2002 DODGE Stratus

Internal water pump failed causing water to leak into the oil pan. The water became hot enough to boil which caused the oil to turn into sludge (molasses like consistency). Due to the sludge, the camshafts did not receive adequate lubrication and burned up. The end result was engine failure.

On my way to work one morning, the car stopped in the middle of the street. It was 2 blocks away from the house. I asked 2 neighbors to help push the car back to the house. When I took it to the mechanic, he said the problem was the engine. He tried to rebuild the engine, but when he took the parts apart, he realized there was sludge in them. He then told me I will need a new engine. He looked for engines, but only found those with high mileage. I am still waiting to put an engine in the car. I have not been in a position to financially afford the replacement, but recently started looking again and found this website.

Engine failure

Transmission gave way in February of 2011, which I got fixed, followed by engine failure possibly due to sludge common in the 2.7L defective engines. Not in a position to fix engine right now.

Oil blew out over top of engine. Massive amounts of sludge Even though engine has had regular oil & filter changes. Had full engine oil flush done including new oil change. Ran fine for 2 weeks and then oil blew out of top of engine again. Heavy smoke coming from under hood. Scared to drive again.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY A CHATTERING NOISE DEVELOPED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND RAISED THE ENGINE HOOD TO SEE WHERE THE CHATTERING WAS COMING FROM. THE NOISE APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM INSIDE OF ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL IT WAS AT THE FULL MARK. I THEN RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND AT THAT TIME, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE DIED. I TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT IT WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. I TOWED THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP.

We continuously experience engine failure or problems with the engine. The first time the engine gave out the dealership replaced the motor under warranty. The symptoms at that time were, the engine light came on (and has in fact stayed on EVER since then) and the car drove roughly. Recently, I\’ve just taken out the vehicle from the shop for the computer had burnt out. **They also left comments that stated the oil light comes on and off while driving and engine has a knock at high idle.** that stated the oil light comes on and off while driving and engine has a knock at high idle.** Now I am here at the same place again without a running vehicle. The engine on the Stratus is out again, it will not start. The engine began tapping and gave out within 24 hrs. I had just gotten my vehicle out not less then 3 weeks ago! I called the dealership and they will not help me, stating that they fixed the computer and that had nothing to do with the engine. I am fed up with this car, Ive already lost two jobs because of the break down of this vehicle.

Water pump failure resulting in engine failure, water in oil, never leaked water, never overheated

Transmission jumps out of gear after driving about 2 miles did not slip or give any indication of trouble when driving 35 miles to work that morning. Will move but makes a whining noise then jumps out of gear

This happened early on the morning on my way to drop my son off a daycare. I turned up into the parking lot and my car suddenly stopped. I had no idea what was going on, I attempted to re-start the car it started and then cut right back off.

Ther is a definite noise in the right front coil spring area. It only shows up on uneven or rough surface roads. The dealer keeps insisting there is nothing wrong with the front end. Of course all of the roads they test drive it on are smooth. they won’t let me take a tech on a drive in my area.

The vehicles engine was checked and the engine was seized and found a hole in the oil pan.

The motor blown due to sludge with signs of water in oil causing the major sludge. Have extended warrenty to 7 yrs 100000 miles. Dodge said that they would not cover due to sludge. I have 1995 GMC suburban w/150000 same maintenance schedule with no or very little sludge and driven harder.

The February 2005 problem was a result of the oil sludge build up issue that they seem to be having on the 2.7 liter engines that they have.

The engine began knocking while my wife was driving it. I told my personal mechanic it sounded like a rod knock. He confirmed my suspicion and recommended that I take it back to Dodge. I did. they told me there was sludge in it that indicated that I had NOT properly maintained the car. I know that I did. Another engine rebuilder told me that the 2.7 engine is engineered wrong. The oil holes are too small and the oil pump is too small to do the job. Sludge seems to be a common problem with the 2.7 engine as a review of the www.dontbuyone.org website would confirm. I was told by Dodge that it would cost $8,000 to repair. We were taken on the purchase of this car to begin with. We have already paid off over $14,000 on this vehicle and we still owe $13,000.We were barely out of the milage warranty, but we were within the time limit. Dodge basically told us to go suck a rock. The sludge was our fault. Out dealer, Tobin Dodge gave us $9000 in trade on a trade up to a Caravan. We still owed $13,000 so basically we took a bath for $4,000. However, given Dodge\’s attitude, we were grateful for what we got.

The check engine/transmission light keeps coming on. I brought it in once they replaced a hose. A few days later it came back on we brought it to a differant shop they reset it and blamed ME for it. Stating that I leave my car run when I put gas in it and that is why it comes on. Well the light came back on and we are working on making a 3rd appointment to get it fixed. If its doing all of this now while still under warranty what happens after the warranty!?

THE CAR CUT OFF AND WHEN TRIED TO RESTART IT WOULDN’T START. WE TOWED IT TO A GARAGE WHERE THEY TOLD US THISWAS AN ENGINE PROBLEM AND THAT THIS MODEL CAR HAD A RECALLON IT. WE WERE THEN RECOMMENDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO JASPER ENGINES WERE WE WERE ALSO TOLD THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THIS MODEL CAR. WE’VE CONTACTED GREENBRIAR CHRYSLER AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECALL ON THE 2.7ENGINE ON THE 2002 DODGE STRATUS AND THE COST ON A NEW ENGINE IS 5 TO 6 THOUSAND DOLLARS. AFTER SOME RESEARCH

The automatic transmission failed at 59,000 miles. The vehicle began to make a popping noise under the hood about three months before the failure. The popping noise was intermittent and hard to pinpoint. On September 22, 2005, the vehicle started to make a loud whistling noise and began to shift hard and/or delay shift. I took the vehicle to a repair shop and it was diagnosed with hard part transmission failure. There were many parts that needed to be replaced and the total was $2100.00.

Sludge cooked on top of 2.7L engine which created multipule of issues to then have engine failure.According to two different Dodge employees, this type of engine is “typical” for this problem.

Since I first purchased this vehicle, I’ve had nothing but problems with it. I’ve filed complaint after complaint but nothing’s being done about the on going problems Im having with my car. The rack-n-pinion has gone out on me twice, two parts of the evap system has gone out, the steering gear and the bushing has gone out and I have a constant problem with the transmission. Ive asked the manufacturer if they can provide me with an extended warranty just for the transmission but they act like it would be too much for them to do so. I had to go out and purchase an extended warranty just to ensure that the transmission will be fixed if I should ever have problems with it again. They just worked on the transmission on May 17, 2007 NOW it’s has to be worked on AGAIN because I found a leak and today is August 9, 2007. It’s a shame that there’s nothing a CONSUMER can do against these type of companies or people because it’s WRONG!! I paid my car off about a year after I bought it. And, this isn’t the FIRST Dodge vehicle I purchased. More like the THIRD one. My 1992 Dodge Colt held up better than this piece of junk. I’ll never buy another Dodge vehicle, I know that for sure.

September we purchased the dodge Strause from Ray Carter Kie used.It had 36,000.00 on it ,the first of Jauary the transmission went on it . It was a rental auto before we purchased it. The dealership said they could’nt do anything for us. So we have had to pay 3,000.00 out our pocket. We all so paid cash the car. Is their any thing we can do to get some one to pay the bill or pay part of the repair?

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Purchased used from Suburban Chevrolet, Ann Arbor, Michigan, on December 18, 2006, at 83557 miles, with a 1 month or 1500 miles warranty. Ran well for about two months. Then, a slight knock began in the motor. Mechanic said a piston bearing was probably starting to wear. In August, 2007, the starter motor failed, and a new one had to be installed. However, the knock in the engine didn’t get any worst until January 2008, when the engine suddenly started to knock extremely hard and loudly while driving on the Interstate between Ann Arbor and Detroit. Pulled over immediately. Motor died and wouldn’t start again. Had the car towed to Ann Arbor. When cool, the next day, the motor would start, but the knock was so hard and loud that the mechanic said it couldn’t be driven at all, and it was moved around the lot at an idle. Diagnosis is a failed piston bearing, and the engine threatens at any second to throw a rod. Needs a new engine, at an estimated cost of $6000-7000.

Purchased car used from dealer as is on 9-7-07. Car died while driving with no warning one week later. Dodge Service Dept. diagnosed problem on 10-8-07 as water pump leaking into engine damaging engines bearings. Also, two sensors had failed which I paid to be replaced before engine was declared unfixable. Car did not leak water or have any engine noise to indicate an impending failure.

Other for repairs would be I have had the starter and the transmission fuse blown on the car replaced. I guess now I\’m at a standing point. I took the car to tuffy last Saturday 01/05/08 because I was having a oil leak. Tuffy told me my engine is so dirty with oil sludge. Tuffy refuses to work on my car. I own the 02 dodge stratus with the lovely 2.7 liter engine. Tuffy printed me out all the information, and phone numbers I\’m to call to see who is going to help me work on my car or find me a engine.

