1999 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

UPON HAVING RECALL WORK DONE MECHANIC INSTALLED LEFT OUTER TIRE ROD UPSIDE DOWN CAUSING IT TO CONTACT THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL. *TS *JB

DROVE CAR TO HOSPITAL, CAME OUT AND FOUND CAR HAD AN UNDER HOOD FIRE AND WAS TOTALED. *JB

I WAS IN MY 1999 DODGE STRATUS ALL OF MAYBE 15 MINUTES TRAVELING TO THE STORE. I TURNED IT OFF AND WENT IN THE STORE FOR MAYBE 5 MINUTES. I STARTED MY CAR AGAIN AND TRAVELED TO A FRIENDS HOUSE MAYBE 10 MINUTES FROM THE STORE. I WAS IN THEIR HOME PROBABLY 10 MINUTES TOPS. WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER MY HOOD AND FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDER THE FRONT OF MY CAR. WE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FINALLY ARRIVED MY CAR WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE SO I JUST LOST MY CAR BECAUSE IT WAS TOTALED. THEN IN APRIL OF 2006 I GET A RECALL (E23) FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND I AM TOTALLY AMAZED. THIS IS PROBABLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR. I NOTIFIED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND THE SENT SOMEONE OUT TO TAKE PICTURES OF MY CAR AND THEN SENT ME A LETTER DENYING MY CLAIM. THE SAME COMPLAINTS WHICH ALERTED THEM OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING FLUID HOSE AND CAUSED THIS RECALL TO BE MADE, ARE THOSE WITH ALMOST EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES AS MYSELF. SO WHAT DO I DO NOW? THE GENTLEMAN AT CUSTOMER CLAIMS RESOLUTION GROUP FOR DAIMLER CHRYSLER STRESSED TO ME TO HIRE AND ATTORNEY. SO THIS IS WHAT I WILL BE DOING WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ON JULY 26, 2006, WHILE AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING FROM ALL OF THE VENTS RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE BECOMING ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TOTALED. THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, POWER STEERING FLUID HAD TO BE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE EVERY TWO-THREE WEEKS. A RECALL WAS FOUND ON THE INTERNET, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 06V001000; STEERING: HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST: HOSE, PIPING, AND AND CONNECTIONS THE SAME DAY AS THE INCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS MADE AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT JUST RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER ON 8-8-06, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 06V0010000; REGARDING THE STEERING: HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST: HOSE, PIPING, AND AND CONNECTIONS.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S HIGH PRESSURE STEERING HOSE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHO REPLACED THE HIGH PRESSURE STEERING HOSE. A RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED PERTAINING TO THE HIGH PRESSURE STEERING HOSE #E23. HOWEVER, THE DEALER DETERMINED THE RECALL ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICE OR REIMBURSEMENT.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT A SQUEAKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER BRAKE AREA AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 35 MPH DURING DRY AND CLEAR ROAD CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON 03/15/06 WHERE A BRAKE KIT, AND BRAKE SHOES WERE INSTALLED. HOWEVER, THE BRAKE PROBLEMS PERSISTED. ON 03/20/06, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES SOLENOIDS WERE BROKEN. THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED AND A NEW BRAKE KIT AND SOLENOID WERE INSTALLED ON 04/25/06. THE BRAKE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES WERE ALSO RE-DONE ON 05/09/06. AFTER EACH REPAIRS AT THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, THE BRAKE PROBLEM RECURRED THEREFORE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 06/28/06. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS REPAIR INVOICES AND FAILED PARTS AVAILABLE.

SAFETY RECALL E23 - HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE. *TS THE POWER STEERING HOSE FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 50-55 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. 5 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CONTACT NOTICED GREY SMOKE ESCAPING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE WAS ALERTED. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. A REPRESENTATIVE OF DAIMLER CHRYSLER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE ON 06/04/06, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY FEEDBACK. A LETTER WAS RECEIVED FROM THE MANUFACTURER DATED 06/09/06 THAT DECLARED DAIMLER CHRYSLER WOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE INCURRED DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE. A CARD WAS ALSO RECEIVED FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER ALERTING THE CONTACT TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT RECALL E23 ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. ON 06/19/06, A RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED STATING THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE HIGH PRESSURE STEERING HOSE FOR THE VEHICLE THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT REIMBURSEMENT WAS DENIED FOR REPAIRS PERFORMED PRIOR TO A RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS: 06V001000. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40-45 MPH, ANOTHER DRIVER NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF, A VAST AMOUNT OF SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS LEAKING FLUID ONTO THE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS REPAIRED ON 10/31/05. IN MAY OF 2006, A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED FOR THE HIGH PRESSURE STEERING HOSE. THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE RECALL LETTER WERE FOLLOWED BY SENDING THE ORIGINAL RECEIPT, AND A COPY OF THE SAFETY RECALL TO DAIMLER CHRYSLER ON 06/06/06. WHEN DAIMLER CHRYSLER WAS CALLED ON 06/19/06, THEY DETERMINED THE CONTACT'S MECHANIC NEEDED TO BE CONSULTED FOR MORE QUESTIONS. EVENTUALLY, REIMBURSEMENT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE PART NUMBER WAS NOT LISTED ON THE INVOICE AND THE FILE WAS CLOSED. THE CONTACT WAS WILLING TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR THIS REIMBURSEMENT ISSUE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AT AN UNREASONABLE EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME CONTRARY TO THE TIME PERIOD STATED IN THE RECALL LETTER. THE NHTSA RECALL # 06V001000 REGARDING THE POWER ASSIST; HOSE, PIPING AND CONNECTIONS.