2001 DODGE Stratus

Engine starting knocking on the highway – the mechanic at Dobb’s said that the motor will have to be replaced.

Very fortunate this happened as we were pulling into the garage. Suddenly sounded like someone under the hood hitting the engine block with a hammer. Now have to have a re-manufactured engine installed on a car with only 65k miles, but out of warranty.
Cant afford not to, cant scrap the vehicle with this low of miles. Ridiculous after what all I have read about the 2.7L engine since then.
I personally changed oil well under manufacturer recommendations, using synthetic most of its life.

While driving to St Louis engine just quit without warning.Had car towed to dodge dealer and said sludge was in the oil but did nothing else but open the cap where oil is put in.

Vehicle just stalled one day while I was driving. I had to keep restarting the car in neutral and as soon as I would hit 45 mph, it would stall again. Had to drive the rest of the way home like this; almost in several accidents due to the problem. Found a 2004, 2.7 liter engine; hoping the same problem doesn’t arise with this engine also.

Timing chain started to rattle. Timing chain kits were on back order at all Dodge repair. Aspen Coachworks found one through another source. Too late they broke and totaled the engine. The mechanic found that the exhaust system goes right under the oil pan and the oil was cooked on the pan. The oil that was in the engine was not black and old. I bought the car less than a year befor and had a mechanic check it out before the purchase. I had at least one oil change maybe two. It was at my mechanic regularly was no way to find this problem unless the engine was torn apart. Very disappointing to buy a Dodge. Do everything you are supposed to do to purchase a used car and then need to purchase a new engine. The mecanic at Aspen requested help at the time and Dodge did not back its product. I\’m not a mechanic so I hope I have expressed this well enough to be understood. I just don\’t think a 2001 engine should have to be replace in April 2006. I would also think that Dodge would back and have a higher expectation for their product

The starter broke in october 2006 with 64000 miles on the car. The cost was 440.00

The roof of the vehicle has been repainted at least one time. This paint is beginning to fail. There are circle marks underneath the paint, which look like paint failure. This is why I believe the car was repainted in the first place.I took it to the dealer I bought it from and he did minor wet-sanding which didn’t take care of the problem. I have contacted a dodge dealership in Layton, UT and they contacted their regional representative who, without looking at the car, stated he wouldn’t do anything to repair it. The reason he gave was it was older than 3 years and it was too old. I also e-mailed Chrystler-Dodge Corporation and they referred me back to the Layton dealership.My car only has 19,000 miles on it. When I bought it I questioned the paint and the dealership stated it wasn’t peeling, so it was ok. I just want my car to have a great paint job without it falling on me when the problem was there before I bought it.

the problem occured with the engine, the car would run hotter then normal and i would have to change the oil more frequently which results of me checking the oil and the water everyday.

The first time we replaced the engine was due to sludge build up. Our car is currently in the shop and the mechanic\’s are trying to determine exactly what\’s wrong with it this time. They are telling us it\’s either the engine or the timimg belt.

The engine stop working due to sludge in the oil.

the engine is shot

The engine had a knock that we thought was a lifter. When doing the diagnostics the repair facility found that 2 of the connecting rods were broken. Do to that it damaged the block and damage to pistons and crankshaft.

The electrical system went down and the valve cover gasket leaked onto the spark plugs then two days later the gaskets broke the seals and then the copper coil container for the spark plug went out so i got that fixed then two days later after i fix that i had a major oil leak so its seems the oil found a new place to leak instead of on the spark plugs like before then maybe 2 weeks later if three the engine blows. I already spent over a thousand dollars into the car that month so now a new engine is 4300 with all cost included.

the car started making a clicking noise, and was pulled over. A mechanic diagnosed problem as a broken rod in engine. Vehicle has not been repaired awaiting decision from manufacturer for reimbursement due to problems ensued previously with this make & model of vehicle and problems with a faulty engine.

The AC/heating fan only operated on one speed, covered by warranty. Had oil changed at same time too.Had to replace the front wheel bearing, believe drivers side. Was early but had oil change done right away too.My engine is shot,I just moved and still haven’t unpacked my files box as of yet, so these are approx figures, If you need the exact, I will try to upack more this weekend. I am disabled and now am completely without any transportation, which is a must where my boys and I live. We reside in small town (pop 1900),(cheaper rent) with only two convenience gas stations. All other necessities, my Doctor office, food, medications, clothes etc… is located 15 miles away, no cabs or buses. I’m on a limited budget and have no means to pay for a replacement engine or a another vehicle. I told the mechcanic, as I broke down crying, I don’t understand this, How, why? I’ve always done the maintenance on my vehicle as stated by the manufacturer. That’s when he walked me over and showed me two other stratus’s sitting on his lot, with the same problem and told me about the 2.7L engines. That’s how I found this website as I have been trying to figure out what to do.I bought this vehicle new, so I didn’t have to worry about buying another vehicle for at least 15-20 yrs. I had no idea it would only last me 5 yrs, do you have any suggestions on what I can do, Please.Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.Robin Schlefke

Severe engine knock. Exceeded Dodge recommended oil changes (did more frequent),& have receipts for oil changes. Yet Dodge dealer denies warranty due to engine oil sludge build-up.

See failures

remove and replace tansaxle/transmissionpower flush transmission cooler & linesrr cooler linesrebuild transmission/transaxlerr rh/lh outer tie rods. total cost $2337.03.when i picked the car up from having the transmission fixedthey informed me that the motor was making a knocking noise.took the car to local repair shop and was told that the engine had to be replaced.received an estimate from perfect tune auto shop, they gave a price of $5,635.00 to rebuild and replace engine.i still owed $2807.00 to pay the car off. i haven’t fixed the motor yet.

Piston rod bearings failed

own a Dodge stratus 2.7 es 4 dr sedan 53000 miles on it . the engine is gone started with a timimg problem. the valves r gone Mechanic said 5000 to fix

One of the connecting rods to one of the pistons broke off and went through the engine, totalling the engine. The mechanic at the dealership said that it was just a freak thing. Also that no preventative maintenance could have prevented the break. He also said the car looked clean, like it had been well taken care of. I owe $7,200 on the vehicle, and the repairs would be $7,200. The warranty expired two weeks before the incident occured.

On July 3, 2006 while driving with my 12 year old son to Columbus, Ohio, I was attempting to accelerate from the exit off of Interstate 23 onto 270E. This is a very dangerous exit and it is imperative that one accelerates quickly onto 270 so that other cars do not crash into you. When I pressed on the gas to accelerate, there was no acceleration and the car suddenly turned off for no apparent reason. I became very frightened and was able to coast to the next exit onto I-71 South where I pulled to the side of the road. I immediately opened the hood to check to see if there was anything visiblly wrong and although I could see nothing, the heat of the engine was immense. I sat with my son for over an hour waiting for the engine to cool off. I then attempted to start the car again and when I did, the oil light went on, but there was absolutely no turn over. I checked the oil and it was fine. I assumed that maybe I needed a jump start and contacted a towing service to come to our aid. They attempted to jump start the car to no avail. Approximately 2 1/2 hours after the car died, I had to pay for a tow to a friend’s home near the exit. My friend’s spouse is a mechanic and he searched the entire next day for a problem, even taking out the battery and having it tested at Autozone. There was no problem with the battery- it was perfectly fine. The car would still not turn over at all. I then had to contact family to come to Columbus, which is approximately 100 miles from my home to get the car back. I rented a tow dolly from U-Haul to get the car to Tiffin. After a few days of sitting in the parking lot at home, I attempted to start the car again on the off-chance that I could get it started to take it to a mechanic. It actually started and although it made a very loud “clicking” noise, I still had to get it to a mechanic so I drove it to one less than a mile away from my home. It stalled immediately when I took it out of drive. I took the car to Auto Alternative here in Tiffin Ohio to see how much repairs would be and was told that it was close to $6000 including the need for an entirely new engine plus labor. This is how much I still owe on the car and I have been unable to get the car fixed at all. It is not driveable and I was told by the mechanics not to attempt to drive it as the engine was completely ruined and it could blow up. I was told that this specific 2.7L engine had initially been destroyed due to the fact that not enough oil had gotten to the motor despite having oil in the engine.

Oil pickup tube clogged up causing the bearing to go bad in the engine snapping off #2 cylinder rod..Replace rod and bearings had cylinder heads reworked but engine still knocks.

oil light came on car shut off.towed to have repaired,shop said oil pump needed to be replaced.when they took apart the engine for the repair they found thick sludge from top end to bottom of engine,the mechanics also detected engine noise caused by the sludge clogging the oil pump. now have spend $938.90 to have the oil pump fixed and now I have an engine that can’t be run.and a vehicle loan balance of $12,600.

My husband and I loaned our daughter, a college student, enough money to purchase this car to get her through college. She is working 2 jobs and putting herself through college. We purchased this Dodge Stratus in April of 2006. A few months after we purchased the vehicle it needed both tie rod ends replaced costing over $400.00. A few weeks ago she was driving the car to school and the car started knocking. She immediately drove it to the dealer that is 5 minutes away and it died in front of the dealership in major traffic. The conclusion was that the engine was blown. She can not afford a car payment so we had to fix the car. Needless to say she did not have the funds to repair the car, so once again we put the repairs on a credit card. This has been an extreme hardship for us and her. She was without a car for almost 4 weeks attending college and working two jobs. I am very disappointed with this car and I am hopeful that we will receive reimbursement for all repairs that have been made.

My car just started driving like it was just going to give out whenever I pressed the accelerator. And it had just got and oil change and it just started overheating even my oilpan had just gotten replaced. When I was in my 2002 accident my airbag didnt even inflate.

My 2001 Dodge Stratus began making a loud clanking noise under the front hood yesterday afternoon. It sounded as if the engine was about to fall out. I stopped the car and cut if off to look under the hood and did not see anything. I then started the car back up and it kept clanking louder and when I placed it in Drive, the car cut off. It is now at an auto repair shop and the shop is telling me I need a new engine to repair the problem which will cost me at least $6,000. I cannot believe this is happening. My car is in fantastic condition. I\’ve taken proper car of my vehicle. I had a state inspection 2 weeks ago and replaced my tires as well. They are low performance tires and they were expensive. Now I can not even drive my car! I am so upset about this. I am confident that Daimler/Chrysler will assist in car repairs if not pay the entire bill since this is obviously a trend with this type of vehicle and engine.

motor died while driving down the middle of highway almost causing sn accident

Mine did the same thing many of your blog writer

Less than one year after replacing the transmission I have to replace my engine. I’ve made a point to change oil and fluids on a regular basis and maintained the car to it’s fullest. I have had nothing but serious complications and definelty think the OIL PORT RECALL on my Dodge Stratus 2.7L automatic/manuel sedan is the cause of these issues.

KNOCK IN MOTOR AT STARTUP

Just before thanksgiving 2004 while driving we started to here strange noises under the hood, worried that it may be an engine problem we parked the car. We had the car checked by a Chrysler mechanic and he said it sounded like the timing chain tensioner, more than likely from sludge build up, and depending on the damage it would cost between $750 to $6000 to repair. We have not been able to repair it yet due to still having a loan on the car, money is tight we bought this car thinking that the need for car repairs would be a long time away, this car only has 50000 miles on it. I have a ford and Chevrolet with 200000+ mile on them and they are both running fine. I believe dodge should have a recall for this engine, I am afraid to have it repaired in fear that the same problem would return due to the engine design.

In October 2005 my 2001 Dodge Stratus 2.7 V6 engine blew leaving us with a yard ornament. Dealer told us it would cost 9300 to fix, another garage said it would cost 5300 (used engine). We took car to my brother, who builds race cars, and he bought used engine from a 2004. Since then he has not been able to get car to run. It cranks, but won\’t start. We still owe 2500 on loan and cannot afford to purchase another vehicle. We are relocating in June, and this is causing more of a grief.

I took the Dodge Stratus into a Dodge Service Mechanic and he said that he spoke to a Dodge Dealership and this is under a Dodge Warranty. My Oil Light is coming on and off when the car sits in Idle. Also the Water pump is leaking.

