1998 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A STRATUS FROM A USED CAR DEALER AND I KNOW BUYER BEWARE. ANY HOW, I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY GOT IT FROM A DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT HAD A HEAD GASKET LEAK. THE DEALERSHIP THAT I GOT IT FROM SAID THEY LOOKED IT OVER AND IT WASN'T A HEAD GASKET, BUT AN OIL PAN LEAK. ANYHOW, I BOUGHT IT(HOOK-LINE AND SINKER). WENT TO GET AN INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A HEAD GASKET LEAK. TOOK IT TO A COUPLE OTHERS AND THEY SAID IT WAS THAT. SO, I TOLD THE COMPANY I BOUGHT IT FROM AND GOT 300.00 BACK . THEN PROCEEDED TO TAKE IT TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP(GLADSTONE DODGE) HERE IN TOWN. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A HEAD GASKET LEAK, BUT ALSO SAID IT WAS MANY OTHER THING TO THE TUNE OF 2000.00, I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THAT SO I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP THAT JUST FOUND A HEAD GASKET LEAK AND A FEW OTHER MINOR THINGS AND FIXED IT ALL FOR A 1000.00. WHAT I DONT UNDERSTAND WITH ALL THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKET IS WHY THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RECALLED? UNFORTUNATES, I DON'T HAVE THE OLD PARTS TO THIS BUT WISH I DID. *AK

I BOUGHT A STRATUS FROM A USED CAR DEALER, WHICH I UNDERSTAND BUYER BEWARE. JUST RESENTLY I HAD THE TENSIONER BAR BOLT BREAK OFF AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, WHICH COULD OF CAUSE A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE BUT I GOT LUCKY. PLUS, I TAKE THE FREEWAY TO WORK EACH DAY, WHAT IF THAT WOULD HAVE SNAP OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC? MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, IMMEDIATELY. LUCKLY, I WAS ON A SIDE STREET AND HAD TOWED TO A MECHANIC, I TOOK IT TO THE PLACE THAT REPLACED MY HEAD GASKET (ANOTHER COMPLAINT) AND THEY FIXED IT BUT ALSO TOLD ME THAT DODGE HAD MADE A COMPLETE NEW PIECE FOR IT AND HAD TO GET THE FULL KIT. WHICH THAT COSTED ME SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOR THAT. I DO HAVE THE OLD TENSIONER PARTS BUT I DONT HAVE THE OLD HEAD GASKET PARTS.*AK

WHILE PLACING THE KEY INSIDE THE IGNITION VEHICLE FAILED TO TURN ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED FOR SERVICE. *AK

I BEGAIN TO HAVE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN I TURNED AND THEN, MY HALF-SHAFT FELL OUT OF MY TRANSMISSION, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO REPLACE MY HALF SHAFT AND LOWER CONTROL ARM. THAT STUFF IS NOT CHEAP. *AK

SAFETY DEFECT IN 1998 *BF ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WAS EXPERIENCED RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER ADMITS THAT SHE MAY HAVE HIT THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP FOR A RED LIGHT. *TT CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 99V244000 *TC

THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLOOR SHIFTER/PARK INTERLOCK: NHTSA CAMPAIGN 04V021000. THE INTERLOCK KNOB FAILED TO MOVE AND PREVENTED THE KEY FROM BEING REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION AND THE FLOOR SHIFTER. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *JB

RE FAULTY HEAD GASKET ON 1998 CHRYSLER DODGE STRATUS. *BF THE FAULTY HEAD GASKET CAUSED OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PUT AT LEAST 1 QUART EVERY OTHER DAY AND EVEN THEN THE OIL BARELY REGISTER ON THE DIPSTICK. *NM

BRAKES, OUTER TIE ROD, BRAKE CALIPERS, ENGINE OIL INNER SEAL. BRAKE PADS, SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS 20 TIMES EVERY 3 MONTHS AND THE BRAKE CALIBER ON THE RIGHT REAR THIS WILL MAKE THE 9TH TIME I AM RUNNING OUT OF MONEY ON THIS CAR THE FRONT BRAKES AND HUBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES HAVE ALL MY RECEIPTS AND CAN PROVE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE ON MY CAR COST OF OIL LEAK REPAIR WAS OVER $800.00 DOLLARS AND GUESS WHAT I WILL HAVE THE CAR PAID FOR THIS MONTH AND I AM STILL WORKING ON THE WHEELS AND BRAKES I NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS CAR AND THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM WILL NOT RESPOND TO MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BRAKES, AND THE ENGINE PROBLEMS I AM HAVING. *AK

BRAKES FAILED TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 70 MPH. CONSUMER CONTINUED DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL HE SMELLED RUBBER BURNING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF. VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED BACK ON. IGNITION WAS THEN TURNED BACK OFF, AND VEHICLE COASTED TO THE MEDIAN. WHEN VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK BEFORE RESTARTING. CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED, AND THE FAILURE HAD CORRECTED ITSELF. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED, THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK ...*AK

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. PRIOR TO THE COLLISION THE BRAKES FAILED, AND CONSUMER JUMPED A CURB, CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND THAT STOPPED THE VEHICLE.*AK THE VEHICLE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL WRECK BY MET LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. *TC