2001 Dodge Stratus

2001 DODGE STRATUS...NOISE IN FRONT END. TOLD IT WAS BEARINGS ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE REPLACED. ENGINE TICKING/ POSSIBLE VALVE TAP NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO DEALER BEING TOLD THAT YEAR MODEL RUNS ROUGH; AND COULD TRADE IT FOR A MORE EXPENSIVE CAR. NOW TRYING TO HAVE REAR STRUTS PUT IN AND THE ALUMINUM PLATE THAT HOLDS THEM IN IS POWDER. THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. DODGE IS THE ONLY PLACE TO ORDER THE PART AND WAS INFORMED THIS IS AN OLD CAR AND THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. *TR

2001 DODGE STRATUS SE HAS ISSUES WITH THE REAR STRUT MOUNT. CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A BACK ORDER ON THE UPPER STRUT MOUNTS. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BLOWER RESISTOR STOPPED WORKING AND TWO DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE A FUEL PUMP. THE CONSUMER THEN STARTED TO HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE STEERING. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE KNOCKING NOISE WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS TOO LARGE FOR THE COMPONENTS. THE THERMOSTAT BROKE INTO PIECES AND THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED SHIFTING GEARS. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 DODGE STRATUS WITH 80,000 MILES. ON JULY 26 I HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP THAT I USUALLY TAKE MY CAR IN TO CHANGE THE OIL AND SUCH. HE INSPECTED THE REAR AXLE OF MY DODGE STRATUS AND SAID THE UPPER STRUT JOINT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR VEHICLE. HE TOLD ME THAT THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN DO TO THE METAL PART OF THE UPPER STRUT JOINT BROKEN AND IT WOULD BE HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I ASKED HIM WHEN AND HOW MUCH THE REPAIRS WOULD BE? HE MADE A FEW CALLS TO AUTODEALERS, AUTO PARTS STORES AND APPARENTLY THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO A BACK ORDER OF UPPER STRUT JOINTS. WE TOOK MATTERS INTO OUR HANDS AND CALLED A NUMBER OF DEALERS THINKING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE AN INVENTORY OF THE PRODUCT. ALL THE CAR DEALERSHIPS SAID THAT THEY WERE IN BACK ORDER AND THAT THEY ALSO NEEDED THEM FOR CUSTOMERS AND LOANER CARS THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR INVENTORY THAT THEY CANNOT USE DUE TO THE PART NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN THREE TO FOUR WEEKS FOR THE PART AND THAT WAS NOT A GUARANTEE. SOME OF THE CAR DEALERSHIPS AND REPAIR SHOPS SAID THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND CAN CAUSE THE REAREND OF THE VEHICLE TO BE ATTACHED ONLY BY A PART OF THE VEHICLE WHICH IS DANGEROUS. THESE PARTS ARE IN BACK ORDER WHICH MEANS THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE DEFECTIVE PART AND WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO YOU. I COULD NOT WAIT FOR THE PART SO I HAD SOMEONE MAKE A TEMPORARY PART FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE THAT HAS INVESTED ON A VEHICLE AND WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS THERE ARE NO PARTS TO BE FOUND. THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MATTER AND IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ANYTIME REGARDING THIS MATTER. *TR

ON 7-12-08 MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME AND GOT LESS THAN 1/4 MILE AWAY, GOING AROUND A CURVE AT 45MPH. SHE HEARD A NOISE POP AND THEN A RUB. SHE PROCEEDED TO THE DRIVE AND INTO THE GARAGE. SHE CAME INTO THE HOUSE, GOT ME AND I LOOKED AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WHAT I FOUND WAS THE UPPER STRUT MOUNT ON THE REAR RIGHT SIDE IS ROTTED OUT BECAUSE IT WAS MADE OF ALUMINUM (WHICH REACTS WITH STEEL AND ROAD SALT). THE STRUT BROKE FREE AND RUBBED A 3/16" GROOVE INTO THE TIRE. ALSO LOOKING AT THE LEFT SIDE IT IS ALSO ROTTED OR CORRODED. I AM PRETTY UPSET ABOUT THIS FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, IF SHE WERE TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE 69 AT 70 MPH AND IT BROKE FREE, THE TIRE WOULD OF BEEN CUT IN HALF. PROBABLY SENDING THE CAR INTO A SPIN INTO THE DITCH, OTHER CARS, OR A GUARD RAIL. THIS WOULD OF BEEN DISASTROUS LET ALONE HAVING SOME KIDS IN THE CAR. SECOND, I CALLED THREE DEALERSHIPS IN THE FORT WAYNE AREA ON 7-14-08, ONE TOLD ME THERE ARE 1200 ON BACK ORDER. ONE SAID THERE ARE 1300 ON BACK ORDER. ONE SAID THERE ARE 9000 ON BACK ORDER. ALL OF THEM SAID THEY WOULD NOT COME IN UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST. I ORDERED 2 REAR STRUT MOUNTS ON 7-14-08 AND HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING AS OF 7-20-08. WHAT IS A PERSON TO DO WITHOUT A CAR FOR ONE MONTH? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT HEARD EXCESSIVE NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO RIDE ROUGHLY. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR APPROXIMATELY A WEEK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REAR UPPER STRUT MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL DODGE. THE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR ARE ON BACK ORDER UNTIL AUGUST OF 2008 AT ALL CHRYSLER DEALERS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,200.

