FaultScore

Dodge Stratus wheel problems

33 of the 3,617 complaints filed about the Dodge Stratus are about the wheels — 1% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2004.

33

Complaints

1%

Share of all complaints

2

Crashes

1

Fires

Wheels complaints by model year

1995 Stratus 1 3.0%
1996 Stratus 5 15.2%

Median failure at 167,000 miles

1997 Stratus 2 6.1%
1998 Stratus 2 6.1%
2001 Stratus 2 6.1%

Median failure at 85,000 miles

2002 Stratus 2 6.1%

Median failure at 28,000 miles

2003 Stratus 1 3.0%
2004 Stratus 7 21.2%

Median failure at 26,986 miles

2005 Stratus 5 15.2%

Median failure at 154,500 miles

2006 Stratus 6 18.2%

Median failure at 137,000 miles

What owners said

2004 Dodge Stratus at 136,334 miles Great Falls, MT

WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Stratus. The contact stated while reversing, the passenger's side front wheel detached. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall repair with similar failure; however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,334.

NHTSA complaint #11672372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 Dodge Stratus Emerson, IA

WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

The problem is not with the tire itself, but with the lug nuts holding the tire on the car. In the past year I have had at least six lug nuts fail. I have had a rash of flat tires, mostly related to nails. In attempting to remove the tires to put on the spare, the chrome caps on the nuts have come off. In the first incident, I was able to strip the cover off the internal nut by hand. In attempting to remove the internal nut, the softer metal was stripped. I was forced to drive on a flat tire home to try and remove the rest of the nut. I had to call a tow truck to haul my car into the shop where they had to cut off the nut. I can document this and three other occasions of the lug nuts being stripped when trying to remove a bad tire. I can document an occasion when the shop replaced two faulty nuts when repairing one of my tires. In the most recent occasion, I was able to remove the tire. However, when handling the lug nuts the chrome cap came off in my hand. I am able to strip these caps and nuts by hand using an "X" lug wrench, which I had to buy because the wrench that came with the vehicle twisted out of shape while trying to remove the lug nuts. The shop is aware of this problem, and they keep putting these defective lug nuts back on. At my age, it is inconceivable that I would be able to strip these caps and lug nugs by hand. I have the documents, I can get you pictures, but I am not a computer whiz and am currently having problems getting my printer to link up with my PC to download files to send. I will have a family member copy this information and email it to me so I can attempt to send it to you with your reply.

NHTSA complaint #11596104 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Dodge Stratus at 148,000 miles Jenison, MI

WHEELS

I HAVE NOTICED WHEN I AM TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT THERE APPEARS TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A LACK OF CONTROL AND LOOSENING OF THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE AS I AM DRIVING. ALSO, THE SUSPENSION ON MY VEHICLE HAS BECOME MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED NEGATIVELY.

NHTSA complaint #11321000 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Dodge Stratus at 101,000 miles Friendship, MD

WHEELS

I WAS DRIVING DOING ABOUT 25 MPH. THANK GOD I WASN'T DRIVING ANY FASTER WHEN ALL OF SUDDEN. I HEARD A LOUD NOISE. I HAD LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING I RAN IN TO A GUARD RAIL MY CAR DIDN'T WANT TO GO BECAUSE THE RIGHT PASSENGER FRONT SIDE WAS TOTALLY TOUCHING THE GROUND I GOT OUT THE CAR SEEN MY ENTIRE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WAS OFF THE CAR. I THEN STARTED CRYING. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR IN JULY 2019 98,000 ORIGINAL MILES. BAD PURCHASE DECISION!

NHTSA complaint #11308997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Dodge Stratus at 135,000 miles LAS Vegas, NV

WHEELS

I WAS DRIVING LIKE NORMAL, THEN WHEN I WENT UP THE RAMP ONTO THE THE SHOPPING CENTER, THE RIGHT WHEEL ALL OF A SUDDEN HIT THE PASSENGER WHEEL WELL AND THE RIM WAS HITTING THE BRAKE CALIPER. IT WAS IN MOTION, ON A CITY STREET.

NHTSA complaint #11298649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Dodge Stratus at 168,458 miles Jackson, MS

WHEELS

WHEN DRIVING HOME THE 2006 DODGE STRATUS SXT SEDAN AS MENTIONED BROKE ON ME AND MY FAMILY INTO A STORE PARKING LOT WHERE THE ENTIRE WHEEL CAME OFF THE CAR LEAVING ME AND MY FAMILY STRANDED LUCKILY WE WEREN'T ON THE HWY DRIVING HWY SPEEDS OR IM SURE ME AND MY FAMILY WOULDN'T PROBABLY BE LIVING HERE TODAY. I WENT ONLINE TO CHECK WE'RE THERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE AND IT CAME BACK AS BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY WHICH IS THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE

NHTSA complaint #11228607 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Dodge Stratus at 28,000 miles Bristol, VA

WHEELS

I WAS DRIVING HOME WENT TO GO TURN LEFT AND THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. I STOPPED THE CAR LOOK AT THE FRONT AND THE BALL JOINT ON MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SNAPPED, THIS EXACT PROBLEM IS ON THE RECALL LIST BUT MY CAR ISNT ON THEIR.

