40 of the
3,617 complaints filed about the Dodge Stratus
are about the lighting —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1996.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1999 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE POWER WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,100.
NHTSA complaint #10427858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WITH NO RYME OR RYTHEM, THE WINSHEILD WIPERS FAIL TO TURN ON, POWER LOCKS FAIL TO WORK AND TURN SYGNALS FAIL. ENGINE STALLS AND WILL NOT RESTART WHILE IN TRAFFIC FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS. THESE CONDITIONS HAPPEN WHILE ON THE ROADWAY AND WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR , LOSS OF IGNITION, WINSHEILD WIPERS OR TURN SYGNALS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH.
NHTSA complaint #10391528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR ON THE AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER WILL ONLY BLOW ON HIGH. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS MALFUNCTION. THIS MALFUNCTION MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO HEAR THE RADIO AND TO REGULATE AN COMFTORABLE ATMOSPHERE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE INTERIOR BULB STOPPED FUNCTIONING ABOUT THREE WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AT 67,990 MILES AND THE CHILD SAFETY DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK.
NHTSA complaint #10204273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PLEASE TELL ME IF THERE IS AN RECALL FOR THE CONTROL THAT TURNS ON THE HEAT AND THE AIR? I HAD MINE REPLACED AND THE KNOB THAT TURNS ON KEEPS ON BREAKING, NOW IT ONLY WORKS ON HIGH, I ALSO HAD THE LIGHTS LOOKED AT ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR, THE OVER HEAD AND THE DASH BOARD, MILEAGE I CAN'T SEE BECAUSE IT SAID DOOR IS AJAR. ALL THIS HAS BEEN LOOKED AT BY AN DODGE DEALER AND CLAIMED TO BE FIXED BY THEM . BUT IT'S NOT,WHEN I PUT A NEW FUSE IN IT WORKS FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES, THEN IT GOES OUT. THERE MUST BE AN SHORT SOME WHERE I DON'T KNOW. CAN'T YOU PLEASE CHECK INTO TO THIS FOR ME.
NHTSA complaint #10183839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HEAD LIGHT LENS COVER IS VERY CLOUDED FROM A DEFECT IN THE PLASTIC THE WRONG TYPE OF PLASTIC WAS USED FOR THE HEADLIGHT THAT DEALS WITH THE ELEMENTS AND THE DOES THAT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS INTERNS REDUCES THE LIGHTING FROM THE HEAD LIGHTS SO BAD THAT IT IS HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT AND IM 23 AND HAVE 20\20 VISION. I CAN DRIVE WITH MY BRIGHTS ON AND THE LIGHT IS STILL WEAKER THAN MOST OF THE CARS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I HAVE NOTICED THAT OTHER 1998 DODGE STRATUS CARS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM UNLESS NOT DRIVEN MUCH AND GARAGED. SPEAKING TO A QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER AT GRIMM BROTHERS PLASTICS IN WAPELLO IOWA HE TOLD ME THAT THE WRONG PLASTIC WAS USED FOR THE HEADLIGHT. I HAVE RECENTLY ALMOST BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND NOW DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHT. AND ITS MY ONLY CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10175724 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #10089476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LEFT REAR TIRE WAS COCKED OUTWARD. DEALER INSPECTED AND SAID UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE BLOWN OUT ON BOTH SIDES. CAR WAS NEVER IN COLLISION, AND ONLY 44K MILES ON IT. ALSO, INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS FLICKER WHEN TURN SIGNAL IS USED, CLICKS AROUND CORNERS, SEATS DON'T ALWAYS STAY LOCKED IN PLACE. IT'S STILL UNDER WARRANTY!! I DON'T WANT TO PAY $600 TO FIX A PROBLEM I DID NOT CAUSE.
