Dodge Stratus seat problems

SEATS

SEATBELT SNAPPED OFF FROM CHEST RESTRAINT ON ONE SEAT, THE OTHER WAS LOCKING MECHANISM

NHTSA complaint #11413416 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR PANEL FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT CONTROLS FAILED TO ADJUST THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

NHTSA complaint #10714911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

1. WAITING FOR TRAFFIC LIGHT TO CHANGE AT INTERSECTION OF LINCOLIN WAY AND SOUTH DAKOTA. 2. AS I ACCELERATED FROM THE STOP LIGHT TO TURN SOUTH ONTO SOUTH DAKOTA, MY CHAIR MADE A "POPPING" NOISE AND MY CHAIR SLAMMED BACKWARD INTO THE RECLINE POSITION AND I WAS STARRING AT THE TOP OF THE CAR. THE FAILURE WAS THE FORWARD RETAINING BOLT THAT FASTENS THE SEAT BACK TO THE SLIDING FRAME RAIL HAD SNAPPED. THIS IN TURN CAUSED THE FRAME SUPPORT FOR THE SEAT BACK TO BEND. THANKFULLY NO PERSON WAS HURT DURING THIS EVENT BECAUSE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. 3. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, BENSON MOTORS. THEY PROCEEDED TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT FAILURE HAD OCCURRED. THEN I WAS INFORMED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE AN ENTIRE DIFFERENT SEAT FOR MY VEHICLE. A NEW CHAIR WOULD COST IN EXCESS OF $1,000.00 OR PURCHASE A USED CHAIR FROM A SALVAGE YARD FOR ROUGHLY $500.00. FROM INSPECTING THE CHAIR PERSONALLY, THE SUPPORT BOLT SNAPPED CLEAN OFF, AND THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD AND HAD LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT. THE OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE, AND I WILL BE RECORDING THE FAILURE WITH MY DIGITAL CAMERA. I ALSO CALLED THE CHRYSLER CORPORATIONS CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FAILURE BECAUSE THE VEHICLES 3YR/30,000MI WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME.

NHTSA complaint #10264361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

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.

NHTSA complaint #10223534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

2000 DODGE STRATUS DRIVER'S POWER SEAT MOVES FORWARD WHILE COMING TO A STOP. *KB THE CONSUMER HEARD A WHINNING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN MAKING TURNS.

NHTSA complaint #10160523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

01V005002/SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT MOVES WHEN BRAKING. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO WAS TELLING CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE DESCRIBED WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. ALSO VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING STIFF STEERING. WHEN TURNING LEFT, DRIVER CAN FEEL A RUBBING NOISE THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS CAN ONLY BE FELT WHEN THE DRIVER IS MAKING A LEFT TURN. *AK

NHTSA complaint #10105152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

DRIVER'S SEAT MOVES WITHIN THE SEAT TRACK. THE SEAT IS SO LOOSE THAT IT WILL NOT LOCK WITHIN THE TRACK. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO WILL NOT REPAIR IT.

NHTSA complaint #10071784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

DRIVER'S SEAT - POWER CONTROLS - FRONT UP/DOWN TILT NOT RESPONSIVE.

NHTSA complaint #10050926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

I'VE LOST A SEAT PART TO MY CAR AND I'M HAVING TROUBLE GETTING IT FROM ANYONE. I'VE CONTACTED DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE, HAD THE PART ON ORDER AND THEN THEY CANCELLED IT WITHOUT NOTIFYING ME OR TELL ME WHY. THE PART # IS RD161AZAA AND IS A PILLOW THAT CONNECTS TO AN INTERGRATED CHILD SEAT IN THE BACK. I'M NOW UNABLE TO USE THE ENTIRE BACK SEAT FOR FEAR THAT ONE OF MY CHILDREN WILL GET HURT. CAN YOU HELP? DT

NHTSA complaint #770194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING DRIVERS SEAT FULLY RECLINED BACK, AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA complaint #8014337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

DRIVER'S POWER ADJUSTED SEATBACK BROKE. DEALER STATED IT WOULD TAKE 2-3 WEEKS TO GET PART IN. *AK THE CONSUMER BEING SHORT, BARELY REACH THE STEERING WHEEL AFTER THE BACK OF THE SEAT BROKE.

NHTSA complaint #884492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

BACK SEAT COVER FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #785278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

THIS CAR, ALONG WITH OTHER 2001 STRATUS COUPES, HAS AN ANGLE TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE STEERING WHEEL THAT FORCES ONE TO SIT A FEW DEGREES OFF PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. THE DRIVER, IF SITTING STRAIGHT ON THE SEAT AND IN THE MIDDLE OF IT IS TURNED TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE CAR A FEW DEGREES. THIS IS EXTREMELY DISORIENTING. IT IS IN MY OPINION A HAZARD BECAUSE I AM CONTINUOUSLY FORCED TO TRY TO ADJUST MY POSITION ON THE SEAT IN ORDER TO FEEL AS IF I AM GOING DOWN THE ROAD FORWARD.

NHTSA complaint #741320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

'HEAD GASKET' - WE BOUGHT A NEW 1997 DODGE STRATUS IN MARCH OF 1997. AT 20,718 MILES THE HEAD GASKET FAILED BADLY. IT TOOK SEVERAL WEEKS TO GET IT FIXED (UNDER WARRANTY) WHILE THE PART WAS REDESIGNED. THE HEAD GASKET WAS FINE UNTIL 72,000 MILES - AT THAT POINT IT FAILED AGAIN. I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR AN OBVIOUS DESIGN DEFECT. I KNOW THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AND THE PART HAS BEEN REDESIGNED SEVERAL TIMES. 'HEADRESTS' - ON OUR 1997 DODGE STRATUS THE ADJUSTABLE HEADRESTS HAVE BROKEN - THE PADDED HEADREST BREAKS FREE FROM THE METAL POSTS HOLDING IT TO THE CHAIR. WE HAD THE PASSENGER HEADREST REPLACED - IT IS NOW BROKEN AGAIN AS WELL AS THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THEY BREAK FROM THE PRESSURE OF ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF THE HEADREST. THIS SEEMS UNSAFE TO ME - THEY BREAK QUITE EASILY.

NHTSA complaint #737787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT IS BROKEN. PART OF THE SEAT WHERE CONSUMER'S HIP GOES UP A METAL PIECE STICKS OUT. CONSUMER FEELS FRAME MAY BREAK COMPLETELY, AND FAMILY MAY BE INJURED. *AK LEFT FRONT SEAT HAS BEEN BROKEN FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS. LEFT DOOR HINGE BROKE TOO. FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS AND ROTORS FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #868231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVER'S SEATBACK REST FAILED, CAUSING SEAT TO COLLAPSE BACKWARD WHILE DRIVING. SEAT WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL, AND REPAIRS WOULD ONLY BE DONE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE.

NHTSA complaint #863271 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.