1998 Dodge Stratus complaints

IMPRESSED WITH THE SPORTY STYLE OF MY SISTER'S 4-DOOR DODGE STRATUS, I PURCHASED ONE FOR MY WIFE IN 1998 (A 1998 DODGE STRATUS). IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE MY SISTER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HER CAR. I BLAMED HER AND TOLD HER THAT SHE WAS TOO ROUGH ON HER CAR (SHE HAS A LEAD FOOT). MY WIFE AND I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF OUR CARS AND I WAS CONFIDENT WE WOULD NOT RUN INTO THE SAME PROBLEMS. WELL, RECENTLY I NOTICED THE PRESENCE OF A SMALL OIL-PUDDLE WERE MY WIFE KEEPS HER CAR. I LEARNED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. I'VE YET TO HAVE THIS DONE BUT WAS QUOTED AND ESTIMATE OF $700-750. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE STRATUS. SO COMMON THAT HE PREDICTED THE DIAGNOSIS BEFORE EVER LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD. MY STRATUS ONLY HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT. ITS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND DRIVEN WITH CARE. TURNS OUT, MY SISTER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM (HEAD GASKET FAILURE) AT/NEAR 65,000 MILES. IN TYPING THE WORDS "DODGE STRATUS HEAD GASKET" IN AN INTERNET SEARCH MANY ARTICLES, COMPLAINTS, AND REVIEWS NOTED THIS ALL-TO COMMON PROBLEM. I ALSO LEARNED MANY OF THOSE WHO HAVE HAD THIS FAILURE RECEIVED ZERO TO LITTLE COMPENSATION/COMPASSION FROM THE MANUFACTUER FOR THE OBVIOUS DEFECT. IT APPAERS DODGE HAS IDENTIFIED THIS PROBLEM AND HAS RE-DESIGNED THE GASKET MULTIPLE TIMES. TWO SEPERATE MECHANICS INFORMED ME THAT I CAN HAVE THE GASKET REPLACED BUT I SHOULD EXPECT THE PROBLEM TO HAPPEN AGAIN SOON AFTER. THIS DOESN'T SEEM FAIR. I UNDERSTAND DEFECTS OCCUR BUT

THE ENGINE/HEAD GASKET HAD AN OIL LEAK. SCC *JB

1998 DODGE STRATUS HEAD GASKET CRACKED I HAVE 48 THOUSAND MILES ON THE CAR OIL LEAKING INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM CALLED CHRYSLER THEY WERE NO HELP AT ALL THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE DODGE STRATUSTHIS IS GOING TO COST ME BETWEEN EIGHT AND NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS.I FEEL THE COMPANY SHOULD MAKE GOOD OF THIS PROBLEMI ALSO UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST THEM. HOPE THERE IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM.I HONESTLY DON'T FEEL THIS TYPE OF REPAIR SHOULD HAVE TO BE DONE AT 48 THOUSAND MILES

ENGINE SERPENTINE BELT WAS FRAYED.*AK

ENGINE SERPENTINE BELT FAILURE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING OIL TO LEAK. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

ACCIDENT OCCURRED AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN. OIL IN THE COOLANT. ALL HOSES AND RADIATOR CAP HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. 62000

WHILE DRIVING HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT, CAUSING AN OIL LEAK. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN THEY WAS HIT IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIES. TS

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE STRATUS AND LIKE MANY OTHERS THE HEAD GASKET NEEDS REPLACING. I WAS TOLD ABOUT THIS IN JULY 2002. I WAS TOLD BY SERVICE THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THAT CHRYSLER WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE EXPENSE OF THE REPAIR AND IT WOULD ONLY COST ME $200. AT THE TIME I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR. ALSO, THE LEAK WAS NOT THAT BAD. I WAS LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE $200 WOULD BE THE COST WHEN I HAD THE REPAIR WORK DONE. WHEN I CALLED TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT JAN 20, 2003 BECAUSE THE LEAK WAS STARTING TO GET WORSE, I ASKED THE SERVICE PERSON IF THIS $200 COST WAS STILL IN EFFECT. HE SAID HE CHECKED ON IT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS. AFTER I DROPPED OFF THE CAR, I GOT A CALL LATER IN THE MORNING TELLING ME IT WOULD COST ME FULL PRICE. MY ISSUE IS THAT SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THE 98 STRATUS WHY HASN'T CHRYSLER (DODGE) BEEN MADE TO ISSUE A RECALL. THE REALIZED THE PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET BECAUSE THEY CHANGED THE HEADGASKET PART APPROXIMATELY NOV 1998 IN PRODUCTION AND REPLACEMENTS.