I own a 2001 Dodge Stratus with a 2.7L engine. Two months ago my car started making a tapping noise by the time I made it to the mechanic shop it had stopped. Well a few weeks later i got back from vacation and it had been sitting for seven days and when i started it it started to make the tapping noise again so I brought it back to the mechanic shop and had the oil changed when I picked the car up it wasn’t making the tapping noise and two weeks later it started making the noise again. Off and on it continued making the noise. Well on December 25th 2005 I drove the car 2 miles to a realtives house and the car was not making the noise I parked the car and four hours later I got back in my car cranked it and it started making the tapping noise I drove it 2 miles home making the horrible noise it was much lounder this time I checked the oil and it showed nothing on the stick I checked my oil 2 days before and it was fine. So 3 hours later my husband got home and put 1 quart of oil in it he turned the car off and back on put another quart in it while it was still making the noise all of a sudden it made a puff of smoke and died and it hasn’t started since. The mechanic shop towed it to thier shop and the mechanic said that it sounds like a rod broke in it and for a used engine it would cost us about 5000.00 dollars. I’m still making payments on this car and still have 3yrs to go I cant afford a used 5000.00 dollar engine that will eventually do the same thing. I believe that Chyrsler is ripping off alot of thier consumers and getting away with it. I have read hundreds of stories just like mine and I think something really needs to be done about this. I want Chrysler to fix my car and put a brand new engine in it at no cost to me.

I have this posted on my forum as well. Today (9/3/04) I had the resistor for my air conditioner/heater replaced AGAIN (2nd time). I have incurred costs and I have a list of these costs. I have 1000\’s of pages of research, letters, e-mails, reports, ect. I would be happy to share everything I have gathered. Below is an actual letter that I sent: (this was on top of my forum post above the actual letterhttp://forums.delphiforums.com/DodgeStratus1/start) – Below is the letter that I\’m sending to Prof. Schrempp. I am so angry! I am sickened by the fact that there are 1000\’s of stories just like mine and that DaimlerChrysler just doesn\’t give a damn. They have your money so what do they care. I\’ve had enough and I will not stop fighting until I get some positive end result. Prof. Jurgen E. SchremppChairman of the BoardDaimler Chrysler Corporation1000 Chrysler Drive Auburn Hills, MI 48326-2766Re: 2001 Dodge Stratus SE- 2.7 L V6Dear Prof. Schrempp, I am writing to notify you of the problems I have experienced with my 2001 Dodge Stratus and that I expect you to BUY BACK the vehicle and refund all costs/damagas I have incurred. The issues with my vehicle substantially impairs the use and value of my vehicle. Not to mention it\’s a safety issue as the 2nd time the engine failed I was in the middle of busy intersection and could have been seriously injured or killed. I am not comfortable taking this car on long trips, as I am afraid that the engine will fail on the interstate or strand me. Below are the stated facts regarding this vehicle. 4/14/01- I leased a 2001 Dodge Stratus SE from Berlin City Dealerships, Inc. in Gorham, NH. 4/30/01- 1,091 check engine light comes on – take to Foster Motors in Middlebury, VT for service, they say nothing wrong, touchy gas cap. 5/22/01- 2,135 miles Engine Light back on- take to Foster Motors for service- catalytic converter failure- replaced. 8/27/02- 20,708 miles- No air/heat- loud noise coming from vents when turning on air or heat- serviced at Foster Motors- Resistor replaced. 10/15/02- 22,816

I have a 2001 Dodge Stratus ES with a 2.7. At 79,000 almost on the dot, the engine is knocking. It was fine one day, and started it the next, knock knock knock. I have owned the car since 40,000 miles, and have changed the oil on time, every time. I have driven this car nicely, only giving it gas when needed to get into traffic. Most miles were highway miles. I have had a mechanic check it out, and he says its in the bottom end. My warranty ran out at 70,000 miles. I do not have the money to buy a new engine, still owe 5,000 on it, and noone will buy a broken car!!

I have a 2.7L that siezed up at a red light without noise or warning. My story is the same as many others. I did not buy the car new, but it has been taken care of. I didn\’t have the money to replace the engine, so I am forced to attempt to rebuild it myself. So far it has taken two weeks and many parts. Many of the internals have plastic pieces that are extremely brittle and break when removed so they had to be replaced as well. The inside of the motor had so much sludge the bolts were not visible. I have worked on many motors of cars and farm equip. and I have never seen such a mess. There has to be somthing wrong with this design. The intermitant A.C. and Radio problems are not of concern to me as I have learned to make due. Thank you for your time and ear.Jay Brown

I had my engine go out after just 2 years of ownership having bought this car used. If I had been aware of issues with this vehicle, I never would have purchased it. It is imperative that information like this is available to the consumer and dealers at an early stage so that consumers can make a well-informed choice.

I bought this car new and purchased the extended warranty at the time of purchase.The car has had regular oil changes done (records to prove it), but when the engine locked up Marten Dodge said that it was from sludge build up, which was caused by lack of service.Marten Dodge then told us that they had to wait on the Inspector to take a look at the engine and make the final decision. They did and denied our claim to be covered under the extended warranty. Now I am stuck paying Full Coverage Insurance and making payments on something that has been setting since Sept. and am not sure when the car will be fixed because of the lack of used engines and I cannot afford a new one!

I bought the 2001 Stratus with the 2.7 Liter Engine in November. Within the first 200 miles of driving, I went to check the oil. The technician informed me there was severe oil sludge in the crankcase. I had the engine flushed. I also noticed an engine knock developing. I had the oil system diagnosed. At idle I was supposed to get 42 psi pressure. I was getting 28. I was informed that this was a sign of engine failure and the cost of repair could cost up to $6,000. I drove the car till last week when the knocking noise got louder. This is when I began to research the internet and found hundreds of complaints concerning the 2.7 liter engine failing because of excessive oil sludge. I cannot take a chance and drive this car now because of possible engine failure on the highway. I will not pay the price of the repair. Even if the 01 model had 7yr/70,000 mile warrant (it does not), I have been reading that Chrysler is refusing to honor similar complaints. This is Chrysler\’s defect. It is a safety hazard. They should remedy this by extending warranties on all 2.7 liter engines and fix the problem. It is an issue of integrity and safety

I am having a major dispute with Chrysler about my engine..I had my engine checked for a loud ping noise, but instead the mechanics found oil/sludge in my engine..They told me I needed proof of oil changes…I told them I had an extended warranty and I would get my receipts for the oil changes ..I didn

I am also having a problem with the engine making a strange noise. The serpentine belt has been replaced, but the engine still sounds terrible. After reading the problems with the 2.7L I\’m concerned that that may be what is wrong with my car. I don\’t want to be stuck with a problem car, especially if the dealership isn\’t going to honor my extended warranty. Is there anything that can be done to get me added to a law-suit list or make sure that I can be in a safe car. Has Daimler-Chrysler taken any responsiblity for the problems of the 2.7L? Thanks,Anna Fausnaugh

Engine shut down.Started makings noise then shutdown 2 days later.This is a 2.7l engine.

Engine noise lower end

Engine locked up – 2.7 L Chrysler engine

ENGINE KNOCKIN REAL BAD AND THE OIL CHANGE IS CURRENT….

Engine had rods knocking and had to be replaced after only having the car for for 5 1/2 months.

Engine failure, the lower end (probably spun rod bearing) due to insufficient oil flow. Oil and Filter changed every 6000 miles.

Engine failure due to oil sludge. I am passing information on to every person that I see that owns a 2001 Dodge Stratus.

Engine failure due to engine sludge trouble. Was told that this is a big issue with the 2.7l engine. Still owe 2 years on it. It is now a $500 a month driveway ornament.

Engine failed due to lack of oil flow.

engine blew due to problem with the oil.

Damage consistent with pre-documented dodge engine failure type on 2.7 v6 concerning lubrication vs design. Engine was diagnosed and suggested to be replaced.

complete engine replacement required. engine blew.

Car started shaking while driving on freeway, pulled over, and it started smoking.

bought car used and it died while driving about 2 months after the perchase. i had it towed to a repair shop and they gave me an esimate of 6,000.00. I wanted a second opinion , so i had it towed again to a mechanic i knew better. He agreed and stated the engine needed to be replaced. the more i researched this problem the more i heard that this was a problem with the car. i only paid 5,000.00 for the car and still owe money and i feel ripped off by having to deal with this problem if it is a common thing with this vehicle. my mechanic found a used engine to replace mine with totally 4500.00 dollars. i do not and can not pay this money!!

Bottom end bearing knock

BLOWN ENGINE. Engine starting making a knocking noise and white smoke was coming from the exhaust. I had it towed to the dealership only to find out that it was out of warranty and to make matters worse, they blamed me for not changing the oil. Just because I didn’t bring it to them for service, I was in the wrong. I couldn’t afford to replace the engine for more than a year. Thanks to the repair shop that turned me on to this website. Nice to know that I’m not alone. Still Sux.

BLOWN ENGINE DUE TO ERROR MADE BY CHRYSLER WHEN ENGINE WAS BUILT. OIL ISSES. CURRENT LAWSUITS ARE ACTIVE

All these dates are pretty close,but who really knows. The other problem deals with filling the gas tank all the way up ? full. Ever since I got this car,It has had this problem and the dealer said that there was nothing they could do about it or there is nothing wrong with the car.Well, when you fill the car all the way up with gas. It won’t run right.It spits and spudders,just like it is starving for fuel. You don’t even thank about pulling into traffic until you’ve driven a few miles. The engine blew at around 90,000 miles.We just got it back Thursday night (02/03/2005).We paid $3,367.02 to have it re-built and then we were out a car durning the time it took to get it re-built.That part was truly a pain in the butt.the guy that did the work, said it was worst engine he had ever seen. He was afraid that it wasn’t going to come clean, so that it could be re-built.This motor was crapped up all the way through.Sludge city. We have already replaced one axle bearing and it has gone out again.That is next on my list of things to do. The windows either don’t work at all or are so slow, that you are afraid to use them cause they may not come back up.

2.7L V6 SMPI DOHC Aluminum Engine: currently have my car at the dealship because I heard a clanking noise. They have informed me because of sludge that the engine was starved for oil. They are blaming it on poor maintanence. We just had the oil changed Jan 06 and have been good about our maintainance. I am concerned after I read all the complaints that we are going to get ripped off. So I am adding this complaint to the many others I have seen.

2.7 liter engine failed because of sludge even after having my oil changes done. I have an extended 100,000 or seven year coverage,which was purchased when I bought the car new in 2001 but chrysler still refuses to fix the engine

Was driving North on the 805 freeway engine began knocking and soon after failed. Engine shut off in the middle of the freeway but was able to roll to the side of the road. Was towed to repair shop the day after. Mechanic said it was engine failure and due to oil sludge. Engine was a 2.7L V6 in a 2001 Dodge Stratus SE. Mechanic informed me that this particular engine is known for failing due to oil sludge no matter how well maintained the vehicle was.

tHE HEAD GASKET APPARENTLY WAS GOING FOR AWHILE AND ALLOWED OIL TO GO INTO THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND RUINRED IT. HAD TO REPLACE THE 2.7l ENGINE WITH A 2.7l ENGINE FROM jASPER

The final and last problem is the engine quit working or froze. At this moment I’m out of a car asking friends for rides to go to work, the cost for new engine is about $4,000 which I don’t have. Car just stop working yet motor has oil when I check it at that moment. The mechanic checked it too and proved it has plenty oil. Now I’m stuck with this car owing money to Wells Fargo Auto Finance. I asked them to reposes the car because I can’t fix it. They refuse to pick it up because the car doesn’t run. I spoke with them several time explaining my problem. They refused every time and harassed me even saying it is my fault that the car broke because I should measure oil every morning before I start it. I have gotten at least 5 phone calls and every time is the same discussion and in the next 15 minutes after the call they keep calling me and my husband’s phone constantly even after 9:00 pm , what can I do in this case? My name is Teresita and Leonel Garcia.  I bought the car at Car Max.

