2005 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

HELLO,MY NAME IS [XXX] . I WAS INVOLVED IN AN MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 1 OF 2008. I WAS DRIVING A 2005 DODGE STRATUS. MY VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY CAR SUSTAINED MAJOR FRONT END DAMAGE. THE DAMAGE WAS SO SEVERE MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. MY SPEED LIMIT ON IMPACT WAS BETWEEN 35-40 MILES AN HOUR. I WAS SHOCKED MY AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. LUCKILY, MYSELF AND MY MOTHER WAS WEARING OUR SAFETY BELTS. I FEEL AT THE SPEED I WAS DRIVING MY AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE DODGE STRATUS ON FRIDAY AUGUST 8, 2008, STILL I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A RESPONSE. PLEASE ASSIST ME WITH THIS MATTER. THANK YOU INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A VEHICLE TWO VEHICLE LENGTHS BEFORE HIM, CAUSED HIM TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE FRONT OF HIS HOOD WAS JAMMED UNDER THE REAR OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. A PASSERBY INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE OTHER VEHICLE AS WELL. BOTH VEHICLES BECAME COMPLETELY ENGULFED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARRIVED AND FILED REPORTS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE VIN AND SPEED WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 74,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO AIR BAGS AND NO HORN IN HER VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND FUEL GAUGE WERE NOT WORKING. SHE ALSO NOTICED THE IGNITION (WHERE THE KEY IS INSERTED) WAS SMOKING. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BATTERY WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. SHE WAS LATER INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY DIAGNOSTIC TEST; THEREFORE, THE BATTERY WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,500.

THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED TO MY 2005 DODGE STRATUS 3 TIMES, ALREADY. I HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND APPROXIMATELY, EVERY 22,000 TO 24,000 MILES MY CLUTCH WEARS OUT. THE WARRANTY ON THE PART OF COURSE ONLY LASTS 12,000 MILES. THE FIRST TIME IT COST ME OVER $1,600 FOR PARTS AND LABOR JUST TO HAVE THE CLUTCH REPLACED AT THE DEALER. FOR THE SECOND TIME, I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP AND GOT THE COST DOWN TO ABOUT $1,100. THE THIRD AND MOST RECENT TIME OCCURRED IN MARCH OF 2008. ONCE AGAIN THE CLUTCH STOPPED LOCKING GEARS INTO PLACE, RENDERING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY UNDRIVABLE. THIS TIME I ORDERED A PART MYSELF AND HAD A FRIEND INSTALL IT FOR ME. THE PART I ORDERED HAS A LIFETIME WARRANTY, SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, I FEEL A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENT THIS TIME. MY POINT HERE, IS THE STANDARD CLUTCH USED BY DODGE IS OBVIOUSLY A SUB-STANDARD PART, NOT WORTHY OF INSTALLATION INTO ANY VEHICLE. ONE'S CLUTCH SHOULD NOT GO OUT 3 TIMES IN AS MANY YEARS. I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW JUST OVER 3 YEARS AGO NOW AND IT DOES NOT YET HAVE 75,000 MILES ON IT. I DO NOT DRIVE IT POORLY AND GRIND THE CLUTCH. I SHOULD NOT BE ON MY FOURTH CLUTCH IN THE VEHICLE. IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN ANY DODGE AND ARE READING THIS COMPLAINT, I WOULD RECOMMEND EXTREME CAUTION AND IF YOU DO END UP HAVING A PROBLEM, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. YOU'LL JUST END UP SPENDING $1,000 OR MORE A YEAR FROM THERE ON. *TR

