2001 DODGE STRATUS COUPE

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE STRATUS COUPE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V338000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

THE TRUNK DOOR CAME SLAMMING DOWN ON MY HEAD AND I THOUGHT IT WAS BLEEDING AT THE TIME. THANKFULLY IT WAS NOT, AND I GOT HOME AND PUT ICE ON MY HEAD. I DID NOT GO TO THE DR. HOWEVER I DO WORRY ABOUT MY CHILDREN AND FORGETTING TO KEEP THEIR SMALL FINGERS AND HANDS OUT OF THE WAY OF THE TRUNK AREA. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

DEC. 2010 WE PURCHASED 4 BF GOODRICH TRACTION T/A TIRES FOR OUR DAUGHTERS CAR. WE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THE SIDEWALLS OF THESE TIRES WERE SPLITTING. THERE ACTUALLY WAS NO FAILURE OF THE TIRES BUT WE FELT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE. *TR

FIRST OFF, I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM MY SISTER...THE BALL JOINT BROKE ON ME WITHIN A MONTH...PROBABLY NOT HER FAULT. HOWEVER THE CAR WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISES AND CLANKS AND CREAKS, I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE BUSHINGS, GUESS I FOUND OUT IT WASN'T THE HARD WAY. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED THE REAR STRUT BROKE AND WAS RUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. AFTER THAT WAS FIXED, ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND HEARD AN ODD GRINDING SOUND STARTED TO SOUND LIKE A FLAT, PULLED OVER TO DISCOVER THAT ALL OF MY LUGNUTS HAD BEEN PUSHED OFF SOMEHOW AND THE RIM HAD GRINDED DOWN THE POSTS. IT WAS ONLY HOLDING ON BY 1 LUGNUT AND IT WAS ALMOST OFF TOO. MOST RECENTLY THE CAR KEEPS OVERHEATING, REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, AND CHECKED ALL FLUIDS NONE OF WHICH WERE LEAKING. STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT ONE OUT...ALL THE FANS ARE RUNNING ALSO. AND TODAY THE CALIPER BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IT CAUGHT ON THE RIM AND MADE ME COME TO A FORCEFUL STOP. I DON'T

Mileage: 16,000

FIRST OFF, I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM MY SISTER...THE BALL JOINT BROKE ON ME WITHIN A MONTH...PROBABLY NOT HER FAULT. HOWEVER THE CAR WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISES AND CLANKS AND CREAKS, I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE BUSHINGS, GUESS I FOUND OUT IT WASN'T THE HARD WAY. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED THE REAR STRUT BROKE AND WAS RUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. AFTER THAT WAS FIXED, ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND HEARD AN ODD GRINDING SOUND STARTED TO SOUND LIKE A FLAT, PULLED OVER TO DISCOVER THAT ALL OF MY LUGNUTS HAD BEEN PUSHED OFF SOMEHOW AND THE RIM HAD GRINDED DOWN THE POSTS. IT WAS ONLY HOLDING ON BY 1 LUGNUT AND IT WAS ALMOST OFF TOO. MOST RECENTLY THE CAR KEEPS OVERHEATING, REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, AND CHECKED ALL FLUIDS NONE OF WHICH WERE LEAKING. STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT ONE OUT...ALL THE FANS ARE RUNNING ALSO. AND TODAY THE CALIPER BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IT CAUGHT ON THE RIM AND MADE ME COME TO A FORCEFUL STOP. I DON'T

