2002 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

NOTICED INCREASED OIL USAGE WITH NO LEAKS ALTHOUGH OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3 MONTHS OR 3000 MILES. AT APPROX. 122000 MILES, ENGINE THREW A ROD. SEVERAL DODGE/CHRYSLER MECHANICS STATED THIS WAS DUE TO "OIL SLUDGE" BUILDUP, SAYING THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2.7L V6 ENGINE REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF OIL USED OR FREQUENCY OF OIL CHANGES. *TR

MY STEERING ALL OF A SUDDEN GOT LOCKED TO THE LEFT AND I ALMOST RAN INTO AND OTHER CAR. I WENT TO A REPAIR PLACE AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS MY RACK AND PINION. I JUST GOT BACK FROM A TRIP AND HAD NO PROBLEMS THANK GOD BUT TO GO OUT ALL OF A SUDDEN. IT SCARED ME PRETTY BAD I PARKED THE CAR IT IS TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *TR

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE CONTROL ARMS ON MY 2002 DODGE STRATUS SEVERAL TIMES NOW. THERE IS CONSTANT KNOCKING UNDER MY CAR. I BELIEVE IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS ALL OF THE RECALLS THAT ARE WITH THE DODGE PRODUCTS; HOWEVER, NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE DODGE STRATUS 2002. *TR

DURING DAILY DRIVING MY DODGE STRATUS 2.7 MOTOR FAILED. AFTER TAKING TO THE MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD IT WAS CAUSE BY ENGINE SLUDGE AND THAT THE REPAIR WAS GOING TO COST ME 4K. *TR

I HAVE 2 LARGE CRACKS IN MY DASH, MY CAR IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND DOES NOT SIT IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT, ONE CRACK APPEARED OVER A YEAR AGO, I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOUD CRACKING NOISE, NOW AGAIN THE SAME THING ONLY THE NEWEST CRACK IS MUCH LARGER AND STILL GETTING BIGGER I ALSO HEAR OTHER CRACKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING SO I IMAGINE IT IS JUST MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I HAVE MORE CRACKS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY CAUSE SAFETY ISSUES. DEALER SAYS NOTHING IS COVERED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

IN THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS THE CHECK ENGINE STAYS ON. I HAD THE COMPUTER CODE READ AND RESET TWICE. AFTER BEING RESET THE LIGHT RETURNED WITHIN 1-2 DAYS. THE THIRD TIME IT CAME ON THE DEALER SAID THE CAR HAD A VACUUM LEAK AND REPLACED A CRACKED HOSE. ON THE SECOND DAY AFTER GETTING THE CAT BACK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT POPPED BACK ON AND STAYED ON AGAIN. THEY SAY THAT THERE IS NO SHORT TO THE SENSOR OR LIGHT ON THE DASH YET THE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. A YEAR AGO THE MAIN COMPUTER DIED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR IS A 2002 DODGE STRATUS WITH ONLY 37,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER IS STUMPED, I AM OUT SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS , AND THE PROBLEM REMAINS. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. *TR

2.7L ENGINE FAILURE. TENSIONER FOR PRIMARY TIMING CHAIN FAILED TO EXTEND. 2 O RINGS MISSING ON TENSIONER . OIL SLUDGE IN ENGINE. OIL PASSAGES ALMOST PLUGGED. *TR

REAR FRAME TO SUSPENSION MOUNT HAS BROKE. THE SHOCK INSIDE THE COIL THEN WAS ABLE TO GET LODGED INTO THE SPRING. THIS MADE THE SUSPENSION STUCK/IMMOBILE. THE VEHICLE WAS 3-WHEELING AROUND CORNERS ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP. WE WERE TOLD THE PART WAS BACK-ORDERED TO THE FACTORY AND WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT ANY OTHER DEALERSHIP ACROSS THE US. WAIT TIME FOR THE NEW PART IS MORE THAN A MONTH. I WORK FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIER. IF ITS THIS HARD TO GET A PART, SOMETHING MORE IS WRONG. HOW MANY OTHERS ARE SUFFERING OUR FATE. *TR

TOOK MY DODGE STRATUS 2002 IN AND MECHANIC DEEMED REAR STRUTS BAD. ORDERED REPLACEMENTS. WHEN ARRIVED THEY HAD SENT REAR UPPER STRUT HOUSING MR31114 INSTEAD OF #4879072AD. WHEN LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER CALLED IT WAS STATED THAT THERE WAS A BACKORDER OF OVER 8000 OF THESE. I THEN CALLED THE 800 NUMBER AND AFTER 4 HRS OF CLIMBING THE LADDER WAS INFORMED THAT THIS PART WAS IN FACT BACKORDERED WITH CURRENTLY THAT MANY CARS AWAITING THIS PART AND THAT IT WAS BEING RETOOLED AND WOULD BE UNAVAILABLE TILL LATE AUGUST. THE ISSUE IS SAFETY IN THAT THE REAR UPPER STRUT HOUSING IF BROKEN PRESENTS AN ISSUE FOR DRIVER AND VEHICLE SAFETY AND THE NUMBER OF CARS NEEDING WHAT IS NOT AVAILABLE IS GROWING AND THE COMPANY HAS NEITHER A RECALL OR SAFETY NOTICE OUT NOR IN MY CONVERSATIONS AT LEAST HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR CARE ABOUT THIS. FOR MANY IF THIS IS YOUR ONLY VEHICLE YOU HAVE LIMITED OPTIONS AND MANY OF THESE VEHICLES WILL BE ON THE ROAD IN THIS CONDITION OF BROKEN REAR UPPER STRUT HOUSINGS. WHAT AM I TO DO AND WHAT RECOURSE IS THERE? *TR 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'

MOPAR AGREES RECALL SHOULD BE DONE ON THIS PART FAILURE. 02 DODGE STRATUS REAR STRUT MOUNTS. STRUT MOUNTING PLATES ON VEHICLE ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM OR SOME TYPE OF WHITE METAL AND THEY HAVE DISINTEGRATED INTO A POWDER LIKE DUST AND THE STRUT WAS DETACHED. MOPAR CONFIRMED ABOUT 8553 BACKORDERS ON 7/8/08 DEALERS AND 8607 BACKORDERS AS OF 7/9/08 - I REPLACED PART FROM A JUNKYARD CAR, AS THIS IS THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET A CAR BACK ON THE ROAD UNTIL SUPPLY IS ADEQUATE ON NEW PARTS WITH NEW DESIGN. VEHICLES CAN BE EXPECTED TO BE OUT OF COMMISSION AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. POSSIBLY FOR MONTHS WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION. *TR