2000 Dodge Stratus

I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SINCE OCT. OF 2000 AND ABOUT FOUR MONTHS LATER, I WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT THAT WAS THE OTHER VEHICLE'S FAULT. EVER SINCE THEN MY BRAKES HAVE NOT WORKED PROPERLY I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 4-5 TIMES FOR VEHICLE FAILURE TO NOT STOP IN ENOUGH TIME AND PULSATING. THE FIRST TWO TIMES I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY CLAIMED THE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING EVEN WITH A TEST DRIVE. THE THIRD TIME THEY CLAIMED MY BRAKES WERE BAD AND REPLACED THE BRAKES AND NOT THE ROTORS. AFTER THAT THE PULSATING WAS NOT AS NOTICEABLE FOR A FEW WEEKS THEN IT WAS BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE. I HAD THE DEALER CHECK THEM ONE OR TWO MORE TIMES AND AGAIN THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. SHORTLY AFTER THAT I HAD A SMALL FENDER BENDER DUE TO BRAKES NOT STOPPING MY VEHICLE PROPERLY. I HAVE TO HAVE MY FRONT AND REAR BRAKES CHANGED TWICE A YEAR, THE FRONT BRAKES GO LIKE THEY ARE MADE OF PAPER, THE REAR BRAKES WEAR ON ONE SIDE MORE THAN THE OTHER. MY OUTER TIE ROD HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE THEY WERE BROKEN, THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. FOR THE PAST TWO WINTERS WHEN I FIRST START MY CAR AND TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, IT SCREECHES SO LOUD AND POPS I THINK MY TIRES ARE GOING FALL OFF. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND FIND THIS VERY UNSAFE. WHEN I HAVE TO COME TO A STOP I HAVE TO ALMOST STAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE SURE I STOP IN TIME. IT IS NOT ALWAYS LIKE THIS BUT 90-95% OF THE TIME IT IS AND I KNOW THAT MY CAR IS NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT THIS HAPPENS TO. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT HAD A 2000 DODGE STRATUS WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 86000 MILES WHEN THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS RAINING WHEN SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE GOT STUCK IN THE MUD. WHEN THE CONTACT TRIED DRIVE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE MUD SHE WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. SHE LEFT THE VEHICLE TO GET ASSISTANCE AND WHEN SHE RETURNED WITH HELP SHE FOUND THAT HER VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT NOTICE AN ODD SMELL BEFORE THE FIRE AND AFTER THE FIRE SHE FOUND THAT THE CAR HAD A POWER STEERING LEAK. SHE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AS IN RECALL (06V001000) FOR HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAS THE FIRE REPORT WHICH STATES THE CAUSE OF FIRE. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE HER VIN AVAILABLE.

WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL AS CAN BE. I MEAN IT HAD MINOR PROBLEMS BUT WERE QUICKLY FIXED. AFTER ABOUT 5 IN A HALF MONTHS OF HAVING THE CAR, I NOTICED IT STARTED HAVING A BURNING SMELL TO IT AFTER CRANKING UP AND AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A WHILE, A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE WOULD APPEAR. AT FIRST I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT, BUT THEN IT RAN HOT ONE DAY. SO I HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. HE CONCLUDED THAT IT COULD BE TWO THINGS. ONE IS THAT THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA BUT TOLD ME DON'T BE ALARMED BECAUSE IT MAY JUST BE OIL DRIPPING ON THE ENGINE IN WHICH WHEN THE ENGINE IS HEATED, COULD CAUSE THE SMELL AND SMOKE, OR TWO I NEEDED MY POWER STEERING HOSE LOOKED AT. SO HEARING IT FROM SOMEONE OF HIS STATUS I WENT ALONG WITH IT. THAT IS UNTIL A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER WHILE I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM PLAYING BASKETBALL, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE, BUT THIS TIME IT WAS DARK BLACK SMOKE AND IT WAS COMING FROM ALL AROUND THE FRONT OF THE CAR. SO I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (NOTE:I WAS ON A MAIN STREET WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC), BUT WHEN I TRIED THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MOVE/TURN AT ALL. THEN SUDDENLY BEFORE I COULD GET OUT OF THE CAR, IT JUST BURST INTO FLAMES. I STRUGGLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND JUMPED OUT UNTIL IT ROLLED INTO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE SIDE OF A POLICE STATION. MY CAR IS TOTALED OUT. AND I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT ONE FOR BOUT 4 MONTHS NOW. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. DAIMLER CHRYSLER HAD IT PICKED UP TO DETERMINED THE CAUSE(2 MONTHS AGO), AND BROUGHT IT BACK, BUT I AM YET TO HEAR ANYTHING ELSE REGARDING MY CLAIM. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE IGNITION IN THE ON POSITION AND PLAYING THE RADIO WHEN SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED , AND THEY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WA SINOPERABLE AND THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT INFORMED HER THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY FAULTY WIRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 2006 THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A LEAK UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT COULDN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY SAID WAS LEAKING NOR DID SHE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED A RECALL 06V001000. *AK UPDATED 02/22/07. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN OCTOBER 2006. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE 06V001000 ON DECEMBER 28, 2006, DATED APRIL 2006. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER TOOK PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE AND DENIED THAT THE INCIDENT WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE CONTACT ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM DAIMLER CHRYSLER DENYING THE CLAIM. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY HAS DENIED THE CLAIM AND DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. THE CONTACT'S LOAN DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO REPORTED THE CONTACT TO A COLLECTION AGENCY SINCE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY COLLATERAL TO MAKE PAYMENTS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED DUE TO THE POWER STEERING AND ANTI FREEZE IN THE CAR. PER THE CONTACT. THE RECALL LETTER INDICATED THE VEHICLE MAY PREMATURELY HEAT AND MAY RESULT IN AN UNDER HOOD FIRE. *AK UPDATED 01/22/07. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT IS CALLING TO MAKE A COMPLAINT CONCERNING SAFETY RECALL NUMBER YN105052. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, IN HIS 2000 DODGE STRATUS INTO HIS DRIVEWAY ON THE EVENING OF DECEMBER 5TH, 2006, HIS CAR BEGAN SMOKING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS DAY THE CAR WAS MAKING A VERY VERY LOUD SQUEAKING SOUND. THE DEALER HAS TOLD THE CONTACT THAT HE CAUSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND THAT THEY WILL NOT REPAIR IT EVEN THOUGH IT FALLS UNDER THE SAFETY RECALL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATES THAT HE HAS HAD NO REPAIRS AND HAS ONLY PURCHASED NEW TIRES FOR THE CAR.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, SMOKE APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE UNDERBODY OF THE VEHICLE. AS THE SMOKE BEGAN TO SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT PRESUMED THERE WAS POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO THE SCENE AND DETERMINED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT TAKEN. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS NOT ALERTED, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED THROUGH AUDIX. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL# 06V001000 REGARDING THE STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS. THIS VEHICLE HAD THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS.

WHILE BACKING INTO A PARKING LOT, A LOUD SNAPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL. UPON HEARING THIS NOISE, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE MORE THAN A FEW FEET, BUT WAS ABLE TO BE PARTIALLY PARKED IN THE PARKING SPOT. ONCE PARKED AND INVESTIGATED, THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY DETACHED FROM THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED; TOW TRUCK DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MOVE/DRAG VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET ONTO FLATBED TOW TRUCK. LEFT OUTER TIE ROD WAS REPLACED AND VEHICLE FRONT END WAS REALIGNED. *NM