TroubleCAR
82
Trouble

1999 Dodge Stratus

Complaints: 251Avg mileage: 94,957 miSince: Feb 1999
2 deathsCrashFire18 injured

Problem Areas

Hydraulic Power Assist: Hose, Piping, and Connections
29
Engine and Engine Cooling:Engine
25
Electrical System
20
Engine: Gasoline
13
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
13
Steering
13
Unknown or Other
12
Disc: Pads
12
Disc: Rotor
10
Air Bags:Frontal
8

Complaints Over Time

Recent Complaints

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
70,000 miJun 22, 2004SALLISAW, OK
2 deathsCrashFire

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE BOTH KILLED, AND VEHICLE BURNED. *AK ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT SEATBELT USAGE WAS NOT DETERMINED. MOST LIKELY THE DRIVER WAS NOT BELTED BECAUSE HE WAS PULLED FROM THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FIRE. IMPACT SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH. CW

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Mar 7, 2011STOW, OH
Crash1 injured

1999 DODGE STRATUS, UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING WESTBOUND IN THE RIGHT LANE. UNIT 2 WAS DISABLED ON THE RIGHT BERM WESTBOUND. UNIT 3 WAS ENTERING 180 FROM THE WESTBOUND ACCELERATION RAMP AT INTERCHANGE 180. UNIT 3 FAILED TO YIELD ENTERING I80. UNIT 1 REAR TRAILER DUELS WERE STRUCK BY UNIT 3 IN THE RIGHT LANE. UNIT 3 SEPARATED FROM THE TRAILER OF UNIT 1, RAN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND STRUCK UNIT 2. *BF UNIT # 3 FAILED TO YIELD WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLISION. OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT (10-0041-91) *JB UPDATED 03/21/11 *BF

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Jan 6, 2007KANSAS CITY, KS
Crash1 injured

ON TWO SEPARATE CRASHES CAR CAME OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. FIRST TIME BROKE MIRROR OFF OF DRIVERS DOOR, THOUGHT MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE IT ALL THE WAY IN PARK UNTIL ONE WEEK LATER CAR WAS IN PARK GOT OUT WHILE CAR WAS RUNNING WITH TWO PASSENGERS INSIDE AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES WITH ME STANDING IN THE DOOR CAR KICKED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE RUNNING ME DOWN. DOOR GOT STUCK IN DIRT AND BEND BACKWARDS CRUSHING THE FENDER. CALLED ONE DODGE DEALER AND THEY DENIED THERE BEING A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION AND WAS TOLD IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR CAR TO KICK OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. CALLED A SECOND DEALER AND WAS TOLD YES THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL AND HE LOOKED UP MY VIN # AND SAID MY CAR HAD BEEN REPAIRED. MY HUSBAND SAID THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO TAKE CAR OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN AND UNLOCKED. CAR CAN ALSO BE BUMPED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. *JB

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
Mar 21, 2005CANTON, OH
Crash1 injured

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH DRIVER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. UPON IMPACT THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
83,000 miJul 16, 2004MESQUITE, TX
Crash1 injured

I HAVE HAD MY DODGE STRATUS ES FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AND THE BACK SAFETY SHOULDER HARNESS HAS QUIT WORKING NOW 2 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME I HAD IT FIXED UNDER WARRANTY AND THIS LAST TIME THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPAIR IT WITHOUT IT COSTING A SMALL FORTUNE. I THINK THERE SHOULD THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF AUTOMATIC REPAIR OF SAFETY PARTS, SUCH AS, SEAT BELTS, ETC WITHOUT A SMALL FORTUNE HAVING TO BE PAID.*AK

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
11,400 miMay 11, 2004WAXAHACHIE, TX
Crash1 injured

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE HEAD INJURIES. *NM *LA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Feb 12, 2003MIDLOTHIAN, VA
Crash1 injured

REAR ENDED A TRUCK WHERE THE FRONT END OF THE STRATUS WENT UNDER THE TRUCK'S BUMPER. POINT OF IMPACT WAS JUST UNDER WHERE THE HOOD LATCHES CAUSING THE HOOD TO BUCKLE UP, DOING DAMAGE TO BOTH FRONT QUARTER PANELS, BROKE RADIATOR AND PUSHED IT BACK INTO THE ENGINE, BROKE AIR COMPRESSOR, BOTH HEAD LIGHTS, AND CAUSED 'CRACKING' IN THE WINDSHIELD. NOT SURE OF SPEED AT TIME OF IMPACT BUT SPEED OF CAR BEFORE IMPACT WAS AROUND 45 MPH, DRIVER HIT BRAKES HARD BUT NOT ENOUGH DISTANCE TO STOP - THERE WERE SKID MARKS ABOUT 2 FEET IN LENGTH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY!

