2001 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE STRATUS WITH 80,000 MILES. ON JULY 26 I HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP THAT I USUALLY TAKE MY CAR IN TO CHANGE THE OIL AND SUCH. HE INSPECTED THE REAR AXLE OF MY DODGE STRATUS AND SAID THE UPPER STRUT JOINT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR VEHICLE. HE TOLD ME THAT THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN DO TO THE METAL PART OF THE UPPER STRUT JOINT BROKEN AND IT WOULD BE HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I ASKED HIM WHEN AND HOW MUCH THE REPAIRS WOULD BE? HE MADE A FEW CALLS TO AUTODEALERS, AUTO PARTS STORES AND APPARENTLY THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO A BACK ORDER OF UPPER STRUT JOINTS. WE TOOK MATTERS INTO OUR HANDS AND CALLED A NUMBER OF DEALERS THINKING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE AN INVENTORY OF THE PRODUCT. ALL THE CAR DEALERSHIPS SAID THAT THEY WERE IN BACK ORDER AND THAT THEY ALSO NEEDED THEM FOR CUSTOMERS AND LOANER CARS THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR INVENTORY THAT THEY CANNOT USE DUE TO THE PART NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN THREE TO FOUR WEEKS FOR THE PART AND THAT WAS NOT A GUARANTEE. SOME OF THE CAR DEALERSHIPS AND REPAIR SHOPS SAID THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND CAN CAUSE THE REAREND OF THE VEHICLE TO BE ATTACHED ONLY BY A PART OF THE VEHICLE WHICH IS DANGEROUS. THESE PARTS ARE IN BACK ORDER WHICH MEANS THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE DEFECTIVE PART AND WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO YOU. I COULD NOT WAIT FOR THE PART SO I HAD SOMEONE MAKE A TEMPORARY PART FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE THAT HAS INVESTED ON A VEHICLE AND WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS THERE ARE NO PARTS TO BE FOUND. THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MATTER AND IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ANYTIME REGARDING THIS MATTER. *TR

I AM WRITING ON BEHALF OF THE ISSUE CONCERNING SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF MITSUBISHI/DODGE VEHICLES CONTAINING THE F4A51 AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (2000-05 ECLIPSE, 2001-05 STRATUS RT, 1997-2003 V6 GALANT) THE MAIN ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE WAVE/CUSHION SPRING LOCATED IN THE TRANSMISSION. MITSUBISHI HAS DESIGNED THE WAVE SPRING AS A FRAGILE TWO COIL PIECE WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO REPEATEDLY BREAK CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IN TURN POSES A THREAT ON THE DRIVER/PASSENGERS AS WHEN THIS WAVE SPRING BREAKS, ACTUAL PIECES OF THE SPRING MAKE IT THROUGH MITSUBISHI'S ALSO FAULTY TRANSMISSION FILTER AND LODGE THEMSELVES IN THE PUMP GEAR, CAUSING THE GEAR TO BREAK. WHEN BROKEN, ALL FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS IMMEDIATELY STOP FUNCTIONING AND IN MOST INSTANCES THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. THIS COULD RESULT IN POTENTIAL HARM OR EVEN DEATH OF THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER AS THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL MOVING POWER WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WITH OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. MITSUBISHI HAS RECENTLY CREATED AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE WAVE SPRING WITHOUT ISSUING A RECALL, A NOW ONE PIECE DESIGN INSTEAD OF A COIL SETUP WHICH IS PRONE TO BREAKING. TO MANY MITSUBISHI/DODGE OWNERS THIS UPDATE WAS DISCOVERED AFTER THEY HAVE HAD THEIR VEHICLE IN A TRANSMISSION SHOP WITH A HEFTY BILL TO PAY EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MITSUBISHI'S FAULT FOR ENGINEERING A FAULTY PART. ALL ONE PERSON WOULD NEED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS SEARCH THE INTERNET WITH THE TRANSMISSION CODE F4A51 AND THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED, EVEN RESEARCHED BY TRANSMISSION DIGEST. NOT ONLY IS THIS A LARGE INCONVENIENCE TO MOST, IT IS ALSO A HAZARD TO ONES LIFE. MITSUBISHI SHOULD RECALL ALL VEHICLES CONTAINING THE F4A51 TRANSMISSION TO PERFORM THE WAVE SPRING AND FILTER UPDATE OR REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD IT DONE AT THEIR COST. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS IF YOU OWN A VEHICLE WITH THE F4A51 YOUR VEHICLE WILL EVENTUALLY NEED THIS REPAIR, IF YOU ARE STILL AROUND TO DO IT. *TR