MY car has experienced idle problems that started two days after I purchased it. We replaced the idle air control valve and so forth, having the idle adjusted 5 or 6 times. Still, the car would continue to idle higher than normal, unless the air conditioner was turned on. That is, until yesterday. As it sat parked in the yard, the engine caught fire. Now, I’m dealing with all the insurance mess and am out of the only vehicle my family of 5 owned. I began researching it, only to find that countless people have had their cars go up in flames. That said, this has to be a defect, and the company should be held liable for it, as we all know that insurance companies are only going to give us chump change for our cars. I am extremely interested in any suit that comes of this.

Knock is lower end of engine, low oil pressure, will not stay running. Service center has termed it unrepairable and is advising complete rebuild or engine replacement.

I have a 2001 Stratus and my car stalled while driving, with my two young children in the car right before Christmas and the weather was 10′ outside and no kidding my cell phone had enough charge for one phone call to my husband to come out and help me. I had it towed to the dealer were he could find nothing wrong. The oil was 2 qts. low, so all they did was change the oil and tell me that the car is drivable for someone that wouldn’t be tough on it. I took it out the next day and it made the worst noise ever. No after reading all these complaints I feel very strong that it was also the Sludge. I don’t want to let this go either. It makes me sick to my stomach, my husband kept up with the oil changes to prevent this from happening.I don’t want to take this situation lightly, but yet unsure what can be done.

I am not concerned about the air conditioning or the power windows as much as I am concerned about the sudden engine failure of my vehicle. I have taken great care of my car and the engine suddenly failed in it. The mechanic said it had some oil sludge build up but he could not understand why the engine failed considering I take great care in the car. I changed the oil regularly, every 3000 miles and it still had build up leading to it’s failure. The mechanic gave me an estimate of just over $6000.00 to repair. Needless to say I have had to buy a new car as I am unable to pay that amount.

I am constantly having problems with my electrical system. The lights around my stereo and air condition/heat is always dimming in and out. My heat just shuts off and turn to cold air. My water pump and fuel pump just went out on 11/19/2009, all at the same time. My car is currently at Hires Auto Shop. The repairs are over a 1,000 dollars. I only had the car for 11 months, and I keep my car in good condition so I really don’t know what’s going on. It gets all the proper services required and I am still having problems. Since I was able to drive I always wanted a Stratus and now that I have one it seems like I can’t even enjoy my car because I am constantly starting to have problem after problem with it.

Chrysler 2.7L V6 engine failure. It was replaced by Chrysler in 2006. The new engine has failed with 37,500 miles on it and Chrysler is refusing to replace the new engine. I was told the new engine had an 80,000 mile warranty on it.

Car overheating. Heat would not function correctly during winter. Had to change water pump, timing chain, a couple belts, and they had to take whole motor out just to get to water pump and timing chain. The car was still overheating so the thermostate was changed and now is doing just ok as of right now. Not comfortable with gage stopping in the middle of Cold & Hot.

At first, the engine was knocking loudly. Then, the engine eventually failed to work which it just shut down.

2.7l oil pump went bad . has factory recall.

(1) This car consumes excessive engine oil. (2) A/C heat system has occurred repeated failures (4 times) within 19 months.(3) The cylinder heads, gasket, starter, and radiator were all replaced. (4) many other problems.Dogde Stratus is really of very bad quality. I am hoping to know if some other buyers of Dodge Stratus sedan have met such similar problems. So consumers can take collective action to force the manufacturer to address the defects.

2001 dodge stratus se has issues with the rear strut mount. consumer states that there is a back order on the upper strut mounts. *nj the consumer stated the blower resistor stopped working and two days later, the vehicle would not start. the consumer had to purchase a fuel pump. the consumer then started to hear a knocking noise in the steering. the consumer was informed the knocking noise was due to the fact that the steering column was too large for the components. the thermostat broke into pieces and the transmission stopped shifting gears. *jb

2001 dodge stratus oil pump was replaced and sludge was found inside.***no answer required***. *mr *nm

I turned a corner and heard a clicking sound. my air bag light went on and my horn would not sound. i later found out that my cruise control was also not working. i did some research and discovered that it is due to a broken clock spring. two dodge dealerships told me they would not repair it at no cost, that in fact it would cost at least $200.00 . i now see that this has been a continual problem with dodge vehicles of the same year. to this day, it has not yet been fixed, as i am waiting to get an agreeable dealership to repair the problem at their expense. since this problem renders the airbag inoperable, i would consider this a major safety defect/problem. *nm

2002 had to replace power steering pipe, manufactured to lean on the interior auto body, in which engine vibration rubbed hole in it. 2002 front right wheel makes continuous loud high pitched whistle noise, still does. dealership discounted it and didn't know why it sounded like that. 2002-2006 engine dies while driving, odometer goes crazy up and down 2006 clock spring keeps breaking, no power to air bag or horn. *jb

Dt: the contact stated in december 2005 the air bag light illuminated. afterwards, the steering wheel became extremely hard to turn left or right, and a there was a crackling noise in the driver's side steering column. also, the horn and the cruise control were inoperative. there is a technical service bulletin 0801001 on the clock spring. *ak

Dodge stratus 2001, 46000 miles. car was purchased used from the us government on public sale. air bag light on, horn does not work, cruise control also affected. this is caused by faulty clockspring part located in steering wheel. i called dodge after discovering on your web site that there was a recall for 1,500,000 grand caravans that had a same problem caused by their faulty clockspring. grand caravans also had air bag light on, horn was not working and cruise control was off. i express my concern to dodge since this is a safety issue and i was hoping they will consider fixing this. i been told to take the car to dealership for diagnostics and after they receive results they will consider fixing this. diagnostics were performed and result was that the clockspring was broken. dodge declined my request for fixing the problem. i end up paying for diagnostics to find out what i already knew. i believe that clockspring mechanism for dodge stratus is something what should be recalled for this model since it is safety issue, that appeared on other recalled models.

There was a complaint i just read by [xxx] odi cse number[xxx], and i agree with him about this complaint be handled as a top priority investigation. i bought this as a used car, i knew i'd end of having to put some money into it since i was not buying a brand new car. but i've only had it for 6 months and have to put quite of bit into it. it has 59,000 miles on it. i've had to get the upper and lower ball joints replaced. a month later we heard a noise when we steered. we added power steering fluid cause we noticed it was low. only two days after we heard the noise which got louder was hard to steer. i drive my two young kids with this car and felt unsafe in it. a friend of ours who is a mechanic looked at it and said there was a leak since the fluid was almost empty again. i was told it was power steering line. it was rubbing against the a/c line which is metal and wore a hole in the line. my mechanic said this line was in back order (obviously in high demand). when he finally got it in, seems like dodge has made some changes on the design. this was my first dodge vehicle i had purchased and first used vehicle also. because of this, this will be the last for dodge and used. i agree with [xxx]. this needs to be investigated thoroughly before someone gets seriously injured. again my car has only 58,000 miles on it and should not be having such serious failures. thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

While driving my dodge stratus se, the airbag light came on in red, the steering wheel began making a clicking noise while turning, and the horn stopped working all at the same time.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact drove over a bump in the roadway and without warning, the front strut tower fractured and went through the driver’s side hood. the vehicle was towed to the residence where it remained awaiting repairs. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the contact went to c.r. motors of hudson (518 s meridian rd, hudson, mi 49247, (517)306-2561) and requested information on repairing the vehicle. the contact was informed that the part needed to repair the vehicle was not available. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that parts were not available. the failure mileage was approximately 193,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the steering wheel. the contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated and remained on. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v338000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure.

Stopped at stop sign. started to make right hand turn, heard pop in the steering column, warning bell went off, airbag light came on and stayed on. horn stopped working and no cruise control. took vehicle in for replacement of clockspring today, 7/18/2015, at a cost of $167.99 for the part and $119.23 for labor. no airbags is a safety issue. clockspring failure is known to dodge/chrysler and recently jeep and any vehicle made by dodge/chrysler/jeep that has this failure should have all parts and labor covered by the vehicle manufacturer. we did nothing to cause this and could have done nothing to prevent it. recalls were done but not for all vehicles. maybe that needs to change. bad part for sure!!

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact stated that the door panel fractured without warning and the front driver seat controls failed to adjust the seat. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the driver seat and the front driver side panel needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 108,000.

I have had this car for 2 years now with little problems. had a few oil changes and some brake work done to it. but in the last year i have changed all the calipers in this car 2 to 3 times the break pads many times the ball joints the roaders the swing arm and the cluster dash. this was a great car till it stopped going over 30 without a terrible shake. *tr

Front lower right ball joint and control arm failure. this resulted in catastrophic damage to the brake lines, control arm, loss of control, steering, tie rods, upper ball joint, cv axle severed, and bent frame. chrysler told me that because of my vin number i wasn't eligible for the recall repair, yet the 2001 dodge stratus, 2.4l sedan has been recalled by chrysler for this same problem, with lower control arm and ball joint failure. had i been notified of a recall, this could of been avoided. what if i was on the highway and this happened? and why wasn't my vehicle recalled???? *tr

Clock-spring broke when i was backing out of a parking space and turning the steering wheel to the left. now my air bag light stays on and everything electrical on the steering wheel does not work, this includes the horn, cruise control and the airbag. if this is not a safety issue deserving of a recall then what exactly is? *tr

As i tried to start driving i heard a sound like a crack then i stop the car and walked around it and had found that the right side tire at the rear end was broken. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact stated while the vehicle was at a complete stop the passenger frontal air bag deployed with an explosive noise that caused some hearing loss to the contact's right ear. the fire department was present. the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign recall number 00v306000 (air bag). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage were 100,000.

When the steering will is turned all the way it makes a squelling noise. put power steering fluid in and still no change.

Oil light came on a month after i bought it. has oil in it so i dont know why it would be on.

Purchased a used 2001 dodge stratus and about a week after purchasing it i was backing out of a parking space at the store when i heard a snap/pop sound from the steering column. air bag light came on and now everytime i turn the wheel i can hear a popping or clicking sound. the irony is that i bought it because my 96 dodge intrepid is having electrical issues which included the air bag light being on and affecting the electric windows and the heater/air conditioning blower so i have no heater nor defroster. i have always been a chrysler/dodge person and have always owned one since i was 18, but i am beginning to think i need to change my loyalty to another make and model. *tr

I was driving our 2001 dodge stratus to park at the movie theater , going only 5 mph maybe less and i went to turn into the parking spot, i heard a click in the steering wheel, a pop, the airbag light came on and the horn does not work at all and the airbag light is still on. everytime the steering wheel is turned, there is a clicking noise. *tr

When going on the brakes the car jerks. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. while driving approximately 35 mph, the engine began to overheat without warning as smoke emitting from under the hood. the contact smelled fuel inside and outside of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the engine would need to be replaced. there was a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 00v299002 (engine and engine cooling:engine) however, the contact's vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was unavailable.

Trunk door design has a defect that will cause the trunk door to slam down with excessive and unimpeded force without warning and will do so on its own, even in calm winds. multiple incident have occurred where the trunk door has slammed down while the driver or the passenger was reaching into the trunk to retrieve articles from the trunk. currently the only way to safely use the trunk is to have a second person hold the trunk door while the first person places or retrieves articles from the trunk. injuries that have occurred were momentary back pain and on one occasion a concussion (when the trunk door hit the vehicle owner in the head). none of the injuries required medical treatment. problem gets worse when vehicle is parked on an incline (particularly if the rear of the vehicle is facing downhill), even if the incline is slight. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact stated that while driving 80 mph, the ball and axle joints detached from the vehicle. the contact was able to safely maneuver to the shoulder and stop. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was contacted and they stated that the vehice was not included in any recalls. the failure mileage was 119,000 and the current mileage was 125,000.

