16 of the 196 complaints about the 2004 Dodge Stratus are about the electrical system — 8% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 34,000 miles.
16
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE WINDOWS DO NOT WORK AND THIS PROBLEM KEEPS HAPPENING EVEN AFTER IT WAS FIXED, IT WASN'T THE MOTOR, SWITCHES OR ANYTHING ELSE, THE WIRING IS BAD SOMEWHERE AND IT WENT BACK OUT AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I HOPE THIS IS A RECALL SO SOMETHING CAN GET DONE AND STAY DONE.
NHTSA complaint #10575664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. IGNITION- MS. FAULKNER WAS TRANSPORTING ME TO PICK UP MY VEHICLE AND HER VEHICLE ENGINE SHUT OFF JUST BEFORE SHE CAME TO A STOP. SHE STATED THAT THIS HAD OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL THE DAY I DROVE IT BUT WHEN I STOPPED AT A SIGNAL LIGHT THE ENGINE SURGED MOMENTARY FOR APPROXIMATELY 3-4 SECONDS AND THEN IT RETURNED TO IT?S NORMAL IDLE. HAD I NOT HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE SURGED FORWARD 2. TRANSMISSION ? WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT SPEED LIMIT AND SPEED CONTROL SET, UPON RESUMING SPEED AFTER COASTING DOWN A HILL, THERE WAS A VERY DISTINCT CLUNK THAT CAME FROM THE TRANSMISSION/TRANSAXLE. THIS SAME CLUNK OCCURRED AGAIN AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN I SLOWING DOWN FOR A SIGNAL.
NHTSA complaint #10240819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. IGNITION- MS. FAULKNER WAS TRANSPORTING ME TO PICK UP MY VEHICLE AND HER VEHICLE ENGINE SHUT OFF JUST BEFORE SHE CAME TO A STOP. SHE STATED THAT THIS HAD OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL THE DAY I DROVE IT BUT WHEN I STOPPED AT A SIGNAL LIGHT THE ENGINE SURGED MOMENTARILY FOR APPROXIMATELY 3-4 SECONDS AND THEN IT RETURNED TO IT?S NORMAL IDLE. HAD I NOT HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE SURGED FORWARD 2. TRANSMISSION ? WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT SPEED LIMIT AND SPEED CONTROL SET, UPON RESUMING SPEED AFTER COASTING DOWN A HILL, THERE WAS A VERY DISTINCT CLUNK THAT CAME FROM THE TRANSMISSION/TRANSAXLE. THIS SAME CLUNK OCCURRED AGAIN AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN I SLOWING DOWN FOR A SIGNAL.
NHTSA complaint #10240820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
2004 DODGE STRATUS WITH REAR END PROBLEMS. CONSUMER HAD THE RESONATOR REPLACED, AND THEN WAS TOLD THE REAR STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN HER DAD WAS REPLACING THE STRUTS THEY BROKE INTO PIECES BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE CORROSION. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A MINOR PROBLEM WITH THE HORN. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE THINKS THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. AS THE VEHICLE CHANGES GEARS, IT WILL NOT CHANGE SMOOTHLY AND ENDS UP JERKING BACK AND FORTH AS SHE TRIES TO INCREASE SPEED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT, IS TO TAKE HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND THEN ACCELERATE THROUGH TO THE NEXT GEAR
NHTSA complaint #10207207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
MULTI-FUNCTION STALK TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WITH THE HEADLAMP AND TURN SIGNAL SWTICHES HAS MALFUNCTIONED TWICE NOW. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL NOT ILLUMINATE, AND THE TAIL LAMPS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PART. THE SECOND TIME, I TOOK IT APART AND CLEANED IT, AND IT FIXED THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10206613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE IGNITION INTERLOCK ON MY 2004 DODGE STRATUS IS INOPERATIVE. AT LEAST TWICE, THE KEY WAS REMOVED AFTER THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF BY WHILE THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE. THE CAR THEN BEGAN TO ROLL AWAY. THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE CAR RAN INTO AN OBSTRUCTION AND SUFFERED 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10200372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2004 STRATUS KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN IGNITION. *TS THE LOCK CYLINDER WAS BINDING. THE LOCK CYLINDER WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #10161572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
3 SEPARATE INCIDENTS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
NHTSA complaint #10145011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
DT: WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. CALLER SAAID THAT SHE HAD TO GET THE VEHICLE JUMPED THAT SAME DAY THAT FAILURE HAPPENED. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DID FLICKER BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SAID BATTERY WAS UNDER THE FENDER, AND IT COULD NOT KEEP THE CABLES ON. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. CALLER DID RUN UP ON A CURB.
