1998 Dodge Stratus complaints

THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLOOR SHIFTER/PARK INTERLOCK: NHTSA CAMPAIGN 04V021000. THE INTERLOCK KNOB FAILED TO MOVE AND PREVENTED THE KEY FROM BEING REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION AND THE FLOOR SHIFTER. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *JB

RE FAULTY HEAD GASKET ON 1998 CHRYSLER DODGE STRATUS. *BF THE FAULTY HEAD GASKET CAUSED OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PUT AT LEAST 1 QUART EVERY OTHER DAY AND EVEN THEN THE OIL BARELY REGISTER ON THE DIPSTICK. *NM

BRAKES, OUTER TIE ROD, BRAKE CALIPERS, ENGINE OIL INNER SEAL. BRAKE PADS, SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS 20 TIMES EVERY 3 MONTHS AND THE BRAKE CALIBER ON THE RIGHT REAR THIS WILL MAKE THE 9TH TIME I AM RUNNING OUT OF MONEY ON THIS CAR THE FRONT BRAKES AND HUBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES HAVE ALL MY RECEIPTS AND CAN PROVE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE ON MY CAR COST OF OIL LEAK REPAIR WAS OVER $800.00 DOLLARS AND GUESS WHAT I WILL HAVE THE CAR PAID FOR THIS MONTH AND I AM STILL WORKING ON THE WHEELS AND BRAKES I NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS CAR AND THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM WILL NOT RESPOND TO MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BRAKES, AND THE ENGINE PROBLEMS I AM HAVING. *AK

BRAKES FAILED TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 70 MPH. CONSUMER CONTINUED DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL HE SMELLED RUBBER BURNING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF. VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED BACK ON. IGNITION WAS THEN TURNED BACK OFF, AND VEHICLE COASTED TO THE MEDIAN. WHEN VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK BEFORE RESTARTING. CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED, AND THE FAILURE HAD CORRECTED ITSELF. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED, THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK ...*AK

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. PRIOR TO THE COLLISION THE BRAKES FAILED, AND CONSUMER JUMPED A CURB, CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND THAT STOPPED THE VEHICLE.*AK THE VEHICLE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL WRECK BY MET LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. *TC

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OVERHEATED. CONSUMER HAD TO STOP TO CONSTANTLY ADD COOLANT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE. DEALER FOUND THAT THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. OIL HAD SPRAYED FROM THE FRONT END TO THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD WHILE PARKED AND STRUCK A HOUSE. THERE WAS NO KEY IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED THE CLAIM. RECALL O4V021000 WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK A RECALL NOTICED WAS RECEIVED A WEEK LATER FOR THE PARK INTERLOCK . *NM

MY 1998 DODAGE STRATUS LEAKS OIL TO THE TUNE OF AT LEAST 1 QT EVERY OTHER DAY. I HAVE TO KEEP A CASE OF OIL IN MY TRUNK TO KEEP UP WITH THE LEAK. AND THEN IT STILL BARELY REGISTERS ON THE DIP STICK. I HAVE A LARGE OIL STAIN IN THE GRASS OF MY DRIVEWAY. I WAS TOLD THE LEAK WAS DUE TO A FAULTY HEAD GASKET. IT HASN'T BLOWN (YET) BUT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE REST OF THE CAR FALLS TO PIECES. I EMAILED A COMPLAINT TO DAIMLERCHRYSLER AND I GOT A "WE ARE SORRY FOR YOUR DISSATISFACTION". THAT WAS IT. I HAVE READ ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS AND I WAS JUST WONDERING WHERE THE RESPONSES TO THEM ARE? HAS ANYONE GOTTEN ANYWHERE WITH THIS ISSUE? *AK

THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT VEHICLE BEING IN PARK. ALSO, SHIFTS GEARS WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK.*AK