CLEAR COAT ON BLACK PAINT HAS TURNED WHITE AND FLAKING OFF. STARTED ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR IN THE FALL OF 2006. DEALER AND LETTER TO MANUFACTURER BOTH OFFERED NO HELP. THE CLEAR COAT PROBLEM HAS SPREAD TO THE HOOD, SIDES, AND TRUNK ALSO. *TR

ON 7-12-08 MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME AND GOT LESS THAN 1/4 MILE AWAY, GOING AROUND A CURVE AT 45MPH. SHE HEARD A NOISE POP AND THEN A RUB. SHE PROCEEDED TO THE DRIVE AND INTO THE GARAGE. SHE CAME INTO THE HOUSE, GOT ME AND I LOOKED AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WHAT I FOUND WAS THE UPPER STRUT MOUNT ON THE REAR RIGHT SIDE IS ROTTED OUT BECAUSE IT WAS MADE OF ALUMINUM (WHICH REACTS WITH STEEL AND ROAD SALT). THE STRUT BROKE FREE AND RUBBED A 3/16" GROOVE INTO THE TIRE. ALSO LOOKING AT THE LEFT SIDE IT IS ALSO ROTTED OR CORRODED. I AM PRETTY UPSET ABOUT THIS FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, IF SHE WERE TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE 69 AT 70 MPH AND IT BROKE FREE, THE TIRE WOULD OF BEEN CUT IN HALF. PROBABLY SENDING THE CAR INTO A SPIN INTO THE DITCH, OTHER CARS, OR A GUARD RAIL. THIS WOULD OF BEEN DISASTROUS LET ALONE HAVING SOME KIDS IN THE CAR. SECOND, I CALLED THREE DEALERSHIPS IN THE FORT WAYNE AREA ON 7-14-08, ONE TOLD ME THERE ARE 1200 ON BACK ORDER. ONE SAID THERE ARE 1300 ON BACK ORDER. ONE SAID THERE ARE 9000 ON BACK ORDER. ALL OF THEM SAID THEY WOULD NOT COME IN UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST. I ORDERED 2 REAR STRUT MOUNTS ON 7-14-08 AND HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING AS OF 7-20-08. WHAT IS A PERSON TO DO WITHOUT A CAR FOR ONE MONTH? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT HEARD EXCESSIVE NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO RIDE ROUGHLY. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR APPROXIMATELY A WEEK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REAR UPPER STRUT MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL DODGE. THE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR ARE ON BACK ORDER UNTIL AUGUST OF 2008 AT ALL CHRYSLER DEALERS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,200.

2001 STRATUS SE HEARD A GRIND AFTER GOING OVER A BUMP ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK. LOOKED UNDER CAR AND SAW DRIVER SIDE STRUT MOUNT WAS BROKEN. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD BOTH MOUNTS ARE BROKEN AND NEEDED REPAIR. THESE PARTS ARE MADE OF CHEAP ALUMINUM WHICH IS HORRIBLE MATERIAL FOR SALT CORROSION. WAS TOLD PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER 2-3 WEEKS. NOT BELIEVING HEM, I CALLED DODGE DIRECTLY AND WAS TOLD BASICALLY TOLD SORRY, 1000 WERE SHIPPED 7/3 BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER 7,600 BACKORDER!!! NOW IT WILL BE END OF JULY BEFORE I GET PARTS. ALL THEY WOULD DO WAS GET ME A PRIORITY FOR IF A DEALER IN OH GETS SOME I CAN HAVE THEM. (AND A CASE NUMBER). VERY DISAPPOINTED IN DODGE MAKING A SUSPENSION PIECE THAT SEES HEAVY CORROSION CONDITIONS OUT OF ALUMINUM POT METAL AND THEN HAS A MONTH BACKORDER. SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THIS CAR. SO I'M OUT OF MY MAIN WORK VEHICLE FOR A MONTH, BORROWING THE WIFE'S VAN. WHAT WERE WE TO DO IF MY WIFE WAS WORKING OR IF SHE NEEDED VAN TO GET KIDS TO SCHOOL. DODGE WOULDN'T EVEN WORK WITH ME FOR A LOANER. (BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS 2X THE COST, A WHOLE OTHER STORY).*TR

