1998 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

SINCE JULY 2003, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE LEFT AND RIGHT TIE RODS AND RIGHT WHEEL BEARING. 7/2003-LEFT TIE ROD, 8/2003 RIGHT WHEEL BEARING, 1/2004 RIGHT TIE ROD. *JB

I JUST BOUGHT A 98 STRATUS WITH 36000 MILES. THE FIRST DAY THE WEATHER TURNED COLD AND I STARTED IT, A HUGE OIL LEAK DEVELOPED. THE HEAD GASKET IS OUT. WHERE CAN I SIGN UP FOR THE CLASS ACTION SUIT? *JB

SLOW OIL LEAK, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO TURN ON LOW OIL INDACATOR ON THE DASH BOARD. I EVENTUALLY PUT A QUART OF OIL IN THE ENGINE.THEN I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND FOUND OUT THAT I HAD A CRACKED HEAD GASKET.I WAS VERY ANGRY WHEN I HAD FOUND THAT OUT ESPECIALLY WITH ONLY 53,465 MILES ON THE CAR!!!!!

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT AIR. AS A RESULT, DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE FACIAL INJURIES. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED OIL STAINS ON DRIVEWAY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE MANUFACTURER HE INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. *AK

1998 DODGE STRATUS 2.4L ENGINE AUTOMATIC 1. THE ENGINE IS SEVERLY LEAKING OIL. TWO MECHANICS HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND BOTH SAID IT NEEDS A NEW HEAD GASKET. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 76,000 MILES ON IT. UPON RESEARCH, THIS IS A RAMPANT PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS. THEY HAVE CHANGED THE GASKET TYPE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM! 2. TRUNK LATCH SEEMS TO HAVE A STICKING PROBLEM. THIS TOO SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. *LA

WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY UPPER AND LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE BALL JOINTS BROKE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK

I'VE STARTED EXPERIENCING BOTH HEAD GASKET LEAKS AS WELL AS AIR CONDITION ISSUES. I HAVE PAID OUT OVER $2,500 COMBINED OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS. NOW, I READ THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE THAT HAS A 1998 DODGE STRATUS.*AK

I HAVE A 2.4 LITER 4-CYLINDER DODGE STRATUS THAT HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS DEVELOPED A HEAD GASKET LEAK. I'VE OBTAINED SEVERAL ESTIMATES RANGING FROM $700-$950 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. DAIMLER CHRYSLER WILL NOT ISSUE ANY TYPE OF RECALL FOR THIS CAR OR MANY OTHER MODELS LIKE THE BREEZE, NEON, AVENGER AND CIRRUS. THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN FOR SOME TIME YET THEY REFUSE TO COVER THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY NOR HAVE THEY ATTEMPTED TO REDESIGN THESE ENGINES SO THE HEAD GASKETS DON'T LEAK. WHEN YOU PUT AN ALUMINUM HEAD ON A CAST-IRON BLOCK, THERE WILL BE LEAKS. THE TWO DIFFERENT METALS HAVE TOO MANY DIFFERENCES IN HOW THEY REACT TO TEMPERATURE CHANGES. AS LONG AS THESE METALS ARE PAIRED TOGETHER (AND THE UNSUSPECTING PUBLIC KEEPS BUYING THIS ILL-THOUGHT-OUT DESIGN) THERE WILL BE LEAKS. *JB

"THE FAMOUS HEAD GASKET FAILURE THAT NOBODY WANTS TO TOUCH". YES, I HAVE A 98 DODGE STRATUS THAT IS LEAKING AT THE HEAD GASKET. I HAD TO BUY ONE OF THOSE FLAT PANS TO CATCH THE OIL IN WHILE THE CAR IS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. MY 2 YEAR OLD GOT OUT THERE THE OTHER DAY AND DECIDED TO PLAY IN THE USED OIL. IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE? HAVING TO KEEP A PAN OF DIRTY OIL UNDER A CAR? I DRAIN IT ONCE A WEEK AND GET AT LEAST 1 QUART. (AND HAVE TO PAY TO DISPOSE OF IT) COME ON HERE! SO, ON TOP OF THE FIRE HAZARD (HOT OIL ON A HOT CATALYST), NOW WE HAVE POISONING ISSUES WITH OUR CHILDREN. IS ANYBODY GOING TO HELP US, OR SHOULD WE JUST START THE WHOLE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT? I AM SURE THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE HERE TO BACK ME UP ON THIS. ACCORDING TO ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS HERE, DODGE ALREADY KNOWS ABOUT IT AND MADE A STRONGER GASKET TO REPLACE IT WITH. *NLM