AT APPROX 60,000 MILES MY 1998 DODGE STRATUS, DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK AT THE HEAD GASKET, A CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD, A TIMING BELT TENSIONER AND COVER THAT HAVE FAILED, A LEAKING WATER PUMP THAT NEEDS REPLACING. MY MECHANIC ESTIMATES $2150.00 TO REPLACE AND REPAIR ALL THESE ITEMS. TO TOP THIS OFF MY MECHANIC TELLS ME THAT IT WILL TAKE 2 TO 3 WEEKS TO GET THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER AND COVER BECAUSE THERE'S A BIG BACK ORDER ON THESE ITEMS. MEANWHILE I'M WITHOUT A CAR! BY REVEIWING THE COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB, I SEE THAT THIS VEHICLE'S HEAD GASKET WAS REDESIGNED BY CHRYSLER SINCE 1998, ALSO THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAS BEEN REDESIGNED. THE CAR HAS BEEN GREAT UP TO THIS POINT. HOWEVER I FEEL, ALL THESE RECENT PROBLEMS ARE CLEARLY PRE-MATURE ESPECIALLY SINCE CHRYSLER HAS HAD TO REDESIGN THE HEAD GASKET AND TENSIONER IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE ITEMS. SHOULD THERE NOT BE A RECALL ON THE 1998 DODGE STRATUS FOR ALL THESE BREAKDOWNS? DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE ON THIS? COULD YOU PLEASE HELP OUT. THANK YOU.

TIMING BELT TENSIONER BROKE WHILE DRIVING FULL SPEED ON THE FREEWAY. THE ENGINE STALLED AND I WAS LUCKY TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. NOW THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE SHOP FOR TWO WEEKS AND DODGE STATES THE PARTS ARE NOT IN PRODUCTION AND UNAVAILABLE UNTIL A LATER UNKNOWN DATE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE PART IS BEING REMANUFACTURED TO ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THE NEW PART HASN'T BEEN PRODUCED YET. THERE IS NOT A DATE SET FOR WHEN THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. DODGE OBVIOUSLY KNEW THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE OR THEY WOULD NOT HAVE IMPROVED IT FOR REPLACEMENT. WHY WAS MY SAFETY PUT AT RISK FOR A PART THEY KNEW WAS A PROBLEM?

MASSIVE OIL LEAK FROM HEAD GASKET THERE IS A CONSISTANT PROBLEM WITH THE 98 (AND OTHER YEARS) DODGE STRATUS ENGINES. THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL MASSIVELY. WHE YOU ARE DRIVING IT SPLATTERS DOWN THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR, LANDING ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, THE EXHAUST PIPES AND MUFFLER. I HAVE NO FIRES OF YET, BUT WE HAVE RESTRICTED USE TO SHORT TRIPS. HERE IS A LINK TO A MESSAGE BAORD WITH SIMILAR PEOPLE WITH PROBLEMS. HTTP://WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS/LIVE/CHRYSLER/8.HTML

HEAD GASKET HAS BUSTED. IT'S LEAKING FUEL ALL OVER THE EXHAUST. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO SAID IT COULD START A FIRE. HE SAID IT WOULD COST ABOUT $800 TO FIX. IT REQUIRES ME TO PUT A QUART OF OIL IN IT WEEKLY.

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKETS. ALSO STATED THAT HAS BEEN ON OUR WEB SITE WHERE THERE IS MORE THEN 40 COMPLAINTS.DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS PHONE CALL. MR

