Total Complaints
462 filings
DODGE STRATUS · model year
462 NHTSA complaints, 30 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1995DODGESTRATUS carries 462 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 30 crashes, 15 fires, 30 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1995 STRATUS is engine and engine cooling:engine with 66 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (44) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (34). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 1995 STRATUS, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
462 filings
Crashes Reported
30 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 66 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 44 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 34 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 28 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 19 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 15 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 14 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 13 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 11 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 8 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT | 8 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 7 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 6 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 6 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | 5 |
I HAVE 1995 DODGE STRATUS SHIFTING DOWN GOING DOWN THE ROAD!!!! AFTER REBUILD ON THE TRANNY NOT ONCE BUT TWICE CHANGE ALL THE SWITCHES I FIGURED IT OUT. *TR
FUEL PUMP ,GASOLINE. *TR
Mileage: 76,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE SPEED TO DECREASE. THERE WERE SEVERAL REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AND THE SOLENOID WAS REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE SENSORS AND RELAYS WERE REPLACED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000 MILES AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
Mileage: 63,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 DODGE STRATUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE SPEED TO DECREASE. THERE WERE SEVERAL REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AND THE SOLENOID WAS REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE SENSORS AND RELAYS WERE REPLACED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000 MILES AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
Mileage: 63,000
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, MY CAR STARTED TO OVERHEAT. WHEN I PULLED OVER, THE COOLANT WAS POURING OUT OF THE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A GARAGE AND WAS TOLD THAT IT FAILED THE "BLOCK TEST" MEANING THAT IT NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET. I TOOK THE CAR TO A SECOND GARAGE AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. THIS IS A KNOWN FAILURE THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE CAR WAS PRODUCED. THE MANUFACTURE NEEDS TO COVER THE PARTS AND LABOR OF THIS REPAIR. I WAS TOLD BY MY LOCAL DEALER, DAYTON ANDREWS DODGE, THAT THIS PARTICULAR CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EARLIER RECALL. *TR
Mileage: 88,000
WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS TO LIMP MODE CAUSING A HIGHLY PROBABLE DANGER SITUATION THAT MAY LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURIES ESPECIALLY IF TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY. WE HAVE REPLACED THE TCM AT $166.00FROM A DEALER AND ANOTHER DEALER SUCKED APPROX.300.00 KNOWING THAT THERE IS NO WAY OF FIXING THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. WHY ARE YOU STILL ALLOWING THE DEALERS TO REPLACE PARTS THAT THEY FULLY KNOW WON'T FIX THE MAIN PROBLEM? WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ON THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS? ON THE COMPLAINT SIDE OF YOUR WEB PAGE THERE ARE A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS! THE DEALER WANTS US TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THEM FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND I AM SURE THEY WILL RECOMMEND ANOTHER PROBLEM SOLVING IDEA TO MAKE US SPEND MORE MONEY KNOWING IT WILL NOT WORK. *TR