HERBEE MOTORS 130 SUNRISE HIGHWAY WEST ISLIP N.Y. 11795 AUGUST 15, 2004. *JB ATTN. SERVICE MANGER, THE PREVENTATIVE RECALL WORK DONE ON MY 1998 DODGE STRATUS IS UNSAFE AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. PLEASE SEE SERVICE HISTORY FOR AUG. 12 AND AUG. 13, 2004 AND REFER TO YOUR INVOICE DOCS27685 DATED 8/13/04 VIN [XXX] FOR RECALL C45 FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION PARK INTERLOCK. I PICKED UP MY CAR FRIDAY EVENING AUG 13. AFTER PARKING MY CAR (PLACING THE SHIFT IN THE PARK POSITION WITH THE HAND BRAKE ON) I WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. I DROVE BACK TO HERBEE MOTORS AND SAW YOUR MANAGER CHARLIE WHO ASSISTED ME. AT FIRST HE WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY WITH THE CAR SHIFT IN THE PARKED POSITION. THEN AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS HE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY AND ADVISED ME TO BRING THE CAR BACK ON MONDAY FOR SERVICE. I STARTED MY CAR AND SHUT IT OFF AND WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY WITH NO EFFORT (LIKE NORMAL) BUT THE DASH PARKING LIGHT AND ODOMETER LIGHT WERE STILL ON. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN ALL THE WAY TO THE PARKED POSITION BUT WAS ABLE TO BE REMOVED. I SAW CHARLIE WHO VERIFIED THAT THE KEY WAS EASILY REMOVED BUT NOT GOING INTO THE LOCKED PARK POSITION. THE PROBLEM OF KEY REMOVAL APPEARS TO BE INTERMITTENT. AFTER ATTEMPTS, AGAIN HE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY IN THE PROPER POSITION. HE THOUGHT THE HAND BRAKE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE KEY REMOVAL AND ADVISED NOT TO USE THE HAND BRAKE. THIS AFTERNOON AFTER RETURNING FROM SHOPPING I PARKED MY CAR ON MY DRIVEWAY AND THOUGHT I HAD PLAC

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY IT ROLLED BACKWARD AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. THEN, CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL 04V021000 CONCERNING IGNITION INTERLOCK. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE A COLLSION OCCURRED AND THE PROBLEM HAD NORT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK

MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. AND COOLANT SPILLED INSIDE THE ENGINE AND THE OVERFLOW. *AK

THE IGNITION KEY WAS STUCK IN THE "ON POSITION" AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. *AK *SC *JB

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S HEAD GASKET. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THIS PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *SC

ENGINE HEADGASKET FAILURE. I HAVE A 1998 DODGE STRATUS WITH A 2.4L AND A YEAR AGO WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY ENGINE HAD A VERY SIGNIFICANT OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE HEAD GASKET. THE CAR HAS 75000 MILES. I CONTACTED DODGE RECALL CENTER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED FOR REPAIR QUOTES AND IT CAN RANGE FROM 600 TO 800 DOLLARS TO REPAIR. *AK

WHILE TURNING A CORNER AT 10 MPH CONSUMER FELT THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED SEVERELY. CONSUMER MADE ANOTHER TURN, AND THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED AGAIN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT PROCEED ANY FURTHER, AND CONSUMER CALLED A TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE, WERE THE CONSUMER LEARNED THAT THE LEFT TIE ROD BROKE.*AK

CONSUMER HAD THE OIL CHANGED IN THE VEHICLE, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE HEAD BLEW A GASKET. MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE, BUT NO RECALL WAS ANTICIPATED FOR THAT PART. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE HEAD GASKET LEAKED OIL. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY MANY MECHANICS THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED. THE CONSUMER FEELS THE PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. *NM

HEAD GASKET LEAKING, MILLAGE 69310,TOTAL COST $1003. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BALL JOINT PROBLEM. WHEN TURNING CORNERS HEARD A POPPING SOUND ON DRIVER SIDE. THIS ACTION OCCURRED AT ALL SPEEDS. *AK *NM

HEAD GASKET LEAKS OIL AT ABOUT 70,000 TO 80,000 MILES AND CAUSES EXTREME FIRE HAZARD ALL OVER ENGINE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES, ON AND OFF, INTERMITTENTLY ON THE DASHBOARD. THE DRIVER NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT A SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WORN PART. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