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE STRATUS WITH A 2.4L 4 CYLINDER ENGINE WITH 86,000+ MILES THAT HAS RECENTLY DEVELOPED A HEAD GASKET OIL LEAK. I AM AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND THE ASSOCIATED TSB(09-05-98). WHEN I NOTICED THE LEAK, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER IN TOWN AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REGIONAL OFFICE DENIED MY REQUEST FOR PAYMENT OF THE REPAIR. I DID NOT HAVE THE REPAIR DONE, BUT GOT AN ESTIMATE FOR $800. NEXT, I CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE IN DETROIT, MI.(1-800-992-1997). I WAS TOLD POLITELY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HELP ME BUT THAT MY CAR WAS TOO FAR OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THIS PROBLEM. I ASKED WHY SOME PEOPLE RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WHILE OTHERS DID NOT, AND WAS TOLD THAT "THIS OFFICE WOULD NOT HAVE AUTHORIZED THOSE PAYMENTS". I ASKED FOR A NUMBER OR ADDRESS TO MAKE AN APPEAL TO THIS DECISION AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD ALREADY MADE THE FINAL DECISION, THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE TO APPEAL TO, AND THE DECISION WOULD NOT BE OVERTURNED.

WHEN CHECKING THE OIL, CONSUMER STATES THE OIL READING KEPT DECREASING RAPIDLY. CONSUMER TOOK TO DODGE, DODGE SAYS THE GASKET IS TOO THIN AND IS CAUSING A LEAK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

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

PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THIS SUBJECT. DT

CAR BEGAN LEAKING OIL, BUT HAS GOTTEN REALLY BAD IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND IT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A FAULTY HEAD GASKET. APPARENTLY A COMMON AND WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE YEAR CAR. DT

HEAD GASKET FAILURE INTERNET REVEALS WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEM. CALLED CHRYSLER THEY SAID INDIVIDUAL DEALERS WOULD HANDLE PROBLEM ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. REPUTABLE DEALER ALSO AAA OFFERED TO REPAIR AS GOOD WILL FOR $378. I HOPE SOMEONE ELSE BENEFITS FROM MY EXPERIENCE. WHAT IS THE CORRECT THING FOR A MANUFACTURER TO DO WHEN IT APPEARS EVERY SINGLE ENGINE WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL BEFORE THE EXPECTED LIFE OF THE PART? CAN THE GOV'T HELP US? DT

STARTED WITH AN OIL LEAK THAT REQUIRED ABOUT A QUART OF OIL PER TANK OF GAS. THIS SUDDENLY GOT MUCH WORSE, ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO. CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND ALSO HAD NO HEAT INSIDE. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS A THERMOSTAT AND I PURCHASED ONE AND WENT TO REPLACE IT, ONLY TO FIND THE COOLANT LOOKING LIKE CHOCOLATE MILK. SEEMS TO BE A CLEAR INDICATION OF A RUPTURED HEAD GASKET. ENGINE WILL STILL RUN AND THERE SEEMS TO BE NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, ONLY THAT THE OILS IS BLOWING INTO THE WATER. WITH NO HEAT ON THE INSIDE, I WOULD HOPE THAT A HEATING/COOLANT SYSTEM FLUSH WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT. DT

OIL LEAK UNDER ENGINE HEAD, CAUSING SMOKE TO COME INTO CAR.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND OIL STAINS UNDER VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND INDICATED THAT HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AKCONSUMER SPOKE TO A DODGE REPRESENTATIVE WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *JG

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING STEERING BOLTS ARE LOOSE, AND IT IS CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO JUMP AROUND, MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO STEER VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AND GAVE ME A QUOTE OF $800 TO REPLACE HEAD GASKET. I TOLD THE DEALER THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS SURROUNDING THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. I DID NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ALL OF THE EXPENSE.*AK

HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED ORIGINALLY IN NOV 00 AND WAS REPLACED 3 ADDITIONAL TIMES WITHIN THE NEXT 6-8 MONTH PERIOD. I NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN EARLIERS THIS YEAR AND AM PREPARING TO TAKE IT IN FOR THE 5TH TIME.*AK

MY HEAD GASKET HASN'T TOTALLY BLOWN YET BUT MY CAR IS GOING THROUGH A QUART OF OIL A WEEK. I'VE HAD THE GASKET COVER REPLACED AND NEW SPARK PLUG WIRES INSTALLED. OIL STILL COMING OUT . I TAKE CARE OF MY CAR BUT NOT THROUGH THE DEALER. I HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS AT 16000 MILES. ALBANY DODGE SAID THAT THEY COULD RESURFACE THEM FOR $90 A PIECE. I BELIEVE THE ROTORS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MESSED UP AT THAT TIME.*AK