On Sunday, December 21, 2003 at approx. 1:00 a.m. I was driving home when my engine- a 2.7 Litre V6 200HP failed on my Stratus. My warranty has expired, but I am very frustrated because I have maintained my car. I almost got into an accident that night, and I count myself VERY lucky for it being so late at night. The first mechanic at a shop near my home said that it was caused by the timing belt and by engine sludge. He said that he has seen this in Chrysler and Dodge’s with 15,000 miles in it. I called Chrysler and had it taken to Sterling Heights Dodge where it still sits. They said the same thing, except they are not at all being nice about this. Please, something needs to be done about this before someone gets hurt or before someone dies. I have heard that this is an all too common problem in these cars. Also, an assistant to the service manager at the Dodge dealership said he has seen this before, but yet Chrysler will not take the blame.

On Sunday Sept 4 2005, I was driving my car could no longer speed up so i coasted off the highway and my engine just died. I had to have it towed to a shop and rent a car. On Tuesday Sept 6 i received the news my engine had ceased up and no longer would move. The mechanic told me it would cost at least $5000 to replace the engine. As i did research i found i wasnt the only one with this problem and appears to be a wide issue for owners of the 2.7L engine from Dodge/Chrylser. I hope there is info you can provide me on a lawsuit or phone # to chrylser since they need to do something about this. Thank you very much for you time!Sincerely,John Kubsch

On a normal 10 mile commute home from work the engine began to act distressed; hesitating, cutting out, running very poorly. My wife stopped, opened the hood, did a visual inspection and saw nothing wrong.She was only a few miles from home so she attempted to start the car and try to make it home. The car would not start. She had to call a wrecker and have it towed to our trusted mechanic.The mechanic said they made several attempts to start the car and the engine siezed completely. Now we are in a quandry because even a used engine for this car is $3700 and that is for THE SAME ENGINE WITH 77,000 miles on it. This is outrageous for a well maintained engine used for light duty commuting to fail with so few miles on it. I am really upset that Chrysler says they are not responsible for replacing the engine since it is past the 36,000 mile warranty. This isn’t right and I am all for teaching them a lesson, but my greatest concern is HOW DO WE GET THIS FIXED WITHOUT PAYING A FORTUNE FOR WHAT WE ALREADY ARE PRETTY SURE IS A JUNK ENGINE? Please advise us if you can.

MY DAUGHTERS 2002 STRATUS HAD THE ENGINE GO BAD DUE TO A SLUDGE PROBLEM THAT IT APPEARS CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT BUT WON’T HELP THE CONSUMER OUT. IT HAS THE 2.7 V6 THAT EVERY MECHANIC THAT I TALKED TO KNEW OF THE PROBLEM WITH THAT PROBLEM.

My complaint is very simple. I bought a Dodge Stratus R/T 5 years ago this past week.. I will make my last payment to CHASE this month for 187.50. I have 86798 miles on my car. I have friend who is a mechanic and has preformed moist of the matinence on my car. To include belts, plugs. Oil, air, fuel filter and more. My check engine light came on Saturday 08-25-07, It didn

My car has blown its engine even though i have mantained it very well. and i understand that chrysler has had problems with this 2.7 motor.

My 2002 Dodge Stratus SE broke down on the side of a residential street. It was towed to a Dodge dealer (Eddie Cordes) in Lawton Oklahoma. After waiting a couple of days they called and informed me that the engine was full of sludge and that there is little warning of the problem. I was told that there was nothing I could have done to prevent the problem because I have had regular oil changes. I called Chrysler and was told that it was my problem. I have spoken to many people through the internet and have found out that this is a common problem with the 2.7 engine and yet Chrysler has done little to nothing to help it\’s comsumers

Mechanic has advised that engine valve train and other components are oil starved due to inherent design errors resulting in poor oil flow to critical components. The resulting failure will require a replacement engine plus associated labor, and temporary vehicle replacement during repair.

Loud knocks. Had checked and was told almost no oil pressure to motor cause lifters and rod bearings to fail.

Lost oil pressure, threw rod.

I understand that the waterpump is a cronic problem with the 2.7L engine. This is a rediculis cost to repair a waterpump.

I have several problems with my 2002 Dodge Stratus, as you can see. First it started with the engine blowing up on me with regular oil changes. Then I put down my power window and that got stuck and bent something inside, so that needed a new regulator. The radio/cd player died on me and I even had someone look at the wiring and fuses…nothing worked. The last problem I had with it was the solenoid pack was leaking–with possible INTERNAL damage. I finally was able to get rid of this piece of junk, but I spent all of the above prices out of pocket and in fact, I’m still paying on the loan that I had to take out to replace the engine (with a used engine)! And I am now paying a ridiculous amount for a car payment because I owed more on my Dodge Stratus than it was worth…but at least now I have a Nissan that I can depend on and not have to worry about what is going to go wrong next!! Not to mention a company that will back their product up if something does go wrong!

I have been having problems with this car since November 2006. I bought it in January 2006. The car would overheat a lot. First I had a new thermostat put in it which solved the problem for awhile. Then it started overheating again not too long after. That took almost 5 months to get the problem properly diagnosed and fixed. Then not long ago, it started making a weird sound when I would turn the car on. I have a relative who is a mechanic, he said it was probably just the oil pressure adjusting or something like that, I am not sure what he said. It would last about a minute or two and go away after I drove the car for a bit. I hadn\’t even had a chance to have it looked at, when last week the car overheated and shut off. I had it towed and was told it was a bad radiator cap. I went to pick up the car, started to head home, the check engine light came on and started jerking real bad. Car went back to the shop. Diagnosis: Bad water pump. Got it replaced. Drove the car home but the oil light would come on when idling or when slowing down to turn. Two days after picking up the car, the whole engine went. Sound familiar, anyone???

I have been having nothing but problems with this car. I put the car in the shop to get a new starter put on and I had the oil changed. I get the car out the shop and I notice the oil light is on.So I park it and don’t move it until the next day. Where it cuts off on me while I was taking my son to school.

I have a warranty for one hundred thousand miles I brought my car to Rockland auto 845 623 7873.I have been through lies and treated poorly. my car sat there after being towed I was promised they would fix it under full warranty. The service manager never checked my car or attempted to It sat 12 days in their parking lot I went every day to check. I had enough so finally faced manager. I told him I had enough why hasn

I have a 2002 Dodge Stratus with a failed engine. After taking it to the service garage,the cost to replace the engine will be in excess of $5000.00 . I was told the Chrysler 2.7 L Engine had this problem. The car has had regular maintenance and doesn’t have 100 thousand miles on it.I still owe money on this car,now it needs $5000.00-PLUS invested . If in fact,this could have been a factory problem,any assistance with this matter would be greatly appreciated.

I have a 2002 Dodge Statue with a failed Engine due to excess sludge. I change the oil regularly and nevernoticed any problem with the engine until one day.The engine began making a rattling noise. I shut off theengine for a few hours. Then when I attempted to startthe car, the engine would crank but not start.After having the vehicle towed to a Dodge service center,at great expense, I was told the engine failed due to excess sludge and would not be covered by the extended \"Added Care\" warrantee. I was also told it would be $7,500 for a new engine or $250 for opening the engine for inspection.I still owe over $4000 on this car and I\’m not in the position to absorb the added expense of a new carplus paying for a car that doesn\’t run.Any assistance you could provide in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

I appears I have fallen victim to the oil sludge problem. The car has a 2.7 L, V6 DOHC engine. We have changed the oil per the recommended schedule. The car was bought with about 8,000 miles on it. My extended warranty claims was tirned down by Easy Care because of oil sludge.

I am a single mother of a 3 year old, and expecting my second. I work full time with disabled people and depend on my car to take me to work and to transport my child. I just purchased this 2000 car for $10,000. from Burt Greenwald Chevrolet in Akron, OH 4 months ago. I have only put 3,380 miles on the car, and have had the oil changed. I was driving the car down a very busy road and the car stalled – when I went to restart it – it sounded like a diesel truck – I was very afraid of what could happen next. I had my car towed to my moms and it is sitting in her driveway – I work long hours to keep off of welfare and can not afford to pay for a new engine. I had a mechanic look at it and he said it was the engine. I called the dealership and they refused to help saying it was past the 90 days for used vehicles. How could this happen to a car with only 57,000 miles onit? I thought I was being prudent – buying a Dodge with low miles – and found out I got took – especially after reading about all of the problems CHrysler is having with this engine. Please help me … I have to rely on friends to get to work and take me to the doctor etc. .. This is certainly not what Toyota or Kia or Honda would have done.. they would have taken care of this issue. Thanks

ENGINE THREW ROD THROUGH NUMBER 4 ROD THROUGH THE BLOCK. NO PREVIOUS NOISES WERE HEARD FROM ENGINE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY SINCE TIME OF PURCHASE.

Engine oil pressure failure on 2.7L engine

ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO SLUDGE. ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED.

Driving along and the engine started knocking, it only got worse! I was able to get to a service station where I was informed that my engine is “gone”. Total replacement is my only option! So, my 2 year old vehicle now sits at the service center until I find a way to come up with $5103.00 to fix it. I have 2 children to feed, and I have to keep my job, so, I have asked Chrysler what they plan on doing about this problem. I have been told by SEVERAL technicians that this is NOT a new problem and it is VERY common. Jasper Motors cannot seem to make enough new engines for these vehicles! Hopefully it is resolved soon because I have to have a car so that I can keep my job, my family depends solely on me!