I have had my car for a little over 3 years now. first it was the passenger side ball joint. then a year later it was the ball joint on the driver side plus the control arm. then it was the brakes and rotors. then right after that i find out the ball joint i had just replaced on the passenger side needs replaced again! now my oil light comes on at idle after the engine has warmed up. had the oil changed as always between 2000 and 3000 miles as i should. had the oil sending unit replaced and still have a oil light on with a full engine of oil. now my steering column just today made a cracking sound as i was backing up with the wheel turning to the left. then the airbag light came on and wont go off. now my steering is stiff. talked to a mechanic and it is a safety issue. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact was stopped in traffic when a vehicle crashed into the rear of her, causing her to crash into the preceding vehicle. the driver of the vehicle sustained injuries to the neck and back. the air bags did not deploy. the driver was transported by ambulance to the hospital. the vehicle was towed to a body shop but was not repaired. the vehicle was destroyed. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

Very fortunate this happened as we were pulling into the garage. suddenly sounded like someone under the hood hitting the engine block with a hammer. now have to have a re-manufactured engine installed on a car with only 65k miles. cant afford not to, cant scrap the vehicle with this low of miles. ridiculous after what all i have read about the 2.7l engine since then. i personally changed oil well under manufacturer recommendations, using synthetic most of its life. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact was driving 30 mph when the steering wheel became loose, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle and crashed into a fence. there were no injuries and a police report was not filed of the incident. the dealer and the manufacturer were notified and advised that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 00v225002 (steering:gear box -other than rack and pinion). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 130,000.

Upon a slow turn to street, i heard a click and grind sound in steering wheel.. airbag light and bell came on . two days later, horn stopped working. looked up online, and this seems to be widespread across the dodge line of vehicles. the symptoms fit exactly to what i found online to be a faulty clockspring in the airbag assembly. i watched someone disassemble a clockspring and found the (tape-type) wires had been bent backwards by the manufacturer before being bent the other way.( within two inches of the connection point of the tape wire) upon disassembly , he found the wires to be separated where the bend in the tape was. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact stated that when vehicle was started, there was a loud noise as he vehicle stalled. a local mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure but advised that the failure was more than likely caused by an engine failure. the vehicle was not repaired. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 89,107. updated 02/14/12*lj upated 02/22/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact stated that while driving 80 mph, the driver lost control of the vehicle and drove into an embankment. the vehicle was air-borne and then flipped. the driver and passenger air bags failed to deploy. the driver of the vehicle was killed. the passenger sustained minor injuries. the vehicle was towed to a salvage-yard. the failure mileage was 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact was driving 60 mph when the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where the contact was advised that the vehicle stalled due to engine sludge build-up and as a result, the engine would need replacing. the contact called the manufacturer and the manufacturer advised that there were no recalls forthe failure and that the vehicle was out of warranty so there was nothing they could do. the engine was not replaced. the failure mileage was 85,000.

Dodge stratus 2001: severe squeaking during suspension movement: the car was having problems with squeaking noises during movement. then while driving my daughters and their friends to the skating rink, i heard a loud pop, then grinding noise coming from under the car while making a left turn into the parking lot. i checked to see what was wrong and the left rear tire was bent outward and almost detached from the car. i had it towed to the closest repair station and was told it was the ball and joint, and that both left and right ball and joints would have to be replaced at a cost of $1000. as a single parent i can not afford this. i would like to know about the national recall and if i am entitled to repair cost under the recall. thank god we were not injured and that i was traveling less than 10 miles per hour during this failure. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. while attempting to park the vehicle, the contact placed the vehicle in reverse with the brakes engaged, he noticed that the front end of the vehicle fell while making a clicking noise and would not shift into any gear. he looked inside of the front right wheel and noticed that the control arm and wheel bearing failed without warning. he noticed liquid coming from the wheel bearing housing and two small fragments on the ground. the dealer was contacted and stated that no major repairs had been performed on the vehicle. the contact did not inform the manufacturer nor had the vehicle been repaired or the failure diagnosed. the current and failure mileages were approximately 100,000. the vin was unavailable. updated 05/04/11 *bf updated 12/30/11 *cn

Air bag light constantly on, horn and cruise control quit working at the same time. it is my understanding air bag is inoperable at this point and the cause is a broken clockspring in steering wheel. this is a major safety hazard that dodge should be required to fix at no charge. *tr

I like to bring your attention to windows in the cars. i was in close call accident and i, witness another incident in miner damages to car. i was crossing intersection at sharp angle and did not see car crossing it at hi speed, near miss. i witness intersection where car merging in to traffic, force vehicle of the road to side, damaging rims on the car over the curb side walk. simply egg design cars are not safe to drive!!!! it is worst then distractive driving is blind driving all the time. i recommend 80's. as a comparison and inspiration. *tr

I have a dodge stratus se sedan, 2001 model.. while turning left into a parking lot the steering wheel almost locked up, then something snapped and broke inside. i regain steering but my airbag light was on and remains on. the other controls on the steering wheel such as cruise control and the horn do not work.. i feel the cruise control not working, the wheel freezing up momentarily until you break the ribbon wire inside the clockspring both are safety hazards. the part that is defective is the clockspring.. it is available from the dealer only at a cost over $129.00.. it is very cheaply made and is essentially a ribbon wire wrapped around a plastic spool. it is capable of binding up and preventing the steering wheel to turn. one should be inspected and any engineer will agree it is very poorly designed. as much as airbag costs and as much is it is engineered, to have a cheaply made part prevent it's functioning make no sense at all. dodge and jeep chrysler im sure.. need to take responsibility and recall these vehicles and replace this part with a much better engineered replacement. i almost crashed and now if i do crash i have no airbag and i have no horn to warn other drivers if they're about to crash into me. *tr

2001 dodge stratus. loss of control. resulting in 2 separate crashes. i did sustain injury in the last incident. i was trying to turn left into a parking lot, wheel turned only partially. i could not get it to move the correct direction, and i ran into a tall (15in.) curb. sustained whiplash and a large knot on my head. the 1st incident was while trying to turn left and my car would not go that way. i ended up hitting yet another tall curb,due to loss of control. it may be worthy to note i have replaced the lower control arm on the drivers side, but am still getting periods of having a hard time turning my wheel. this occurs whether in motion or just starting my car and turning the wheel to leave . i also had to replace right side due to failure of the wheel to turn right as well. i actually was going about 30mph and barely made my turn, almost broadsiding a sitting vehicle. when i checked it, my tire was "bent inward' at the top. the whole tire was, well, like this, / (but actually bent the other way, inward. my steering wheel works randomly. please advise, as this is my only mode of transportation. i don't know what else to have fixed on it! i've already dipped almost $2000 "fixing" it. thank you. the incident date below is just the latest. the one where i hit my head. as of today, my steering has a mind of its own. *tr

Regarding our 2001 dodge stratus, lower control arm ball joint failure. originally on october 25th of 2005 we had the left front control arm/ball joint assembly replaced because of severe squeaking during suspension movement. this was caused by lubrication failure. there is no way to re-lube this joint on this design. the assembly was replaced with the only available part at the time from dodge. for the past couple of weeks i had noticed that during abrupt braking the vehicle would pull strongly to the left, then recover when the brakes were released. i had scheduled for inspection appointment on 11/10/2009. then on11/2/2009 the same exact ball joint failure occurred to the left side when my 16 year old son was driving the vehicle. i had read the nhtsa campaign # 09e-056 regarding the qualis failure and wondered if it could be related somehow. please advise. *tr

We have a 2001 dodge stratus with a 2.7 v6 engine fist problem the water outlet started leaking then the water pump went out an then the lifters started knocking now the motor just died we did regular oil changes an matn.really spent a lot of money on the car to have it dead in the yard. *tr

Was heading north the 805 freeway from chula vista to camp pendleton ca, car began making a knocking noise and the knocking continued to get worse as i drove down the road. suddenly car lost all power and engine shut off. was hardly able to get it off to the side of the freeway. got it towed to a repair shop the next day. was told problem was engine failure due to oil sludge and that this was a very common complaint for the engine and car. was not repaired simply towed back home because cost was over 5,000 dollars. the car is not even worth 5,000 dollars. *tr

I am the owner of a 2001 dodge stratus se with the 2.7l v6 engine. on february 9, 2006 i took the car to park plaza dodge in forrest park, il. because the engine making a loud tapping sound. at the time the car had 67,441 miles on it and was covered under a chrysler 5 year/75,000 mile warranty. i was told that the engine had a lot of sludge in it and i was asked to produce maintenance receipts on the vehicle. i change my own oil and i told them that i didn't have the receipts for the oil. i did some research and pointed out to chrysler and the dealership that this is a known engine problem and the car was still under warranty. after more than a week of stalling chrysler agreed to replace the engine at their expense less my $100 deductible. it took chrysler more then two weeks to deliver the new engine to the dealership. the chrysler extended warranty only included a maximum of two weeks rental for covered repairs. i pointed out to both chrysler and the dealership that it was not my fault that chrysler hadn't delivered the engine and they should pay for the additional rental. they refused. the car was returned to me on february 24, 2006. when putting in the new engine the dealership moved all of the extra parts (alternator, fuel injection system, air conditioner compressor, etc.) to the new engine. i was told that the new engine had a 50,000 mile warranty on it. the new engine has failed with 37,500 miles on it. i can provide addition information but it wouldn't fit in this box. *tr

Chrysler 2.7l v6 engine failure. *tr

Lower ball joint, upper ball joint not made very well. *tr

I have a 2001 stratus and my car stalled while driving, with my two young children in the car right before christmas and the weather was 10' outside and no kidding my cell phone had enough charge for one phone call to my husband to come out and help me. i had it towed to the dealer were he could find nothing wrong. but the car was 2 qts. of oil low. so all they did was change the oil and tell me that the car is drivable for someone that wouldn't be tough on it. i took it out the next day and it made the worst noise ever. no after reading all these complaints i feel very strong that it was also the sludge. i don't want to let this go. it makes me sick to my stomach, my husband kept up with the oil changes to prevent this from happening. i don't want to take this situation lightly, but yet unsure what can be done. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. while driving approximately 60 mph, the engine stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic shop and, upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the push rod punctured a hole through the oil pan. the engine size was 2.7l with six cylinders. the cause of the failure was unknown. the failure mileage was 120,800 and current mileage was 121,000.

Has problems with starting. replaced wire and fuse in box. still doing the same thing. *tr

Airbag self deployed for no apparent reason. i was just simply sitting in car when i notice airbag light came on. driver airbag has deployed inside airbag light is on, now horn no longer works and feel a clicking sound at each turn. *tr

2001 dodge stratus...noise in front end. told it was bearings on 3 separate occasions, and they were replaced. engine ticking/ possible valve tap numerous complaints to dealer being told that year model runs rough; and could trade it for a more expensive car. now trying to have rear struts put in and the aluminum plate that holds them in is powder. the part is not available. dodge is the only place to order the part and was informed this is an old car and the part was on back order. *tr

I have a 2001 dodge stratus with 80,000 miles. on july 26 i heard a noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. i took it to a repair shop that i usually take my car in to change the oil and such. he inspected the rear axle of my dodge stratus and said the upper strut joint on both sides of the rear vehicle. he told me that the car should not be driven do to the metal part of the upper strut joint broken and it would be hazardous to drive the vehicle. i asked him when and how much the repairs would be? he made a few calls to autodealers, auto parts stores and apparently they are not available due to a back order of upper strut joints. we took matters into our hands and called a number of dealers thinking that they would have an inventory of the product. all the car dealerships said that they were in back order and that they also needed them for customers and loaner cars that they have in their inventory that they cannot use due to the part not being available. they told me that it would take more than three to four weeks for the part and that was not a guarantee. some of the car dealerships and repair shops said that this is a problem and can cause the rearend of the vehicle to be attached only by a part of the vehicle which is dangerous. these parts are in back order which means this is a problem that should be addressed. i have photos of the defective part and would like to make them available to you. i could not wait for the part so i had someone make a temporary part for both sides of the vehicle. this should not happen to anyone that has invested on a vehicle and when something happens there are no parts to be found. their is a problem with this matter and it should be investigated. please feel free to call me anytime regarding this matter. *tr

2001 dodge stratus se has issues with the rear strut mount. consumer states that there is a back order on the upper strut mounts. *nj the consumer stated the blower resistor stopped working and two days later, the vehicle would not start. the consumer had to purchase a fuel pump. the consumer then started to hear a knocking noise in the steering. the consumer was informed the knocking noise was due to the fact that the steering column was too large for the components. the thermostat broke into pieces and the transmission stopped shifting gears. *jb