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON FEB. 16 1998/1999??. AND MY CAR WAS ALMOST TOTALLED. THE COLLISION REPAIR SHOP WAS SUPPOSED TO REPLACE ALL OF THE BAD PARTS TOTALLING SOMEWHERE A LITTLE OVER 9,000$ . EVERY TIME I WOULD GO TO PICK UP MY CAR THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT. FINALLY AFTER LIKE 5 TRIPS TO THE REPAIR SHOP I TOOK IT HOME. A WHILE LATER I HAD TAKEN IT IN TO BE WORKED ON THE SIDE THE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO IT. THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT TOUCH IT BECAUSE IT WAS A HAZARDOUS SITUATION AND THE CAR SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ON THE ROAD. WELL COME TO FIND OUT THE DAMAGE WAS NEVER REPLACED BUT BUFFED AND COATED WITH BONDO. THE COLLISION SHOP ENDED UP PAYING FOR IT TO GET FIXED BUT STATE FARM SAID HE WAS GUILTY OF INSURANCE FRAUD AND I WOULD LIKE THIS INVESTIGATED. IF HE HAS DONE IT TO ME HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAS HE DONE IT TO. NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT EVERYONE INCLUDING MY 7 YEAR OLD NEPHEW, WAS IN DANGER EVERY TIME WE WOULD GET IN MY CAR. THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD BUCKLE UNDER THE LIGHTEST OF HITS. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME REGARDING THIS MATTER. THE COLLISION SHOP IS CALLED EXPERT COLLISION ON 14 MILE & DEQUINDRE/ JOHN R.*AK

MARCH 2002 NOTICED OIL LEAKAGE. HAD IT CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACED. THE CAR DIDN'T HAVE EVEN 60000 MILES ON IT. SECONDLY, THE CAR STARTING JUST THIS SUMMER HAS STALLED ON NUMEROUS OCCASION. THE TEMPERATURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOVE 90 DEGREES AND THE AIR CONDITIONING HAS BEEN RUNNING ON HIGH. IT STALLS ONLY WHEN I'M AT A STOP OR IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC TRYING TO SHIFT FROM FIRST. I HAVE A STANDARD, THE CLUTCH DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT IS SLIPPING, AND I'M SURE IT'S NOT USER ERROR. THIS JUST STARTED STALLING THIS SUMMER. I'VE HAD IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. BUT IT STALLS CONSISTENTLY WHEN THE TEMP. REACHES ABOVE 90 DEGREES.*AK

BRAKES WENT OUT, AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WHILE DRIVING. THISCOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

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

REAR SEATBELT WILL NOT BUCKLE,CAUSING IT TO BE USELESS IN EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH. CAUSE UNKNOWN.DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER STATE THAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE NY STATE FOR ABOUT 2 1/2 HOURS, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET AT 65 MPH, AS CONSUMER WAS PULLING INTO A PASSING LANE WITHOUT ACCELERATING TO PASS A SLOWER VEHICLE, THE SPEED JUMPED TO 80 MPH VERY RAPIDLY, CONSUMER THEN HIT THE ACCELERATOR TWO OR THREE TIMES WITHOUT ANY RESULTS THEN TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE SLOWED DOWN BACK TO NORMAL. *MJ

HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL DUE TO FAULTY GASKET. *AK

HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT 71000 MILES, HOWEVER IT NOW IS LEAKING AGAIN AT 107000 MILES. I HAVE HAD SO MANY MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS STRATUS, SUCH AS FAILED BRAKE LINE, AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, CONTINUAL MISFIRE ON THE ENGINE WHEN THE AC IS TURNED ON AND REQUIRES A DOWNSHIFT, FAILED RACK AND PINION SYSTEM, LEAKING CAM POSITION SENSOR, FAILED TIE ROD ENDS, LEAKING OIL PAN, CONTINUAL OIL LEAKS AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS BY DEALERSHIP TO STOP LEAKS, ETC.*AK

HEAD GASKET LEAKED OIL AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO CAR. THERE WAS SUDDENLY A BIG OIL PUDDLE UNDER VEHICLE WHICH IS ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD. IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT (HEAD GASKET WAS REDESIGNED BY CHRYSLER SINCE 98) BUT THEY REFUSE TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION FOR REPAIR.*JB