SOMETIME AROUND THE MIDDLE OF MARCH 2008, AFTER STARTING MY CAR I EXITED TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING FROM THE TRUNK WHEN I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AFTER CLOSE INSPECTION I WAS UNABLE TO DETECT WHERE THE SOUND WAS COMING FROM. I EVENTUALLY TOOK IT TO PEP BOYS AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT APPEARED TO BE THE FLYWHEEL. AND WITH ONLY 33,355 MILE I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THAT PROBLEM. DAYS LATER I TOOK MY '05 DODGE STRATUS TO AAMCO AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE FLEX PLATE (FLYWHEEL). I FINALLY DROVE TO THE DEALER TO COMPLAIN. THE MECHANICS THERE ALSO CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE MILEAGE MAY READ THEIR COMPUTER SHOWS MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED IN SEPTEMBER 2007. THIS PROBLEM MAY HAVE STARTED LONG BEFORE I NOTICED IT BUT SINCE I DRIVE WITH MY WINDOWS UP AND MY RADIO ON ALL THE TIME, I HEARD NOTHING. I WAS INFORMED BY ONE OF THE TECHNICIANS, THAT I NEED TO GET IT REPAIRED SOON BECAUSE THE FLEX PLATE COULD EVENTUALLY DAMAGE THE STARTER. I'M HAVING THIS REPAIRED TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2008. I'M ALSO KEEPING ALL PARTS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE STRATUS. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SEAL ON THE FRONT CRANK SHAFT FAILED AND BEGAN LEAKING OIL. A REPLACEMENT SEAL WAS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THERE WAS A 1/4 INCH MOVEMENT IN THE CRANKSHAFT AND THE SEAL FAILED AGAIN. THE TIMING BELT WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 48,848. UPDATED 4/2/08 *CN UPDATED 04/02/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT TOOK HER VEHICLE TO HAVE AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN TAKEN IN FOR REPAIR. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 64,000.

I HAD MY DODGE STRATUS (WHICH HAS 37053 MILES) HAVE A RADIATOR FAN GO BAD FOR THE SECOND TIME IN APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MONTHS. I REPLACED THE RADIATOR FAN THE FIRST TIME DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT TOOK ME 5 MINUTES TO DO AND WAS AN EASY FIX (APPROXIMATELY FEBRUARY/MARCH TIMEFRAME). ON MONDAY, MAY 14, 2007, I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE HOME FROM NORTHERN WISCONSIN WHEN MY TEMP GAUGE SKYROCKETED TO THE TOP OF THE GAUGE. AFTER PULLING OVER AT A SAFE LOCATION (WAS IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE) AND HAVING THE DEALER TOW THE CAR TO THE LOT, I CAME TO FIND OUT THAT MY ENGINE WAS NOW BAD DUE TO OVERHEATING AND LOSS OF COOLANT. THE RADIATOR FAN HAD FAILED THE EXACT SAME WAY AS IT HAD BEFORE AND THIS TIME CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. MY RADIATOR FAN WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY SO I HAD REPLACED IT MYSELF BACK IN FEBRUARY/MARCH. ALL-IN-ALL CHRYSLER SAYS THEY WILL NOT COVER ANYTHING UNDER WARRANTY (ENGINE AND DRIVETIME UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL 70000 MILES) BECAUSE THE FAN I HAD INSTALLED FAILED AND CAUSED THE DAMAGE. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS DUE TO A LACK OF QUALITY IN THE PART, THUS CAUSING FAILURE AND TERMINATION OF MY VEHICLE. I'D LIKE TO GET THIS RESOLVED BUT DONT KNOW WHERE TO TURN FOR HELP. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE FAN'S FAILURE THE FIRST TIME AFTER REMOVING IT FROM THE VEHICLE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE IDLING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 12/5/2006 - THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PRESSED. THE CONSUMER REPEATEDLY PUMPED THE PEDAL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NM

IN LATE JULY, I WAS PARKED IN MY 2005 DODGE STRATUS RT 2 DOOR COUPE WITH THE CAR STILL RUNNING. I ADJUSTED MY STEERING WHEEL WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE CAR TO TURN OFF. EVERY TIME I RAISED MY STEERING WHEEL, MY CAR WOULD TURN OFF. IT DIDN'T MATTER IF THE CAR WAS MOVING OR NOT, THE CAR WOULD TURN OFF (THE KEY WOULD STAY ON). BIG SAFETY ISSUE IF I WOULDN'T OF NOTICED UNTIL I BEGAN DRIVING. I COULD HAVE LOST MY POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DODGE DEALERSHIP ON 8-7-06. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE CONNECTOR FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS BROKE AND THEY COULD TEMPORARILY FIX IT. A NEW CONNECTOR IS BEING ORDERED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE CONNECTOR COULDN'T HAVE BROKEN WITHOUT SOMEONE BEING IN THE STEERING COLUMN PREVIOUSLY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE STEERING COLUMN HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN APART. THEREFORE, I MUST ASSUME THAT THE CONNECTOR IS EITHER FAULTY OR WAS BROKEN DURING THE INITIAL INSTALLATION. *JB