2004 Dodge Stratus

THE BALL JOINT ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY SEPARATED CAUSING THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL TO TURN TO THE RIGHT AND PREVENTING THE DRIVER FROM BEING ABLE TO STEER THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHEN IT HAPPENED. THIS IS SIMILAR TO NHTSA RECALL #10E059000 AND #09E056000. I THINK THE CONTROL ARM WAS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY PART. I'LL ATTACH PICTURES WITH THE PART NUMBER.

LATELY WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THEN A COUPLE MINUTES AFTER IT COMES ON THE STEERING WILL LOCK UP. IT HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN BUT THEN THE SPEEDOMETER WOULDN'T WORK. AFTER THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS FIXED BUT NOW WHENEVER IT MALFUNCTIONS THE CAR SHUTS OFF ON ITS OWN AND WILL NOT START AGAIN UNTIL ITS BEEN SITTING UNTOUCHED FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN TOWN (25 MPH) AND ON ROADS UP TO 55 MPHS.

I WAS DRIVING HOME AND FELT A MISS IN THE ENGINE, PLACED IN NEUTRAL TO SEE IF IT WAS JUST A BUMP OR IMAGINATION. I WATCHED THE ENGINE RPMS DROP TO ZERO. SOMEHOW THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME ONLY TO HAVE TO THROW IT IN NEUTRAL AGAIN AND DRIVE TWO FOOTED ALL THE WAY HOME BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS TRYING TO DIE. SO, I DROVE MY TRUCK TO WORK FOR THE NEXT WEEK AND THEN SATURDAY CAME AROUND AND I FIRED THE CAR UP NOTHING APPEARED OR SOUNDED UNUSUAL. I LET IT IDLE FOR ABOUT 5 MIN. BACKED UP AND OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND AT THE SECOND STOP SIGN I HUNG A RIGHT AND HEARD A "POP" NOISE FOLLOWED BY A CARD IN BIKE SPOKE SOUND FROM THE ENGINE, I OPENED THE HOOD, AGAIN NO DAMAGE ....THE VALVE COVER CLOSEST TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE HAD 2 CRACKS IN IT! IT WAS OOZING OUT OIL. SO AS IT TURNS OUT THOUGH I GOT REALLY LUCKY, I BENT 2 VALVES ON #3 PISTON, ALSO DID COMPRESSION LEAK DOWN TEST ON ALL OTHER CYLINDERS THEY WERE FINE. (IF YOUR CHAIN SNAPPED IT IS A VERY EASY AND FAST TEST TO DETERMINE IF YOUR MOTOR IS JUNK OR NOT AND SHOULD NOT COST YOU MUCH AT ALL) DEALERSHIPS WANTED OVER 6K FOR LONG BLOCK, THE CAR ISN'T WORTH THAT MUCH! AUTO PARTS STORES WANTED OVER 400 BUCKS FOR TIMING SET ONLY. I FOUND THE TIMING CHAIN SET, OIL PUMP, AND WATER PUMP ON LINE FOR HALF THE COST OF THE TIMING CHAIN SET ALONE. GOOD BRAND NAMES TOO! UPON REMOVING THE TIMING COVER AND HEADS FROM THE ENGINE I FOUND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, THE WATER PUMP BEARINGS SEIZED, AND BECAUSE THAT WATER PUMP IS DRIVEN BY THE LARGE TIMING CHAIN IT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CHAIN SNAPPING AND ALMOST RUINING MY ENTIRE ENGINE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AROUND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT OF A RECALL THAT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON JUNE 13, 2005 AND THE OIL LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL EVER SINCE. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT CLEANING SOME PARTS WOULD CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO PERSIST. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE OIL SWITCH AND PLUGS WERE NOT IN PLACE. HE REPLACED THEM WITH PARTS THAT WERE PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER, BUT THE OIL LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. FOUR MONTHS AGO, A DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE DUE TO NOISE PRESENT IN THE ENGINE AREA. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $3,000; HOWEVER, SHE COULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2008, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE. THE TIE ROD ALSO FAILED ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INCIDENT AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THERE WAS NO WARRANTY FOR THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000. UPDATED 10/14/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. UPDATED 10/16/08. *JB