Car quit running on the interstate as it was driven by a girl that we bought the car for that could not afford one. Just quit running and just before it did there was noise in the engine. Took it to our mechanic and was told it was the connecting rod and the engine was full of sludge. Called Dodge and was told they could not help me because it was not under warrenty. DUH!

Car engine blown at 75000 miles,out of warranty with 8000 left to pay on car. Cost of repairs nearly as much as what is left to pay on car. More to come.

Am now replacing the front left & right hub assemblies for the THIRD time (previously replaced March 2003 and Aug 2004). 1st time was within warrenty – second I paid my $100 deductible. Called Daimler/Chrysler – all I\’m asking is that they waive my deductible. No one can tell me how long these hub assemblies should last, but eveyone (dealer and D/C person I talked to) agrees this is excessive).D/C decided this morning that they will NOT waive my deductible & the excessive failures are the fault of my driving. Asked for a manager of the two different people I spoke to – both said there was no one else I could speak to and that the decision was final and would not be reversed.I am so angry and have decided I will never buy another Dodge which doesn\’t seem to bother them at all. In doing research on the web, I see that you have been investigating excessive claims of engine sludge – I\’m wondering if you had a lot of complaints of hub assembly failure.

2002 Dodge Stratus 2.7 L Engine. Always changed the oil every 3,000 miles. And the engine seized. It knocked for less than a minute prior to total failure with the correct amount of oil in the engine. The Public should be warned and anyone this has happened to should be reimbursed the amount to fix the problem thru Dodge.

2.7 L V6 Engine blown and reapirs cost up to 6000 per quotes recvsd.

While driving on 495 (Long Island Expressway) the car made a loud knocking sound and proceeded to die. When towed to our mechanic, he said the engine was shot. AHHHHHHHHHH This car was purchased NEW so I wouldn’t have to deal with "used car" issues. It has been sitting in the driveway since November 2007 because we haven’t been able to afford to put in a new engine. Thomas Dodge, Port Jefferson, New York (where I made the purchase) said they weren’t responsible because I didn’t use their service center to have the oil changes. It was the floor model, loaded with leather seats, chrome rims, sunroof… The cost was 25,000 Dollars and the lien was taken off approx. two weeks before it DIED. I purchased the extended warranty for approx. 900 dollars as well… SO WE WOULDN’T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS!

water pump quit and motor died on highway had to replace motor.

took in for oil change and when repair shop started the car it made a lifter noise. They stated that a rod was bad. I have not yet attempted a repair but have an estimate for $5,152.41

Timing chain broke causing catastrophic engine failure.

The problem is this 2.7l v6 engine that has put me in danger twice. The first time the engine started knocking and that was after a recent oil change and the car just stopped in the middle of the road. I took it to the shop where the oil change occured and they said it was oil sludge buildup and that it was not a result of the oil change. The second occurance happened when i replace the engine with a remanufactored engine which cost me about 4000 dollars( I was lucky to find one at that price)I did frequent oil changes on and the engine stopped on me during rush hour on a busy highway luckily i was able to get off the highway safely. Enough is enough and the warranties might as well say we cover the whole car except for the engine. I got the car in 2006 its now 2008 and I had to replace the engine once so i have had two engines in the car and may put a third engine in the car which i am debating whether or not to replace it. I would not have too much of a problem if this engine was available and not in short supply i would not complain.

SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. NEED BRAND NEW ENGINE.

Purchased the car used from NorthPoint Motors in Traverse City, MI had problems with heater…took to mechanic and was told numerous things wrong with vehicle and that there was a class action suit against Dodge for this particular engine.

Problems from the very beginning with heater, trans replaced 5-06, tires and then the oil sludge engine failure in the middle of winter, car died in middle of the street , necessitating a tow. Trans replacement $976.00

Oil Sludge caused catastrophic failure in the engine causing the motor to stop working on the CA-110S

My 2002 Dodge Stratus SE broke down on without a warning – of any kind, even after changing the oil (synthetic)diligently. It was towed to a mechanic who said the engine was locked up, and recommended taking it to a dealer.
After waiting for a week or so I was informed by Dodge dealer, Allen Samuels, in Austin, TX that water was found inside one of the cylinders and the engine needed to be replaced.
Taking it back to the original mechanic, he took it apart only to find the internal engine problem: coolant leaked inside the engine. The resulting failure will require a replacement engine plus associated labor, and temporary vehicle replacement during repair.
I have spoken to many people through the internet and have found out that this is a common problem with the 2.7 engine and yet Chrysler has done nothing to help it’s comsumers

I was driving my 2002 Dodge Stratus on the interstate when it died. I coasted to the end of the exit ramp and attempted to start the car. All it would do is click. A call to AAA and the car was towed to the dealership. A call later in the day informed me the engine was seized. We had the dealer open the engine for inspection and it revelaaed large deposits of oil sludge. The oil has been changed reguarly mostly be the dealer and on some occasions by my husband. The cost to repair to replace the engine is $4900.00. Luckily for me there was not a large amount of traffic on the interstate when the car failed or I could have been struck and injured. We fail to understand how a problem such as this and the enormous amounts of attention it is getting can be swept under the mat by Chrysler. No warning, no noise get going along fine and all of a sudden nothing.

Driving on the highway 32 miles from home the engine blew apart due to sludge, I always did on time oil changes with full synthetic oil. I’ve now been without a car for 2 weeks and I might lose my job cause I’m late to work..

2.7 ENGINE FAILURE.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 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 notified of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect.

Tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v338000 (air bags) however, the part needed to perform the repair was not available. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was notified of the failure the contact had not experienced a failure. vin tool confirms parts not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v338000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer had 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. the vin tool confirms parts not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v338000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was not available. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide the part to do the repair. the contact had not experienced a failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact was able to restart the vehicle. upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the rear driver side ball joint fractured from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to a dealer who diagnosed that the ball joint needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred over time with the remaining three ball joints detaching from the vehicle. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 186,000.

The internal water pump failed. this caused water to leak into the oil pan. the water got hot enough on a 600 miles trip from florida to mississippi that it boiled and caused the oil to turn into sludge (molasses like consistency). this caused a lack of lubrication of the dual camshafts which in turn burned up. end result was engine failure.

My car has a bad noise and popping sound in the front end. i was turning out of my moms driveway when my front passenger tire collapsed in .. my upper ball joint broke . after my car was jacked up my lower a arm and ball joint was broke .. i replaced everything . a week later the driver side ball joint had to be replaced . my car still makes a aweful sound like something is about to brake . should i replace every part in the front . cause it dangerous for myself and my child .

My daughter pulled out of mcdonald's turning right and the left wheel collapsed under the vehicle. there was no accident and no one was injured. i had it towed to our house. i have read on line and found that it is a common problem. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact stated that while making a turn, there was an abnormal noise coming from the steering wheel. in addition, the contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 78,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact stated that while driving and making a turn, there was an abnormal noise coming from the front driver side of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front driver side lower control arm and ball joint needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired and two weeks later the clicking noise recurred. the vehicle was taken back to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the control arm was cracked. the control arm and ball joint was replaced for a second time and two weeks later the failure recurred for a third time. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 191,300.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact stated that there was an abnormal noise from the dashboard as the air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the air bag needed to be replaced. in addition, the horn and the cruise control failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 65,000 and the current mileage was 69,000. updated 09/02/14*lj

Grandaughter was returning home from college . vehicle suddenly caught fire on highway between marble falls tex and burnet texas.. her mother was following in another car and barely had time to rescue some of the personal items before entire car was engulfed in flames. granddaughter barely escaped the vehicle without injury. she was able to get several pictures of the vehicle fire on her cell phone.. the fire begin either under the hood or under the front of the car and was completely engulfed in a matter of minutes.. grandaughter and her mom was very distraught and terribly upset until fire dept from burnet arrived on the scene . they were called (911) by a passing motorist. the burned out vehicle was hauled in to burnet texas by advantage towing 512-756-7995. we have never received a recall from dodge about the possible fire hazards on this vehicle. *tr

I had smelled a burning smell in my car while i drive it. my husband had tried his best to find where the smell is coming from. we could not find it and now my radio doesn't work, the dome light don't work and the locks don't work. in order to lock my car i have to push the locks down. can you please help me with what could be the possibility of what's wrong with my car? i haven't been driving it. *tr