Mileage: 16,000

FIRST OFF, I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM MY SISTER...THE BALL JOINT BROKE ON ME WITHIN A MONTH...PROBABLY NOT HER FAULT. HOWEVER THE CAR WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISES AND CLANKS AND CREAKS, I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE BUSHINGS, GUESS I FOUND OUT IT WASN'T THE HARD WAY. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED THE REAR STRUT BROKE AND WAS RUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. AFTER THAT WAS FIXED, ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND HEARD AN ODD GRINDING SOUND STARTED TO SOUND LIKE A FLAT, PULLED OVER TO DISCOVER THAT ALL OF MY LUGNUTS HAD BEEN PUSHED OFF SOMEHOW AND THE RIM HAD GRINDED DOWN THE POSTS. IT WAS ONLY HOLDING ON BY 1 LUGNUT AND IT WAS ALMOST OFF TOO. MOST RECENTLY THE CAR KEEPS OVERHEATING, REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, AND CHECKED ALL FLUIDS NONE OF WHICH WERE LEAKING. STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT ONE OUT...ALL THE FANS ARE RUNNING ALSO. AND TODAY THE CALIPER BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IT CAUGHT ON THE RIM AND MADE ME COME TO A FORCEFUL STOP. I DON'T

Mileage: 16,000

I DID EXPERIENCE MY CAR ACCELERATING. I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND WAS WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN WHEN MY CAR JUST STARTED REVVING UP. I COULD FEEL THE CAR PULLING BECAUSE IT WAS ACCELERATING. I HAD KEPT FEET ON THE BRAKES BUT IT KEPT GETTING LOUDER AND PULLING UNTIL I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I STARTED IT UP AGAIN WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN BUT IT WAS STILL ACCELERATING, SO I MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND PARK THE CAR. *TR

WHILE PARKED AND TURNED OFF, MY '01 DODGE STRATUS R/T ENCOUNTERED AN ENGINE FIRE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS ALMOST BEYOND RECOGNITION. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING OF THE KIND WAS WRONG; THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING AS USUAL. A SIMPLE GOOGLE OF "STRATUS ENGINE FIRE" TURNED UP AN OVERWHELMING OCCURRENCE OF STRATUS OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED NEAR THE FUSEBOX, WHICH WAS ALSO THE LOCATION OF THE FIRE IN THE COUNTLESS SEARCH RESULTS. THE CAR HAD IDLED TOO HIGH FROM A FEW DAYS AFTER I PURCHASED IT. WE HAD THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE CHANGED AND THE IDLE SPEED ADJUSTED BY THE SHOP FOUR OR FIVE TIMES, YET NOTHING WOULD STOP THE HIGH IDLE. THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD DECREASE IT WAS TO TURN THE AIR CONDITIONER ON--WHICH BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER PROBLEM. THE DRAIN HOLES FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR DRAINAGE. THUS, RUNNING THE AC LEADS TO WATER POOLING IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOORBOARD. ALL WE COULD GET THE SHOP TO DO WAS BLOW OUT THE DRAIN HOLES AND CHECK

Mileage: 100,000

WHILE PARKED AND TURNED OFF, MY '01 DODGE STRATUS R/T ENCOUNTERED AN ENGINE FIRE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS ALMOST BEYOND RECOGNITION. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING OF THE KIND WAS WRONG; THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING AS USUAL. A SIMPLE GOOGLE OF "STRATUS ENGINE FIRE" TURNED UP AN OVERWHELMING OCCURRENCE OF STRATUS OWNERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED NEAR THE FUSEBOX, WHICH WAS ALSO THE LOCATION OF THE FIRE IN THE COUNTLESS SEARCH RESULTS. THE CAR HAD IDLED TOO HIGH FROM A FEW DAYS AFTER I PURCHASED IT. WE HAD THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE CHANGED AND THE IDLE SPEED ADJUSTED BY THE SHOP FOUR OR FIVE TIMES, YET NOTHING WOULD STOP THE HIGH IDLE. THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD DECREASE IT WAS TO TURN THE AIR CONDITIONER ON--WHICH BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER PROBLEM. THE DRAIN HOLES FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR DRAINAGE. THUS, RUNNING THE AC LEADS TO WATER POOLING IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOORBOARD. ALL WE COULD GET THE SHOP TO DO WAS BLOW OUT THE DRAIN HOLES AND CHECK