NHTSA complaint #10133278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION LOCKED UP AS IF CAR IS IN DRIVE AND WILL NOT RELEASE THE KEY.
NHTSA complaint #10131847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR STALLS AT LEAST ONCE A DAY WHILE IN TRAFFIC OR AT A RED LIGHT. ILL BE GOING ABOUT 20 MPH AND IT STALLS. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ALSO IT JERKS WHEN LEAVING A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN.
NHTSA complaint #10125049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
DT: CONSUMER SAYS VEHICLE SHAKES AT 50 MPH. ALSO, SHAKES WHEN CONSUMER FIRST STARTED VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT SHAKING WAS CAUSED BY SPARK PLUG WIRES. CONSUMER STATED WIRES WERE CHANGED FOUR TIMES ALREADY, AND IT DID NOT GET BETTER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER TO HAVE WIRES CHANGED. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED REGULARLY. VEHICLE DIED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10124593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED AND THE OWNER INSERTS THE KEY IN THE IGNITION THE SWITCH WILL NOT MOVE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO START. CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO USE THE VEHICLE. OWNER IS AWARE OF OTHER SIMILAR MODELS THAT WERE RECALLED BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED DUE TO MODEL YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #10117495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
CAR DOES THE FOLLOWING AT RANDOM- WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS IT DIES, SOMETIMES WHEN PULLING INTO PARKING SPACES THE ENGINES SURGES AND CAUSES CAR TO LUNGE FORWARD. ONCE WHEN I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT SURGED AND LUNGED FORWARD. THE ENGINE, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HAS IDLED VERY ROUGHLY, THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON ONCE AND THE OTHER TIME IT FLASHED 5 OR 6 TIMES AND QUIT. NOE THE MOTOR IN THE REAR WINDOW IS DEFECTIVE! I HAVE HAD THIS CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP 6-7 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM AND "THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM".THE LEMON LAW IN TENNESSE REQUIRES 4 VISITS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, HAVE EXCEEDED THAT BY FAR! I AM DONE WITH DODGE/CHRYSLER AND ALL THEIR PRODUCTS. I WILL BUY A FOREIGN CAR BEFOR I EVER BUY ANOTHER PRODUCT FROM THEM!!!
NHTSA complaint #10089046 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR WAS SITTING IN PARKING LOT FOR ABOUT 8 HOURS, STARTED CAR, LOUD SQUEALING NOISE WHILE IN PARK AND NO RADIO OR AIR CONDITIONING, PUT INTO DRIVE AND REVERSE..NO NOISE. PULLED OUT OF PARKING LOT AND WENT APPROX. 1 BLOCK WHEN CAR JUST DIED AND RADIO/AIR CAME ON. CAR THEN STARTED BACK UP AND HAS SO FAR BEEN OK. DEALERSHIP FOUND NOTHING.
NHTSA complaint #10082673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WHILE DRIVING ON I-290 ( 3 LANE SUPER HIGHWAY JUST OUTSIDE CHICAGO) THE ASD (AUTOMATIC SHUT DOWN) SWITCH ACTIVATED AND TURNED MY CAR OFF. I COASTED TO AN EXIT BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART.
NHTSA complaint #10067639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.