Noticed slight gear slippage travelling 35-45mph. all fluids checked, at proper levels. a week later, engine 'jerked' when coming to complete stop, check eng light illuminated. progressively worsened. once engine warmed up, started hearing a 'whirring' noise from lower-middle area of engine. stopped @ local repair shop, they checked fluids and vac hoses, noise stopped, but noticed coolant in reservoir side 3/4 full & boiling, temp gauge on dash 'normal'. next day, while cold, i checked coolant level in reservoir (left side) still full, (hadn't flowed back thru system once cool). i added water to 'fill line', checked condition of pressure cap (looked fine), placed & tightened, started engine, let run a few minutes, loosened 'air bleeder' on top of coolant bleeder hsng. then i slowly shifted thru all gears, w/foot on brake, let air bleed til solid stream of liquid and shut car off. waited an hour, started up and drove. ck eng lt= off. fine for a few days, same issues started up again. louder 'whirring', like a belt or band slipped. irratic shifting, trans never failed. ran both code tests on dashcluster=no dtcs. jan 2014-drove to dodge dealership: disposition: replace mopar 41te trans. my lost wages / loss of veh use(dec/jan) + burden of a loan to replace the transmission = more than i paid in full to buy the car barely 6 months ago. unfair to customers: ongoing computer and pcm/transmission failure since 1999. the 'oops' tech spec-correct trans fluid atf+4 how many damaged & failed transmissions? refused to honor powertrain warranty!! and continued placing. shame on all of the corporate executives & engineers that got rich from robbing the consumers. you were 'successful failures' mopar, chrysler-dodge-daimer-iacocca, etc. 90+ tsbs, no recalls. class actions dismissed! time for the consumers to prevail. time for a california class action!! *tr

I got in my car to drive home and as soon as i started the car and turned the wheel just a little, i hear a popping sound coming from the steering wheel. the light on the dashboard came on stating "air bag". i have already had problems with the ball joints i had to replace myself and other issues with this car. now i have a faulty air bag that is making noise every time i turn the wheel. i also found out i have no horn. it does not work since the air bag is faulty. i am not protected with an air bag and can not defend myself with my car horn...i need help! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the rear driver side backing plate fractured and caused the wheels to seize. the vehicle taken to an independent mechanic. the technician verified the failure and stated that the backing plate, caliper, bracket, and parking brake shoes needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and current mileage was 50,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact stated while driving 30 mph the air bag light illuminated and began making a beeping noise. approximately 60 seconds later the passenger side air bag deployed in the direction of the windshield. the windshield was cracked as well as damaging the dash board. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and an engineer was dispatched to inspect it. over a month later the contact received a letter from the manufacturer stating they did not feel the failure was due to a manufacturer defect and would offer no assistance. the failure and current mileage was 140,000.

Trunk falls continually after staying in upright position for a few seconds or minutes. everyone of my family has been injured since i bought the car 2 weeks ago. i now have a 6 inch diameter bruise on my arm from the latest incident. *tr

I have been hearing a terrible noise everytime i turn my 2002 dodge stratus. often times i can't even turn the steering wheel. i have to get my car inspected and i found out that i have to have my front lower control arm/ball joint replaced because it failed. i also found out that this item was recalled. *tr

I have read about the known dodge 2.7 engine freeze issue and it happened to me. please do something *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus with kelly charger gt tires (n/a), size 205/60/ r16. while the vehicle was parked the contact noticed a bubbles on the sidewall of all four tires. the tires were replaced by the tire shop. the failure recurred on the second set of tires and the bubbles increased in size. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure via email but had not replied. the tires were not replaced. the approximate failure mileage was 900.

On my way to work one morning, the car stopped in the middle of the street. it was two blocks from the house. i had 2 neighbors push the car back to the house. i eventually took it to the mechanic, who told me the problem was the engine. he took out the parts trying to rebuild the engine and noticed there was sludge throughout the parts. he then told me it was not safe to try and clean it out, because there is no guarantee how far into the engine it had gone. i would have to purchase an whole new engine. he looked for engines but could only find those with high mileage. he was not sure if the engine would stand-up for long or eventually cause me to have to change it again. the car is still waiting for an engine. i have not been in a financial situation to afford it. i recently started to look again to get an idea of when i may be able to work on this again. i remember hearing there was an issue with the stratus' but when i called two local dealers for information, they told me they did not know anything about it. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus se. the contact stated that when driving over a pothole at various speeds, the vehicle would exhibit an abnormal feeling. the contact investigated the vehicle and discovered that the engine bracket was fractured. the vehicle was then inspected by an independent mechanic who confirmed the failure and advised that the bracket would need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired due to the part being on backorder. the failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

Tl * the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact stated while driving 35 mph, the vehicle temperature increased. the contact shut off the vehicle and upon further inspection, found that the vehicle was leaking coolant. the vehicle was not repaired. the following day while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop where the contact was advised that the engine would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 177,000.

I was driving about 15 miles per hour and hit a slight indentation in the road where it have been newly paved. i heard a loud "thud" in the trunk of my car from the back driver's side. i pulled over and uncovered the wheel well and saw a hole where the strut mount should have been. i decided to take the car home and call a certified mechanic to fix this problem. while taking the car to the mechanic a couple days later, the passenger side made the same loud "thud". within a few miles my car started filling up with smoke that smelled like burning rubber. while going around a small curve my shock came out and tore open my new tire. i had to get my car towed to the mechanic to get it fixed. what we found was a corroded piece of metal, which i later found out was my "strut mounts". i was also told that with my struts being almost nonexistent, and the tire blowing out that the actual frame of my car could very well be messed up too. the car is still being fixed due to the fact that the part that was needed was discontinued or something of that nature. (i did keep the corroded piece of metal that was once my strut mount.) *tr

The timing chain broke causing bent valves and the need to rework the top end of the engine. in doing research it was found out about the issues with the 2.7l v6 and the fact that this issue likely causes catastrophic engine failure. *tr

Dodge stratus 2.7 liter trans replaced on 5-1-06 oil sludge engine failure on 1-2-10. *tr

I own a dodge stratus (2002) that has an oil sludge problem. i had a mechanic look at it thinking it was a head gasket and was told that only the gasket would be like a band aid on the problem. he told me that the chrysler 2.7l engine is having "oil sludge" problems and that there is a class action lawsuit for this. i cannot junk this vehicle as i still owe several thousands of dollars. also, i have been unable to use this vehicle for the past year and still have to pay my monthly bill. *tr

2002 dodge stratus rear strut mounting plates. turning to powder seemed to be made of pre-cast aluminum, unpainted. heard clanking sound thought the spare was loose after further investigation discovered driver side and passenger side mounting brackets were disintegrating this definitely should be a recall . *tr

I have a 2002 dodge stratus se and when i put the key in it will not start. it will not even turn over. all the lights work, and the radio works, the lights don't dim when trying to start it, and when jump started it still does not work. the security light is staying on while key is turned on. a diagnostic computer was hooked up to it and it said there was nothing wrong with it. suggestions say the security system has my car locked down. how can you disable the security system to get the car started. we have looked at fuses and we have disconnected and reconnected the battery cables. this is ridiculous and i am very disappointed in this car and the dealership that sold it to me. a while ago i had a different dodge stratus and never had problems with it... is it just the 2002 edition or ???? it is very disappointing and aggravating. also i just bought this car 2 months ago.... *tr

I was driving to work on 4-30-2010 in my 2002 dodge stratus es sedan. i heard a strange metallic clunk from the rear of the car. once i got to work i checked around the rear wheels and found that the driver/rear spring mount plate was totally corroded and a chunk was missing which caused the spring to slip (noise i heard). the other pass/rear side is just as bad. the aluminum mounts are totally corroded and flaking apart. i live in northern illinois so corrosion is a usual thing, but for parts to just flake away in chunks? this seems overtly dangerous and an engineering oversight. i need to get this fixed right away or who knows how the springs will fail and cause me to lose control. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact was pulling into a parking lot at approximately 10 mph when he heard a loud noise outside the vehicle. the front control arm lower ball joint had fallen. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop but the vehicle had not been diagnosed when the complaint was filed. the contact called the dealership but was informed that he would have to be pay a diagnostic fee to have the vehicle inspected. the current and failure mileages were approximately 77,000.

Lower ball joint recall

I was driving my 2002 dodge stratus on the interstate when the engine dies. i coasted to the bottom of the exit ramp and attempted to start the car. all it would do is click. a call to aaa and the car was toed to the dealer. i call from the dealer later in the day revealed a seized engine. my husband confronted the dealer and asked to have the engine opened up for inspection. sure enough large deposits of oil sludge. i asked the deal where we go from here and he said a replacement engine is $4900.00 after all the years of taking the car to the dealer for repairs and scheduled oil changes i must know replace the engine. how can chrysler not be aware of this problem with all the attention it is getting. *tr

2002 dodge stratus oil sludge issues - motor blown - *tr

On 9/3/08 i had brought my 2002 dodge stratus 2.7l v6 in for a coolant system flush. i was charged $129.95. soon after, i smelled burning coolant, but the dealership had said it was just excess burning off. two weeks later on 9/23/08, i was on rt 1 to out to my sister-in-laws in lancaster, pa, when my car overheated and had to shut it down on an off ramp. i got out of the car, and all the coolant was leaking out. i had it towed back to miller dodge, and they had informed me my water pump has failed and has to be replaced, along with the timing tensioner chain. it cost me $628.63. i had argued with the dodge dealership because they just did maintenance involving the water pump, and now it is dead. they said i would have to fight with chrysler about it. i found a bulletin on mycarstats.com regarding my engine that the water pump appears to fail after a coolant flush is performed. the bulletin id # 0700202, mfg bulletin date: 20020204, and the nhtsa item # 629131. i called chrysler about it and they said they would not pay for it. i am still fighting that fight now, almost a year later. i feel that if the coolant flush damages the water pump, that it is a defect, and chrysler should pay for the cost of repairs. i do not feel i am getting any where with chrysler, and now i am reporting it, hopefully for some kind of solution. *tr