AIR BAGS
Jan 22, 2003SOMERSET, MA
Crash1 injured

CONSUMER WAS IN A ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T UPON COLLISION. TS

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Jan 10, 2003HAW RIVER, NC
Crash1 injured

NAR 1/29/2003. THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WHICH CAUSED $6000.00 IN DAMAGES AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED EXTENSIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT. *JB

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 11, 2000TERRE HAUTE, IN
Crash1 injured

WHEN VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE IT ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, RESULTING IN COLLISION, AND CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
Aug 31, 2000KOSCIUSKO, MS
Crash1 injured

RAN IN THE BACK OF A TRAILER, DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE, ALSO DAMAGE TO BUMPER

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Feb 17, 2000WEYMOUTH, MA
Crash1 injured

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH DRIVER REARENDED A TRUCK ,DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES. MANUFACTURER CLAIMED AIRBAGS WERE NOT DEECTIVE.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Jan 19, 2000WINONA, KS
Crash5 injured

WHILE DRIVING 50MPH NOTICED COW IN ROAD, SLAMMED ON BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING COW, BUT HIT THE COW. UPON IMPACT WITH THE COW, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. ENTIRE RIGHT FRONT WAS DAMAGED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN. VEHICLE WAS DECLARED TOTALLED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. FIVE INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT DUE TO ACCIDENT. *AK

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID
Apr 24, 2006TRUJILLO ALTO, PR
Fire2 injured

1. DURING A REGULAR MOTOR OIL CHANGE ON A SPECIALIZED CENTER, THEY NOTED A LOW LEVEL OF POWER STEERING FLUID, AND SUGGESTED ME TO FILL THE POWER STEERING CANISTER. 2. POWER STEERING LEAK OVER THE MANIFOLD, WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM AROUND THE HOOD AFTER A TRIP. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME, A LOT OF WHITE SMOKE AND PIECES OF DON'T KNOW WHAT WERE ON FIRE UNDER THE CAR. THE MECHANISM TO OPEN THE HOOD FAILED AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. 3. NO TIME TO CORRECT FAILURE, THE HOOD. *JB

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
100,000 miFeb 6, 2008NORTH MASSAPEQUA, NY
Crash

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE STRATUS. THE AFTERMARKET FLOORMATS RISE UNDERNEATH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CATCH ONTO THE STEERING COLUMN. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 2-5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED DUE TO THE FLOORMAT AND THE CONTACT COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HIS OTHER PARKED VEHICLE. THE FRONT BUMPER WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE A HOOK INSTALLED TO PREVENT THE FLOORMAT FROM MOVING. HE DID NOT HAVE ANY PRODUCT INFORMATION REGARDING THE FLOORMATS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Mar 19, 2007AXTON, VA
Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL 06V001000 ,AND BELIEVED IT WAS TO BLAME FOR THE FOLLOWING INCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE LANDED IN A DITCH AND WAS DESTROYED, CAUSING BOTH AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40000.*AK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
179,000 miFeb 18, 2005MAYBROOK, NY
Crash

THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON ITS OWN 10 MINUTES AFTER IT WAS PARKED. RESULTS SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A WIRE SHORT IN THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE.*AK

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
73,000 miApr 27, 2004BROWNSVILLE, TX
Crash

I WAS STOPPING THE CAR TO PARK AND SUDDENLY IT ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, BRAKES DIDNT STOP THE CAR NOT EVEN PARKING BRAKE AND CRASH OCURRED DAMAGING PROPERTY AND THE CAR ITSELF. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER BUT CAUSE WAS NOT FOUND. *AK

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jul 1, 2002PORTLAND, OR
Crash

WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE GEAR WITH FOOT STILL ON T BRAKES, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Dec 21, 2001DETROIT, MI
Crash

WHILE COMING TO A STOP, AND THEN PROCEEDING TO TAKE OFF AT ABOUT 25 MPH ANOTHER CAR CAME FROM AROUND THE CORNER, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFOMATION.*AK

Other Stratus Years

Other Dodge Models