MY DODGE STRATUS 98 HAS A MAJOR OIL LEAK FROM THE HEAD GASKET WHICH CAN BLOW MY ENGINE - ACCORDING TO MY FRIEND WHO IS A MECHANIC. HE SAYS THAT MOST OF THESE MODELS HAVE THIS PROBLEM BUT THERE WAS RECALL ONLY FOR 95-96 MODELS. IS THERE ANYTHING ON PROCESS TO EXTEND THE RECALL??? THE CAR IS WORTH $2,600 AND THE REPAIR WILL COST ME $2,000.*AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKING OIL 1998 DODGE STRATUS 2.4 ENGINE WITH ONLY 41,000 MILES. FIRE HAZARD.N *AK

MY 1998 DODGE STRATUS IS LEAKING OIL TO THE TUNE OF 2 QUARTS EVERY 7-10 DAYS. 2 MECHANICS HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND BOTH FEEL IT IS AT THE VERY LEAST A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET AND POSSIBLE REAR SEAL? BOTH HAVE TOLD ME IT WILL NEED ABOUT $20 IN PARTS BUT COST IN EXCESS OF $800 TO FIX. I FEEL THIS IS RIDICULOUS. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME NOW AND THOUGH IT STARTED SLOW AT FIRST, IT HAS NOW BECOME A REAL SAFETY CONCERN. AFTER RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FIND THAT THIS IS REALLY A COMMON PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER EVEN REDESIGNED THE HEAD GASKET BECAUSE OF IT BUT HAS OFFERED NO RECALL OR ASSISTANCE TO THE OWNERS THAT BOUGHT THE CARS ON GOOD FAITH. PLEASE ADVISE AS TO WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO. *JB

1998 DODGE STRATUS FAULTY HEAD GASKET. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, BOTH FRONTAL RIMS CRACKED. THIS CAUSED WHEEL TO CAVE IN. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THERE WAS NO DETERMINATION TO FIX THE RIM. *AK

SINCE JULY 2003, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE LEFT AND RIGHT TIE RODS AND RIGHT WHEEL BEARING. 7/2003-LEFT TIE ROD, 8/2003 RIGHT WHEEL BEARING, 1/2004 RIGHT TIE ROD. *JB

I JUST BOUGHT A 98 STRATUS WITH 36000 MILES. THE FIRST DAY THE WEATHER TURNED COLD AND I STARTED IT, A HUGE OIL LEAK DEVELOPED. THE HEAD GASKET IS OUT. WHERE CAN I SIGN UP FOR THE CLASS ACTION SUIT? *JB

SLOW OIL LEAK, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO TURN ON LOW OIL INDACATOR ON THE DASH BOARD. I EVENTUALLY PUT A QUART OF OIL IN THE ENGINE.THEN I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND FOUND OUT THAT I HAD A CRACKED HEAD GASKET.I WAS VERY ANGRY WHEN I HAD FOUND THAT OUT ESPECIALLY WITH ONLY 53,465 MILES ON THE CAR!!!!!

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT AIR. AS A RESULT, DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE FACIAL INJURIES. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED OIL STAINS ON DRIVEWAY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE MANUFACTURER HE INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING. *AK

CAR CRACH

1998 DODGE STRATUS 2.4L ENGINE AUTOMATIC 1. THE ENGINE IS SEVERLY LEAKING OIL. TWO MECHANICS HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND BOTH SAID IT NEEDS A NEW HEAD GASKET. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 76,000 MILES ON IT. UPON RESEARCH, THIS IS A RAMPANT PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS. THEY HAVE CHANGED THE GASKET TYPE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM! 2. TRUNK LATCH SEEMS TO HAVE A STICKING PROBLEM. THIS TOO SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. *LA

WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY UPPER AND LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE BALL JOINTS BROKE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK

I'VE STARTED EXPERIENCING BOTH HEAD GASKET LEAKS AS WELL AS AIR CONDITION ISSUES. I HAVE PAID OUT OVER $2,500 COMBINED OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS. NOW, I READ THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE THAT HAS A 1998 DODGE STRATUS.*AK