While driving the car on a road trip (about 2 hours) the vehicle began smoking. after stopping the vehicle and opening the hood, the engine burst into flames. the car was a total loss. *tr

Noticed increased oil usage with no leaks although oil was changed every 3 months or 3000 miles. at approx. 122000 miles, engine threw a rod. several dodge/chrysler mechanics stated this was due to "oil sludge" buildup, saying this is a very common problem with the 2.7l v6 engine regardless of the type of oil used or frequency of oil changes. *tr

I have had to replace control arms on my 2002 dodge stratus several times now. there is constant knocking under my car. i believe it is the same problem as all of the recalls that are with the dodge products; however, no recall has been issued for the dodge stratus 2002. *tr

During daily driving my dodge stratus 2.7 motor failed. after taking to the mechanic, i was told it was cause by engine sludge and that the repair was going to cost me 4k. *tr

In the past eight months the check engine stays on. i had the computer code read and reset twice. after being reset the light returned within 1-2 days. the third time it came on the dealer said the car had a vacuum leak and replaced a cracked hose. on the second day after getting the cat back the check engine light popped back on and stayed on again. they say that there is no short to the sensor or light on the dash yet the light will not go off. a year ago the main computer died and had to be replaced. the car is a 2002 dodge stratus with only 37,000 miles on it. the dealer is stumped, i am out several hundred dollars , and the problem remains. the car has been well maintained. *tr

Rear frame to suspension mount has broke. the shock inside the coil then was able to get lodged into the spring. this made the suspension stuck/immobile. the vehicle was 3-wheeling around corners on the way to the dealership. we were told the part was back-ordered to the factory and was not available at any other dealership across the us. wait time for the new part is more than a month. i work for an automotive supplier. if its this hard to get a part, something more is wrong. how many others are suffering our fate. *tr

2.7l engine failure. tensioner for primary timing chain failed to extend. 2 o rings missing on tensioner . oil sludge in engine. oil passages almost plugged. *tr

2002 dodge stratus rear strut mounts. the top, rear, strut mounting plates on this vehicle are made of aluminum or some type of pot metal and they have completely corroded to the point of the struts not being attached to the body of the vehicle. as my wife was driving home from work the vehicle suddenly swerved to the left and she proceeded home at a very slow speed. upon inspection the left rear strut mounting plate had completely disintegrated and the strut was not attached at all to the vehicle. i believe this is what caused the swerve. upon checking with dealers and people on the internet i've found that this part has failed on thousands of cars. no parts are available and we were told by a dealer that, on average, there are 1800 requests per week for this part and a total of almost 8,000 on backorder this seems to me to be a safety defect and it is made worse by the fact that no parts are available. i would think there should be a safety recall on these as they could easily cause a wreck when they break free. *tr

Oil sludge caused catastrophic engine failure causing the engine to stop working on the ca-110s. *tr

Mopar agrees recall should be done on this part failure. 02 dodge stratus rear strut mounts. strut mounting plates on vehicle are made of aluminum or some type of white metal and they have disintegrated into a powder like dust and the strut was detached. mopar confirmed about 8553 backorders on 7/8/08 dealers and 8607 backorders as of 7/9/08 - i replaced part from a junkyard car, as this is the quickest way to get a car back on the road until supply is adequate on new parts with new design. vehicles can be expected to be out of commission as this is a safety issue. possibly for months with the current situation. *tr

Took my dodge stratus 2002 in and mechanic deemed rear struts bad. ordered replacements. when arrived they had sent rear upper strut housing mr31114 instead of #4879072ad. when local chrysler dealer called it was stated that there was a backorder of over 8000 of these. i then called the 800 number and after 4 hrs of climbing the ladder was informed that this part was in fact backordered with currently that many cars awaiting this part and that it was being retooled and would be unavailable till late august. the issue is safety in that the rear upper strut housing if broken presents an issue for driver and vehicle safety and the number of cars needing what is not available is growing and the company has neither a recall or safety notice out nor in my conversations at least have any concerns or care about this. for many if this is your only vehicle you have limited options and many of these vehicles will be on the road in this condition of broken rear upper strut housings. what am i to do and what recourse is there? *tr “information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).”

Oil light came on and the engine seized. nothing has been done, the car is currently sitting untouched. *tr

The engine stop working and i replace the engine and it did the same thing. its the 2.7l v6 engine that has been given people a lot of problems. *tr

My 2002 black dodge stratus rt has the clear coat coming off the top of it. the top of my car is almost white. *tr

While on 495 long island expressway the car made a load knocking sound and died. when towed to our mechanic he said it was engine failure. this happened in nov. 2007(the car was purchased new in august 2002), and there were no funds to fix it which has caused transportation/financial difficulties in regard to work from nov. 2007 until the present,june 2008. the daimler chrysler rep. said they weren't responsible because we didn't bring the car to them for our oil changes. i just received an estimate to replace the engine with a jaspar engine for 4,500 to 5,000 dollars. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. while driving approximately 30 mph on a wet surface, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle hydroplaned. he rear ended the preceding vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. the contact received a concussion. a police report was filed. the vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 60,000. the body shop informed the consumer the reason why the airbag did not deploy was because the sensors were mounted so low in the front and rear of the vehicle. updated 05/30/08

Always changed the oil every 3,00 miles. and the engine seized. it knocked for less than a minute prior to total failure with the correct amount of oil in the engine. the public should be warned and anyone this has happened to should be reimbursed the amount to fix the problem through dodge. *tr

Oil light started flickering most when i was applying the brake. the engine started knocking maybe 3 weeks after. i knew i was due for an oil change so i had one done yesterday that didn't stop the knocking. i take it to the dealer i brought the car to have it looked at and he told me it was the engine so last night as im driving the knocking got real loud and you could smell something burning. the oil light was flickering more. before i knew it the car had completely shut down. *tr

My engine light stays on and oil light comes on after the oil has been changed. *tr

We had taken our car in to the dodge dealer here in okeechobee. it was having a regular tune-up and misc other things done. the dealer had it for 2 days. two days after i was taken my 70 year old father to his physical therapy class when the drivers seat back fell completely to the back seat in a laying down position. i was just proceeding out of my drive way. thank god as if i was on the highway there could have been a fatal accident. i had not touched nothing on the seat mechanics before this happened. i called the dealer and nothing has been done about this as of yet. i knew there had to be someplace that would help me with this problem. also that same car dealer ship rounded off the oil cap on the pan and they did fix that. the seat is still broken. i am not a large person nor is anybody that drives the vehicle so we still think it was either the mechanic at the car dealer ship or a faulty seat mechanism. this could have been a very dangerous incident had i not acted fast. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. the contact stated that there were two 3-inch cracks, and two 5-inch cracks in the dashboard. as of february 25, 2008, the dealer had not inspected the vehicle. the manufacturer stated that there were no recalls associated with the vehicle. the failure mileage was 60,000 and current mileage was 70,740.

One day after we purchased a 2002 dodge stratus from a private seller, the car died and had to be towed to a mechanic. he had it for 3 days but car started for him. 2 days later car died again so we towed it to a dodge dealer. he had it for 2 days and informed us the engine was shot due to oil sludge and a timing issue. it would need an engine replacement for $6100. we drove the car less than 20 miles, didn't make our first payment on a 3 year loan and have no car to drive. i still have a 10 year old dodge caravan, but was not aware of the defective 2.7l engine dodge knowing sold to consumers. never buy another dodge. *tr

I drive a 2002 dodge stratus,at 40,000 miles transmission completely failed costing me 1300 dollars to replace,at 62,000 the second transmission failed me again,another 1300 dollars,now at 90,000 miles transmission is having problems down shifting on a downward incline,3,000 miles ago i was driving at 35 mph when the lower ball joint completely broke on driver side, wheel came completely off costing me 700 dollars to repair,was just informed the passenger side is going out now. *tr

Dealer dragging feet on repair, even with us having purchased the extended warranty.*cn

2002 dodge stratus began to hesitate and act like it was stalling driving a 10 mile commute. wife pull over, opened the hood, but saw nothing wrong. being only a couple miles from home she attempted to restart the car. the car would not start and didn't sound right. she called our mechanic and had the car towed to his business. he told us that after making several attempts to start the car that the engine seized. both the water and oil were well within the normal operating range. the car has only 58,000 miles on it has been well cared far and driven by my overly cautious wife. as i have learned more about this engine i have found plenty of evidence online that the 2.7l v6 engine is probably one of the worst examples of faulty engineering in memory. this could have caused very serious problems, and chrysler should have been forced to recall this. this is an outrageous fraud upon the american public that also makes me think that nhtsa is not doing their job for the american people. *tr

Engine failure. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. while driving 40 mph, the contact heard a rattling noise in the engine compartment. a mechanic stated that the engine could explode if the vehicle is driven. the contact spoke with dodge and they stated that they were unaware of the failure. the powertrain was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 94,000.