Mileage: 1
DODGE HAS RECALLED 1999-2000 STRATUS BECAUSE POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING ON BACK OF ENGINE IN 2.4 LITER CARS. FIRE HAZARD. WE HAVE A 1995 SAME MOTOR SAME PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR HASN'T BEEN RECALLED ITS NOT DODGE'S PROBLEM. *JB
I HAD THE REAR BRAKES FOR THE 1995 DODGE STRATUS REPLACED ON 3/01/2007 BECOUSE BRAKES WERE WORN OUT, AND HAVE SINCE THEN HAD THEM REPLACE 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. MECHANIC SHOP COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY. THEY REPLACED EVERYTHING AND BACK BRAKES WERE STILL LOCKING. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED TO DO MY MAIL ROUTE ON 8/03/2006 FROM A USED CAR DEALER, AND DID NOT KNOW OF ANY RECALLS. ALSO, THE CAR SWERVED WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES. REPLACED BRAKE LINES, BRAKE SHOES, CYLENDERS, DRUMS AND SPRINGS. *AK
I HAD THE REAR BRAKES FOR THE 1995 DODGE STRATUS REPLACED ON 3/01/2007 BECOUSE BRAKES WERE WORN OUT, AND HAVE SINCE THEN HAD THEM REPLACE 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. MECHANIC SHOP COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY. THEY REPLACED EVERYTHING AND BACK BRAKES WERE STILL LOCKING. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED TO DO MY MAIL ROUTE ON 8/03/2006 FROM A USED CAR DEALER, AND DID NOT KNOW OF ANY RECALLS. ALSO, THE CAR SWERVED WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES. REPLACED BRAKE LINES, BRAKE SHOES, CYLENDERS, DRUMS AND SPRINGS. *AK
I HAD THE REAR BRAKES FOR THE 1995 DODGE STRATUS REPLACED ON 3/01/2007 BECOUSE BRAKES WERE WORN OUT, AND HAVE SINCE THEN HAD THEM REPLACE 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. MECHANIC SHOP COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY. THEY REPLACED EVERYTHING AND BACK BRAKES WERE STILL LOCKING. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED TO DO MY MAIL ROUTE ON 8/03/2006 FROM A USED CAR DEALER, AND DID NOT KNOW OF ANY RECALLS. ALSO, THE CAR SWERVED WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES. REPLACED BRAKE LINES, BRAKE SHOES, CYLENDERS, DRUMS AND SPRINGS. *AK
PURCHASED VEHICLE WITH CLEAN CARFAX RECORD IN FEB 06 WITH 75K MILES. AT 81K MILES TRANSMISSION STARTED GOING INTO LIMP MODE(SLAMS INTO SECOND GEAR REGARDLESS OF VEHICLE SPEED). TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THEY STATED THE INPUT AND OUTPUT SPEED SENSORS WERE FAILING ACCORDING TO THE COMPUTER. I REPLACED THEM. A WEEK LATER THE TRANSMISSION FULLY FAILED. TOWED TO A REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION CHAIN STORE. THEY FULLY REBUILT THE MECHANICALS OF TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED THE SPEED SENSORS AGAIN. AS I DROVE HOME THE TRANSMISSION RETURNED TO LIMP MODE. RETURNED TO SHOP. THEY TEST DROVE IT AND SECOND GEAR CLUTCHES BURNED UP. THEY REBUILT IT AGAIN AND ALSO REPLACED VALVE BODY AND SOLENOID PACK. I DROVE THE CAR FOR A MONTH BEFORE IT AGAIN STARTED LIMPING. TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS. THEY BLAMED THE SHOP AND STATED THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME BUT UPGRADE THE FLASH IN THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER. THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS COULD NOT REVEAL WHY THE COMPUTER WAS PUTTIN
TOOK MY CAR TO GET THE POWER STEERING FIXED AFTER IT STOPPED WORKING. THE REPAIR SHOP CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THE CAR'S ENGINE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE. I RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE AND HAVE SINCE HAD TO REPAIR ALL OF THE ELECTRONICS, HOSES, HOOD, AND PAINT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. *JB
Mileage: 113,642
FUEL LINE QUICK COUPLER FAILED CAUSING GREAT AMOUNT OF GAS LEAKAGE AND POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. *NM
Mileage: 170,000