Mileage: 100,000

PURCHASED THIS 2001 DODGE STRATUS R/T COUPE IN JULY OF 2009. AUGUST 2ND THERE ARE HUGE CRACKS IN THE DASH AND THE DEFROST VENTS HAVE DISINTEGRATED. ONCE THE DASH COMPLETELY CRACKS IT EXPOSES WIRING TO THE ELEMENTS, WHICH COULD CAUSE ARCING OR A FIRE..... *TR

Mileage: 156,000

I AM WRITING ON BEHALF OF THE ISSUE CONCERNING SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF MITSUBISHI/DODGE VEHICLES CONTAINING THE F4A51 AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (2000-05 ECLIPSE, 2001-05 STRATUS RT, 1997-2003 V6 GALANT) THE MAIN ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE WAVE/CUSHION SPRING LOCATED IN THE TRANSMISSION. MITSUBISHI HAS DESIGNED THE WAVE SPRING AS A FRAGILE TWO COIL PIECE WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO REPEATEDLY BREAK CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IN TURN POSES A THREAT ON THE DRIVER/PASSENGERS AS WHEN THIS WAVE SPRING BREAKS, ACTUAL PIECES OF THE SPRING MAKE IT THROUGH MITSUBISHI'S ALSO FAULTY TRANSMISSION FILTER AND LODGE THEMSELVES IN THE PUMP GEAR, CAUSING THE GEAR TO BREAK. WHEN BROKEN, ALL FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS IMMEDIATELY STOP FUNCTIONING AND IN MOST INSTANCES THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. THIS COULD RESULT IN POTENTIAL HARM OR EVEN DEATH OF THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER AS THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL MOVING POWER WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WITH OTHER VEHICLES ON THE

Mileage: 91,500

CLEAR COAT ON BLACK PAINT HAS TURNED WHITE AND FLAKING OFF. STARTED ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR IN THE FALL OF 2006. DEALER AND LETTER TO MANUFACTURER BOTH OFFERED NO HELP. THE CLEAR COAT PROBLEM HAS SPREAD TO THE HOOD, SIDES, AND TRUNK ALSO. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

THE DASHBOARD OF MY 2001 DODGE STRATUS R/T HAS BECOME SEVERLY CRACKED. I FIRST NOTICED A SMALL CRACK LAST YEAR SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. A FEW MONTHS LATER I NOTICED THAT THE CRACK HAD BECOME EVEN LARGER AND THAT ANOTHER CRACK WAS FORMING. THEN DURING THE WINTER MONTHS I NOTICED A THIRD CRACK NEAR THE DEFROSTER VENT! I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THEM. THEY TOLD THAT THEY WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH ANY SUCH PROBLEM AND THAT SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP ME. I NOTICED A 4TH CRACK A FEW WEEKS AGO AND DID SOME SEARCHING ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WAS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE! I HAVE READ WHERE OTHERS HAVE HAD THE DASHBOARD REPLACED/REPAIRED ONLY TO HAVE THE CRACKING PROBLEM RECUR. NOW I HAVE NOT TRIED TO TAKE THE DASHBOARD OFF TO REPAIR IT FOR FEAR THAT IT WOULD SIMPLY FALL TO PIECES. I BELIEVE THAT DAIMLER CHRYSLER IS WELL AWAR

Mileage: 35,000

DASH IS CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. WORST SPOT IS FROM THE COMPASS/TEMPERATURE POD TO THE DEFROSTER VENT. *TR

THE DASHBOARD ON MY 01 STRATUS COUPE HAS CRACKED WITHOUT ANY FORCE OR CAUSE. I HAVE HAD AN ANNOYING RATTLE HAS A RESULT OF THIS CRACK. *TR