NHTSA complaint #11207645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Dodge Stratus at 160,000 miles EL Segundo, CA

WHEELS

WAS DRIVING 25 MPH DRIVING ON PARAMOUNT BLVD AT WHITTIER BLVD, IN PICO RIVERA, CA, WHEN THE CAR MADE A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE, THEN FELT AS THOUGH WE WERE DRAGGING SOMETHING. ONLY DROVE 50 FEET BEFORE PULLING OVER, AS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. WE THOUGHT IT WAS INITIALLY A FLAT TIRE, UNTIL WE GOT OUT. OUR MECHANIC INSPECTED IT, AND DETERMINED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD FAILED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE PICTURE THAT THE BALL JOINT WAS RUSTED AND SNAPPED FREE OF ITS HOUSING.

NHTSA complaint #10883022 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Dodge Stratus at 189,000 miles Abbeville, LA

WHEELS

WHILE IN MOTION FRONT DRIVER SIDE FELL APART MY WHEEL BROKE OFF,WHILE GOING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT OF A GROCERY STORE

NHTSA complaint #10854626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Dodge Stratus at 494,600 miles Dallas, TX

WHEELS

WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BROKE OFF IT WAS THE CONTROL ARM I HAVE HAD IT FIXED. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER THAT INCIDENT I HAD THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE ALSO DO THE SAME. I GOT IT FIXED. NOW MY BACK DRIVER SIDE WHEEL IS TILTING IN LIKE IT WANTS TO BREAK OFF. SINCE NOTICING THIS I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT AND HAS BEEN STUCK IN MY DRIVEWAY 4 MONTHS UNTIL I CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET IT FIXED WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS AGAIN

NHTSA complaint #10852038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Dodge Stratus at 139,000 miles Orlando, FL Crash

WHEELS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL RATTLED. WHILE BRAKING, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

NHTSA complaint #10789641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Dodge Stratus Abercrombie, ND

WHEELS

I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY ON HIS WAY TO WORK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE COULDN'T STEER. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE JUST TURNED IN SIDEWAYS AND WOULDN'T MOVE WITH ANY MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. WE JACKED UP THE CAR TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND WE SAW THE ARM WITH THE BALL JOINT WAS COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE SOCKET. BY THE LOOKS OF IT, THE CRACK IS NEAR THE RETAINING RING GROOVE. WE CAN MANUALLY MOVE THE TIRE AS IT IS COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM. I WAS VERY UPSET WITH THIS AND THE FACT I WASN'T NOTIFIED THIS WAS AN ISSUE. NOT ONLY COULD MY LIFE HAVE BEEN IN DANGER BUT ALSO MY NEPHEW WHO I LET USE THE CAR AND ALL OF THOSE OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROADS EVERYDAY. AN ISSUE LIKE THIS WOULD FOR SURE CAUSE A FATALITY AT A FAST SPEED AS I DRIVE THE INTERSTATE DAILY WITH MY TWIN GIRLS. THIS ISSUE BEST BE FIXED AND MORE NOTIFICATION IS REQUESTED ON ANY OTHER ISSUES PERTAINING TO MY CAR! IF ITS NOT A RECALL, MAKE IT A RECALL! VERY DANGEROUS!!!!!

NHTSA complaint #10762558 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Dodge Stratus at 167,000 miles Cedar Rapids, IA

WHEELS

R&R FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING FIX, HUB & BEARING ASSEMBLY TOTAL COST $214.55 CLEAN ENGINE TOTAL COST $83.46 ENGINE OIL LEAK, TRIED OIL STOP LEAK & SEEMS TO BE WORKING FOR THE TIME BEING. RADIATOR/ANTIFREEZE LEAK, I'M SPENDING $150 MONTH FOR ANTIFREEZE. PUTTING IN 1-2 BOTTLES A DAY. PROBABLY WILL HAVE RADIATOR FIXED SOON. MUFFLER FELL OFF, CAN'T AFFORD A NEW ONE. NEEDS NEW SPARK PLUGS, CAN'T AFFORD THAT EITHER. NEEDS MANIFOLD GASKET, CAN'T AFFORD THAT EITHER. NEEDS OIL PAN GASKET, CAN'T AFFORD THAT EITHER. NEEDS NEW WIPERS, CAN'T AFFORD THAT EITHER.

