2004 Dodge Stratus

1. IGNITION- MS. FAULKNER WAS TRANSPORTING ME TO PICK UP MY VEHICLE AND HER VEHICLE ENGINE SHUT OFF JUST BEFORE SHE CAME TO A STOP. SHE STATED THAT THIS HAD OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL THE DAY I DROVE IT BUT WHEN I STOPPED AT A SIGNAL LIGHT THE ENGINE SURGED MOMENTARY FOR APPROXIMATELY 3-4 SECONDS AND THEN IT RETURNED TO IT?S NORMAL IDLE. HAD I NOT HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE SURGED FORWARD 2. TRANSMISSION ? WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT SPEED LIMIT AND SPEED CONTROL SET, UPON RESUMING SPEED AFTER COASTING DOWN A HILL, THERE WAS A VERY DISTINCT CLUNK THAT CAME FROM THE TRANSMISSION/TRANSAXLE. THIS SAME CLUNK OCCURRED AGAIN AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN I SLOWING DOWN FOR A SIGNAL. *TR

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

THIS LETTER IN REGARDS TO MY SERVICE CONTRACT #23013588 FOR # 2004 DODGE STRATUS. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 10/14/06 AND IT HAD 50,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE PUT APPROXIMATELY 36,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE DONE ROUTINE OIL CHANGES EVERY 3 ? 4,000 MILES. I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL MYSELF BY DRAINING THE OIL AND REPLACING THE OIL FILTER AND NEW OIL. I HAVE NO RECEIPTS FOR THIS AND WAS NOT AWARE I WAS REQUIRED TO KEEP DETAILED RECORDS OF THIS. NOWHERE IN MY SERVICE DO I SEE ANYTHING THAT SAYS TO. ON 08/10/08 MY CAR BEGAN STALLING AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TOWED TO JACK POWELL CHRYSLER DODGE IN ESCONDIDO, CA FOR SERVICE. MIKE LEWIS RECOMMENDED I HAVE THE ENGINE DISMANTLED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. UPON HIS INVESTIGATION HE SAW METAL SHAVINGS AND ?SLUDGE? NEAR THE BEARINGS. CHRYSLER SENT A 3RD PARTY INVESTIGATOR TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. IT WAS THE INSPECTOR?S DECISION THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND THE REPAIRS WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY PREPOSTEROUS! I HAVE TAKEN EXCELLENT CARE OF MY CAR AND WAS A VERY HAPPY CUSTOMER UNTIL THIS INCIDENT. I AM REQUESTING IN WRITING AN APPEAL TO THIS DECISION AND DEMAND THAT THE CAR BE REPAIRED AS DESIGNATED IN MY SERVICE CONTRACT. I PURCHASED THE ADDITIONAL WARRANTY FOR THE COMFORT OF KNOWING THAT IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS WERE TO HAPPEN I WOULD CERTAINLY BE COVERED. I CONTACTED YOUR COMPANY AND WAS TOLD THIS IS THE PROPER CHANNEL TO MAKE THIS REQUEST. THE PERSON I SPOKE TO SAID YOU REPLACE ENGINES EVERYDAY AND DOESN'T SEE WHY THIS WOULD BE A PROBLEM. I NEED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AS I CANNOT POSSIBLY AFFORD WHAT IT WOULD COST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I AM A GOOD CUSTOMER AND I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY MY SERVICE CONTRACT IS BASICALLY USELESS. THESE REPAIRS MUST BE COVERED AND THERE WAS IN NO WAY A LACK OF MAINTENANCE. PLEASE TAKE WHATEVER ACTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER IN A TIMELY FASHION. I REFUSE TO JUST BE SWEPT UNDER THE RUG. *TR

THERE WAS A DISTINCTIVE RATTLE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION. THE FAILURE WAS THE UPPER STRUT MOUNT. THE RIGHT AND LEFT STRUT MOUNTS WERE REPLACED. THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL WAS ALUMINUM AND THE REPLACEMENT WAS PAINTED STEEL. THE DEALER SAID A FEW MONTHS AGO THERE WAS A WAITING LIST OF THOUSANDS OF THESE PARTS. DO NOT HAVE THE OLD PARTS LEFT AT TIRE STORE. *TR

2004 DODGE STRATUS - APPROX 90,000 MILES AT FIRST, I NOTICED A THUMPING ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. AFTER CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE CAR WHILE TRYING TO DETERMINE CAUSE, THE REAR STRUT MOUNTING BRACKET BROKE. AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE CAR, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MOUNTING BRACKET BROKE DUE TO CORROSION. IT WAS ALSO SEEN AT THIS TIME THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR BRACKET WAS BROKE AS WELL, LEAVING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE AND UNSAFE. AFTER WE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD US THERE IS A NATIONAL BACKORDER ON THIS PART AND NO FORESEEN DATE OF WHEN THEY WILL GET THE PARTS TO FIX MY CAR. WE HAVE ALSO CONTACTED LOCAL SALVAGE YARDS TO FIND REPLACEMENTS UNTIL THE NEW PARTS ARRIVE, WITH NO SUCCESS. *TR

2004 DODGE STRATUS 67,000 MILES THE REAR STRUT TOWER BROKE OFF OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO CORROSION CAUSING THE TOWER TO BECOME LODGED INTO THE TIRE, DAMAGING THE TIRE, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THIS ISSUE WAS CAUGHT PRIOR TO AN ACCIDENT. CHRYSLER IS UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND FOR THESE PARTS, LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN ON GOING ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NATIONAL BACK-ORDER ON THE REAR STRUT MOUNTS AND MOUNTING PLATES AND THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A TIME AS TO WHEN MY VEHICLE CAN BE REPAIRED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, SHE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, FELT A BUMP AND LOUD NOISES UNDER THE HOOD. SHE IMMEDIATELY DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF THE UPPER ALUMINUM STRUT MOUNTS AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL 08/14/08. THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.