1996 Dodge STRATUS problems and owner complaints

WHILE IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE'S PASSENGER COMPARTMENT BEGAN TO FILL WITH SMOKE AND THE WARNING LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH. WHILE TRYING TO COME TO A STOP, CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING WERE INOPERABLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE FIRE BEGAN IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *JG *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001504 at NHTSA ↗

MY 1996 DODGE STRATUS HAS 37,000 MILES. IN FEBRUARY 2002 I TOOK IT TO SEARS FOR AN OIL CHANGE. ALSO ASKING THEM TO SEE WHERE OIL WAS LEAKING (NOTICED OIL ON CONCRETE IN GARAGE). THEY SAID VALVE COVER GASKET SO I GOT THAT FIXED FOR ABOUT $72.00 ALL ALONG THINKING THAT THERE WERE NOT THAT MANY MILES DRIVEN. AND TO BAD THE WARRANTY HAD JUST EXPIRED. I THINK IT WAS 5 YEARS OR 25,000 MILES. WITHIN THE NEXT 2 MONTHS OIL WAS LEAKING AGAIN. TOOK IT IN AND END UP PAYING $702.00 BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKET WAS BAD. THE MECHANIC SHOWED IT TO ME AND JOKINGLY…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008284 at NHTSA ↗

RUPTURE IN POWER STEERING HOSE CAUSED POWER STEERING FLUID TO TO CONTACT HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD, RESULTING IN A FIRE THAT MELTED IGNITION WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR, AND POWER STEERING RETURN FLUID LINE. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 123,521 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000493 at NHTSA ↗

OWNER OF 1996 DODGE STRATUS, A CERTIFIED LEMON WITH REPEATED HEAD-GASKET LEAKS/TRANSMISSION LEAKS. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE REPAIRED TWICE FOR HEAD GASKET LEAKAGE AND TWICE FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025542 at NHTSA ↗

I JUST BOUGHT A 1996 DODGE STRATUS AND IT HAS MUTIPLE PROBLEMS. THE MAIN THING IS IT STALLS AND DIES WHILE YOUR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH MORE THAN ONCE. IT HAS RECALLS AND IAM GOING TO TAKE IT TO HAVE IT FIXED. IT ALSO HAS OTHER PROBLEMS LIKE WITH THE DOOR LOCKS,THE HOOD AND THE TRUNK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 155,008 miles reported. Look up ODI 10405993 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE HAS A HISTORY OF STALLING WHILE DRIVING, AND MORE FREQUENTLY OF NOT STARTING ON OCCASION REGARDLESS AS TO WHETHER IT SAT OVERNIGHT OR ONLY A FEW MINUTES. THREE VISITS TO EITHER JAY CHEVROLET OR AL SERRA DODGE, HAS RESULTED IN ONLY THE TIMING CHAIN BEING FIXED. HOWEVER THIS SOLVED ONLY THE ORIGINAL STALL, BUT HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM COMPLETELY, AND NO OTHER SOLUTION HAS BEEN OFFERED. ON SECOND TRIP TO DEALER, THE CAR WOULD NOT START WHILE ON THE TOW TRUCK, BUT DID START LATER WHEN SERVICE TRIED IT. THEY JUST KEPT SENDING THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 711157 at NHTSA ↗

MY NAME IS [XXX], AND I AM A TWENTY-FOUR YEAR OLD FATHER OF THREE WHO IS CURRENTLY RECEIVING SOCIAL SECURITY. I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TODAY BECAUSE I AM HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH MY 1996 DODGE STRATUS (VIN# [XXX]). THE TYPES OF PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING CONSISTS OF AIR CONDITIONING LEAKS, ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS THAT MALFUNCTION, TRANSMISSION TROUBLES, PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR, HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS, AND POOR DRIVEABILITY. CHRYSLER MOTOR CORPORATION PRIDES ITSELF AS REPRESENTING VALUE, QUALITY, DURABILITY AND RELIABILITY, BUT I CANT SEEM TO SEE THAT A…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10033411 at NHTSA ↗

2ND REQUEST FAX FWD EMAIL FM BEHALF OF [XXX] (TX) RE NUMEROUS DEFECTS ON A 1996 DODGE STRATUS (VIN#[XXX]). *MR THE A/C LEAKED, ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS MALFUNCTIONED, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR, HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS, AND POOR DRIVEABILITY. THERE WAS STEERING OSCILLATION WHEN DRIVEN ABOVE 50 MPH, ROUGH RIDE WHEN THERE WAS AN IRREGULAR SURFACE, ERRATIC IDLE, PERFORMANCE LOSS, OVERHEATING IN TRAFFIC AND OR THE A/C WOULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, WARM-UP SAG, HESITATION/DIE OUT, REAR GRID DEFOGGER INDICATOR LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED, INSIDE L…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10052043 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE STRATUS. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE MOTOR WAS NOT MOUNTED DOWN AND WAS MISSING TWO SCREWS. THE MOTOR JERKS BACK AND FORTH SO SEVERELY THAT IT SEEMS AS IF THE ENGINE WILL FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE TIMING CHAIN, FUEL PUMP, IGNITION COIL, SERPENTINE BELT, AND MUFFLER ARE FAILING. NEW BRAKES AND STRUTS ARE ALSO NEEDED. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCOVER THESE ISSUES UNTIL AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. TWO DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED BACK …

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10267700 at NHTSA ↗

GAS LEAKING FROM THE O-RING GASKET ON THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK, FIRE & SAFETY PROBLEM, DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY BUT CHRYSLER REFUSES TO INCLUDE THIS PART UNTER THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 719937 at NHTSA ↗