2005 Dodge Stratus

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE AFTERMARKET UPPER BALL JOINTS USED FOR THE REPAIRED FAILED IN ONE YEARS TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ONE DAY I WENT TO BACK OUT, I TURNED THE WHEEL AND HEAR THIS CRUNCHING, CLUNKING SOUND WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A HUGE ROCK SCRAPPING ON METAL. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND WALKED AROUND THE CAR AND SAW NOTHING. IT STARTED AGAIN AS SOON AS I STARTED THE CAR BACK UP. ANYTIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, I HEARD THIS SOUND. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THE TIE-ROD ENDS. HE SAID A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL YET. I CALLED THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD FIX IT SINCE THERE WERE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS. NOPE ! THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX IT FOR FREE WITHOUT AN OFFICIAL RECALL. IT'S A COSTLY REPAIR $900-$1100 B/C IT REQUIRES MANY DIFFERENT SERVICES - TIE ROD ENDS, TIRES, BALANCE, ALIGNMENT, BUT THEY WOULD NOT DROP THE PRICE BY A SINGLE PENNY. NOW THEY ARE DOING A PIECEMEAL RECALL BEGINNING WITH THE TRUCKS. WHY NOT FORCE THEM TO RECALL THEM ALL ? I HAVE BEEN ON MULTIPLE SITES AND I HAVE SEEN COMPLAINTS FROM AS FAR BACK AS 2003 TO AS RECENTLY AS 2014. I WISH THE GOVERNMENT WAS A HARD ON THE DEALERS AS THE DEALERS ARE ON THE BUYERS. *TR

AS I PULLED INTO THE CAR LOT WHERE I AM BUYING THE CAR I HEARD A KIND OF CLUNK BUT WAS UNSURE WHAT IT WAS. I WENT IN AND MADE MY CAR PAYMENT UPON STARTING MY CAR AND PUTTING IN REVERSE TO LEAVE MY CAR WOULD NOT TURN IN ANY DIRECTION. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND SHUT IT OFF WENT BACK INTO THE CAR SALESMAN AND ASKED HIM IF HE COULD HELP FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON . HE JACKED THE CAR UP AND CHECKED TO SEE THE PROBLEM BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANYTHING UNTIL HE REMOVED THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE . HERE HE IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE RACK AND PINION HAD BROKE FREE FROM THE TIE ROD END AND WAS UNABLE TO GET BACK TOGETHER AS THE BOLTS THAT HELD THESE PARTS TOGETHER WERE STRIPPED COMPLETELY OUT AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO FIX .. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN HE SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD CLUNK UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STOPPED AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SHEARED AND THE LOWER BALL JOINT HAD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE OWNERS HOME AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,906.

I WAS AT THE STORE JUST LEFT ABOUT TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY TO PICK UP SPEED WITH MY KIDS AND MYSELF BEING PREGNANT WHEN MY RIGHT WHEEL FOLDED AND SCARED THE LIFE OUT OF US AFTER HOLDING UP TRAFFIC AND THANK GOD I DID NOT GET ON THE HIGHWAY. THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT MY LOWER CONTROL ARM AND LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE AND CAUSING MY STEERING WHEEL TO LOSEN UP CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO GO TO THE RIGHT AND COULD OF CAUSED ME TO BE IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF I WOUDL OF PICKED UP SPEED WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL BY EMAIL OR BY THE USED CAR DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM AND STILL PAYING ON IT. I HAD IT REPAIRED AND STILL MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE AND FEAR THAT THE LEFT SIDE MAY ALSO DO THE SAME WHILE I'M ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SUDDENLY BROKE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BALL JOINT WAS NOT LUBED AT THE FACTORY WHICH CAUSED THE WHEEL TO BREAK OFF. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO RECALL 09E056000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM LOWER BALL JOINT). THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 78,000.