12 of the 776 complaints about the 1996 Dodge Stratus are about the throttle and cruise control — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 78,042 miles.
12
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL LOCKED UP. WAS NOT ABLE TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL. DEALER STATED CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA complaint #10048026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
I HAD MY CRUISE CONTROL ON WHILE COMING HOME LAST NIGHT AROUND 8:00 PM. WHEN I APPLIED MY BREAKS WHEN I ENTERED A TOWN MY CAR ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK. I TURNED OFF MY CRUISE CONTROL AND I IT WAS STILL STUCK. I TOOK THE COUNTRY ROUTE HOME. WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVE AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT MAX OUT THE RPM AND I QUICKLY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I DID NOTICE THAT DODGE HAS A BULLETIN ABOUT THE SPEED SENSOR LOSS OF CRUISE CONTROL (4/99) DOES THAT MEANS I HAVE TO PRAY FOR MY LIFE. I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT I WAS BEING A SEMI WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND HE WAS STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT AND I WAS NOT. THANK GOD I HAD ENOUGH COMMON SENSE ON WHAT TO DO.
NHTSA complaint #10046910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
LTR FM JOVAN MATHEWS (TX) RE PROBLEMS WITH HIS 1996 DODGE STRATUS AND ASKING DAIMLER CHRYSLER TO INITIATE A RECALL. *MR THE A/C LEAKED, ELECTRIC CIRCUITS MALFUNCTIONED, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR, HEAD GASKET, AND POOR DRIVE ABILITY. THE CONSUMER HAD REPLACED THE TIMING BELT, HYDRAULIC TENSIONER, WATER PUMP, ALTERNATOR, ALTERNATOR BELT, ROTORS, BRAKE SHOES, REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS, PCV VALVE, DRYER, A/C COMPRESSOR, TIRES, ALL FILTERS, AND FLUIDS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEED OF AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD, WINDSHIELD, STRUTS, SHOCKS, STEERING WHEEL, AND A HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATION/VIBRATION ABOVE 50 MPH, ROUGH RIDE ON ROAD WITH IRREGULAR SURFACE, ERRATIC IDLE, PERFORMANCE LOSS, OVERHEATED,WARM UP SAG, HESITATION, REAR GRID DEFOGGER INDICATOR MALFUNCTION, INSIDE LIGHTS HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE, LATE/HARSH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, FREQUENCY RUMBLE OR GEAR NOISE FROM THE FRONT BETWEEN 50 AND 70 MPH, MUSTY ODOR, AND THE DEFROSTER FAILED TO CLEAR THE GLASS. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10040045 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE, WHEN APPLYING GAS VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #10033575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO BACK IN GARAGE, HEARD A HIGH PITCHED SOUND AS ENGINE STARTED, BACKED VEHICLE IN GARAGE, AND PUT IN PARK. THEN, WANTED TO PULL VEHICLE FORWARD. CONSUMER PUT FOOT ON BRAKE, TOOK VEHICLE OUT OF PARK, AND IT SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD/ENGINE REVVED. CONSUMER PRESSED HARDER ON BRAKE PEDAL, THEN THREW VEHICLE IN PARK TO STOP IT. VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THIS TIME, DAMAGE $ 1600.00.
NHTSA complaint #890391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROLON VEHICLE ACCELERATED. CONSUMER TRIED TO TURN CRUISE CONTROL OFF, BUT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES HARD. FINALLY WAS ABLE TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. TOOK OUT OF GEAR, AND ENGINE WAS REVVING, SHIFTED BACK AND FORTH FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL, AND WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #880951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
I HAVE HAD OVER 8 DIFFERENT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR IN THE LAST 2YRS, HAVE BRAKES REPLACED TWICE, TIRES REPLACED TWICE, ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS FIXED AND STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY, HIGH PITCHED NOISE WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS, MECHANICS COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM, AND I HAVE WRITTEN TO CHRYLSER TO NO AVAIL. HAVE TRIED TO GET RID OF CAR BUT NOONE WANTS IT. OWE MORE THAN WHAT THE CAR IS WORTH. CHRYSLER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
NHTSA complaint #703276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
DESIGN FLAW IN CABLE TO THROTTLE BODY CAUSE ENGINE TO STICK AT FULL THROTTLE.
NHTSA complaint #539422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING AND HAD THE FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN, BUT IT SPEEDS UP WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. BEEN DEALER , DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #828799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE AND STUCK THERE WHEN PASSING GEAR IS ENGAGED AT ANY SPEED. DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES AND SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL TO REGAIN CONTROL. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #539713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD FROM A STOPPED POSITION, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #516319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO OPEN THROTTLE POSITION, AND SOMETIMES IN CLOSE POSITION WHERE THE PEDAL LOCKED AND WILL NOT MOVE. IN FOR REPAIR , THROTTLE CABLE COULD BE STICKING.
NHTSA complaint #809712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.