10 of the 344 complaints about the 1999 Dodge Stratus are about the throttle and cruise control — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 73,000 miles.
10
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES WHEN TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE ONLY PROBLEM FOUND WAS VEHICLE IDLING HIGH.
NHTSA complaint #10101758 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
I WAS STOPPING THE CAR TO PARK AND SUDDENLY IT ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, BRAKES DIDNT STOP THE CAR NOT EVEN PARKING BRAKE AND CRASH OCURRED DAMAGING PROPERTY AND THE CAR ITSELF. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER BUT CAUSE WAS NOT FOUND.
NHTSA complaint #10067923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
HAVE HAD ANOTHER FAILURE OF SPEED SENSOR, DATED 8/26/02. ALSO HAVE CO-WORKER WITH 1999 CHRYSLER SEBRING WHO HAS ALOS HAD THIS SPEED SENSOR FAILURE. TOW TRUCK DRIVER DIAGNOSED FIRST FAILURE, STATING "I HAVE TOWED A BUNCH OF THESE IN FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM".
NHTSA complaint #766280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
FIVE INCIDENCES WHERE THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS PLACED IN DRIVE. IT LUNGES FORWARD BECAUSE IT IS ALREADY IN 2ND GEAR. WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 1ST OR 3RD GEAR FROM THERE. AUTO STICK IS STUCK IN 2ND ALSO. THIS CAUSES THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT TO BE DISPLAYED. THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS REPLACED SHIFTING SENSORS, SOLEONOIDS IN TRANSMISSION, REPLACED SEALS. AFTER LAST REPAIR, CAR MADE IT ONE BLOCK BEFORE PROBLEM AROSE AGAIN, AND THIS TIME THE SPEEDOMETER DID NOT MOVE FROM 0. THE CAR WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT TEST DRIVEN BEFORE WE WERE CALLED TO PICK IT UP. THIS PROBLEM HAS COST ME LOST WAGES WITH NO WAY TO GET TO WORK.
NHTSA complaint #765311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE GEAR WITH FOOT STILL ON T BRAKES, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #8013092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THERE ARE SUDDEN AND UNEXPLAINED DECREASES OF ABOUT 500 RPM AND A MINOR REDUCTION IN SPEED. DEALER IS UNABLE TO RESOLVE AND WARRANTY IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE. FRIEND REPORTS SAME PROBLEM WITH A CHRYSLER SIRRUS AND CHRYSLER SAYS CARS WERE DESGINED THAT WAY. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT DESERVES RESOLUTION.
NHTSA complaint #745040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE IT ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, RESULTING IN COLLISION, AND CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #876244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
CONSUMER PRESSED DOWN ON THROTTLE & IT STUCK TO FLOOR. VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP EVEN AFTER PRESSING BRAKES & PULLING UP PARKING BRAKE. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO JUMP CURVE ONTO SIDEWALK BACK INTO PARKING LOT. CONSUMER STEERED VEHICLE AWAY FROM WALL. WAS ABLE TO TURN MOTOR OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. ALSO, MANUFACTURE DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #875995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
AFTER COMING TO A STOP VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE FOR NO REASON. WOULD HAVE FOOT ON BRAKES WHEN THIS OCCURRED. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & THUS FAR CAUSE OF ACCELERATION NOT FOUND.
NHTSA complaint #846143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND CANNOT BE DRIVEN IN A NORMAL MANNER. NOTE: THIS IS CAR HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. ALL THROTTLE (GAS PEDAL) MOVEMENT, ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION IS FOLLOWED BY A < SECOND APPLICATION OF FULL POWER OR FULL DECELERATION, FOLLOWED BY THE REVERSE APPLICATION OF FULL DECELERATION OR FULL POWER, RESPECTIVELY, UNTIL THE COMPUTER FIGURES OUT WHAT TO DO. AT NO LOAD, E.G. CRUISING AT 65 MPH, ESPECIALLY ON A SLIGHT SLOPE, THE COMPUTER NEVER FIGURES OUT WHAT TO DO. THE WHOLE SYSTEM GOES INTO OSCILLATION, WITH < SECOND ALTERNATE APPLICATIONS OF FULL POWER THEN FULL DECELERATION, THEN FULL DECELERATION, FOR AS LONG AS A CONSTANT THROTTLE POSITION IS MAINTAINED. IN ALL CASES, THE ENGINE WINDS UP ON ITS RUBBER MOTOR MOUNTS WITH A THUMP THAT CAN BE FELT THROUGHOUT THE CAR. THIS IS SO SEVERE THAT THE SHOP SUPERVISOR AT THE DEALER WAS GOING TO TRY REPLACING THE MOTOR MOUNTS.
NHTSA complaint #704691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.