2002 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

2002 DODGE STRATUS REAR STRUT MOUNTS. THE TOP, REAR, STRUT MOUNTING PLATES ON THIS VEHICLE ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM OR SOME TYPE OF POT METAL AND THEY HAVE COMPLETELY CORRODED TO THE POINT OF THE STRUTS NOT BEING ATTACHED TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND SHE PROCEEDED HOME AT A VERY SLOW SPEED. UPON INSPECTION THE LEFT REAR STRUT MOUNTING PLATE HAD COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED AND THE STRUT WAS NOT ATTACHED AT ALL TO THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE SWERVE. UPON CHECKING WITH DEALERS AND PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET I'VE FOUND THAT THIS PART HAS FAILED ON THOUSANDS OF CARS. NO PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AND WE WERE TOLD BY A DEALER THAT, ON AVERAGE, THERE ARE 1800 REQUESTS PER WEEK FOR THIS PART AND A TOTAL OF ALMOST 8,000 ON BACKORDER THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SAFETY DEFECT AND IT IS MADE WORSE BY THE FACT THAT NO PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. I WOULD THINK THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL ON THESE AS THEY COULD EASILY CAUSE A WRECK WHEN THEY BREAK FREE. *TR

OIL SLUDGE CAUSED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP WORKING ON THE CA-110S. *TR

WHILE ON 495 LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY THE CAR MADE A LOAD KNOCKING SOUND AND DIED. WHEN TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC HE SAID IT WAS ENGINE FAILURE. THIS HAPPENED IN NOV. 2007(THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN AUGUST 2002), AND THERE WERE NO FUNDS TO FIX IT WHICH HAS CAUSED TRANSPORTATION/FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES IN REGARD TO WORK FROM NOV. 2007 UNTIL THE PRESENT,JUNE 2008. THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER REP. SAID THEY WEREN'T RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T BRING THE CAR TO THEM FOR OUR OIL CHANGES. I JUST RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A JASPAR ENGINE FOR 4,500 TO 5,000 DOLLARS. *TR

THE ENGINE STOP WORKING AND I REPLACE THE ENGINE AND IT DID THE SAME THING. ITS THE 2.7L V6 ENGINE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN PEOPLE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. *TR

MY 2002 BLACK DODGE STRATUS RT HAS THE CLEAR COAT COMING OFF THE TOP OF IT. THE TOP OF MY CAR IS ALMOST WHITE. *TR

OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE, THE CAR IS CURRENTLY SITTING UNTOUCHED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON A WET SURFACE, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED. HE REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A CONCUSSION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,000. THE BODY SHOP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE REASON WHY THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WAS BECAUSE THE SENSORS WERE MOUNTED SO LOW IN THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 05/30/08

OIL LIGHT STARTED FLICKERING MOST WHEN I WAS APPLYING THE BRAKE. THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING MAYBE 3 WEEKS AFTER. I KNEW I WAS DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE SO I HAD ONE DONE YESTERDAY THAT DIDN'T STOP THE KNOCKING. I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER I BROUGHT THE CAR TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND HE TOLD ME IT WAS THE ENGINE SO LAST NIGHT AS IM DRIVING THE KNOCKING GOT REAL LOUD AND YOU COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. THE OIL LIGHT WAS FLICKERING MORE. BEFORE I KNEW IT THE CAR HAD COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. *TR

ALWAYS CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 3,00 MILES. AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. IT KNOCKED FOR LESS THAN A MINUTE PRIOR TO TOTAL FAILURE WITH THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE WARNED AND ANYONE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SHOULD BE REIMBURSED THE AMOUNT TO FIX THE PROBLEM THROUGH DODGE. *TR

WE HAD TAKEN OUR CAR IN TO THE DODGE DEALER HERE IN OKEECHOBEE. IT WAS HAVING A REGULAR TUNE-UP AND MISC OTHER THINGS DONE. THE DEALER HAD IT FOR 2 DAYS. TWO DAYS AFTER I WAS TAKEN MY 70 YEAR OLD FATHER TO HIS PHYSICAL THERAPY CLASS WHEN THE DRIVERS SEAT BACK FELL COMPLETELY TO THE BACK SEAT IN A LAYING DOWN POSITION. I WAS JUST PROCEEDING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY. THANK GOD AS IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. I HAD NOT TOUCHED NOTHING ON THE SEAT MECHANICS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. I CALLED THE DEALER AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS AS OF YET. I KNEW THERE HAD TO BE SOMEPLACE THAT WOULD HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. ALSO THAT SAME CAR DEALER SHIP ROUNDED OFF THE OIL CAP ON THE PAN AND THEY DID FIX THAT. THE SEAT IS STILL BROKEN. I AM NOT A LARGE PERSON NOR IS ANYBODY THAT DRIVES THE VEHICLE SO WE STILL THINK IT WAS EITHER THE MECHANIC AT THE CAR DEALER SHIP OR A FAULTY SEAT MECHANISM. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS INCIDENT HAD I NOT ACTED FAST. *TR