I have had the control arm replaced on this car twice on the same side within a two year period. now i am having problems with the car it jerks when it gets up to 50 mph. *jb

I bought this car in january 2006. i was having problems with the car, little things kept going wrong. i have kept up on maintenance. 3 weeks ago my water pump went out. i picked up my car after the repair and the oil light was still on. apparently when the water pump had failed, it was leaking coolant and such into the engine. not to mention the sludge. of course 2 days after picking up the car, the engine failed on the interstate with my 2 year old son in the car. it is still in the shop. i am having to have a brand new engine installed. *tr

I had my dodge stratus 2002 since summer of 2005. while going to work one morning, i thought i heard that the starter was going. i called and had the manufacturer's local inspection shop look at the car and they told me that the engine had blown out. if i recall the engine should be the last thing to die in a car. this vehicle is only five years old, regardless of mileage the engine should still be going. the manufacturer claimed that they couldn't help because i bought the car from another car dealer and not the manufacturer. this matter should be inspected. *jb

Rear shock upper mount attacked by corrosion, vehicle only 4.5 years old and 60,500 miles. un-painted pot metal like material broke up into multiple pieces without warning. one minute vehicle drove fine, hit a typical pavement expansion joint causing a light clunk to develop. within two miles i pulled over to inspect because the hammering in the suspension got so bad. found the rear shock absorber was no longer retained at the upper end. vehicle could still be driven home gently but there was nothing retaining the coil spring to the body other than gravity. both upper mounts were replaced with painted replacement parts from the dealer. the left rear mount had not failed yet, but corrosion was rapidly turning it into powder from the top down. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 dodge stratus. while driving 20 mph, a knocking noise was heard coming from the engine compartment. the vehicle failed and was towed. the contact was told that this is a very common failure due to sludge build up in the engine. the entire engine had to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 80,000.

Normal driving then the engine started clanking and quit. service station said the 2.7 v6 is a terrible engine and need to be totally replaced. called chrysler and they said they would not help me. it cost about $4000 to fix. not sure what to do. can't afford that there are thousands of complaints on www.dontbuyone.org with the same complaint.*ak

I bought my 2002 dodge stratus in october of 2004. the dealership told me there was still the factory warranty on it but failed to tell me it expired in one week. it was at this one week mark i took my car in for a ticking noise to three different places, two of them dodge dealers and they told me there was no problem. as the noise got worse, i took the car back to a dealership and they told me my timing chain was going out and could ruin my whole engine at any time. the cost of repair was $800. i had to fight with chrysler that a car this new should not have this problem before they agreed to pay half. i have also had to recently replace my starter october 2006 after the fuse blowing three times of which i had to have my car towed to a mechanic in addition to paying for repairs. i hate this car!!!!!! *jb

Fax fwd ltr on behalf of constituent , re 2002 dodge stratus that blew up because of steering fluid leakage. *ts the manfacture denied any responsibilty for the faulure. a year later the consumer received a recall regarding the high pressure power steering hose, 06v001000. *nm

First complaint...on more than one occasion on wet roadways i would begin to slow down farther behind than normal for my stop or turn. every single time my breaks locked up on me and i slid. a couple of times almost ended in a collision. i was involved in an accident dealing with a train. when i stopped the train hit the front end of my car. it pulled off my bumper, hood, radiator, coolant each landing at least 75 feet away. it also twisted my engine, transmission, bent my frame, and rear axle. all the while my battery blew up. out of all of that my air bags did not deploy. *nm

Started car, air bag light came on and passenger airbag deployed for no apparent reason. broke windshield on passenger side of vehicle. checked to see if there are any recalls none. want to file complaint against chrysler corporation. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated four times since purchase, the vehicle revved out of control while stopped. the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle was shifted into neutral. the vehicle restarted and was taken to the dealership, who was unable to determine a problem. updated 10/18/2006 - the irs time this happened the dealer noticed that the intake was very black and that the throttle was possibly sticking, causing the iac motor to overcompensate. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 55 mph, the vehicle had an oil sludging problem, internal oil leaking and an increase of engine oil consumption by the engine. the manufacturer and dealership did not properly identify the problem and did not honor any warranty claims. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop who determined that the engine needed to be replaced because the damage was too extensive to fix. the vehicle was inoperative since the day of the incident.

Rear strut mount plates disintegrated turned to powder creating unsafe condition with rear suspension. replaced strut and plates. have pieces what is left of it. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated oil had leaked all over the engine. the dealership was contacted.

The front tie rod ends are both defective on my 2002 dodge stratus. the car has only 53000 miles on the odometer, all of which were normal driving miles. i do not feel that this part should fail after such a short amount of time. *jb

My daughter was driving the car on a residential street at about 25 mph. she hit a slight pot hole and hear a loud bang in the rear of the car. the car continued to make a sound like something was rolling around (banging) in the trunk. i took the car to the dealer and was told the rear strut plate mount disintegrated and was dangerous to drive without replacement. i was aware of another dodge stratus of same type and year with this exact same problem so i felt i should report it to you as did the other party. *jb

I was driving at about 30 mph and drove over a slight depression in the pavement when i heard a loud bang from the passenger right rear. the loud banging sound continued as long as the car was driven. i noticed a compromise in the handling of the vehicle. i took the vehicle to a registered repair shop where i have been a customer for over twenty years. i was told not to drive the vehicle since the rear strut plate top mount had disintegrated due to the fact they were made out of aluminum. the driver rear strut mount was on the verge of breaking apart also. it appears that road salt probably contributed to this situation. the replacement mounts purchased from the dealer were not made of aluminum. the following repair/parts was performed: rear shock & or strut assembly (2), upper shock mount (2). *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65 mph the vehicle made a knocking noise and stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who determined a rod and crank bearings fractured causing damage to the underside of the engine. the engine will need to be replaced.

I drive a 2002 dodge stratus 4 door r/t and noticed a sound coming from the rear of car. i pulled over could not see anything and drove again. it still made a loud thump sound from the rear of car. inspected car at home with proper tools, i found the rear strut mount on the left of car was broke in to 6 pieces. in sight of this i took the right rear strut mount off and found it to be broke into 2 piece with a 2 inch crack going across part of it. ordered two new rear strut mounts to find out there has been a major part change. the old parts are aluminum and not painted and the revised parts are steel and are painted black. i called dodge's compliant line and was hung up on. please note that 4 door r/t suspensions are not the same as all other 4 door stratus cars. tires wore on the inner edges and the shocks were free to jump up and down since not attached to the car. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35mph on a winding road, curving right, the steering wheel jerked and the vehicle turned left. the brakes seemed stiff when applied. the vehicle hit a fence and the driver sustained severe injuries. the airbags did not deploy, although seat belts were worn. a police report was filed. the vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance agency, but no determination was made as to why the airbags failed to deploy. however, the insurance agency did determine the accident may have been cause by a steering or brake problem.

I drove to knoxville, tn. i went to a basket ball game. on the interstate the engine started knocking real terribly. i called my mom and she said to check the oil in the morning. i did it was at a perfect level.(i had got the oil changed about a week before this trip.) i had the car towed to a maintenance shop. they said the oil holes are to small to let sufficient oil through to the engine and that the oil was like gummy at the bottom of the engine(how would any one know that) and it ruins your engine. i had another maintenance shop check my car at home in wi. they said the same thing the mechanic said in tn. the car needs a new engine. the car is in my drive way because i have no money to put a new engine in the car. my mom was good enough to drive to tn and rent a uhaul with a trailer and bring my car back. i don't only need at least $3000 for engine i also owe my mom $700 for the towing. *nm

Left front axle came apart while driving. the previous month the right front axle came off while driving. lower control arm on both sides were replaced. *nm

My car needs a new engine. it has ~42000 miles. the mechanics one from knoxville,tn where the engine died and the one in kenosha,wi where i had to have the car brought home, said the oil holes are to small to let sufficient oil thru the engine. the car is still sitting at the mechanics shop because i do not have $3000.00 to have it fixed. *nm

02/2005 - during normal commute hours, i noticed my transmission slipping during acceleration. took it into the dealership (63,067 odometer), they said that the transmission cooler lines were leaking and both hoses needed to be replaced.( i park my car in the same spot at work and at home, and hadn't noticed any leakage) i was assured that although there were no spots, that should fix the problem along with a flush, clean, and conditioner. unfortunately, those parts weren't covered under my extended warranty.($406.62 in repairs) nothing was listed or mentioned about any other parts that needed to be replaced. 11/2005 - on my way to work, the transmission starts slipping again and went out on me. this time i'm being told i need a front pump, valve body, and torque converter ($2,900 in repairs). with 81,000+ miles on the car, and now out of warranty, i'm being told there is nothing they can do about it. *nm

Dodge stratus 2002 2.7 motor failure at 80,000 due to sludge build up caused by water leaking into motor, poor engine design and manufacturer should of advised that this car needed aggressive oil changes with synthetic oil not fossil fuel based oil. stranded wife on highway on christmas eve. dealership will not repair due to poor maintenance. car is still under warranty. said that i did not do enough oil changes. car was maintain to company specs. *nm

Water outlet erupted and caused vehicle to run hot. also, the eruption knocked a slight dent in the hood. the part was ordered from the mfr and replaced the next day. *nm