NHTSA complaint #10064424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DODGE STRATUS ENGINE DIE OUT DUE TO CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR THAT CAME IN CONTACT W/ A PROTECTIVE SHIELD, WHICH CONSEQUENTLY CAUSED A GROUTED CIRCUIT. THEREBY CAUSING MY ENGINE TO DIE OUT. MY VEHICLE IS A LEASE, AND THE WARRANTY IS UP, AND I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL INFORMATION. RECALL INFO ON THIS CALL, AND THE PRIOR YEAR ARE NUMEROUS DEADLY ONE. THOSE WHICH CAN POSSIBLY CAUSE INJURY, OR DEATH. I WAS ALMOST A STATISTIC TODAY WHEN MY VEHICLE DIED OUT COMPLETELY IN AN EXIT RAMP OFF THE HIGHWAY. PLEASE HELP ME FIND OUT HOW RESPONSIBLE THE DEALERSHIP IS BECAUSE I NEVER RECEIVED ANY!!!! RECALL LETTERS. I RECEIVED THEIR BILL, BUT YET NO RECALL INFO. THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD. I HAVE PRIOR TO THIS VEHICLE PURCHASED THREE OTHER VEHICLES FROM YONKERS AVENUE DODGE, AND HAVE TRADED THEM IN FOR NEW ONES, BUT THEY TOO HAD PROBLEMS, AND THE DEALER NEVER GAVE ME ANY BREAKS IN PRICE. THEY JUST SAW A FEMALE WALK IN, AND READ THE "SUCKER" SIGN ON MY FOREHEAD. ANYHOW MY CAR IS NOW STUCK IN A SHELL GAS STATION, WHICH WAS CONSEQUENTLY OFF THE RAMP I WAS STUCK ON. I WAS PUSHED THERE TO GET ME OUT OF HARMS WAY. I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS DEALER TO CONTINUE TO STICK PEOPLE, OR CHRYSLER TO STICK PEOPLE WITH THE BILL TO A CAR THAT DIES OUT BEFORE THE LEASE IS UP!! IF YOU CAN HELP PLEASE EMAIL ME. AS WELL AS LET OTHER DODGE STRATUS SE OWNERS KNOW THAT THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS THESE CARS SUFFER FROM BEFORE THESE OWNERS GET KILLED, OR KILL OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. RESPECTFULLY, [XXX]. *CB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10054244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE CONSTANTLY TAKEN MY CAR IN FOR THE SAME REASONS. THE CAR JERKS, THE WHOLE CAR VIBRATES WHEN IT RAINS, IF IT'S COLD OUT THE CAR REFUSES TO START IN THE MORNING. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION AND PISTON PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #10049465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY NAME IS [XXX], AND I AM A TWENTY-FOUR YEAR OLD FATHER OF THREE WHO IS CURRENTLY RECEIVING SOCIAL SECURITY. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TODAY BECAUSE I AM HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH MY 1996 DODGE STRATUS (VIN# [XXX]). THE TYPES OF PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING CONSISTS OF AIR CONDITIONING LEAKS, ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS THAT MALFUNCTION, TRANSMISSION TROUBLES, PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR, HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS, AND POOR DRIVEABILITY. CHRYSLER MOTOR CORPORATION PRIDES ITSELF AS REPRESENTING VALUE, QUALITY, DURABILITY AND RELIABILITY, BUT I CANT SEEM TO SEE THAT AS A TRUE STATEMENT WITH ALL OF MY CURRENT PROBLEMS. I COULD NOT BELIEVE ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING WITH THIS VEHICLE AT ONE GIVEN TIME SO I DECIDED TO RESEARCH MY DIFFICULTIES ON THE INTERNET AND I FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE SAME ISSUES. I FEEL THAT DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR MY REPAIRS DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES CAUSED BY SHODDY PARTS AND QUALITY. SO FAR I HAVE REPLACED THE TIMING BELT, HYDRAULIC TENSIONER, WATER PUMP, ALTERNATOR, ALTERNATOR BELT, ROTORS, BAKE SHOES, REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS, PCV VALVE, DRYER, AC COMPRESSOR, TIRES, ALL FILTERS, AND FLUIDS. I AM IN DYER NEED OF A EXHAUST MANIFOLD, WINDSHIELD, STRUTS, SHOCKS, STEERING WHEEL, HEAD GASKET. ALSO, I AM EXPERIENCING STEERING WHEEL OSCILLATION/VIBRATION ABOVE 50 MPH, ROUGH RIDE ON ROAD WITH IRREGULAR SURFACE & BOTTOMING OUT ON POTHOLE, ERRATIC IDLE, PERFORMANCE LOSS, OVERHEATS IN TRAFFIC &/OR A/C BECOMES INOPERATIVE, WARM-UP SAG, HESITATION & DRIVEWAY DIE OUT, REAR GRID DEFOGGER INDICATOR LIGHT MALFUNCTIONS, INSIDE LIGHTS WORK IMPROPERLY, ERRATIC, LATE OR HARSH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS , FREQUENCY RUMBLE OR GEAR NOISE FROM FRONT BETWEEN 50 & 70 MPH , MUSTY ODOR AND DEFROSTER FAILS TO CLEAR GLASS. AS IT APPEARS I NEED A LOT OF WORK AND BEING LOW INCOME I NEED HELP.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10033411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY PROBLEM. HEAD LAMP COVERS HAVE BECOME FOGGED AND DISCOLORED ,NOT ALLOWING ADEQUATE ILLUMINATION OF ROAD AT NIGHT. THE HEADLAMP COVERS CAN ONLY BE REPLACED AS AN ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. A MORE DURABLE OR A REPLACABLE COVER WOULD ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD.
