DODGE STRATUS · model year

1995 DODGE STRATUS

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.

462
Complaints
30
Crashes
15
Fires
30
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

462 filings

Crashes Reported

30 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE66
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION44
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE34
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP28
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL19
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION15
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER14
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER13
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL8
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT8
UNKNOWN OR OTHER7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING6
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS5

Recent Complaints

20100416POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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

20090723FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

FUEL PUMP ,GASOLINE. *TR

Mileage: 76,000

20080324POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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

20080324ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:SOLENOID

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

20080131ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

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

20071119POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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

20071023STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

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

20070717SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM

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

20070717SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

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

20070717SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

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

20061230POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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

20061213FireSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

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

20061017FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

FUEL LINE QUICK COUPLER FAILED CAUSING GREAT AMOUNT OF GAS LEAKAGE AND POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. *NM

Mileage: 170,000

20060912POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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

20060817FireSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

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

20060302FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

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

20060118FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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

20050830POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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

20050823SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

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.

20050814STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

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

Compare 1995DODGESTRATUS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1995 DODGE STRATUS have?
The 1995 DODGE STRATUS has 462 NHTSA complaints, 30 crashes, 15 fires, 30 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1995 DODGE STRATUS?
The most-complained component for the 1995 DODGE STRATUS is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 66 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1995 DODGE STRATUS safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

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.