1999 Dodge STRATUS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
238 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
90,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 98 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 238 complaints (12.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 51 | 21.4% |
| Braking behavior | 50 | 21.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 17 | 7.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 16 | 6.7% |
| Engine operation | 14 | 5.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 9 | 3.8% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections | 29 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 24 |
| Electrical System | 20 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 13 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 13 |
| Steering | 13 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads | 12 |
| Unknown Or Other | 12 |
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections: 29; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 24; Electrical System: 20; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 13; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 13; Steering: 13; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads: 12; Unknown Or Other: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 10 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 21 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 17 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 33 |
| 150,000 and above | 12 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 33; 150,000 and above: 12
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (33). 140 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 | 15 |
| 2001 | 39 |
| 2002 | 32 |
| 2003 | 24 |
| 2004 | 30 |
| 2005 | 20 |
| 2006 | 19 |
| 2007 | 26 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
2000: 15; 2001: 39; 2002: 32; 2003: 24; 2004: 30; 2005: 20; 2006: 19; 2007: 26; 2008: 9; 2009: 5; 2011: 4; 2013: 2; 2014: 3; 2015: 6; 2018: 1; 2020: 2; 2021: 1
Pattern summary
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 51 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 50 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 17 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 10003001 · 2003-01-20 (January 20, 2003)
ON JUNE 22, 2002 I WAS DIRVING MY CAR TO WV. HALF WAY THERE THE TRANSMISSION 'POPPED' OUT OF 5TH GEAR. I PULLED OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT IN SEARCH OF ASSISTANCE WHERE I FOUND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT REMAIN IN 3RD GEAR EITHER. IN THIS SMALL TOWN I WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYONE WHO COULD/WOULD LOOK AT MY CAR SO I PROCEEDED TO CHARLESTON WHERE MY DAD AND A COUSIN WHO COULD LOOK AT MY CAR WERE. IT WAS FOUND THAT MY TRANSMISSION HAD NO FLUID IN IT - SO THIS WAS REPLACED WITH FLUID AS CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE SO WE COULD GET BACK TO RICHMOND…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003001 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003002 · 2003-01-20 (January 20, 2003)
TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION. UPON LOOKING OVER THE CAR THEY FOUND SEVERAL (ABOUT 4) OIL LEAKS. THESE WERE REPAIRED AND COVERED UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRENTY SINCE MY CAR ONLY HAD A LITTLE OVER 40,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME.
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003002 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003004 · 2003-01-20 (January 20, 2003)
TOOK CAR IN FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE BEFORE TAKING ANOTHER TRIP OUT OF TOWN. THIS WAS JUST 2 MONTHS AFTER HAVING OIL LEAKS REPAIRED AND CLUTCH CABLE REPLACED. DEALERSHIP CHECKED ON CLUTCH CABLE AND ALL WAS FINE, HOWEVER UPON PROCEEDING WITH OIL CHANGE THEY FOUND 2 MORE OIL LEAKS! THESE WERE REPAIRED AND COVERED UNDER POWER TRAIN WARRENTY. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THIS WARRENTY RUNS OUT?
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003004 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003006 · 2003-01-20 (January 20, 2003)
I FAILED TO MENTION ON MY COMPLAINT 10003001 THAT I HAD TAKEN MY CAR IN TO BE LOOKED AT DUE TO 'POPPING' IN THE CLUTCH. YOU COULD HEAR AND FEEL THIS POP WHEN SWITCHING GEARS. THIS ISSUE WOULD COME AND GO - NOTHING WAS EVER DONE ABOUT IT. WHY? B/C BY THE TIME I COULD GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR MY CAR THE POPPING WOULD STOP. WE NEVER DID GET IT WHERE THE MECHANIC COULD FIND THE PROBLEM. THIS WOULD OCCUR ON AN IRREGULAR INTRAVALS - AND WOULD LAST MAYBE A DAY - MAYBE UP TO 3 DAYS AND THEN QUIT. WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FIRST …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003006 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004389 · 2003-01-22 (January 22, 2003)
CONSUMER WAS IN A ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T UPON COLLISION. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004389 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005743 · 2003-02-12 (February 12, 2003)
REAR ENDED A TRUCK WHERE THE FRONT END OF THE STRATUS WENT UNDER THE TRUCK'S BUMPER. POINT OF IMPACT WAS JUST UNDER WHERE THE HOOD LATCHES CAUSING THE HOOD TO BUCKLE UP, DOING DAMAGE TO BOTH FRONT QUARTER PANELS, BROKE RADIATOR AND PUSHED IT BACK INTO THE ENGINE, BROKE AIR COMPRESSOR, BOTH HEAD LIGHTS, AND CAUSED 'CRACKING' IN THE WINDSHIELD. NOT SURE OF SPEED AT TIME OF IMPACT BUT SPEED OF CAR BEFORE IMPACT WAS AROUND 45 MPH, DRIVER HIT BRAKES HARD BUT NOT ENOUGH DISTANCE TO STOP - THERE WERE SKID MARKS ABOUT 2 FEET IN LENGTH. AIR BAGS DID…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005743 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006052 · 2003-01-10 (January 10, 2003)
NAR 1/29/2003. THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WHICH CAUSED $6000.00 IN DAMAGES AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED EXTENSIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006052 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006982 · 2003-02-11 (February 11, 2003)
THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006982 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 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 ↗06V001000 · Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections
Reported: 2006-01-05 (January 5, 2006)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.4 LITER ENGINES, THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE MAY PREMATURELY HEAT AGE AND DEVELOP A LEAK.
Consequence: POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE FREE OF CHARGE. THE THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA campaign record ↗99V244000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
Reported: 1999-09-15 (September 15, 1999)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE TUBE CAN CONTACT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP AND WEAR A HOLE IN IT.
Consequence: DAIMLERCHRYSLER RECALL NO. 843. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE TUBE COULD LEAK, REDUCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE-HALF OF THE DIAGONALLY SPLIT BRAKING SYSTEM, AND RESULTING IN LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE TUBES FOR VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP. IF THE TUBE SHOWS EVIDENCE OF CONTACT, IT WILL BE REPLACED. IF NO EVIDENCE OF CONTACT EXISTS, THE TUBE WILL BE FASTENED WITH A CLIP.
NHTSA campaign record ↗