AUTO TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, THROWING DRIVER TOWARDS WINDSHIELD. PROBLEM BEGAN 2003. HAVE MANY, MANY SERVICE VISITS. LUBE SHOP FLUSHED SYSTEM. DEALER REPLACED TPS SWITCH, DEALER REPLACED TCM, TRANS SHOP REBUILT TRANSMISSION WITH NEW TORQUE CONVERTER AND NEW INPUT AND OUTPUT SWITCHES (WORKED ONE YEAR) THEN PROBLEM RETURNED. TRANS SHOP FLUSHED SYSTEM, TRANS SHOP REPLACED TPS (AGAIN), TRANS SHP RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE TCM (AGAIN), BUT, DEALER SAID NO PROBLEM FOUND. ANOTHER DEALER SAYS TPS BAD. WHEN I SAID IT WAS REPLACED 100 MILES EARLIER, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS EITHER WIRING SHORT, OR MAIN COMPUTER FAILURE, HAS NO WAY TO KNOW WHAT PROBLEM IS. ALSO SAID THAT IF I FIX THE "WIRING" I WOULD HAVE TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION (AGAIN), AWEN I SAID IT WAS REBUILT LAST YEAR, DEALER CHANGED HIS STORY AND SAID I DID NOT HAVE TO REBUILD TRANSMISSION. DEALER RECOMMENDS JUNKING THE CAR. MANUFACTURER IS NOT HELPING AT ALL. NOT LOOKING FOR FREE WORK, I ALREADY SPENT $3000. I JU
Mileage: 125,000
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, FLAMES ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ALERTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THERE WAS MODERATE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE UNDER HOOD AREA. THE POLICE WERE NOT ALERTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE POWER STEERING HOSE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 06V001000, REGARDING THE STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.
Mileage: 125,000
PLASTIC FUEL FILLER NECK THAT ATTACHES TO THE METAL FLANGE THAT ATTACHES TO BODY OF CAR THAT HAS THE GAS CAP ON. THE METAL PART THAT ATTACHES TO PLASTIC NECK IS RUSTED OUT AND VENTING GAS VAPOR ALL THE TIME. CALLED THE DEALER TO BUY A REPLACEMENT PART AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS PART IS PACIFIC TO ONLY 95 AND 96 MODEL YEARS AND PART IS OUT OF PRODUCTION. DEALER ALSO SAID THERE IS NONE IN STOCK NO WHERE, AND WAS UNABLE TO GIVE ME ANY SOLUTION TO FIX THE PROBLEM THIS IS BOTH A SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD. *JB
Mileage: 120,000
1995 DODGE STRATUS CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONSUMER PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER, EXITED THE VEHICLE AND SAW SMOKE. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *JB
DT: SINCE THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IT WOULD SHIFT INTO LOW GEAR OR NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO SEPARATE DEALERS FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE REPLACEMENT OF A SOLENOID PACK. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER NOTED THAT TRANSMISSION COMPUTER HAD TO BE FLASHED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DODGE DEALER AND NO REPAIRS WERE DONE. THEY DID NOT OFFER AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. THE GEAR STILL MOVED WHILE IN DRIVE. THIS IS STILL A PROBLEM. *AK *JB
Mileage: 65,000
DT: WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, THEY TOLD HER THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS BROKEN. NO REPAIRS WERE DONE MADE AS OF YET. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.
NUMEROUS FAILURES-SINCE I BOUGHT THIS "95 DODGE STRATUS WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES. 1) ENGINE MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE-I TOOK CAR TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP-BUCHANAN & YOUNG IN BURNSVILLE, NC AND HAD A NEW HEAD GASKET PUT ON. 2) I REPLACED THE BATTERY BECAUSE THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I ALSO REPLACED THE BATTERY CABLES, SO THE CAR WOULD START, BUT THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE STARTER TO TRY TO GET THE CAR TO START. I STILL OFTEN HAVE TO GET OUT AND PECK ON THE STARTER WITH A SCREWDRIVER TO GET IT TO START---EVEN AFTER I HAD A NEW STARTER PUT ON. DATE: 8-10-05 3) WHEEL BROKE OFF/CAR NOT DRIVABLE-PARTS TO FIX PROBLEM & MECHANIC'S BILL 4) HAD TO REPLACE FLYWHEEL 5) HAD TO REPLACE STEERING COMPONENTS I HAVE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $2,000 TO GET THIS CAR WITH VERY LOW MILES ON IT TO START. *NM
Mileage: 31,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.