VEHICLE WAS LOSING OIL WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND A DEALER. BOTH INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

DEALERSHIP REPLACED SENSOR INSIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE IN PARK ON AN INCLINE WITH ENGINE TURNED OFF GEAR JUMPED INTO REVERSE, AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO ANOTHER CAR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

FRONT IMPACT COLLISION AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT CAUGHT ON FIRE, IMPACT OF THE AIRBAG CAUSED BODILY INJURIES TO DRIVER.*AK

A SIGNIFICANT OIL LEAK DEVELOPED BECAUSE OF A FAILED HEAD GASKET IN 10/2000. MILEAGE AT TIME OF FAILURE AROUND 42,000. REPLACEMENT GASKET (DODGE REPLACEMENT AS PER SERVICE BULLETIN # 09-08-99 INSTALLED BY DODGE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS) FAILED IN 3/2002 AFTER 21,000 MILES. *AK

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH SHUTTING THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE DOOR LATCHES WERE COMING UNDONE, DEALER REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *TT

MY DODGE STRATUS/98 HAS RECENTLY BEGAN GIVING ME A LOAD OF PROBLEMS.IT ALL BEGAN SUMMER 2001 WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR NOT BEING ABLE TOO CLOSE.I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING WAS WRONG UNTILL I ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUOUSLY CLOSE MY DOOR AND IT WOULD NOT SHUT.SO I LOOKED CAREFULLY AND THE LATCH THAT LOCKS THE DOOR IN PLACE WAS COMMING UNDONE.I THAN TRIED TO MAKE THE DOOR SHUT BUT THE PROBLEM WAS GREATER THAN THAT.THE SCREW WAS GONE AND THE SECOND WAS ALMOST OUT OF TACT.THE LABOR AND SCREW REPLACEMENT ALONG WITH THE TOWE COST ME AROUND $60.00.THAN LUCK WOULD HAVE IT THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURED AGAIN ON THE LEFT-HAND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WITH LABOR AND PARTS COSTING $30.00.THE PROBLEM WITH MY ENGINE BEGAN IN NOVEMBER, I HAD NOTICED THAT MY CAR OIL AND ENGINE WARNING HAD APPEARED SO I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC HAD OIL-FILTERS,AIR-CONDITION FLUID,WATER,& ENGINE ALL CHECKED AND REPAIRED.THE MECHANIC TOLD ME ALL I NEEDED AND $360.00 WAS WELL INVESTED.I THOUGHT ALL WAS FINE BUT THE SERVICE SIGNAL FOR OIL AND SOMETIMES ENGINE WERE CONSTANTLY APPEARING. I TOOK MY CAR BACK AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED MORE OIL AND WHEN DID I LAST HAVE MY CAR CHECKED,I ADVISED HIM THAT IT WAS NOT LONG AGO HE THAN EMPHASIZED THAT I WAS LUCKY MY CAR HAD NOT LOCKED.THE NEXT WEEK THE SAME THING BUT ANOTHER MECHANIC.HE TOLD ME MY OIL WAS LEAKING HE COULD NOT DETERMINE FROM WHERE SO HE RECOMMENDED I CHANGE MY OIL-FILTERS,OIL BRAND AND PUT CAR ON MACHINE DIALIYSIS.HE DID ALL THIS TOTALING $73.00.YET A WEEK LATE

THEY WANT ME TO PAY $900 FOR A DEFECT THAT OCCURRED TO THE 1995 MODEL. NLM

THE BRAKES FAIL EVERY 6~11 MONTHS / 6000~11000 MILES, HAVE REPLACED CALIPERS, PADS, ROTORS, DRUMS, SHOES, WHEEL CYLINDERS MULTIPLE TIMES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING STEPPED ON BRAKES AND PEDAL GOT STIFF, RESULTING IN VEHICLE COASTING AND NOT SLOWING DOWN OR COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER HAS CHECKED VEHICLE, AND FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH CONSUMER'S CONCERN.*AKCONSUMER TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR THE INSPECTION OF BRAKES BECAUSE OF HARD BRAKE PEDAL, LIMITED BRAKE USE AND PEDAL MOVEMENT. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER, BUT WAS NOT SURE IF THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. *JG

I HAVE CONTACT CHRYSLER AND TOLD THEM AND THEY ARE UNRESPONSIVE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK