1996 Dodge STRATUS: complaints, problems and recalls

IT ALL BEGAN WHEN WE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 1996 DODGE STRATUS IN OCT 1995. THE CAR GAVE US LITTLE IF ANY TROUBLE THE FIRST YEAR. THE SECOND YEAR AND EVERY YEAR SINCE IT HAS BEEN A#1 HEADACHE. THE SECOND YEAR ALONE THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP 17 TIMES. THE REPAIRS WERE MAJOR ONES AS WELL AS MINOR ONES INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF AIR COMPRESSOR ON AIR CONDITIONER, STARTER, REPLACEMENT OF HEAD GASKET TWICE ONCE AT 11565 MILES SECOND AT 20495 MILES AND GUESS WHAT NOW AT 69000 MILES.THANK GOODNESS THE FIRST TWO WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I FILED A COMPLA…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,566 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000430 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 ↗

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 ↗

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER DIAGNOSED FIRE WAS RESULT OF THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD PLUG BEING LOOSE. THIS CAUSED OIL TO LEAK WHICH RESULTED IN ENGINE FIRE. RELATED RECALL 96V006000, CONSUMER'S V.I.N. NOT INCLUDED. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 96,908 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001866 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING OIL WOULD LEAK FROM VEHICLE, AND CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO REFILL OIL SEVERAL TIMES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004661 at NHTSA ↗

BLOWN HEAD GASKET, TWICE, MASSIVE OIL LEAK

Owner-reported narrative. 104,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005003 at NHTSA ↗

THE HEAD GASKET LEAKED OIL ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *PH *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006678 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 ↗

Reported: 2004-01-13 (January 13, 2004)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK MAY FAIL AND ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION WITH THE KEY REMOVED. AN INOPERATIVE INTERLOCK MAY ALSO ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WHEN THE SHIFTER HAS NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION.

Consequence: EITHER CIRCUMSTANCE MAY RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AWAY WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOAD-LIMITING PUSH ROD INTO THE FLOOR SHIFTER LEVER OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 14, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 1996-01-11 (January 11, 1996)

IN CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL GALLEY PLUG DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY AND ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD OIL IS NOT ADEQUATELY RETAINED.

Consequence: INADEQUATE SEALING AND RETENTION OF THE PLUG CAN RESULT IN OIL LEAKAGE WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN EXPANSION PLUG AND RETAINING BRACKET OVER THE CYLINDER HEAD OIL GALLEY PLUG.

Reported: 1996-05-02 (May 2, 1996)

CORROSION OF THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT CAN CAUSE THE SOLENOID VALVES TO STICK IN THE OPEN POSITION.

Consequence: IF EITHER FRONT WHEEL VALVE STICKS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SWERVE FROM A STRAIGHT STOP WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PLATE AND SILICONE GREASE INJECTED INTO THE SOLENOID CAVITY TO ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS CONDITION.

Reported: 1996-05-03 (May 3, 1996)

THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID DUE TO A DAMAGED DOUBLE LIP REAR PISTON SEAL.

Consequence: BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE CAN RESULT IN DIMINISHED EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE HALF OF THE SPLIT BRAKE SYSTEM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHT(S) WILL SIGNAL SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT PRIOR TO PARTIAL BRAKE SYSTEM LOSS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDR PISTON ASSEMBLY.

Reported: 1997-06-06 (June 6, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH SPRING CAN DISENGAGE FROM ITS RETENTION HOLE IF THE HOOD IS SLAMMED SHUT.

Consequence: IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHOUT ENGAGING THE PRIMARY LATCH, THE HOOD WOULD NOT BE RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH SPRING WITH A LONGER END HOOK SPRING.

Reported: 1997-11-13 (November 13, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT CAN SEPARATE DUE TO LOSS OF LUBRICATION.

Consequence: SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BALL JOINT END HOUSING COVER SEAL FOR LEAKAGE WITH A HIGH PRESSURE AIR TESTER AND THE RUBBER BOOT WILL BE VISUALLY INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE. IF THE COVER SEAL LEAKS OR THE BOOT IS DAMAGED, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WILL BE REPLACED.

Reported: 1998-08-06 (August 6, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE CABLE CONNECTING THE CONSOLE SHIFTER MECHANISM TO THE IGNITION KEY CAN CAUSE A TRAPPED KEY CONDITION WHICH CAN RESULT IN A LOW FORCE REQUIRED TO DEPRESS THE SHIFT BUTTON. A COMBINATION OF APPLYING A MIS-ADJUSTED RELEASE BUTTON WITH A LOW FORCE ATTEMPT TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK WITH THE KEY IN THE LOCKED POSITION, CAN BREAK THE CONNECTING PIN IN THE SHIFTER.

Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE "IGNITION-PARK" INTERLOCK SYSTEM WILL BE NONFUNCTIONAL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM. ANY VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL AFTER THE INSPECTION WILL HAVE THE SHIFT MECHANISM AND CABLE REPLACED WITH A "SELF-ADJUSTING" DESIGN.