2002 DODGE STRATUS Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED FOUR TIMES SINCE PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE REVVED OUT OF CONTROL WHILE STOPPED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE A PROBLEM. UPDATED 10/18/2006 - THE IRS TIME THIS HAPPENED THE DEALER NOTICED THAT THE INTAKE WAS VERY BLACK AND THAT THE THROTTLE WAS POSSIBLY STICKING, CAUSING THE IAC MOTOR TO OVERCOMPENSATE. *NM

REAR STRUT MOUNT PLATES DISINTEGRATED TURNED TO POWDER CREATING UNSAFE CONDITION WITH REAR SUSPENSION. REPLACED STRUT AND PLATES. HAVE PIECES WHAT IS LEFT OF IT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL SLUDGING PROBLEM, INTERNAL OIL LEAKING AND AN INCREASE OF ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION BY THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP DID NOT PROPERLY IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT HONOR ANY WARRANTY CLAIMS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE DAMAGE WAS TOO EXTENSIVE TO FIX. THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERATIVE SINCE THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT.

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AT ABOUT 25 MPH. SHE HIT A SLIGHT POT HOLE AND HEAR A LOUD BANG IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. THE CAR CONTINUED TO MAKE A SOUND LIKE SOMETHING WAS ROLLING AROUND (BANGING) IN THE TRUNK. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE REAR STRUT PLATE MOUNT DISINTEGRATED AND WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITHOUT REPLACEMENT. I WAS AWARE OF ANOTHER DODGE STRATUS OF SAME TYPE AND YEAR WITH THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM SO I FELT I SHOULD REPORT IT TO YOU AS DID THE OTHER PARTY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED OIL HAD LEAKED ALL OVER THE ENGINE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED.

THE FRONT TIE ROD ENDS ARE BOTH DEFECTIVE ON MY 2002 DODGE STRATUS. THE CAR HAS ONLY 53000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, ALL OF WHICH WERE NORMAL DRIVING MILES. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS PART SHOULD FAIL AFTER SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. *JB

I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND DROVE OVER A SLIGHT DEPRESSION IN THE PAVEMENT WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM THE PASSENGER RIGHT REAR. THE LOUD BANGING SOUND CONTINUED AS LONG AS THE CAR WAS DRIVEN. I NOTICED A COMPROMISE IN THE HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REGISTERED REPAIR SHOP WHERE I HAVE BEEN A CUSTOMER FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS. I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SINCE THE REAR STRUT PLATE TOP MOUNT HAD DISINTEGRATED DUE TO THE FACT THEY WERE MADE OUT OF ALUMINUM. THE DRIVER REAR STRUT MOUNT WAS ON THE VERGE OF BREAKING APART ALSO. IT APPEARS THAT ROAD SALT PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SITUATION. THE REPLACEMENT MOUNTS PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER WERE NOT MADE OF ALUMINUM. THE FOLLOWING REPAIR/PARTS WAS PERFORMED: REAR SHOCK & OR STRUT ASSEMBLY (2), UPPER SHOCK MOUNT (2). *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE MADE A KNOCKING NOISE AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED A ROD AND CRANK BEARINGS FRACTURED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED.

I DRIVE A 2002 DODGE STRATUS 4 DOOR R/T AND NOTICED A SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF CAR. I PULLED OVER COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING AND DROVE AGAIN. IT STILL MADE A LOUD THUMP SOUND FROM THE REAR OF CAR. INSPECTED CAR AT HOME WITH PROPER TOOLS, I FOUND THE REAR STRUT MOUNT ON THE LEFT OF CAR WAS BROKE IN TO 6 PIECES. IN SIGHT OF THIS I TOOK THE RIGHT REAR STRUT MOUNT OFF AND FOUND IT TO BE BROKE INTO 2 PIECE WITH A 2 INCH CRACK GOING ACROSS PART OF IT. ORDERED TWO NEW REAR STRUT MOUNTS TO FIND OUT THERE HAS BEEN A MAJOR PART CHANGE. THE OLD PARTS ARE ALUMINUM AND NOT PAINTED AND THE REVISED PARTS ARE STEEL AND ARE PAINTED BLACK. I CALLED DODGE'S COMPLIANT LINE AND WAS HUNG UP ON. PLEASE NOTE THAT 4 DOOR R/T SUSPENSIONS ARE NOT THE SAME AS ALL OTHER 4 DOOR STRATUS CARS. TIRES WORE ON THE INNER EDGES AND THE SHOCKS WERE FREE TO JUMP UP AND DOWN SINCE NOT ATTACHED TO THE CAR. *JB

I DROVE TO KNOXVILLE, TN. I WENT TO A BASKET BALL GAME. ON THE INTERSTATE THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING REAL TERRIBLY. I CALLED MY MOM AND SHE SAID TO CHECK THE OIL IN THE MORNING. I DID IT WAS AT A PERFECT LEVEL.(I HAD GOT THE OIL CHANGED ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THIS TRIP.) I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MAINTENANCE SHOP. THEY SAID THE OIL HOLES ARE TO SMALL TO LET SUFFICIENT OIL THROUGH TO THE ENGINE AND THAT THE OIL WAS LIKE GUMMY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE(HOW WOULD ANY ONE KNOW THAT) AND IT RUINS YOUR ENGINE. I HAD ANOTHER MAINTENANCE SHOP CHECK MY CAR AT HOME IN WI. THEY SAID THE SAME THING THE MECHANIC SAID IN TN. THE CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. THE CAR IS IN MY DRIVE WAY BECAUSE I HAVE NO MONEY TO PUT A NEW ENGINE IN THE CAR. MY MOM WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO DRIVE TO TN AND RENT A UHAUL WITH A TRAILER AND BRING MY CAR BACK. I DON'T ONLY NEED AT LEAST $3000 FOR ENGINE I ALSO OWE MY MOM $700 FOR THE TOWING. *NM