The automatic transmission failed at 59,000 miles on my 2002 dodge stratus. the vehicle started to make a popping sound under the hood on the drivers side. the sound was intermittent for about 3 months. on september 22, 2005, the vehicle began to make a loud whistling sound and started to shift hard and/or delay shift. i took the vehicle to a repair shop and it was diagnosed with a hard part transmission failure. the total cost of repair was $2100.00 and the vehicle went out of warranty at 50,000 miles. *jb

Dt: 2002 dodge stratus. the problem was a broken upper rear right ball joint. while driving in a parking lot at 5 mph heard a noise , and the back end of the car settled down, upon inspection the rear right wheel was leaning towards the car. the car was not drivable, and had to have it towed. it has been fixed at the cost of $200. there were no recalls. very dangerous situation if driving at highway speeds. no accidents. *ak *jb

While using the air conditioning, the blower motor will only work on high. had the car serviced at the dealership in clarkston, mi and it was found that the resister on the blower motor was defective. part was replaced under warranty in 2004. issue occurred again in july of 2005. warranty has expired and my husband replaced the resistor in july of 2005. is this a high failure unit on the 2002 dodge stratus? *nm

Several months ago i began noticing that the transmission on the vehicle was not shifting down in a smooth manner. i went to the local dodge dealership and talked with the service manager, explained the problems i was experiencing and asked for advice on what to do. the service manager said that with the computer operated transmission, that the computer is a little slow and not to worry about it. recently however the problem has been increasing in both frequency and severity. to the point when i am comming to a stop at a stop light or stop sign the vehicle surges forward as i come to a stop and it shifts to the lowest gear. if the trend continues i can see this either destroying the transmission or causing an accident as the surge pushes the vehicle forward. the service department at the local dealership refuses to diagnose the problem and contends that it is just a slow computer and will not cause any problems.

While drivingin inclement weather the windshield wipers would come on and off on its own. the driver noticed that the windshield wipers would pop up and stay in the upright position. the driver drove to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic informed determined that the windshield wiper motor needed to be replaced. *ak

In or around october 2004 i took my car in for it's 30,000 checkup. i have a 2002 dodge stratus. i told the service technician that i had a "thud" in the front in of my car. he told me that it was my "front suspenssion". it was fixed, but was not noted on my invoice. a while later i felt the same "thud" everytime i turned the corner or turned my steering wheel to the left. sometime in january my check engine light came on. well, i took it to the dealership to find out what was going on with my 2002 vehicle. now, mind you, i paid my car off 10 months after i purchased it from dodge. anyway, not only did i feel that i shouldn't have to pay for the diagnostic but i also feel that car is too new for the "rack & penion" and my "evap system" to go out. they talked me into buying another car this past weekend,april 9, 2005 but decided to return the car on april 11, 2005. they didn't even want to compensate me for my car being a "lemon" as the salesperson deemed my car to be except for trade my car for $6,000.00 and have payments, again, of $275.74 for 71 months. i don't think that's fair. for one, my car is paid off and two my car is too new for it to have these kind of problems. i want to know if there's been any recalls or problems on the 2002 dodge stratus'. *ak

Lower ball joint failure (separation) on right front of 2002 dodge stratus, pulling in to driveway, under normal driving conditions. *ak

Transmission solenoid leaking along with transmission hose lines. solonoid was covered in warranty. hose lines and clamps were not. car had only 60k. book specifies transmission service at 100k. i contend that the clamps used on the lines are not able to adjust to the aging hose and cannot last the recommended service time. adjustable clamps were employed to correct the issue.*ak

I was just pulling out of my driveway going less than 5 mph when i heard what sounded like a gunshot. i put my foot on the brake and looked over my right shoulder and saw nothing. i paused approx. 5 seconds before deciding to pull forward and to the side of the road to investigate. i took my foot off the brake and as the car began to roll forward there was a tremendous explosion and the passenger airbag deployed, shattering my windshield. i have asthma and have been having significant breathing problems since the occurrence.*ak

While driving to work a bolt broke on my upper control arm. my tire was on a 45 degree angle. very dangerous. took to place i bought car to get under extended warranty. warranty place refused to fix i am fighting it. i paid out of my pocket.*ak

I brought car to dealership before warranty ended for transmission work. the said they fixed it but 17,000 miles later transmission went completely out. dealer says it is now my problem to get fixed. *nm

Transmission cooler hoses cracked causing leak of transmission oil. hoses had to be replaced at owner expense. old part is available. *jb

The headlight continously blew out while driving. the dealershp replaced the light bulb, but could not identify what was causing the problem. the consumer took the head light assmembly apart and noticed that the wiring system had melted. *jb

Car hesitated to go into gear, next day, just driving down the road and it stops pulling. the transmission went completely out,right in the middle of an intersection!hauled it to a garage, the transmission is completely shot. will cost $1200.00 to $1500.00 to replace. if someone was in heavy traffic when this happened this would be extremely dangerous! from what i have been reading this is a very common problem in these vehicles. it is a 2002 dodge stratus se.i will have to borrow the money to have it fixed, as so many people have from what i have read about these and many other dodge vehicles. *jb

I was driving along the road and the rear drivers side upper ball joint separated and the car started swaying. luckily i was on a side road where the speed limit was 30 mph and nothing serious happened, but if i had been traveling down the interstate or other major highway my family and i could have been seriously hurt or even killed. i had the car repaired at darlings auto sales in ellsworth maine they have the exact date it happened and repair info if you need it. they contacted chrysler to see if it was covered or not. i am not sure if they did or not as i purchased extended warranty when i purchased the car ( it is a 2002 dodge stratus) the car had just over 36000 miles when this happened. i wouldn't have thought much about it but i was watching tv and they was showing the dodge durango and dakota having the same thing happening. *jb

1st occurree was shortly after purchasing the vehicle. engine light came on, needed new egr valve. after full inspection of vehicle on a very bright day i found slices in side walls of two tires and the door panel drivers side was broken. car brought to dealer, said to have ordered parts and replaced tires. tires not replaced. few weeks later, front tire blow out. major ordeal with dealer and warranty company to be re-imbursed. shortly after that car became very sluggish, check engine light came on and an odor or burning rubber was present. brought vehicle to dealer was informed the soleinoid to transmission was cligged andwas replaced at my cost. two weekes later the entire transmission went vehicle had 58,000 miles. had vehicle towed to a dealer close by to have repairs completed, place of purchase dealer stated noone works on our vehicles. car transported and transmission replaced. next after transmission was replaced, same problem occurred and vehicle became disabled, results a speed control sensor in transmission was replaced at my cost out of pocket. again just yesterday, vehicle became disabled, towed to dealer now awaiting disposition. *ak

I recently purchased a used 2002 dodge stratus se. i purchased this car with 35,000 miles and everything appeared in order. suddenly one day a loud clicking noise started coming from the driver's side front wheel when the brakes were applied. i brought the vehicle in for a brake inspection for the clicking noise and was told that the driver's side rear roter was warped. i explained that the noise was emanating from the front end. the repair shop stated that the noise originated in the rear roters and traveled through the frame to the front end.the rear roters were recut. a few days later the noise returned. i called the repair shop back and related that the noise was still coming from the front end. i was told that this shop has seen numerous stratus's and many have this same problem. the repair shop does not know what the problem is and to take it to a dealership. additionally,after the clicking noise was discovered i expirienced the brakes locking up twice. the abs does not seem to be working. the vehicle is out of warrenty now and the dodge dealership i spoke with stated that they could fix the clicking noise and the abs problem for $1500.00 a search of your data base revealed numerous complaints concerning a similiar front end noise and abs failure. if there are so many complaints concerning this vehicle's system then why isn't a recall being initiated. or does it take a fatality to get this problem addressed.*ak

Clock spring failure...airbag lite is on is the 1st sign of the problem. *ak

Consumer complained about a transmission problem. while stepping on the accelerator pedal transmission did not goe into gear. consumer heard a whining sound, then vehicle popped, and went into gear. however, the whining sound did not not stop. *ak

While driving at 35 mph consumer heard a noise coming from the engine. suddenly the engine stalled. vehicle was towed to an independent repair sho, and mechanic determined engine needed to be replaced. dealership was notified. *ak

I was in a car accident. i rear ended the suv in front of me. the front of my car is smashed pretty bad. my air bag didn't deflate. i believe that is a very serious saftey hazard. *ak

Engine light came on 9/15/04, took it to dealer on 9/16/04 and was informed the transmission was bad and needed replaced. my car at the time of faliure had 43,125 miles on and that is it, there was no prior warning or knowledge of the transmission going bad, i have had the car serviced just as the manual says to and there was no warning. the consequences of this is it cost me $1325 dollars to have the transmission re-built. the entire transmission had to be re-built.*a

Odometer will not register, it was inoperable, could not get the vehicle inspected. *ak

While driving console light went out. only the odometer was digital. a diagnostic test was performed, but no failure code was found. dealership nor factory representative could identify what was causing this to occur. the vehicle could not pass state inspection until this problem was corrected. *ak

I am submitting a complaint on the paint of my vehicle. i have not checked with my warranty yet. i live in a warm climate the car is 2 years old the paint should not be peeling.*ak

