2001 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE WITH THE BRAKES ENGAGED, HE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE FELL WHILE MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. HE LOOKED INSIDE OF THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL AND NOTICED THAT THE CONTROL ARM AND WHEEL BEARING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. HE NOTICED LIQUID COMING FROM THE WHEEL BEARING HOUSING AND TWO SMALL FRAGMENTS ON THE GROUND. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT NO MAJOR REPAIRS HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER NOR HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN REPAIRED OR THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/04/11 *BF UPDATED 12/30/11 *CN

DODGE STRATUS 2001: SEVERE SQUEAKING DURING SUSPENSION MOVEMENT: THE CAR WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SQUEAKING NOISES DURING MOVEMENT. THEN WHILE DRIVING MY DAUGHTERS AND THEIR FRIENDS TO THE SKATING RINK, I HEARD A LOUD POP, THEN GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT. I CHECKED TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG AND THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS BENT OUTWARD AND ALMOST DETACHED FROM THE CAR. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE CLOSEST REPAIR STATION AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE BALL AND JOINT, AND THAT BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT BALL AND JOINTS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1000. AS A SINGLE PARENT I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THE NATIONAL RECALL AND IF I AM ENTITLED TO REPAIR COST UNDER THE RECALL. THANK GOD WE WERE NOT INJURED AND THAT I WAS TRAVELING LESS THAN 10 MILES PER HOUR DURING THIS FAILURE. *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT CONSTANTLY ON, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING AIR BAG IS INOPERABLE AT THIS POINT AND THE CAUSE IS A BROKEN CLOCKSPRING IN STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD THAT DODGE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX AT NO CHARGE. *TR

I LIKE TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO WINDOWS IN THE CARS. I WAS IN CLOSE CALL ACCIDENT AND I, WITNESS ANOTHER INCIDENT IN MINER DAMAGES TO CAR. I WAS CROSSING INTERSECTION AT SHARP ANGLE AND DID NOT SEE CAR CROSSING IT AT HI SPEED, NEAR MISS. I WITNESS INTERSECTION WHERE CAR MERGING IN TO TRAFFIC, FORCE VEHICLE OF THE ROAD TO SIDE, DAMAGING RIMS ON THE CAR OVER THE CURB SIDE WALK. SIMPLY EGG DESIGN CARS ARE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE!!!! IT IS WORST THEN DISTRACTIVE DRIVING IS BLIND DRIVING ALL THE TIME. I RECOMMEND 80'S. AS A COMPARISON AND INSPIRATION. *TR

I DID EXPERIENCE MY CAR ACCELERATING. I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND WAS WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN WHEN MY CAR JUST STARTED REVVING UP. I COULD FEEL THE CAR PULLING BECAUSE IT WAS ACCELERATING. I HAD KEPT FEET ON THE BRAKES BUT IT KEPT GETTING LOUDER AND PULLING UNTIL I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I STARTED IT UP AGAIN WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN BUT IT WAS STILL ACCELERATING, SO I MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND PARK THE CAR. *TR

WHILE PARKED AND TURNED OFF, MY '01 DODGE STRATUS R/T ENCOUNTERED AN ENGINE FIRE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS ALMOST BEYOND RECOGNITION. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING OF THE KIND WAS WRONG; THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING AS USUAL. A SIMPLE GOOGLE OF "STRATUS ENGINE FIRE" TURNED UP AN OVERWHELMING OCCURRENCE OF STRATUS OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED NEAR THE FUSEBOX, WHICH WAS ALSO THE LOCATION OF THE FIRE IN THE COUNTLESS SEARCH RESULTS. THE CAR HAD IDLED TOO HIGH FROM A FEW DAYS AFTER I PURCHASED IT. WE HAD THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE CHANGED AND THE IDLE SPEED ADJUSTED BY THE SHOP FOUR OR FIVE TIMES, YET NOTHING WOULD STOP THE HIGH IDLE. THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD DECREASE IT WAS TO TURN THE AIR CONDITIONER ON--WHICH BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER PROBLEM. THE DRAIN HOLES FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR DRAINAGE. THUS, RUNNING THE AC LEADS TO WATER POOLING IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOORBOARD. ALL WE COULD GET THE SHOP TO DO WAS BLOW OUT THE DRAIN HOLES AND CHECK FOR CLOGS. SO, IF WE WANTED THE CAR TO IDLE AT A LOWER SPEED, WE WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH A COUPLE INCHES OF WATER ON THE FLOORBOARD. *TR