I own a 2004 dodge stratus that i changed the oil in every 3500 - 4000 miles even though the manufacturer recommends changes at 7500 mile intervals. the car had roughly 37000 miles on it back in 2006 when the 2.7l v6 engine seized due to excessive oil sludging causing an oil flow failure. at the time i just thought it was bad luck, but now after two years i read of countless thousands of cases where persons with the same 2.7l engine in there dodge or chrysler vehicles had engines seize, and yet the company does nothing for us. i still have the vehicle in my driveway but frankly cannot afford to put a new motor in it as the price for those is sky high because there is such a demand to replace them. something needs to be done about this as a consumer we deserve retribution for these expensive engineering failures. *tr

2001 stratus se heard a grind after going over a bump on the way home from work. looked under car and saw driver side strut mount was broken. took to mechanic and was told both mounts are broken and needed repair. these parts are made of cheap aluminum which is horrible material for salt corrosion. was told part was on national backorder 2-3 weeks. not believing hem, i called dodge directly and was told basically told sorry, 1000 were shipped 7/3 but there was another 7,600 backorder!!! now it will be end of july before i get parts. all they would do was get me a priority for if a dealer in oh gets some i can have them. (and a case number). very disappointed in dodge making a suspension piece that sees heavy corrosion conditions out of aluminum pot metal and then has a month backorder. seems like this is a major issue with this car. so i'm out of my main work vehicle for a month, borrowing the wife's van. what were we to do if my wife was working or if she needed van to get kids to school. dodge wouldn't even work with me for a loaner. (because i wouldn't have it repaired at the dealership which was 2x the cost, a whole other story).*tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact heard excessive noise coming from the vehicle and it began to ride roughly. the failure has been occurring for approximately a week. the dealer stated that the rear upper strut mounts needed to be replaced. the dealer also stated that this is a common occurrence with this make and model dodge. the parts for the repair are on back order until august of 2008 at all chrysler dealers. the vehicle has not been repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 139,000 and current mileage was 139,200.

On 7-12-08 my wife was driving the car home and got less than 1/4 mile away, going around a curve at 45mph. she heard a noise pop and then a rub. she proceeded to the drive and into the garage. she came into the house, got me and i looked at the rear of the vehicle. what i found was the upper strut mount on the rear right side is rotted out because it was made of aluminum (which reacts with steel and road salt). the strut broke free and rubbed a 3/16" groove into the tire. also looking at the left side it is also rotted or corroded. i am pretty upset about this for two reasons. first, if she were traveling down interstate 69 at 70 mph and it broke free, the tire would of been cut in half. probably sending the car into a spin into the ditch, other cars, or a guard rail. this would of been disastrous let alone having some kids in the car. second, i called three dealerships in the fort wayne area on 7-14-08, one told me there are 1200 on back order. one said there are 1300 on back order. one said there are 9000 on back order. all of them said they would not come in until the middle of august. i ordered 2 rear strut mounts on 7-14-08 and have not heard anything as of 7-20-08. what is a person to do without a car for one month? thank you for your time. *tr

Driving down i-71 at approx. 10:00pm and the rear of my car started to sway alomost causing m,e to lose control. i pulled over and realized the drivers side rear tire had failed. the side wall had broke down and came apart under normal operating conditions. speed was 67mph and the tire had 35psi in it at the time of failure. treat on the tire is still approx 50%.

My husband was driving home from work one morning when 2001 2.7l v-6 started to chug, engine light came on and the car died immediately. my husband had to push to side of road. we had it towed later that morning to my parents' house. engine is blown out. i've done some research and these engines are expensive to fix we have always done our maintenance and never had any warnings signs before hand. chrysler needs to step up because we pay money for their product and nothing is holding. is that all we get out of our cars is 75,000- 100,000 then nobody should by cars. this is a serious situation and chrysler needs to recall or make it right by owner. we did do our repairs and maintenance and now we should have to basically throw the car out. it is expensive to fix. help us because someone may get injured with these kind of mishaps. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. while driving 65 mph, the contact heard a faint grinding sound that gradually grew louder. a mechanic stated that the strut mounts on both sides of the vehicle totally disintegrated and the coil was grinding into the tires. the vehicle was repaired. the powertrain was unknown. the current mileage was 89,000 and failure mileage was 84,000. updated 10/03/07 *tr

Tl*the contact's daughter owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the vehicle has cooper sigma shadow, size p20565r15 tires (na). while driving 40 mph, the contact heard a loud flapping noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the tread separated on the rear driver side tire. the body shop inspected the tire, but was unable to determine the cause of the failure. there is a recall for the tire tread (nhtsa campaign id number 06t027000), however, the manufacturer stated that his tire was not included. the vin and dot number were unavailable. the current and failure mileages were 112,987.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. while making a u-turn at 10 mph, the passenger side front tire leaned halfway down to the ground. dodge has not been notified and the vehicle has not been repaired. the vin and purchase date were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 73,000.

While driving about a year ago passenger rear strut broke. upon inspection i noticed the top strut clamp of the spring corroded, causing the spring and strut to fall out of place and rub against the tire. had to replace tire and strut. approximately $500.00 for both. 6 months later the driver side strut did the exactly the same thing. the clamp corroded and has fell apart, causing the spring to rub against thewheel once again. this was due to an aluminum alloy/metal corroding. manufacturer should know that aluminum corrodes extremly bad when it come in contact with weather.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact stated that the brake pedal extended to the floor when depressed and caused her to crash into another vehicle. the crash occurred on november 6, 2006. the contact was injured and the air bags deployed. there were no passengers in the vehicle at the time. the most recent failure occurred on june 3, 2007. the vehicle was repaired and most of the braking system was replaced. a month later, another crash occurred while driving 45 mph and attempting to engage the brake pedal. the total cost of the repairs was $2,300. there is an electronic stability that takes over and leaves the contact with no control of the braking system. the dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the most recent failure and there were no indications from the computer codes. there were a total of four vehicles involved in the crash and three of them were damaged, including the contacts vehicle. the fuel system was unknown. the current mileage is 126,000 and failure mileage was 120,000.

Tl* - the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus with a current and failure mileage of 109,000 miles. the contact was driving at 55 mph when the vehicle overheated. the thermostat light turned on, and the contact pulled over. after turning the vehicle off the contact noticed smoke coming from under the hood. the contact did not try to restart the vehicle, and had it towed to firestone car care, who determined that the engine seized, but did not specify how or why.*ak the consumer stated there should be a recall for the engine as she has found numerous complaints on the internet pertaining to the defect. updated 07/10/07 *tr

Tl*- the contact owns a 2000 dodge stratus that he believes should be involved in nhtsa recall 06v001000, concerning steering: hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections. the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on the street it caught on fire beneath the hood. everything underneath the hood melted, and the windshield cracked. the contact spoke with manufacturer about having the vehicle covered under the recall, but they stated that the fire was not caused by the same failure as the recall. the current mileage and failure mileage were 100,000. the contact can provide pictures if needed. *ak updated 03/30/07. *jb

Original owner of a 2001 dodge status with a 2.7 liter engine, want to register my complaint of an engine oil light going on at idle. from web posting i see this is a common problem with the vehicle. it has about 72,000 miles on it. *jb

Oil changes every 3,000 miles. suddenly one day the oil light came on and the head gaskets blew. spent over $1700 in repairs, the following week the engine blew a rod. engine is irreparable! car has only 86,000 miles. have all receipts for repairs and diagnosis that were made by licensed mechanics. *nm

Instrument cluster ceased to function. no speedometer, gas gauge etc. no warning lights also. dealer states that instrument cluster shorted out and needs to be replaced. *jb

Tl* - the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. the contact was driving 65 mph when the contact smelled a strong smell of fuel in the car and the engine warning indicator light came on. the vehicle decelerated, the contact attempted to restart the vehicle and tried several times. the contact inspected the vehicle for possible leaks, but there were none present at the time of the incident. this failure has occurred five times. the dealer told the contact that the engine valve failed. the first incident occurred in 2003 when the head gasket failed at 20,000 miles. the dodge dealer stated there have been several complaints for the same incident. the contact has take the vehicle to the dealer 5 times for repairs involving the same failure since 2003. a rebuilt engine was installed in the vehicle on one occasion in 2003. the carwas 5 years old with 51,000 miles. the contact tried to register this issue with chrysler 3 years ago but was not sure it it was successful . the vehicle was under warranty at the time. *ak updated 01/29/07. *jb

Noticed my car seemed to be losing performance. failure started when my car would shut off while i was driving when i turned on the heat. this happened 4 times in one day and the fourth time i almost had an accident on interstate 5. i did have firestone check the vehicle and they could not find the cause. i search this site for recalls and found recall number 00v299002 which states " prolonged wiring harness contact with the heat shield will cause the wiring insulation to wear and eventually to ground out. this could cause the engine to die out, increasing the risk of a crash" which is exactly what i'm experiencing when i drive. i have kept up the maintenance on this vehicle with jiffy lube and firestone, so there should be no reason why this is happening other than a manufactures defect. i called the local dodge dealer and manufacturer and they both stated there is no recall for my dodge stratus 2001 for this problem. i was in shock to think that nhtsa is aware of the problem and the people responsible for there products are not. hopefully, this complaint will spark the manufacturer to make this a recall and prevent myself and others from being seriously injured in a car accident, due to no fault of our own. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle lost engine power while traveling 45 mph on the interstate. the vehicle was pulled over and there was a clicking noise from the engine compartment prior to the stalling. the vehicle was jump started, providing enough power to drive the vehicle to the contact's residence. the next day, the engine was difficult to start and the clicking noise continued, but the vehicle was driven to the service dealer for a diagnostic. the problem was identified as a rod bearing failure and would require replacement of the motor. the manufacturer was notified.

In 2003 my 2001 dodge stratus engine failed. i took it to a reputable certified mechanic and was told that it looked like the oil had not been changed for over 10000 miles and as a result gummed up lower part of the engine. the oil had been changed every 3-4000 miles and had been changed not 3 days before incident happened. engine had to be completely cleaned out and repaired to the tune of $3000.00. engine had less than 60000 miles at the time. since then car again has had regular oil changes without fail. again,the engine failed, i was finally told that that the dodge stratus magnum engine was known to have a too small oil line to the engine and had a tendency to clog with a minute amount of normal debris,and therefore the lower half of engine was starved of oil and engine becomes toast. by the way, the oil light failed to go on to let me know i had a problem until engine was toasted, then it went on. i have taken excellent care of this vehicle it is in perfect condition other than the engine. i was told i will need a new engine to the tune of well over $3000.00, no repairing it this time. i can't afford to do this again. if this is an engine design flaw...it needs to be addressed immediately. beautiful vehicle design,lousy quality and mechanical design. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked, a large amount of transmission fluid was observed on the ground. there was no warning signal prior to the incident. the vehicle was towed to the service dealer who determined that the transmission fluid line had leaked. the service dealer replaced the 2 transmission cooling lines, 4 clamps, and part of the oil system. the manufacturer was notified and advised the contact that the vehicle was not part of nhtsa recall # 01v011002, which pertains to the cooling unit and lines for the automatic transmission due to the vin.

Drove the vehicle the night before there were no signs, warnings of anything wrong. went to drive the vehicle the next afternoon and upon start up vehicle was making a rattling, clicking noise, turned it off immediately. had car towed, was told oil was sludgy , engine needed to be replace, at a cost of minimum end of $5700. mechanic stated he had two more vehicles of exact year, make, model and 2.7l engine on his lot with the same problems. he stated further, he was sorry, but would have to decline his service to repair/replace the engine as he was already fed up with dealing with manufacturer with the other two vehicles. he went on to state that the manufacturer is claiming owner fault, of not maintaining 3000 mile oil changes, even though one of the owners had every receipt proving otherwise. here i sit without a vehicle now, have no financial means to repair or replace this vehicle as i became disabled in april of 2005 and have a very limited budget. i bought a brand new vehicle so i didn't have to worry about any major expense or problems and it would last me 15-20 yrs, not 5. i also didn't expect to pay over $20,000 for a vehicle that would only last 70,000 miles. this wasn't the only items i had to have fixed, in 2003 i had to have the fan fixed for the ac/heating as it only worked on one speed, thank goodness it was covered by warranty. which i never did receive any recall letter or any notification of this problem. in 2005 the front wheel bearings went out and had to have them replaced. the front drivers side get water in when it rains, have taken it in to dealer, they have no clue as to what and why this is happening. this is the first brand new vehicle i have ever purchased and was so proud of it, took meticulous care of it and now i feel and look like a complete fool, as the manufacturer is laughing all the way to the bank, plus has a vehicle that runs! their old slogan dodge tuff, the new is your dodge doesn't run, that's tough. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the steering was hard to turn to the right. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop, who determined the steering gear, wheel bearing, and rack and pinion needed to be replaced. there was a nhtsa recall, #00v225002, regarding the gear box. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin.