While parked, the vehicle engage into drive or reverse. *ak the knob was extremely sensitive and the least little touch and or bump would change the gears. *sc *jb

I have had a problem with my speedometer. i have found that when i start my stratus the speedometer looks like it is racing to 90 or so and then back again. i have had the car in the dodge dealer about five times for this but they don't see a problem. this has been going on for about a year or so and happens a couple of times a week. *la

While braking at 60 mph consumer was forced off the road due to the front passenger wheel locking up. consumer had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

Driving 35 mph, another vehicle caught in front of the consumer. this caused the consumer to t-bone the vehicle on the passenger side door. the consumer stated that, both frontal air bags did not deploy upon impact. the consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealership for inspection. *la

When driving at low speeds, there was a wrapping noise in the front end of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealership, who indicated that the brake pads and rotors had worn prematurely. the parts will be replaced. *jb

Consumer called complaining having problems with the passenger rear seat belts. the belts fail to retract after releasing buckles due to the lock mechanism breaking. the dealership was notified. please provide any additional information. *nm

I took my stratus into the dealership for its free oil change. while driving there my "brake" idiot light flickered on a few times when stopping. i asked the dealer to look into this. *ak the dealer told me that the cause was excessive brake wear. at 26000 miles all 4 pads are shot and both front rotors are worn. chrysler will do nothing about this. i have owned over 8 cars and usually get about 60,000 miles or so out of a set of brakes. i called midas and they said that they have dont a lot of brake jobs on dodge stratus vehicles in my area.

Ther is a definite noise in the right front coil spring area. it only shows up on uneven or rough surface roads. the dealer keeps insisting there is nothing wrong with the front end. of course all of the roads they test drive it on are smooth. they won't let me take a tech on a drive in my area.

The check engine/transmission light keeps coming on. i brought it in once they replaced a hose. a few days later it came back on we brought it to a differant shop they reset it and blamed me for it. stating that i leave my car run when i put gas in it and that is why it comes on. well the light came back on and we are working on making a 3rd appointment to get it fixed. if its doing all of this now while still under warranty what happens after the warranty!?

While driving and when accelerating vehicle starts to jerk/hesitate. while at a light the rpms surge between 1000 and 3000 rpms or while sitting in park. *la

Engine failed at 54,800 miles on my 2002 dodge stratus se. car was taken to the dealer for a slight engine knock. car had no problem starting. we left the car there for them to diagnose the problem. they called and said that i needed to replace the engine (2.7l dohc 24 valve v-6) at no cost to me that it was under warranty. we agreed and 3 day's later they called and told me that the warranty was canceled and would not tell me why. i gave them all my maintenance records. when we arrived to pick up our car, the service advisor told us that the car may not start because it had been sitting there for 2 weeks. that's bull... he then told us that the car had jumped time and that they would put it back in time for us and split the cost. we agreed yet again and left the car there. he then called us again and said that the car didn't jump time, but that there was so much engine sludge built up that it was starving the car for oil. and that's why it wont start. but the car had no problem starting and running before we dropped it off just a little engine knock at idle. please help me... thank you. *jb

I bought my 2002 dodge stratus brand new in july 2002 and had to have the left wheel bearing replaced in march of 2003. in february of 2004, i had to get my right wheel bearing replaced. i now have another appointment in march 15,2004 to get my wheel bearings checked again due to needing replaced. if there is a recall on this please notify me at my available mailing or web address. if not i would like this to be filed as a complaint. thanks. *ak

I am concerned with a few things on my 2002 dodge stratus se 4 door. one, i feel that the abs system on my car did not work properly. i had to do an emergency stop with my car in which my wheels locked up and the car proceeded to "launch forward" at least 10 feet even though my foot was still on the brake pedal.there were no skid marks. i ended up hitting a woman in front of me who had jacked up. please keep in mind that i was only traveling at about 25 mph having just come through a light. in addition to that, even though i was wearing my seatbelt, i still hit the dashboard with my knee and the steering wheel with my chin. normally when i come to a stop at a stop sign my seat belt gets tighter when i step on the brakes and i have trouble leaning forward to look both ways, it seems like that is how it is supposed to work. also, my airbags never deployed. i am very concerned about these issues. i love my car but i am now afraid to drive it especially with my children in it. what happens if i have to do an emergency stop because of a child running out in the street 20 feet from where i am. will my car stop then. i know cars don't stop on a dime but i feel at the rate of speed i was traveling and the conditions of the road, i should have never hit that woman. what do i do? *ak

While driving at 20 mph automatic transmission failed. *ak

I went to start the car, it made a horrible ticking noise. after several attempts it finally started. it did this two times. *jb

Transmission is leaking about 1qt of fluid per week. only 15,000. miles on the vehicle. *ak

The vehicle experienced a problem with the transmission. please provide further details.................. *jb

Acorn nuts securing aluminum windshield wiper arms to their splines loosen up. spline holes in wiper arms "strip",causing loss of wiper function. wiper motor and linkage appear to function normally. no apparent use of locking devices (lock washer, loctite, etc.) to keep nuts tight. *cb

My 2002 dodge stratus se's 2.7 litre v6 200hp engine completely failed. the mechanic at the first shop said my timing belt was bad, and that my engine, even though maintained was sludged. my vehicle is currently being held at a dealership for possible repair. they said that for $5850 i can have a new engine with a 12,000 mile, or 12 month warranty- i am not shelling out near $6000 for a new engine when it has a 12,000 mile warranty.*ak

While driving and accerlerating, car starts to jerk / hesitate - poor gas mileage - tac flutters and engine revs up while car is park or in neutral. *la

Had parked vehicle. noticed flames coming from under the hood near the engine compartment. fire dept called and arrived to put out flames. cause of fire has not been determined by fire dept. *ak

When brakes were applied consumer would hear a loud noise coming from the brake rotors. mechanic indicated noise was due to rotors wearing out prematurely. *ak

While driving at 35 mph consumer's vehicle was involved in a head on collision with a parked vehicle. consumer was not wearing a seat belt, and air bags did not deploy. a citation was presented to the consumer by the police. there were no injuries to the consumer.*ak

Consumer states while driving at normal speed vehicle is jerking. *ak

Problems with brake equipment on 2000 dodge stratus.*mr during high humidity, the brakes made a grind noise and squealed. *ts. the dealer told the consumer it was due to normal wear and to wash the brakes the next time the car was washed, the consumer complied, however it did not resolve the problem. *jb

I am so dissatisfied with my 2002 dodge stratus se. ever since i bought my car in jan 2003, i have had more problems with this car than any other. my car leaks fluids constantly, my breaks don't work when applied, my car hesitates in all weather circumstances, my windshield makes a crackling noise, my doors squeak along with my trunk lid. not to mention that i get anywhere from 10-15 miles per gallon for gas. i drive for about 40 min and half of my gas is gone!!! this vehicle is a hazard to the road and anyone or thing it comes in contact with :-( i never recommend my car to anyone and am ashamed to say it's mine. dodge is definately one dealer that i wil never ever ever buy another car from!!!!! *ak

My car makes a loud clicking/grinding noise while applying the brakes and turning. i have had the steering rack replaced, the upper and lower control arms replaced twice, the ball joints replaced twice, the control arm bracket replaced, the sway bars replaced. the noise stopped after the bracket was replaced but came back after a month. this car has been in seven times with no resolve.*ak

Within one week of purchase the consumer had to have a new transmission installed. now the brake lights illuminated when the vehicle made turns. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but the consumer was told that they will not look at it because the vehicle was not under warranty. the consumer wants to know what she can do. *nlm

Defective timing belt tension. ph

The brakes on my wifes 2002 dodge stratus had failed twice, brake pedal was at floor and car did not stop. both times the road conditions were clear. had dealership inspect and they found no problems with the brakes or with the master brake cylinder and gave the braking system a clean bill of health. the brakes have failed once more since taking car to dealership (this is all within a three week period). fortunalty no accient has occured. per service departement the only remedy is to leave car at dealership to have them drive on a regular basis to see if brakes fail again.

The vehicle was sold without the lower seat belt anchor. consumer feels this would be an unsafe vehicle for a child passenger. please provide any further information. ph

When consumer is making a turn, the vehicles' steering wheels makes a loud noise. vehicle was serviced by a dealership who indicated that the power steering was leaking fuel, and parts are on back other, cause this is a common problem.

While driving and when accelerating vehicle starts to jerk/hesitate and accelerate which may cause an accident.*ak

Brakes failed while applyed at 55 mph, brake pedal went to the floor, and caused a vehicle crash. dealer notified. *ak the vehicle flipped over three times ejecting the passenger and injuring the driver critically. the air bag failed to deploy during the accident. the vehicle had cruise control and seat belt problem and experienced a tire blew out. *yh

Consumer noticed both rear rims and front passenger side rim were bent at 4000 miles. dealer refused to replace them under warranty.*ak left door clicks when opening. *tt

Drivng approx 40mph when engine just shut off like it ran out of gas (full tank-only 25 miles on that tank used). would not restart, sounded like it wanted to catch, but couldn't. towed to dealer-nothing found. 8 hours later, car idling in driveway when it sputtered and died. restarted after a few minutes, taken to dealer, nothing found. nlm

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.