ENGINE HEAD CASKET IS BLOWN, CAUSING MAJOR OIL LEAKAGE. *NLM

I HAVE A 2.4 LITER 4-CYLINDER DODGE STRATUS THAT HAS 49,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS DEVELOPED A HEAD GASKET LEAK. I'VE OBTAINED SEVERAL ESTIMATES RANGING FROM $700-$950 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. DAIMLER CHRYSLER WILL NOT ISSUE ANY TYPE OF RECALL FOR THIS CAR OR MANY OTHER MODELS LIKE THE BREEZE, NEON, AVENGER AND CIRRUS. THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN FOR SOME TIME YET THEY REFUSE TO COVER THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY NOR HAVE THEY ATTEMPTED TO REDESIGN THESE ENGINES SO THE HEAD GASKETS DON'T LEAK. WHEN YOU PUT AN ALUMINUM HEAD ON A CAST-IRON BLOCK, THERE WILL BE LEAKS. THE TWO DIFFERENT METALS HAVE TOO MANY DIFFERENCES IN HOW THEY REACT TO TEMPERATURE CHANGES. AS LONG AS THESE METALS ARE PAIRED TOGETHER (AND THE UNSUSPECTING PUBLIC KEEPS BUYING THIS ILL-THOUGHT-OUT DESIGN) THERE WILL BE LEAKS. *JB

ENGINE HEAD CASKET BLEW OUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL LEAKING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

"THE FAMOUS HEAD GASKET FAILURE THAT NOBODY WANTS TO TOUCH". YES, I HAVE A 98 DODGE STRATUS THAT IS LEAKING AT THE HEAD GASKET. I HAD TO BUY ONE OF THOSE FLAT PANS TO CATCH THE OIL IN WHILE THE CAR IS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. MY 2 YEAR OLD GOT OUT THERE THE OTHER DAY AND DECIDED TO PLAY IN THE USED OIL. IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE? HAVING TO KEEP A PAN OF DIRTY OIL UNDER A CAR? I DRAIN IT ONCE A WEEK AND GET AT LEAST 1 QUART. (AND HAVE TO PAY TO DISPOSE OF IT) COME ON HERE! SO, ON TOP OF THE FIRE HAZARD (HOT OIL ON A HOT CATALYST), NOW WE HAVE POISONING ISSUES WITH OUR CHILDREN. IS ANYBODY GOING TO HELP US, OR SHOULD WE JUST START THE WHOLE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT? I AM SURE THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE HERE TO BACK ME UP ON THIS. ACCORDING TO ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS HERE, DODGE ALREADY KNOWS ABOUT IT AND MADE A STRONGER GASKET TO REPLACE IT WITH. *NLM

THE FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVER SIDE, SLID FORWARD AND BECAME TANGLED IN THE STEERING UNIVERSAL JOINT. THIS CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE HARD TO TURN. *JB

THE VEHICLE LOST OIL, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WHEN APPLIED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE TUBE AND CLAMP. *JB

I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY 2 MECHANICS THAT I HAVE A HEAD GASKET LEAK. MY CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AND HAS 37,250 MILES. THE REPAIR COST IS 7-8 HUNDRED DOLLARS. I AM RETIRED, ON A FIXED INCOME AND FEEL CHRYSLER CORPORATION SHOULD REPAIR THIS DEFECT.*JB

OIL LEAK IN MY 1998 DODGE STRATUS AFTER ONLY 35,000 MILES. *JB

THE VEHICLES HEAD GASKET FAILED AND THE MANIFOLD CRACKED. *NLM *NLM

HEAD GASKET LEAK

1998 STRATUS, 78000 MILES, LEAKS OIL BADLY. STARTED ABOUT 76000 AND HAS WORSENED. HOPE THIS CAN'T CATCH ON FIRE. *JB

NAR 03/17/2003 THE HEAD GASKET WERE DEFECTIVE AND LEAKED PREMATURELY IN THE 1998 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT HE BE REIMBURSED FOR THE ATTEMPT TO REPAIR DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS IN THE AMOUNT OF $ 300.00 FROM THE DEALER. *CB *JB

AT 78,000 MILE DELEVOPED A BAD OIL LEAK, DON'T KNOW IF IT CAN CATCH ON FIRE. IT SURE SMELLS BAD. *NLM

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED.JB