I turned a corner and heard a clicking sound. my air bag light went on and my horn would not sound. i later found out that my cruise control was also not working. i did some research and discovered that it is due to a broken clock spring. two dodge dealerships told me they would not repair it at no cost, that in fact it would cost at least $200.00 . i now see that this has been a continual problem with dodge vehicles of the same year. to this day, it has not yet been fixed, as i am waiting to get an agreeable dealership to repair the problem at their expense. since this problem renders the airbag inoperable, i would consider this a major safety defect/problem. *nm

2.7 engine timing chain failure, chrysler mechanic says they have had many, and are waiting on a recall, have not driven car in a few years can not afford repair! *jb

I had pulled out of my driveway to return to work and when i turned the corner to leave my street i heard a cracking sound from the steering column and the airbag light came on immediately. the air bag light is constantly on, the cruise control does not work and the horn does not work either the vehicle was never involved in an accident and the vehicle had just over 35,500 miles on it. *nm

I purchased my vehicle in july 2005. the vehicle was okay until feb-2006, the transmission stopped shifting. this caused the vehicle to jerk very hard and loose power. the vehicle was taken to a transmission specialist 3 times and still was not repaired. i was told that he could not fix it. the vehicle is still doing the same thing and on top of it losing power, it cuts off. this is very unsafe and can cause an accident.

2002 had to replace power steering pipe, manufactured to lean on the interior auto body, in which engine vibration rubbed hole in it. 2002 front right wheel makes continuous loud high pitched whistle noise, still does. dealership discounted it and didn't know why it sounded like that. 2002-2006 engine dies while driving, odometer goes crazy up and down 2006 clock spring keeps breaking, no power to air bag or horn. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the air bag light illuminated constantly, the cruise control was inoperable and there was a clicking in the steering column when the wheel is turned left or right. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined a spring in the steering wheel needed to be replaced. also, the contact stated there was a clicking noise in the front underside of the vehicle that has not yet been inspected by the dealer.

Dt*: the contact stated without warning the vehicle stopped while driving 45 mph. the vehicle was towed to the dealership. the dealership determined there was sludge in the oil causing the engine to seize. the engine was replaced.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 mph the engine started making a loud rattling noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection. upon inspection, the dealership determined the engine needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified.

Oil sludge failure of a dodge/chrysler 2.7l engine. *jb

Dt: the contact stated in december 2005 the air bag light illuminated. afterwards, the steering wheel became extremely hard to turn left or right, and a there was a crackling noise in the driver's side steering column. also, the horn and the cruise control were inoperative. there is a technical service bulletin 0801001 on the clock spring. *ak

Dt*: the contact stated after starting the vehicle there was a ticking noise coming from the engine. the vehicle was driven to the dealership. the dealership found sludge build up in the engine due to improper maintenance. the dealership determined the engine needs to be replaced. *nm

I have a 2001 dodge stratus with a 2.7l engine. the engine has failed and yet i still have to make payments on my car. i have always taken care of my car and have always had oil changes every 3000 miles. i have read hundreds of stories just like mine and i believe that chrysler is ripping of its consumers. i think that something needs to be done about this. if i didn't take care of my car that would be one thing, but chrysler ignoring this problem as if nothing is wrong is another problem. they need to get it together and do something about this. *jb

Dt: the contact's vehicle hit a pot hole , and this bent the passenger's side front and rear rims. the dealership agreed the rims were too soft. but stated nothing could be done to remedy the problem with these rims. the contact stated if the tires were to go flat they could not be repaired because of the damaged rims. *ak

Dt: contact stated while driving at 40 mph vehicle hit black ice and she lost control of the vehicle. this resulted in an accident. upon impact, the airbags did not deploy. the vehicle was repaired at that time. then, she was driving at a later date and hit a deer. this was a frontal impact. upon impact, the air bags did not deploy. the vehicle was repaired after the crash. the vehicle was once again in crash while pulling out of a parking lot. the vehicle was hit on the driver's side, and upon impact, the air bags did not deploy. vehicle was no longer under warranty. the repairs were being made at the contact's expense. police report was taken. *ak

Subsequent to having a recent oil change and engine flush my engine started making a loud clicking sound, while i was driving to work. i pulled over at the nearest gas station and shut the engine off so i could check under the hood. upon visually inspecting the engine compartment, there was not obvious sign of anything wrong, no leaks etc, i then checked the oil and it was full and clean. i then tried restarting my vehicle and it would not start, just click once then nothing. subsequently i called a towing company and had my vehicle to the nearest dodge dealership in my town. i waited four days to hear from them and they never called so finally i had my wife call the dealership and she was told that the engine was blown but before they could do anything i had to authorize them to let someone from chrysler warranty inspect my vehicle and this would be a $400.00 fee, which i had to pay. after the alleged inspection the dealership confirmed that the engine was blown due to sludge and that chrysler warranty would not repair my car,even though i had a 7yr-100,000 mile extended warranty. the mileage on my vehicle at the time the engine was 50,000 miles and any and all attempts to get copies of the alleged inspection were denied not only from the dealership but also from chrysler warranty. numerous times i called chrysler warranty in hopes of getting some results but the reps were rude and had the attitude that ( oh well ) it's your problem. now it has been six months my car still is not fixed, i still have to make payments on it in addition to extended medical bills for my wife as a direct result of the actions or lack there of by dodge/chrysler. in regard to the medical my wife was diagnosed in extreme depression and on the verge of a nervous break down and our family"s emotional life has been in disarray and a financial strain by paying for a vehicle that can't be driven. *nm

Engine starting knocking. took to repair shop. was told that the timing gear had gone causing metal to be distributed through engine. this was due to engine sludge a known problem with the 2.7l engine. no warning lights just failure. *jb

Right rear axel broken, both rear ball joints broken and rear upper control arms broken on dodge stratus, 2001, with only 26,000 miles. failure occurred while driving slowly. both rear ball joints and upper control arms showed excessive play. *nm

Rear top mounts on both the rear struts corroded into several pieces. very poor manufacturing using cheap pot metal as they were completely corroded from salt,etc. couldn't find replacement struts in stock anywhere(out of stock and on back order cross country) and it was extremely dangerous to drive vehicle in this condition. both struts went within a two week period and i ended up getting two used struts from a junk yard off of a 2004 stratus which had been totalled with 2000 miles on it.

2001 dodge stratus oil pump was replaced and sludge was found inside.***no answer required***. *mr *nm

Dodge stratus 2001, 46000 miles. car was purchased used from the us government on public sale. air bag light on, horn does not work, cruise control also affected. this is caused by faulty clockspring part located in steering wheel. i called dodge after discovering on your web site that there was a recall for 1,500,000 grand caravans that had a same problem caused by their faulty clockspring. grand caravans also had air bag light on, horn was not working and cruise control was off. i express my concern to dodge since this is a safety issue and i was hoping they will consider fixing this. i been told to take the car to dealership for diagnostics and after they receive results they will consider fixing this. diagnostics were performed and result was that the clockspring was broken. dodge declined my request for fixing the problem. i end up paying for diagnostics to find out what i already knew. i believe that clockspring mechanism for dodge stratus is something what should be recalled for this model since it is safety issue, that appeared on other recalled models.

My car is a 2001 dogde stratus 4 door es. the car has 57,000 miles on it. at the time of purchase i also purchase an extended warrenty from the dealer. the was from first extended service corp. ganley east inc. at 28840 euclid ave. wickliffe, ohio 44092. i was driving to work on thursday 6-16-05, starting out on side roads to then the freeway and then to a main route to my work. after getting off the freeway i have about a 15 min ride. as i was pulling into my parking lot i heard a loud bang. the car at this point had a hard time moving. i called the dealer and then the extended warranty place to see if the broken (front, passenger side) control arm / ball joint was covered and they said yes. after having the vehicle towed to the dealer which costed me $100.00. the dealer inspected the car and told the extended warranty that the reason the control arm snapped was because of rust or corrosion. being a major part on the car and the seriousness of this if the part would of snap as i was doing 65 on the freeway, i might not of been here typing this complaint. the dealer said it was out of there hands upon payment and before this the extended warrenty company said it was out of their hands as well because the dealer said that it failed because of rust. at the dealer i was never asked if i wanted the bad parts back or to see them, they never washed my vehicle after the service and after leaving the dealer and driving 2 miles after the vehicle was serviced and supposedly inspected the hub cap flew off the car and almost caused me to have an accident on the way home. i was able to retrieve the hub cap and go back to the dealer, were they determined that it was broken up either putting in on or taking it off. they were soooo nice to order me another one at their cost. i was charged $680.43 for the repairs plus another $100.00 for the tow to another company. after researching your web site i have found at least 5 other similiar complaints with the same make, model, year and parts.

While driving at highway speeds the passenger side rear control arm ball joint broke, causing my right rear wheel to collapse within the wheel well of my 2001 dodge stratus es. the consequence of this is that control could have been lost causing an accident harming myself or others on the road. i maintained control of the vehicle and had the vehicle towed off the highway. i then had to again paid for the vehicle to be towed to the dealership for repair.

Check engine ligh came on 12/15/04 @ 36,355 miles. took to local chevrolet dealer about engine noise. they said they can see sludge buildup on oil cap. technician said he heard a chrysler 2.7 liter engine was having a sludge problem. they changed oil and continued to drive. 1/13/05 36,626 miles, check engine light came on again. this time took to local dodge dealer feeny who informed me that they found sludge buildup on oil cap. it would cost $600--$1000 just to pull engine a do further investigation because engine is hard to work on. service manager said chrysler not admitting defective engine design. nothing they can do even though it is barely of 36,000 mile warranty period. suggested i change oil every 1000 miles or monthly until condition lessens. had them change oil. 2/15/05 36,874 miles, changed oil again. 4/4/04 37,345 miles, changed oil again. 4/28/05 engine made knocking type sound when started. going to have vehicle towed to feeny chrysler for evaluation.

There was a complaint i just read by mr kevin gilmore odi cse number 769552, and i agree with him about this complaint be handled as a top prioroty investigation. i bought this as a used car, i knew i'd end of having to put some money into it since i was not buying a brand new car. but i've only had it for 6 months and have to put quite of bit into it. it has 59,000 miles on it. i've had to get the upper and lower ball joints replaced. a month later we heard a noise when we steered. we added power steering fluid cause we noticed it was low. only two days after we heard the noise which got louder was hard to steer. i drive my two young kids with this car and felt unsafe in it. a friend of ours who is a mechanic looked at it and said there was a leak since the fluid was almost emty again. i was told it was power steering line. it was rubing against the a/c line which is metal and wore a hole in the line. my mechanic said this line was in back order (obviously in high demand). when he finally got it in, seems like dodge has made some changes on the design. this was my first dodge vehicle i had purchased and first used vehicle also. because of this, this will be the last for dodge and used. i agree with mr gilmore. this needs to be investigated thoroughly before someone gets seriously injured. again my car has only 58,000 miles on it and should not be having such serious failures. thank you, rosy & ray

2001 dodge stratus - crackling sound in steering wheel, air bag light on , no horn. the vehicle is still operating. there is also another report on your site of the same problem although i have not checked the cruise control yet. date of prior complaint was 02/07/05.*ak

Engine failed after 50,000 miles, car out of warranty. oil changed very frequent. auto manufacturer refuses to acknowledge any responsibility. also mileage incorrect on odometer when car was purchased used in may 2004 car dealer also does not accept responsibility for inaccurate odometer. all i asked for was a cost consideration in replacing engine. *nm

While driving 65 mph vehicle stalled. driver was not able to restart vehicle and it was towed to a garage for inspection. the mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. *ak

Driver would hear a rattling noise continuously when turning the steering wheel in either direction,left/right. also, while driving at 10 mph, the rattling noise made a loud snap as if something inside the column was broken. however, the vehicle performance has not been effected. also, the air bag light has come on and the horn and the cruise control is also inoperative. provide further details. *nm

While driving 20 mph, the engine blew. the vehicle was towed. the dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. the cause was not determined. please provide more information.