2001 STRATUS SE HEARD A GRIND AFTER GOING OVER A BUMP ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK. LOOKED UNDER CAR AND SAW DRIVER SIDE STRUT MOUNT WAS BROKEN. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD BOTH MOUNTS ARE BROKEN AND NEEDED REPAIR. THESE PARTS ARE MADE OF CHEAP ALUMINUM WHICH IS HORRIBLE MATERIAL FOR SALT CORROSION. WAS TOLD PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER 2-3 WEEKS. NOT BELIEVING HEM, I CALLED DODGE DIRECTLY AND WAS TOLD BASICALLY TOLD SORRY, 1000 WERE SHIPPED 7/3 BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER 7,600 BACKORDER!!! NOW IT WILL BE END OF JULY BEFORE I GET PARTS. ALL THEY WOULD DO WAS GET ME A PRIORITY FOR IF A DEALER IN OH GETS SOME I CAN HAVE THEM. (AND A CASE NUMBER). VERY DISAPPOINTED IN DODGE MAKING A SUSPENSION PIECE THAT SEES HEAVY CORROSION CONDITIONS OUT OF ALUMINUM POT METAL AND THEN HAS A MONTH BACKORDER. SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THIS CAR. SO I'M OUT OF MY MAIN WORK VEHICLE FOR A MONTH, BORROWING THE WIFE'S VAN. WHAT WERE WE TO DO IF MY WIFE WAS WORKING OR IF SHE NEEDED VAN TO GET KIDS TO SCHOOL. DODGE WOULDN'T EVEN WORK WITH ME FOR A LOANER. (BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS 2X THE COST, A WHOLE OTHER STORY).*TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A FAINT GRINDING SOUND THAT GRADUALLY GREW LOUDER. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE STRUT MOUNTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE TOTALLY DISINTEGRATED AND THE COIL WAS GRINDING INTO THE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. UPDATED 10/03/07 *TR

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT A YEAR AGO PASSENGER REAR STRUT BROKE. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED THE TOP STRUT CLAMP OF THE SPRING CORRODED, CAUSING THE SPRING AND STRUT TO FALL OUT OF PLACE AND RUB AGAINST THE TIRE. HAD TO REPLACE TIRE AND STRUT. APPROXIMATELY $500.00 FOR BOTH. 6 MONTHS LATER THE DRIVER SIDE STRUT DID THE EXACTLY THE SAME THING. THE CLAMP CORRODED AND HAS FELL APART, CAUSING THE SPRING TO RUB AGAINST THEWHEEL ONCE AGAIN. THIS WAS DUE TO AN ALUMINUM ALLOY/METAL CORRODING. MANUFACTURER SHOULD KNOW THAT ALUMINUM CORRODES EXTREMLY BAD WHEN IT COME IN CONTACT WITH WEATHER.*AK

DROVE THE VEHICLE THE NIGHT BEFORE THERE WERE NO SIGNS, WARNINGS OF ANYTHING WRONG. WENT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE NEXT AFTERNOON AND UPON START UP VEHICLE WAS MAKING A RATTLING, CLICKING NOISE, TURNED IT OFF IMMEDIATELY. HAD CAR TOWED, WAS TOLD OIL WAS SLUDGY , ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE, AT A COST OF MINIMUM END OF $5700. MECHANIC STATED HE HAD TWO MORE VEHICLES OF EXACT YEAR, MAKE, MODEL AND 2.7L ENGINE ON HIS LOT WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. HE STATED FURTHER, HE WAS SORRY, BUT WOULD HAVE TO DECLINE HIS SERVICE TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE ENGINE AS HE WAS ALREADY FED UP WITH DEALING WITH MANUFACTURER WITH THE OTHER TWO VEHICLES. HE WENT ON TO STATE THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS CLAIMING OWNER FAULT, OF NOT MAINTAINING 3000 MILE OIL CHANGES, EVEN THOUGH ONE OF THE OWNERS HAD EVERY RECEIPT PROVING OTHERWISE. HERE I SIT WITHOUT A VEHICLE NOW, HAVE NO FINANCIAL MEANS TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THIS VEHICLE AS I BECAME DISABLED IN APRIL OF 2005 AND HAVE A VERY LIMITED BUDGET. I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW VEHICLE SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY MAJOR EXPENSE OR PROBLEMS AND IT WOULD LAST ME 15-20 YRS, NOT 5. I ALSO DIDN'T EXPECT TO PAY OVER $20,000 FOR A VEHICLE THAT WOULD ONLY LAST 70,000 MILES. THIS WASN'T THE ONLY ITEMS I HAD TO HAVE FIXED, IN 2003 I HAD TO HAVE THE FAN FIXED FOR THE AC/HEATING AS IT ONLY WORKED ON ONE SPEED, THANK GOODNESS IT WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. WHICH I NEVER DID RECEIVE ANY RECALL LETTER OR ANY NOTIFICATION OF THIS PROBLEM. IN 2005 THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT AND HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE GET WATER IN WHEN IT RAINS, HAVE TAKEN IT IN TO DEALER, THEY HAVE NO CLUE AS TO WHAT AND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. THIS IS THE FIRST BRAND NEW VEHICLE I HAVE EVER PURCHASED AND WAS SO PROUD OF IT, TOOK METICULOUS CARE OF IT AND NOW I FEEL AND LOOK LIKE A COMPLETE FOOL, AS THE MANUFACTURER IS LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK, PLUS HAS A VEHICLE THAT RUNS! THEIR OLD SLOGAN DODGE TUFF, THE NEW IS YOUR DODGE DOESN'T RUN, THAT'S TOUGH. *JB