NHTSA complaint #10681330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Dodge Stratus at 149,000 miles Columbia, SC

WHEELS

ONE DAY I WENT TO BACK OUT, I TURNED THE WHEEL AND HEAR THIS CRUNCHING, CLUNKING SOUND WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A HUGE ROCK SCRAPPING ON METAL. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND WALKED AROUND THE CAR AND SAW NOTHING. IT STARTED AGAIN AS SOON AS I STARTED THE CAR BACK UP. ANYTIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, I HEARD THIS SOUND. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THE TIE-ROD ENDS. HE SAID A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL YET. I CALLED THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD FIX IT SINCE THERE WERE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS. NOPE ! THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX IT FOR FREE WITHOUT AN OFFICIAL RECALL. IT'S A COSTLY REPAIR $900-$1100 B/C IT REQUIRES MANY DIFFERENT SERVICES - TIE ROD ENDS, TIRES, BALANCE, ALIGNMENT, BUT THEY WOULD NOT DROP THE PRICE BY A SINGLE PENNY. NOW THEY ARE DOING A PIECEMEAL RECALL BEGINNING WITH THE TRUCKS. WHY NOT FORCE THEM TO RECALL THEM ALL ? I HAVE BEEN ON MULTIPLE SITES AND I HAVE SEEN COMPLAINTS FROM AS FAR BACK AS 2003 TO AS RECENTLY AS 2014. I WISH THE GOVERNMENT WAS A HARD ON THE DEALERS AS THE DEALERS ARE ON THE BUYERS.

NHTSA complaint #10651169 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Dodge Stratus at 120 miles Babylon, NY

WHEELS

HEARD A POP, PULLED OVER AND THE TIRES ARE IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAY NO RECALLS ON THIS VIN, HOWEVER, THE PARTS IT SEEMS WERE RECALLED FOR OTHER VIN NUMBERS ON THIS VEHICLE. SPECIFICALLY RECALL ID 79805 AND RECALL ID 86458.

NHTSA complaint #10468192 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2001 Dodge Stratus at 85,000 miles Salina, OK

WHEELS:RIM

DT: THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HIT A POT HOLE , AND THIS BENT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT AND REAR RIMS. THE DEALERSHIP AGREED THE RIMS WERE TOO SOFT. BUT STATED NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM WITH THESE RIMS. THE CONTACT STATED IF THE TIRES WERE TO GO FLAT THEY COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGED RIMS.

NHTSA complaint #10146773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Dodge Stratus Copperas Cove, TX

WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

WHILE BRAKING AND CHANGING LANES A LOUD SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE RIGHT FRONT AND THE WHEEL ON THAT SIDE LOCKED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE CONTROL. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL THE BRAKE PARTS HAD BEEN PUSHED THROUGH THE WHEEL TO THE OUTSIDE AND THE BOLTS CONNECTING THE WHEEL PARTS HAD SHEERED APART.

NHTSA complaint #10143407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Dodge Stratus at 26,986 miles Webster, TX

WHEELS:RIM

I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND COMING TO A SLOW FOR A STOP LIGHT WHEN IT SOUNDED LIKE IT HAD A FLAT TIRE. I STARTED TO PULL OVER WHILE CONTINUING TO SLOW THE CAR WHEN IT CAME TO A SHARP STOP AND I COULD GO NO FURTHER TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. I GOT OUT TO LOOK, AND SAW NO FLAT TIRE, BUT NOTICED FRONT RIGHT BRAKE GRINDED INTO RIM. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP NEAR MY HOME, AND THEY ASSESSED THAT A LARGE BOLT FELL OUT FROM THE BRAKE CALLIPER, AND CAUSED MY BRAKE TO SLIP OUT AND COLLIDE WITH THE RIM. MY CAR IS JUST OVER A YEAR OLD, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY BRAKE WORK DONE THUS FAR. THEY FOUND A REPLACEMENT BOLT FOR ME, AND I THEN DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF IT WAS WARRANTY COVERED, THEY SAID NO. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I NOT DRIVE ON THE RIM FOR FEAR OF NOT KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT THERE WERE FRACTURES THAT WERE NOT VISIBLE, AND THAT HITTING ONE POT HOLE COULD COLLAPSE THE RIM AND DO FURTHER DAMAGE.

NHTSA complaint #10118111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Dodge Stratus Great Falls, MT

WHEELS

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR WHICH SOUNDED LIKE GRINDING IN THE WHEELS OR IN THE WHEEL WELLS. *BF THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MADE A LOUD CLICKING NOISE WHEN IT WAS STOPPED. THE SOUND IN THE REAR WAS ESPECIALLY NOTICED WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, SPEED BUMPS AND WHEN MAKING TURNS. *SC

NHTSA complaint #10108856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Dodge Stratus at 100 miles Belfast, NY

WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

WHEEL LUGS BREAKING OFF WHILE TIGHTING WITH A TORQUE WRENCH

NHTSA complaint #10102818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Dodge Stratus problems