I OWN A 2004 DODGE STRATUS THAT I CHANGED THE OIL IN EVERY 3500 - 4000 MILES EVEN THOUGH THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS CHANGES AT 7500 MILE INTERVALS. THE CAR HAD ROUGHLY 37000 MILES ON IT BACK IN 2006 WHEN THE 2.7L V6 ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL SLUDGING CAUSING AN OIL FLOW FAILURE. AT THE TIME I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS BAD LUCK, BUT NOW AFTER TWO YEARS I READ OF COUNTLESS THOUSANDS OF CASES WHERE PERSONS WITH THE SAME 2.7L ENGINE IN THERE DODGE OR CHRYSLER VEHICLES HAD ENGINES SEIZE, AND YET THE COMPANY DOES NOTHING FOR US. I STILL HAVE THE VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY BUT FRANKLY CANNOT AFFORD TO PUT A NEW MOTOR IN IT AS THE PRICE FOR THOSE IS SKY HIGH BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A DEMAND TO REPLACE THEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS AS A CONSUMER WE DESERVE RETRIBUTION FOR THESE EXPENSIVE ENGINEERING FAILURES. *TR

DRIVING DOWN I-71 AT APPROX. 10:00PM AND THE REAR OF MY CAR STARTED TO SWAY ALOMOST CAUSING M,E TO LOSE CONTROL. I PULLED OVER AND REALIZED THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE HAD FAILED. THE SIDE WALL HAD BROKE DOWN AND CAME APART UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. SPEED WAS 67MPH AND THE TIRE HAD 35PSI IN IT AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. TREAT ON THE TIRE IS STILL APPROX 50%.

THE DASHBOARD OF MY 2001 DODGE STRATUS R/T HAS BECOME SEVERLY CRACKED. I FIRST NOTICED A SMALL CRACK LAST YEAR SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. A FEW MONTHS LATER I NOTICED THAT THE CRACK HAD BECOME EVEN LARGER AND THAT ANOTHER CRACK WAS FORMING. THEN DURING THE WINTER MONTHS I NOTICED A THIRD CRACK NEAR THE DEFROSTER VENT! I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THEM. THEY TOLD THAT THEY WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH ANY SUCH PROBLEM AND THAT SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP ME. I NOTICED A 4TH CRACK A FEW WEEKS AGO AND DID SOME SEARCHING ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WAS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE! I HAVE READ WHERE OTHERS HAVE HAD THE DASHBOARD REPLACED/REPAIRED ONLY TO HAVE THE CRACKING PROBLEM RECUR. NOW I HAVE NOT TRIED TO TAKE THE DASHBOARD OFF TO REPAIR IT FOR FEAR THAT IT WOULD SIMPLY FALL TO PIECES. I BELIEVE THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS DEFECT AND FIX IT AT THEIR COST! IF I WERE TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED I'M CONCERNED THAT PIECES OF PLASTIC WOULD FLY OFF AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY! *TR

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ONE MORNING WHEN 2001 2.7L V-6 STARTED TO CHUG, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR DIED IMMEDIATELY. MY HUSBAND HAD TO PUSH TO SIDE OF ROAD. WE HAD IT TOWED LATER THAT MORNING TO MY PARENTS' HOUSE. ENGINE IS BLOWN OUT. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THESE ENGINES ARE EXPENSIVE TO FIX WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE OUR MAINTENANCE AND NEVER HAD ANY WARNINGS SIGNS BEFORE HAND. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO STEP UP BECAUSE WE PAY MONEY FOR THEIR PRODUCT AND NOTHING IS HOLDING. IS THAT ALL WE GET OUT OF OUR CARS IS 75,000- 100,000 THEN NOBODY SHOULD BY CARS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION AND CHRYSLER NEEDS TO RECALL OR MAKE IT RIGHT BY OWNER. WE DID DO OUR REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE AND NOW WE SHOULD HAVE TO BASICALLY THROW THE CAR OUT. IT IS EXPENSIVE TO FIX. HELP US BECAUSE SOMEONE MAY GET INJURED WITH THESE KIND OF MISHAPS. *TR