1997 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH REAR KNUCLE BROKE AND CAUSED RIGHT REAR WHEEL TO TURN UNDER AND FORCE VEHICLE OUT OF CONTROL INTO A DITCH. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *YH

WHILE DRIVING OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE STALLED LOSING ALL POWER. TOOK VEHICLETO DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED TIMING BELT AND PULLEY. TIMING BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. ALSO HAD COMPUTER REPLACED. *AK

CAR WAS LEAKING ABOUT 1/2 QUART PER WEEK; LOCAL SHOP PUT DYE IN OIL SYSTEM TO FIND LEAK AT VALVE COVER. SEVERAL OTHER STRATUS OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM; OURS COST NEARLY $200. THIS IS THE MOST SECOND-MOST FRUSTRATING CAR WE HAVE EVER OWNED (THE FIRST WAS A USED LECAR). AFTER SO MUCH SATISFACTION WITH OUR 1990 SPIRIT, WE ARE SO DISPLEASED THAT WHEN WE REPLACE THIS CAR, WE WILL NOT EVEN CONSIDER A CHRYSLER PRODUCT.

LEFT CALIPER BURNED AND FROZE, DIGGING INTO THE ROTOR; RIGHT CALIPER ON THE VERGE OF DOING SO. THE CAR HAD PASSED RIGOROUS EQUIPMENT INSPECTION JUST 3 MONTHS BEFORE WITH NO WARNING OF IMPENDING EQUIPMENT FAILURE. CAR IS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY; DEALER SAID THAT ONLY THE COST OF THE CALIPERS WOULD BE COVERED. HAD CAR REPAIRED AT A LOCAL SHOP THAT GUARANTEES ITS WORK, BOTH PARTS AND LABOR.*AK

VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL. CONSUMER HAS TO FILL VEHICLE WITH OIL 3 TIMES A WEEK TO KEEP VEHICLE GOING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE IT STARTED TO SMOKE AND LOSE OIL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE POWER STEERING HOSE (PART NUMBER # 4764-347A / 0777C/ 25517 DF 3251 3/8" ID # 03067F1) IS LOCATED BEHIND THE CYLINDER BLOCK AND RUNS ALONG THE TOP OF IT FROM THE PUMP( LOCATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE'S MOTOR) TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE DOWN TO THE RACK & PINION. BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE HOSE WHEN IT RUPTURS/LEAKS ONTO THE EXHUST PIPE/MANIFOLD AND IGNITES THE POWER STEERING FLUID STARTING A FIRE. THIS SHOULD BE CORRECTED SO THAT IT IS PLACED LOWER OR AWAY FROM THE EXHUST PIPE/MAIFOLD. *AK

THE OIL LEAK HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND I TOOK IT SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER AS WELL AS OTHER MECHANICS TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS JUST THE OIL PAN LEAKING AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. NOW I FIND OUT THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $600.00. THE VEHICLE ISN'T EVEN PAID FOR YET. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR THIS PAST FALL. I ALSO HAD A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHENEVER I TURNED AND AFTER SEARCHING THE WEB I FIND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE BALL JOINT FOR THIS YEAR AND MODEL. I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING A NOTICE ABOUT THAT AND SHOULDN'T THE DEALER HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT RECALL NOTICE WHEN I HAD MY CAR IN REPEATEDLY FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THEY COULDN'T SEEM TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG? INSTEAD THEY REPLACED THE BEARINGS AND TIEROD ENDS. I AM GETTING REALLY FRUSTRATED WITH DAIMLER CHRYSLER OVER THIS VEHICLE. AFTER ALL THE REPORTED COMPLAINTS JUST ON THIS WEBSITE AND YOU KNOW THERE ARE MORE OUT THERE, CHRYSLER SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS AND AT A MINIMUM DO A 50-50 FOR REPLACEMENT OF THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS. YOU CAN BET I WON'T BE BUYING ANOTHER CHYRSLER PRODUCT.*AK

HEAD GASKET BLEW AT 70,000 MILES. COST 750.00 TO REPAIR. AFTER RESEARCHING, I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND CHRYSLER KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. IS THERE ANY WAY TO GET ANY COMPENSATION FROM CHRYSLER FOR THIS? *AK

I HAD TO FILL MY OIL EVERY WEEK, MY OIL STICK WASNT EVEN READING THE OIL, THATS HOW BAD MY LEAK WAS I THEN TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT TECHNICIAN AND TOLD IT WAS A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. I THEN TOOK IT TO ANOTHER GUY AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A "SILENT RECALL" ON HEAD GASKETS. MY TIMING BELT BROKE GOING 70MPH ON I-40 IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AT DUSK IN THE TENNESSEE/NC BORDER. AND B4 I LEFT FOR THE TRIP THEY TOLD ME IT WAS OK TO DRIVE. HAD TO PAY 300$ TOWING BILL CAUSE IT WAS "OK" TO DRIVE! I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE AGAIN...I UNDERSTAND THERE CAN BE PROBLEMS WITH ANY CAR...BUT WHEN THEY CHARGE US THE CONSUMER TO FIX THERE MISTAKES MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL.*AK