NHTSA complaint #10029206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AT ANY GIVEN TIME, ONE OF MY THREE BRAKE LIGHTS IS NOT WORKING. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY REASON AS THE SAME LIGHT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY NOT WORKING WILL WORK WHILE A DIFFERENT ONE WILL BE OUT WITHOUT ANY WORK BEING DONE ON THE CAR TO TRY TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. SOME TIMES, ONLY ONE LIGHT IS WORKING OR NONE OF THEM ARE WORKING. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION LEAKS FLUID ON A REGULAR BASIS. I HAVE HAD MY PERSONAL MECHANIC TO REFILL THE TRANSMISSION AT LEAST TWICE AFTER LESS THAN 3,000 MILES AND HAD HOSES CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE NO APPARENT LEAKS. NONE WERE FOUND. THE LAST TIME THE TRANSMISSION WAS FILLED WAS AT THE END OF MAY AND IT IS JERKING REALLY HARD AGAIN AFTER IT WAS REFILLED LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AGO. THAT DOES NOT APPEAR NORMAL TO ME.
NHTSA complaint #10028581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CAR HAS BEEN IN 19 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS FOR 15 SEPARATE ISSUES. MOTOR SEEMS TO HAVE FINALLY BLOWN. TOOK 4 TRIES TO PASS STATE INSPECTION. CHRYSLER KEEPS IGNORING ME, MY DEALERSHIP KEEPS IGNORING ME VISIT MY SITE AT HTTP://MEMBERS.TRIPOD.COM/~GO_GRL/DODGE.HTML FOR FULL STORY. NO RETURN CALLS FROM CHRYSLER THRU TODAY 10/30/2002 BILL DAY, GENERAL MANAGER AT DEALERSHIP IGNORING ISSUE LONG ENOUGH. NOW NO CAR WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY DO TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE. DT
NHTSA complaint #769083 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON RETURNING FROM A CAMPING TRIP I WAS LOADING THE TRUNK WITH CAMPING GEAR. A COAT CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE TRUNK LIGHT BULB. I SMELLED SMOKE AND DISCOVERED THE SMOLDERING COAT, LUCKILY BEFORE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE TRUNK BULB IS EXTREMELY HOT AND NOT COVERED WITH NO WARNINGS POSTED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #767174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AT LEAST 14 OCCURENCES OF HEADLIGHT BLOWING OUT AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING, 2 AT HIGH SPEEDS , TEH MOST RECENT ALMOST CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, HASD BEEN IN SHOP 4 TIMES PREVIOUS FOR SAME, DEALER NOR CHRYSLER CORP CAN SEEM TO FIX PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS FALT WITH THE POTENTIAL TO END LIKE FIRESTONES DILEMNA = FATALITIES. REQUEST IMMEDIATE ACTION IN THE FORM OF A RECALL ON THIS DEFECTIVE AUTO LINE THANK YOU PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. YOUR DATA BASE HAS ERRED ON ALL OF THE INFO, TEH VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NO FIRES AND NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, NO FATALITIES AS HAS APPEARED ON MY SCREEN
NHTSA complaint #732251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DESIGN OF THE TRUNK LIGHT WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE BODY OF THE CAR, CAUSING THE TRUNK LIGHT TO BECOME EXTREMELY HOT WHEN OPENING THE TRUNK WHICH, IN RETURN, CAUSED ITEMS IN THE TRUNK TO BURN. THIS WAS A RENTAL VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. *AK.ET.
NHTSA complaint #859463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.