Consumer was driving 25 mph when the vehicle jerked as if it had struck a pot hole. consumer got out to check the vehicle, and noticed the rear passenger tire was nearly off. the ball joints were defective and needed to be repaired.*ak the manufacture offers no assistance. rear upper ball joints replaced and 4 wheel alignment performed. *tt

While driving the oil light came on, then suddenly engine stalled. when taken vehicle to dealer to be serviced it was determined that it was due oil pump failure. when servicing the oil pump the entire engine was flooded with oil.*ak

1. no warning 2. vehicle has a leak which causes water(from rain or snow) to leak onto the passenger side floor board. i have vacuumed out as much as 5 gallons of water at a time. i have looked very carefully and cannot determine the leak path. 3. no correction has been found. *jb

Consumer was shifting the gears and a clanking noise was coming from the front. vehicle was unable to move. consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealer, and mechanic placed vehicle on the diagnostic machine. afterwards, dealer informed consumer that no codes were found. also, could not be duplicate the problem. *ak

Engine is shaking, and oil is building up on the cylinder, causing the vehicle to stall. consumer will contact manufacturer.*ak

01v005002/seat mounting bolts. driver's side seat moves when braking. consumer took the vehicle to dealer, and contacted the manufacturer, who was telling consumer that the vehicle described was not part of the recall. also vehicle is experiencing stiff steering. when turning left, driver can feel a rubbing noise through the steering wheel. this can only be felt when the driver is making a left turn. *ak *tt

I took my car in to get the oil changed, and the guy told me that i was leaking transmission fluid from the cooler hoses. when i got home i looked it up on the internet and found that there was a recall for this problem, nhtsa campaign id#01v011002. so this morning i called the local dodge dealer(llithia) and asked him about the problem. he told me that there was no such recall, and that it would cost around 150.00 to fix. i took it to a different mechanic, and they put some hose clamps on it for 64.00, but i think that is a temporary solution. i am disgusted by lithia dodge calling me a liar, and not wanting to fix the problem.*ak

Check engine light came on at about 74k miles and went into "limp" mode. found out the transmission sensor was bad. replaced sensor at cost of $682.25. car has run poorly since that day. dodge says "nothing wrong with the car" but the car has not ran smoothly from that first repair day. next...while in pennsylvania on military duty, the car leaked all the transmission fluid out. found out the solenoid pack and fluid lines were leaking. another $530+ dollars. both of these parts are listed on auto zones website as recalls with daimler chrysler for my vehicle. one has a nhtsa number. daimler chrysler denies that there are any recalls on my vehicle but does state that other "similar" models and cars are covered for those parts. when we asked daimler chrysler who we could contact to complain and if there was a national body who looks at vehicle complaints (knowing full well who nhtsa was and how to get in touch with them) daimler chrysler customer service stated "i don't think there is anyone!" ....wrong answer. *nm

Driving on interstate highway at 70 mph when engine started to make noises. loud bang at which time pulled the car over. car began to smoke and loose oil. sheriff gave ride to gas station to get more oil which when put in came right back out. towed to gas station and found hole the size of a fist in the engine block. rod that blew the hole somewhere on the highway. towed 100+ miles home. luckily no one hurt. no warnings or problems prior. car no longer under warranty (58,000 miles). will be having someone look at it to see if it can be fixed and at what cost. *ak

Consumer had a 2.7 liter engine which accumulated a great deal of motor sludge. consumer changed the oil every 3,000 miles. then, took the vehicle back to the dealership who had the vehicle diagnosed. manufacturer told consumer that they were not responsible because the warranty expired. *ak

I was driving my 2001 dodge stratus on the interstate. i was going approximately 70 mph with no other vehicles around me. i heard what sounded like a shotgun blast coming from the rear seat. i looked back and reliazed my right rear window had exploded. i went to the dealership were i had purchased the vehicle two weeks before to see if they could explain what happened. i was told that the car creates a vaccum and that was what caused the window to explode. if this is the case i think something needs to be done about this issue. lucky for us there was nobody in the back seat.*ak

Left rear shock was rattling around within the coil spring. upon investigation, found that the upper spring/shock mount, which is aluminum or an aluminum alloy, had deteriorated so badly that it had seperated into 5 pieces. this part locates the upper end of the rear spring, and had it not been caught, could have allowed the spring to migrate into the tire, possibly causing an accident. this car has 70,000 highway miles, and is kept clean, and stored in a garage every night. i will be replacing the rh sided shortly, as it is showing similar signs of rot. i have the failed piece, and have digital pictures if interested.*ak

Left rear ball joint went out while drinving. as a result, tire hit the rear of the vehicle. *ak

Timing belt failure resulted in engine failure. bearings on both front wheels were replaced at 30,000 miles, replaced front bearings and replaced engine. *ak

While driving on the highway suddenly there was a pop and then a banging noise. consumer immediately pulled off the highway, lifted the hood, and saw flames coming from the engine compartment. consumer extinguished the fire with a gallon of water. vehicle was towed to a mechanic, who determined that engine rod bearing dropped, and blew a hole in the side of the engine block, the size of a man's fist. *ak an oil change was done on the car a week prior to the failure. *nm

While traveling at any speed vehicle speed control light illuminated. vehicle accelerated intermittently. *ak

While driving 40 mph the vehicle's axle's shaft broke without warning. the consumer was concerned that the wheel would separate from the vehicle. please provide additional information. *jb

80,000 miles on the transmission. the car would no longer move. leaving me stranded. costing $1,500 for a rebuit transmission for a newer car. no reason for a transmission to go out so soon. also flickering with the dash/interior lights and radio when light are turned on.

Transmission malfunctioned. as a result, when shifting vehicle jerked. *ak

Failure of right rear ball joint in 2001 dodge stratus with no warning such as noise or vibration proceeding failure no personal injury or property damage ball joint replaced by dodge dealership with after market part, old parts are available. *mr

Severe engine knock. exceded dodge recommended oil changes ,have reciets for oil changes. yet dodge dealer denies warranty do to ngine oil sludge build-up.

While driving and turning to the right consumer heard a noise coming from the brakes. also brake light illuminated on the dashboard . dealer inspected several times, but problem recurred. *ak the emergency brake light illuminated when the consumer made right turns down a grade. it was later determined that the brake fluid was low. the interior lights blink intermittently. *nm

Before getting into the vehicle consumer noticed that the rear right wheel was tilted inward. dealer informed the consumer that the upper control arm broke. dealer informed the consumer that a bolt was welded to the frame of the vehicle.*ak

Automatic transmission failed @70,000 miles cost $1800.00 to rebuild. dash lights flicker constantly. radio works for anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour before it shuts itself off. wont come back on till car has been sitting for at least 12 hours, only to start all over.*ak

Left rear tire was cocked outward. dealer inspected and said upper ball joints were blown out on both sides. car was never in collision, and only 44k miles on it. also, interior dash lights flicker when turn signal is used, clicks around corners, seats don't always stay locked in place. it's still under warranty!! i don't want to pay $600 to fix a problem i did not cause. *jb

Six months ago, we purchased a used 2001 dodge stratus with a 2.7 engine and loved it - - - until the engine failed at 80,000 miles! we were driving down a rural highway in freezing temperatures when the engine suddenly died and would not restart. we were an hour from home and had to have the vehicle towed back to our hometown. he dodge service department in our area seemed to know that it would need a new engine before ever looking at it! (they also tried to say that lack of oil changes caused the problem.) after hearing that dodge no longer offers the extended warranty on the 2.7 engine and that they "upgraded" the timing chain in rebuilt engines, we knew there was a problem. we contacted the dodge-chrysler customer service department and after being treated very poorly, we were told that there were no recalls on this engine. it just isn't fair to the unsuspecting consumer that dodge-chrysler isn't taking responsibility for this problem. the engine replacement cost us $3,605. however, we replaced the engine with a used 2001 sebring because a rebuilt one was twice as much. which means the potential for the same problem still exists!*ak

Engine failure 10/02 @ 22,816 miles. foster motors (daimler/chrysler dealer) claimed owner neglect. second engine failure 5 miles from dealership after used engine installed. third engine now at 39k may fail as goss dodge said that there might be a head gasket problem. car is no longer on warranty. but that doesn't matter anyways, because they didn't cover it when it was under warranty. catalytic converter went in first month of owning car. not to mention other little things. the service manager even said that if we were thinking of trading it now would be a good time before the head gasket went.

While driving at highway speeds vehicle stalled. *ak

Dodge stratus engine die out due to crankshaft position sensor that came in contact w/ a protective shield, which consequently caused a grouted circuit. thereby causing my engine to die out. my vehicle is a lease, and the warranty is up, and i never received any recall information. recall info on this call, and the prior year are numerous deadly one. those which can possibly cause injury, or death. i was almost a statistic today when my vehicle died out completely in an exit ramp off the highway. please help me find out how responsible the dealership is because i never received any!!!! recall letters. i received their bill, but yet no recall info. this vehicle is only three years old. i have prior to this vehicle purchased three other vehicles from yonkers avenue dodge, and have traded them in for new ones, but they too had problems, and the dealer never gave me any breaks in price. they just saw a female walk in, and read the "sucker" sign on my forehead. anyhow my car is now stuck in a shell gas station, which was consequently off the ramp i was stuck on. i was pushed there to get me out of harms way. i will not allow this dealer to continue to stick people, or chrysler to stick people with the bill to a car that dies out before the lease is up!! if you can help please email me. as well as let other dodge stratus se owners know that the numerous problems these cars suffer from before these owners get killed, or kill others. thank you for your attention to this matter. respectfully, ms. vivian pena. *cb

While driving rear left tire shifted inward, and vehicle was hard to steer. dealer determined that the bolt that connected the under body to the rear suspension broke in half. *ak

Rear defroster button works erratically. *ak

When turning steering wheel to the left a popping sound was produced.*ak

I have constantly taken my car in for the same reasons. the car jerks, the whole car vibrates when it rains, if it's cold out the car refuses to start in the morning. there have been numerous transmission and piston problems.*ak

When turning corners a crunchy noise was heard. *ak *sc

2001 stratus 2.7 liter v-6 engine. driving down the road, car cuts off. start car up again and there is a knocking noise. take it to the dodge dealership, they say that i need a new engine. call about my warranty, they say that all oil change receipts have to be given to them for the past 15 months. now keep in mind car was purchased brand new. they say that it will not be covered unless those documents are given to them. but looking at some of the other complaints documentation of proper maintenance will not make them cover the cost. and according to some of the problems reported with these cars, there are a lot of the so called oil sludge build-up that is found that has caused the engine to shut down. they say that they will not cover this 6,000.00+ bill and i am not either. *la

Driver's seat - power controls - front up/down tilt not responsive. *ak

I have a 2001 dodge stratus with a 2.7 magnum engine. we have been told by the local dodge dealership that the rod bearings are bad. we had purchased the extended warranty when we purchased the car which covers all engine components. the dealership told us that this is not covered under warranty as oil changes were not done every three thousand miles. however, the maintenance schedule in the owners guide states that oil changes are only required every seven thousand five hundred miles. this problem can only be fixed by a new engine, which is $7,000. *la

Warped brake rotors on a 2001, dodge, stratus at 46000 miles. this was far too soon for such an expensive repair. consumer bought the car new, and was not hard on the brakes. this was a design flaw. *ak

The rear middle seat belt latch didn't lock in place and the rear left seat belt wouldn't retract. *ak

The passenger side floor is wet. took to dealer, and the weather stripping was replaced. floor is still getting wet. please describe further. *ph

Dealer replaced automatic transmission at very low mileage. also, replaced steering pump at cost of $200, the deductible.*ak

Dealer will replace coil spring. consumer stated vehicle still under warranty, but this coil is not covered, and will cost $750 to replace.*ak

The vehicle vibrates while driving. vehicle was taken to the dealer, who tightened the tie rod bolt and adjusted the brake cable. *ak

Consumer advised that vehicle was excessively overheating whenever driven. dealer serviced several times, but could not diagnose problem. recently, dealer discovered aluminum shavings were present inside of cylinder "head" causing overheating.

