2003 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

DT: THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AND REPAIR SHOP SEVERAL TIMES FOR A SQUEAKING NOISE THAT CAME FROM THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE BY THE WHEEL. THE SOURCE OF THE SQUEAKING NOISE WAS UNKNOWN. THE ENGINE, A CALIBER TO THE STEERING WHEEL, AIR CONDITIONING, BRAKES, AND THE FLYWHEEL WERE REPLACED. THERE IS A STILL A SQUEAKING NOISE AND CONSUMER DOES NOT KNOW WHERE IT I COMES FROM. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. *AK

DT: THE CONSUMER SAYS THAT WHEN REACHING 35 MPH, A NOISE IS HEARD FROM IN THE TRANSMISSION AREA. THE DEALERSHIPS TRANSMISSION PERSON HAD THE VEHICLE BROUGHT IN AND CHECKED IT OUT AND VERIFIED WHAT THE SERVICE MANAGER THOUGHT IT WAS. THEY CALLED CHRYSLER STAR ONLINE. THEY STATED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL TRANSAXLE OPERATION AND NOISE. THEY WOULD NOT LET THE SERVICE PEOPLE FIX THE CAR. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF CHRYSLER. THE CAR INCREASED IN NOISE AFTER 35 MPH. THE OWNER HAS TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FIXED, BUT CHRYSLER WON'T LET THEM FIX IT. THE CONSUMER TALKED TO CHRYSLER TWICE, AND HAS A REFERENCE NUMBER #13735214. *AK THERE WAS A SCRAPING NOISE WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE DISCS WERE COVERED WITH BRAKE DUST. *SC

DT: CAR INADVERTENTLY BEGINS TO SPEED UP. GENERALLY IT OCCURS 20 MPH AND SLOWER, EVEN WHEN STOPPING. CAR IS VERY HARD TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. NO WARNING. CAR IS REGULARLY SERVICED, AND RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE. DEALER REPORTS THEY CAN NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION.*AK THERE WERE THREE ATTEMPTS TO DETERMINE CAUSE WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS. *TT

REPORTED NOISE IN FRONT END OF 2002 DODGE STRATUS, DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE LEFT LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED AND VEHICLE LOST STERRING ABILTY AND POWER ABILITY. WHEN WHEEL CAME LOOSE IT DAMAGED THE LEFT FRONT FENDER AND THE HALF SHAFT. VEHICLE WAS DISABLED. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 64,000 MILES. PARTS ARE BEING REPLACED AND THE OLD PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION

RELIABLE MECHANICS REFUSED TO CHANGE THE OIL ON MY 2003 DODGE STRATUS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AN ENGINE WHICH HAS ONLY 47,200 MILES ON IT.MECHANICS STATE THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND SLUDGE BUILD UP, AND IT IS LIKELY TO NEED REPAIRS OF THE ENGINE, RANGING FROM $3,000 AND UP, SOON. AS I'VE DONE SOME INVESTIGATING, I HAVE SEEN THIS AS A MAJOR PROBLEM. WE ARE FAITHFUL WITH OUR OIL CHANGES, AND FEEL THIS COMPANY NEEDS TO RECALL THIS ENGINE AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND I HAVE BEEN READING THAT THESE ENGINES JUST DIE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH NO WARNING. DODGE WILL HAVE A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM IF SOMEONE GETS KILLED BECAUSE OF THEIR CARELESSNESS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I REALLY FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE ADRESSED ASAP BEFORE SOMEONE OR SOME FAMILY GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED.*AK

I TURNED ON MY CAR AND THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO 3,500 RPM. THE GAS PEDAL IS NOT ENGAGED AND THE ENGINE WILL NOT SLOW DOWN. *JB

CONSUMER JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE IT STARTED UP, AND THEN STALLED. A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY EXPLODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

MY CAR HAS 41,000 MILES. IT IS A 2003 DODGE STRATUS. THE PAST WEEK I HAVE NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING/KNOCKING. THAT'S PROBLEM 1. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THAT LAST WEDNESDAY I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING PLACE AT WORK, AND I TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL. I HEARD THIS POP AND THEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON . ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. I DO HAVE THE CAR IN THE SHOP. THE TECHNICAN WORKING ON THE CAR SAYS THE AIR BAG IS NOT GOING TO BE COVERED. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT AND I FEEL THAT THE DODGE CORP. SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR CHARGES!*AK

I BOUGHT MY DODGE STRATUS IN FEB. OF 2004, IT IS A 2003. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES DUE TO THE MOTOR IN THE WINDOW GOING OUT, THE AIR CONDITIONING GOING OUT, THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT, THE CD PLAYER IS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY AND NOW THE SAFETY FEATURE (AIR BAG SYSTEM) IS FAILING AS WELL. I HAVE OWNED OTHER CARS IN THE PAST WITH HIGHER MILES THAN THIS VEHICLE AND I NEVER HAD THE PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING WITH THIS ONE. I AM UPSET WITH THIS VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT BUYING A NEWER CAR WITH LOW MILES SHOULD LEAVE THE BUYER FEELING HAPPY AND SAFE WITH THEIR DECISION. HOWEVER, I AM NEITHER HAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE KNOWING NOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS FIXED MOST OF THE PROBLEMS SO FAR (THEY ARE UNABLE TO GET THE AIR BAG SYSTEM LOOKED FOR A FEW DAYS...SO MUCH FOR SAFETY MATTERS!). I AM EXTREMELY UNHAPPY WITH THIS VEHICLE AND WITH THE CHRYSLER (DODGE) COMPANY.*JB

WHILE TURNING LEFT VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER STATED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE TRUNK POPPED OPEN. *AK