT BROKE MY REAR AXLE, THEN THE BACK OF THE CAR SIDE SWIPED A TREE AND TORE OFF THE REAR BUMPER AND FLIPPED THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, FLIPPED BACK RIGHT SIDE UP AND THEN INTO THE SIDE OF A SMALL HILL. NONE OF THESE TIMES DID ANY AIR BAGS GO OFF. *NM

CAR STARTED SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE THE OWNER OF THE STORE HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AS EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD IS BURNT. *JB

HEAD GASKET FAILED WITH MILEAGE OF LESS THAN 35,000. GASKET WAS REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE BY DEALERSHIP. *NM

1998 DODGE STRATUS CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DAUGHTER TURNED A CORNER WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. SHE PULLED OVER AS THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. IT WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING PROBLEMS. THE STEERING WHEEL FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS BINDING. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS KEPT AT CORRECT LEVELS. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STEERING DIFFICULTIES FOR THE PAST YEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE RAN INTO A HILL AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE SPEED WAS AROUND 55 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THE STEERING OR THE AIR BAGS. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN FROM THE CRASH.*AK UPDATED 1/5/2006 - THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED AND HAD TO BE TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE STRATUS. THERE WERE TWO FIRES THAT ORIGINATED IN THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THE DEALERSHIP DID SOME WORK ON THE VEHICLE, AND WHEN HE GOT THE VEHICLE BACK HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FIRES WERE DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. THE FIRES OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE FIRST FIRE WAS ON JULY 2005, AND THE SECOND OCCURRED ON AUGUST 2005. *AK *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT GO OFF. THIS HAPPENED ON 8-26-05. SHE HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET AT 60 MPH, BUT INSTEAD IT KEPT CLIMBING HIGHER. THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE. THE SERVICE DEALER HAD TO CUT THE WIRES TO GET THE CRUISE CONTROL TO GO OFF. THE BRAKES WERE RUINED BECAUSE SHE HAD TO RIDE THE BRAKES FOR SO LONG. THE SERVICE REPAIR SHOP SAID THE MODULE TO THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS BAD. HE DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL. HE TOLD HER TO CALL THE NHTSA AND REPORT THIS BECAUSE HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE THE MODULE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT SHE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST INCURRED. *AK THE CONSUMER SHE IS EXPERIENCING BACK PAIN FROM BEING JERKED AROUND IN THE VEHICLE. *JB