While driving, heard a "screeching" noise and noticed smoke coming from vehicle. dealer diagnosed that the rear upper ball joints had failed and the lower ball joints were ready to fail. dealer also discovered that the tie rods were loose. related investigation pe03-032

While driving the automatic transmission went out. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop. the transmission had to be replaced. *ak the transmission lasted for only 1 and a half years. *scc *jb

Brakes, rotor rotors are warped far to early for age of car. *nlm

I purchased a used 2001 dodge stratus in february 2003. the car had a total of 48702 miles. within the first week, the car was taken back to the dealer for brake problems. the front brakes was missing some type of brakes clips. this was repaired by the dealership. their was also a noise from the steering column. the dealership stated that their was no problem located and that it was just the tires rubbing the pavement when turning. within 85 days, the car lost speed while driving and would not move. it took one hour to coast 2.5 miles to home. i later had the car towed to the dealership. they called the next day to tell us that we need a complete overhaul of the transmission and needed to replace the pump and converter. a cost of $2000. i have never had any problems with any other brand of used cars even with high mileage. this car was driven less than 90 days. the dealership said that had the car malfunction with the first 60 days, then they would have repair it. the car has 55225 miles as of today's date. this is a major repair that is well documented as a problem with dodge/chrysler vehicle. we called the chrysler consumer services hotline and was told that we had to work something out with the dealership as to the repairs. the dealership is currently working with us to resolve this problem at our expense. we are not agreeing to this arrangement and is waiting for higher management to intervene.. *nlm

No problem or defect written in description field. (model/7499ae swingride) mr scc *jb

The dashboard lights became dim while driving. *nlm the dash lights flickered while the vehicle was in motion. repair was available for the consumers to pay out of pocket. service bulletin# l4-148 *scc *jb

I am not sure if this site pertains to this type of complaint. i had my car towed to zeiser dodge on 04-19-03 with a loud knocking noise. on 04-21-2003 they called to tell me they were not going to fix it due to oil sludge and that the car had not had proper oil changes. i provided all oil change receipts and they are still refusing to fix the vehicle. its still under the 36,000 mile-3 yr warranty. i have done research and have found that the 2.7 liter in these cars are faulty for oil sludge. i feel my car should be repaired. *jb

While driving about 55 mph the driver heard a loud noise. when she pulled over and inspected the vehicle she noticed that one of the passenger side tires blewout. *nlm

While driving the vehicle started to swing from left to right. *nlm

The passenger side lower control arm broke, almost resulting in a collision. the wheel was damaged. ph

Consumer states that vehicle shift gears without applying brakes. please provide additional information. ts

While traveling at 25 mph. consumer states vehicle was involved in a rear end collision when the vehicle in front suddenly came to a stop. vehicle front end was damaged. none of the vehicles airbags deployed. please provide any further information. ts

Consumer states that the front rotors are wearing excessively. dealer informed that the rotors had to be turned, but the brake pads were adequate. *mr the consumer states that the rotors should not be warped at at 15000 miles and still have padding, the vehicle shakes badly when applying brakes, they were refaced yet there was still a slight pulsation in the rear, the consumer feels that the rotors are of poor quality. *scc

Not done in a reasonable amount of time. no parts available.*jb

Consumer states that the window on the sun roof of the vehicle shattered while the consumer was driving and some of the pieces cut the consumer and ruin small parts of the seats. contacted dealer. mr

While making a left turn it felt like something was rubbing. vehicle has not been examined by dealer.*ak

While drving, steering wheel makes a loud squeaking noise. took vehicle to dealership, they said they fixed vehicle, but problem is still occurring. *ak *yd

Vehicle was involved in a 40 mph frontal collision in which driver's and passenger's air bags did not deploy, cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak

While driving vehicle completely shuts down without warning, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 dodge stratus. while the vehicle was parked in a loading zone, the engine suddenly shut off. the vehicle made a knocking noise and the contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the water pump, oil gasket, and timing belt failed. the vehicle was towed to a different shop for a less expensive repair. the new repair shop confirmed the same failures, in addition to oil contamination and the engine needed to be replaced. the vehicle is currently at a local repair shop. the current and failure mileages were 62,890. updated 02-18-09 updated 02/18/09. *jb

I have 2001 dodge stratus that has a electrical problems. took it to 1 dealer said that it was the battery change the battery and $179.00 later still have the same problem dash board light are not working the battery light and seat belt light stay on. you can not tell the speed or see how much gas you have. try to go to dealer his shop closed for good. when to another dealer said it was a closter and after $800.00 still have same problem. took it back to have him fix it right they decline to fix it. what do i do? this is my daughter car and it is a danger to drive. *nm

While driving at any speed engine will stall out, when taken foot off pedal can feel engine trying to die out, consumer has to keep foot on accelerater to avoid vehicle from shutting off. contacted dealer, and dealer could not recreate problem to fix it. *ak consumer stated vehicle has been to the dealer 2 more times.*slc

There was a noise in steering gear, noise sounded as though a bolt or nut was loose in steering column. contact dealer, and dealer could not find cause.*ak*yd

While driving at highway speed of 50-70 mph vehicle would intermittently surge without warning, vehicle taken to dealer, and they were unable to resolve problem. *ak chrysler informed consumer of an update that would improve the surging, however it has been five months with no replacements or repairs. *slc

During normal operation of vehicle engine will surge and cause sudden acceleration, increasing the risk of a crash. dealership has been unable to determine a reason for the problem. please provide any additional information/attachments. *ak

When trying to stop vehicle would not stop. consumer had to turn off the engine to stop vehicle. *ak *slc

While drivining consumer's son fell asleep and knocked water off cup holder onto floorboard. started to smell wires burning, and heard crackling noises. contacted fire department, and was informed that wires under front seat were exposed and causing the noise. indicated to let wires dry before using vehicle. after drying started vehicle nd crackling noise was still heard until fuse was removed. contacted manufacturer, and informed consumer that it was not their problem, it was owner's fault.*ak

01 v 011 002/transmission hose: dealer , family chrysler, plymouth, cleveland, ga; phone # 770/503-9370, informed that they were not aware of this recall. manufacturer was notified, and informed that they did not know when this information would be sent out to dealers. asking nhtsa assist in with this problem .feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

Brake and gas pedal are too close. the two door model is further apart. one was almost killed when car jumped foward in traffic, because foot was on brake, and hitting gas at the same time.*ak

When putting vehicle in reverse it intermittently goes forward without pressing on accelerator. vehicle taken to dealer 2 times, dealer stated if they could not duplicate problem then there was nothing they could do. *ak

On two occasions power door locks locked without key being in ignition. dealer has been notified.*ak consumer states after unlocking the front drivers door and pulling up on any other door, all the door locks lock. *slc

While husband was just sitting in vehicle his back windows exploded. no injuries were sustained.*ak

This should be handled as a top priority investigation. the front axles bearings have been replaced 3 times on right and left front. the front ball joints and control arms have been replaced once all covered under warranty by manufacturer. axle bearing failure occured at 21,000 miles vehicle was 6 months old. then again 6 months later with 38,000 miles on it , at that time it was discovered the ball joints on the upper and lower on both sides were worn out, manufacturer covered under warranty. recently a power steering line which runs from the power steering pump to the power steering resevoir started leaking, upon inspection i found it had been leaking for a while but finally opened up. the casue is the design of the power steering line, it rubs against the a/c line which is metal and wore a hole in the line. i purchased the line front the local dodge dealer. the line has been superceeded 3 times, a obvious design problem. i am ase certified technician, the following problems i listed are very serious and dodge is aware of them. comment to me was the axle bearings and ball joints are a very common problem, this came from the dealer it self. the dealers also can not keep the power steering lines in stock. potential risk associated with this failures are as follows, ball joint and axle bearing failure should they break while operating on the highway can cause loss of control of vehicle. the power steering line when it finally ruptures after it has worn through can cause a potential fire hazard due to the proximity of the exhaust system and also loss of power steering. although my vehicle has 64,000 miles on it, it is only 15 months old and is driven exclusively on the highway. these failures are not normal on any vehicle with the mileage i listed and should prompt an investigation before someone gets injured. the superceeded power steering line can be confirmed at any dodge or chrysler dealer. thank you kevin gilmore dt

Car has been in 19 times in 18 months for 15 separate issues. motor seems to have finally blown. took 4 tries to pass state inspection. chrysler keeps ignoring me, my dealership keeps ignoring me visit my site at http://members.tripod.com/~go_grl/dodge.html for full story. no return calls from chrysler thru today 10/30/2002 bill day, general manager at dealership ignoring issue long enough. now no car we'll see what they do to remedy this issue. dt

These wheels bend too easy. after having replaced 2 wheels already, and now needing to replace another two (due to bending from small potholes most likely). these are made as "spun aluminum" and have little to no strength. (note: wheels are mitsubishi manufactured, stratus r/t is similar to the eclipse. note the wheel problems listed there are very similar.) dt

Engine failed. taken to dealership. was told that proper maintenance was not maintained on the vehicle. waiting on response to determine coverage for the engine. estimated damage $7000. be sure to check your warranty information.*ak

Suspension feels very loose at higher speeds when you encounter bumps and potholes in the road also steering wheel catches and pulls right when attempting to make a right hand turn causing the vehicle to hit curbs or cross into traffic

Ntsa recalled this car for defective transmission cooler hoses. the same hoses are used extensively in engine compartment for power steering. why did you not require all defective hoses be replaced??(hose labled ct rubber & plastics 09 rp04)see your file:nhtsa campaign id number: 01v011002.*ak

Engine stalls out after filling gas tank while facing south or west. recall done on travel module nov 2000. did not fix problem. replace travel and engine modules as well as fuel pump. i have filed lemon law.

This car, along with other 2001 stratus coupes, has an angle to the driver's seat and the steering wheel that forces one to sit a few degrees off perpendicular to the direction of travel. the driver, if sitting straight on the seat and in the middle of it is turned toward the center of the car a few degrees. this is extremely disorienting. it is in my opinion a hazard because i am continuously forced to try to adjust my position on the seat in order to feel as if i am going down the road forward.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Consumer states that the whole front end has been replaced, however the vehicle continues to have suspension problems, possibly causing problems with the steering. *slc

There is a whistling noise heard from dash area when coasting at highway speeds, also there is a noise when consumer takes her foot off the gas, as well as when it is warm outside possible engine related.*yd

The vehicle surges at highway speeds, worse with the a/c on, consumer was informed that a computer update is coming out that will correct the problem, but was unablt to give consumer a timeframe.*yd

When consumer steps on the gas and it shifts to the next gear, it jerks really bad, also when vehicle is put in park, neutral, etc there is a real loud noise and a jerk.*yd

The brake fluid level keeps dropping. *yd

The consumer received a recall notice for transaxle oil cooler hoses, however it took five different appointments for dealer to remedy the problem, in which the first three occasion consumer was informed there were no parts, the next time consumer was informed they only had half of the parts, and the final occasion is when it was finally fixed.*yd

There are no injuries or fatalities associated with this alleged defect.while conducting this investigation, odi found that the subject cinches meet the load bearing requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard 208, and that many of the reported failures were due to incorrect child safety seat installations. additionally, the report rate is low (1.60/100k).the information available fails to establish the existence of a defect trend at this time.further allocation of agency resources to this issue is unwarranted and the preliminary evaluation is being closed.