I HAVE A DODGE STRATUS SE SEDAN, 2001 MODEL.. WHILE TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING LOT THE STEERING WHEEL ALMOST LOCKED UP, THEN SOMETHING SNAPPED AND BROKE INSIDE. I REGAIN STEERING BUT MY AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON AND REMAINS ON. THE OTHER CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL SUCH AS CRUISE CONTROL AND THE HORN DO NOT WORK.. I FEEL THE CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING, THE WHEEL FREEZING UP MOMENTARILY UNTIL YOU BREAK THE RIBBON WIRE INSIDE THE CLOCKSPRING BOTH ARE SAFETY HAZARDS. THE PART THAT IS DEFECTIVE IS THE CLOCKSPRING.. IT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE DEALER ONLY AT A COST OVER $129.00.. IT IS VERY CHEAPLY MADE AND IS ESSENTIALLY A RIBBON WIRE WRAPPED AROUND A PLASTIC SPOOL. IT IS CAPABLE OF BINDING UP AND PREVENTING THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN. ONE SHOULD BE INSPECTED AND ANY ENGINEER WILL AGREE IT IS VERY POORLY DESIGNED. AS MUCH AS AIRBAG COSTS AND AS MUCH IS IT IS ENGINEERED, TO HAVE A CHEAPLY MADE PART PREVENT IT'S FUNCTIONING MAKE NO SENSE AT ALL. DODGE AND JEEP CHRYSLER IM SURE.. NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REPLACE THIS PART WITH A MUCH BETTER ENGINEERED REPLACEMENT. I ALMOST CRASHED AND NOW IF I DO CRASH I HAVE NO AIRBAG AND I HAVE NO HORN TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS IF THEY'RE ABOUT TO CRASH INTO ME. *TR

2001 DODGE STRATUS. LOSS OF CONTROL. RESULTING IN 2 SEPARATE CRASHES. I DID SUSTAIN INJURY IN THE LAST INCIDENT. I WAS TRYING TO TURN LEFT INTO A PARKING LOT, WHEEL TURNED ONLY PARTIALLY. I COULD NOT GET IT TO MOVE THE CORRECT DIRECTION, AND I RAN INTO A TALL (15IN.) CURB. SUSTAINED WHIPLASH AND A LARGE KNOT ON MY HEAD. THE 1ST INCIDENT WAS WHILE TRYING TO TURN LEFT AND MY CAR WOULD NOT GO THAT WAY. I ENDED UP HITTING YET ANOTHER TALL CURB,DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. IT MAY BE WORTHY TO NOTE I HAVE REPLACED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, BUT AM STILL GETTING PERIODS OF HAVING A HARD TIME TURNING MY WHEEL. THIS OCCURS WHETHER IN MOTION OR JUST STARTING MY CAR AND TURNING THE WHEEL TO LEAVE . I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE RIGHT SIDE DUE TO FAILURE OF THE WHEEL TO TURN RIGHT AS WELL. I ACTUALLY WAS GOING ABOUT 30MPH AND BARELY MADE MY TURN, ALMOST BROADSIDING A SITTING VEHICLE. WHEN I CHECKED IT, MY TIRE WAS "BENT INWARD' AT THE TOP. THE WHOLE TIRE WAS, WELL, LIKE THIS, / (BUT ACTUALLY BENT THE OTHER WAY, INWARD. MY STEERING WHEEL WORKS RANDOMLY. PLEASE ADVISE, AS THIS IS MY ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO HAVE FIXED ON IT! I'VE ALREADY DIPPED ALMOST $2000 "FIXING" IT. THANK YOU. THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS JUST THE LATEST. THE ONE WHERE I HIT MY HEAD. AS OF TODAY, MY STEERING HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. *TR

REGARDING OUR 2001 DODGE STRATUS, LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT FAILURE. ORIGINALLY ON OCTOBER 25TH OF 2005 WE HAD THE LEFT FRONT CONTROL ARM/BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY REPLACED BECAUSE OF SEVERE SQUEAKING DURING SUSPENSION MOVEMENT. THIS WAS CAUSED BY LUBRICATION FAILURE. THERE IS NO WAY TO RE-LUBE THIS JOINT ON THIS DESIGN. THE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED WITH THE ONLY AVAILABLE PART AT THE TIME FROM DODGE. FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS I HAD NOTICED THAT DURING ABRUPT BRAKING THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL STRONGLY TO THE LEFT, THEN RECOVER WHEN THE BRAKES WERE RELEASED. I HAD SCHEDULED FOR INSPECTION APPOINTMENT ON 11/10/2009. THEN ON11/2/2009 THE SAME EXACT BALL JOINT FAILURE OCCURRED TO THE LEFT SIDE WHEN MY 16 YEAR OLD SON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I HAD READ THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 09E-056 REGARDING THE QUALIS FAILURE AND WONDERED IF IT COULD BE RELATED SOMEHOW. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

WE HAVE A 2001 DODGE STRATUS WITH A 2.7 V6 ENGINE FIST PROBLEM THE WATER OUTLET STARTED LEAKING THEN THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT AN THEN THE LIFTERS STARTED KNOCKING NOW THE MOTOR JUST DIED WE DID REGULAR OIL CHANGES AN MATN.REALLY SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON THE CAR TO HAVE IT DEAD IN THE YARD. *TR