1997 Dodge STRATUS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
242 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
97,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 48 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 94 of 242 complaints (38.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 23 | 9.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 12 | 5.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 4.1% |
| Steering behavior | 10 | 4.1% |
| Engine operation | 8 | 3.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 94 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 24 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 11 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 11 |
| Unknown Or Other | 11 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 10 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 10 |
| Electrical System | 9 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 94; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 24; Air Bags:Frontal: 11; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 11; Unknown Or Other: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling: 10; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 10; Electrical System: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 5 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 12 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 16 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 16; 150,000 and above: 8
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (16). 194 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 77 |
| 2001 | 62 |
| 2002 | 32 |
| 2003 | 17 |
| 2004 | 24 |
| 2005 | 9 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
2000: 77; 2001: 62; 2002: 32; 2003: 17; 2004: 24; 2005: 9; 2006: 5; 2007: 4; 2008: 3; 2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 2; 2013: 1; 2018: 1; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 12 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 10 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000203 · 2002-12-18 (December 18, 2002)
HEAD GASKET REPLACED AT 65K MILES. CHRYSLER PAID FOR PART.
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000203 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002452 · 2003-01-09 (January 9, 2003)
THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT WHICH WAS RARELY USED, HAD DETACHED FROM SEAT. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT IT LOOKED AS IF IT WERE CUT. NLM SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 80,183 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002452 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002763 · 2003-01-15 (January 15, 2003)
HEAD GASKET OIL LEAK LOWER CONTROL ARMS BALL JOINTS TIE RODS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002763 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003109 · 2003-01-21 (January 21, 2003)
BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT 69,900 MILES. LEAKED OIL, NEVER OVERHEATED. POSSIBLE CRACKED HEAD.
Owner-reported narrative. 69,963 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003109 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004557 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER RECEIVED EXTENSIVE INJURIES. *JG
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004557 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005484 · 2003-02-07 (February 7, 2003)
HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 58K MILES, CAUSED OIL LEAK,LIKE SO MANY OTHER 1997 DODGE STRATUS WITH FOUR CYLINDER ENGINE, 2.4L.
Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005484 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006279 · 2003-02-04 (February 4, 2003)
VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL AND THE OIL LIGHT CONTINUE TO STAY ON. DEALER STATES THE VEHICLE'S HEAD GASKET HAS MALFUNCTIONED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. PH
Owner-reported narrative. 141,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006279 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008411 · 2003-03-05 (March 5, 2003)
AS MY '97 DODGE STRATUS ES (2.4L) APPROACHES 58,000 MI, IT APPEARS TO BE SELF-DESTRUCTING, OF COURSE THE ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL (1 QT/WEEK) AT THE INFAMOUS HEAD GASKET, COOLING SYSTEM IS FOULED (HEATER QUIT, FLUSH+CLEAN DIDN'T SOLVE) , AND I JUST GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON MY TO WORK! I HAVE BEEN A CHRYSLER CUSTOMER FOR DECADES, BUT HAVING A CAR THAT RUNS FINE FOR 55K AND THEN DIES BY 60K WILL MAKE ME BUY FOREIGN HOW MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE OIL LEAKS WILL IT TAKE TO GET A RECALL? (I HOPE I ADD TO THIS COUNT) MAYBE IF I GET THE NEXT STAGE, …
Owner-reported narrative. 56,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008411 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
4 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V021000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor Shift
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V095000 · Structure:Body:Hood:Hinge And Attachments
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V201000 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗98V183000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