Mileage: 52,500

THE DASH IN OUR '01 STRATUS COUPE IS CRACKING IN ABOUT 5 DIFFERENT PLACES. THE DEALER WILL NOT HELP. *TR

DASHBOARD SEVERELY CRACKED AFTER ONLY 40,000 MILES. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

I BOUGHT MY 2001 STRATUS R/T USED. NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER I HAD BOUGHT IT, I HAD TO PAY OVER $100 TO GET IT TO IDLE RIGHT. THEN I WAS IN A NOT-AT-FAULT ACCIDENT 6 MOS. LATER WITH OVER $8,000 IN DAMAGES TO THE FRONT END AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. AFTER THE WRECK I HAD TO PAY OVER $ 1,300 TO GET THE SHOCKS & STRUTS FIXED JUST TO HAVE IT MESS UP NOT EVEN 4 MOS. LATER. IT ALSO AS A ROTTEN ODOR COMING FROM IT OCCASIONALLY. I ALSO PAID ALMOST $200 FOR A NEW BATTERY TO HAVE IT START TO DRAIN NOT EVEN 6-7 MOS. LATER! AND WHEN THE BATTERY HAD TO BE CLEANED, I HAD TO GET IT RE-IDLED AGAIN! NOW IT WON'T STAY STARTED UNLESS YOU'RE GIVING IT GAS. I LOVE THE LOOK, BUT WORST CAR I EVER BOUGHT. AND IT'S NOT EVEN PAID OFF!!!! *E.G.* *TR

Mileage: 80,000

I BOUGHT MY 2001 STRATUS R/T USED. NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER I HAD BOUGHT IT, I HAD TO PAY OVER $100 TO GET IT TO IDLE RIGHT. THEN I WAS IN A NOT-AT-FAULT ACCIDENT 6 MOS. LATER WITH OVER $8,000 IN DAMAGES TO THE FRONT END AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. AFTER THE WRECK I HAD TO PAY OVER $ 1,300 TO GET THE SHOCKS & STRUTS FIXED JUST TO HAVE IT MESS UP NOT EVEN 4 MOS. LATER. IT ALSO AS A ROTTEN ODOR COMING FROM IT OCCASIONALLY. I ALSO PAID ALMOST $200 FOR A NEW BATTERY TO HAVE IT START TO DRAIN NOT EVEN 6-7 MOS. LATER! AND WHEN THE BATTERY HAD TO BE CLEANED, I HAD TO GET IT RE-IDLED AGAIN! NOW IT WON'T STAY STARTED UNLESS YOU'RE GIVING IT GAS. I LOVE THE LOOK, BUT WORST CAR I EVER BOUGHT. AND IT'S NOT EVEN PAID OFF!!!! *E.G.* *TR

Mileage: 80,000

I BOUGHT MY 2001 STRATUS R/T USED. NOT EVEN A YEAR AFTER I HAD BOUGHT IT, I HAD TO PAY OVER $100 TO GET IT TO IDLE RIGHT. THEN I WAS IN A NOT-AT-FAULT ACCIDENT 6 MOS. LATER WITH OVER $8,000 IN DAMAGES TO THE FRONT END AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. AFTER THE WRECK I HAD TO PAY OVER $ 1,300 TO GET THE SHOCKS & STRUTS FIXED JUST TO HAVE IT MESS UP NOT EVEN 4 MOS. LATER. IT ALSO AS A ROTTEN ODOR COMING FROM IT OCCASIONALLY. I ALSO PAID ALMOST $200 FOR A NEW BATTERY TO HAVE IT START TO DRAIN NOT EVEN 6-7 MOS. LATER! AND WHEN THE BATTERY HAD TO BE CLEANED, I HAD TO GET IT RE-IDLED AGAIN! NOW IT WON'T STAY STARTED UNLESS YOU'RE GIVING IT GAS. I LOVE THE LOOK, BUT WORST CAR I EVER BOUGHT. AND IT'S NOT EVEN PAID OFF!!!! *E.G.* *TR

Mileage: 80,000